This being a report of the fifth battle in the fictional miniatures campaign entitled "The Macedonian & Punic Wars". The battle was resolved using DBM 3.0.

For some three years the northern provinces of Rome have seen the slow but steady build up of Gallic forces. The free citizens of these areas continued to appeal to the Roman senate [1] for assistance. As a counter to this threat a number of legions were progressively dispatched to the northern provinces. By the late 238BC the situation was becoming critical as the armies available to Rome and Gaul had grown much larger than reported elsewhere. A possible exception being the rumored Seleucid armies deployed to siege to the great city of Pergamom.

The senate finally decided that the situation could not be allowed to continue, as the effect on the economy of the northern provinces was crippling. To this end the senate directed the Consul Tiberius [2] to plan for an advance on Boii in the early spring of 237BC following reports that Prasutagus [3], king of the Gallic confederation, was having difficulty maintaining his army over the winter. It would seem that many warriors had since dispersed to other provinces, as is the custom of these barbarians. So as the spring arrived, Tiberius began his march into Boii. Tiberius’s army consisted of some two Roman legions and was assisted by the two allied legions along with supporting cavalry, some 24,000 infantry and 8,000 cavalry [4]. The cavalry element was particularly great as the senate supplied cavalry in addition to that which forms part of a consular army. The additional cavalry included contingents of allied horse in the form of Tarantine and Illyrian mercenaries. The march was cautious, but eventually Prasutagus was sort out and brought to battle.

Now it is timely to give some indication on what Prasutagus had been doing in recent months, being as he is a most devious character. While it was true that he was at risk of his army disintegrating over winter he took steps to post himself and his other senior generals to other provinces with orders to gather new warriors in the spring and move with all haste back to Boii. Indeed, it would seem that Prasutagus believed the Romans would advance into Boii during the spring of 237BC and thus intended to use the dispersion of his warriors for winter as a trap. While the warriors of Boii would remain over went in their own lands, Prasutagus worked frantically gathering his dispersed forces and by mid spring, when Tiberius was on the move, so to was Prasutagus with reinforcements.

Tiberius descended into the district of Boii and fixed his camp about four miles distant from the enemy. He had advanced through difficult terrain to protect his army from the enemy cavalry and disrupt the enemy infantry. A map is included detailing the steep hills and dense woods in the area of the battle. The three nations, being the Boii, Gaesatai and Prasutagus’s own Cenomani, consulted together as to their plan of action. They fixed upon the day of battle. The brunt of the fighting was to be reserved for the Gaesatai, with the Cenomani and Boii protecting the flanks and supporting the attacks. Tiberius meanwhile, became aware of the size of the Gallic host assembling before him and it was obvious that he now faced a larger army than he was able to field. The Gallic forces assembling before him numbered some 42,000 warriors [5]. This host can be broken down further, being some 20,000 warriors on foot along with 10,000 cavalry from Boii and Cenomani, and assisted by a further 12,000 Gaesatai led by Aneroestes.

Now, I will digress from the account of these histories to delve into the nature of Tiberius. He was 48 by the time of his appointment as Consul to northern provinces, but had in this many years fought a number of engagements against the Gauls. He knew for instance that the Gauls were utterly unable to stand heat or exertion, and found their physical strength melting away; in their first efforts they were more than men, in the end they were weaker than women. Knowing this, he kept the strength of his men unimpaired against the time when the enemy usually began to show signs of defeat. And while the wild charge of the Gauls could be unnerving he determined to take the battle to the enemy before it’s superiority in numbers, especially in cavalry, came to tell. He also new that Prasutagus were nervous on confronting Tiberius on the field of battle, having heard of other Gallic leaders defeated in proceeding campaigns. Rumors indicate he had hoped that a younger Consul would have advanced on Boii.

Tiberius determined to create a show of strength that would indicate he was stronger than he was. To this end much was made of the Roman camp. Tiberius ordered significant activity in and around the camp so that it would look larger than it was and thus in turn indicate the Roman army was larger. He even went to such measures of moving wagons in one gate and out the other in a loop before some items of baggage were marched off in plain site of the Gauls to indicate a portion of the Roman army was marching around to encircle them [6]. This ploy had the desired effect, as can be seen from the associated map, where the Gallic horse are held back to protect the flanks of the warriors on foot from the likely flank attack. Indeed the great bulk of the Gallic horse was deployed facing the flanks!

Tiberius was not content with this however, and making the best use of the terrain he deployed on an angle to the Gallic line. This deployment would require the Gauls to swing in a large arc before Prasutagus’s Cenomani could join in the battle. This ploy would thus allow the Roman legions to concentrate on destroying the Gallic centre. Tiberius however made two errors. The first was he would now have to face the Gaesatai rather than the Cenomani and Boii in a frontal battle. The second was he believed the Gauls would deploy and advance through a defile between a steep hill and woods. This in advance in turn he felt could be delayed with light troops. Further he felt the steep hill on the flank of his legions could be contested by velites supported by a number of Cretan archers. He was surprised however by the Gallic deployment of Galatus’s warriors from the province of Boii directly behind the steep hill. However, his concern from this direction was unfounded and it would seem that a small detachment from his legions would be well able to deal with the attacks from this direction.

All the deployments were complete by 7am. Prasutagus was rumored to be disturbed by the Roman deployments. Indeed he felt the omens for the coming battle were bad. At this time Prasutagus sent forward a messenger beseeching Tiberius to withdraw on payment of a ransom. Tiberius seeing this as a ploy would have none of the treachery, which is common among the Gauls, and while knowing that the coming battle would be difficult, determined to dare everything for the republic.

Realizing time was short Tiberius signaled the advance. Trumpets sounded along the battle lines and the legions advanced. Leading was the hastati of the four legions then following close behind came the principes. The triarii of the legions were massed as a reserve on each wing. As I have mentioned before a number velites were dispatched to the cover the right flank, while an even greater number were detached to support Octavius’s cavalry reserve. While the legions advanced the light cavalry was dispatched to advanced positions to begin to delay the enemy on the flanks. The Gauls were now ready for battle, realizing that their flanks were secure and the army before them was smaller, the Gallic hordes advanced with vigor and enthusiasm not seen before [7]. However, as the lines grew closer the superior training of the Roman infantry began to show.

The advance by Galatus’s warriors over the steep hill to threaten the Roman right soon began to fall apart [8]. Here the Boii warriors broke rank and began to advance rapidly, but without cohesion, across the hill and down on the Romans. Tiberius detached some 1500 hastati and principes under Protus Decius, along with an equal number of velites, to halt this advance and protect the right flank and rear of the main body of the army. The remaining lines pushed rapidly forward to engage the Gaesatai who had now advanced and wheeled to face the Romans. As the Gaesatai became locked in mortal combat so the Boii advanced out and hurled themselves at Decius’s thin line.

What followed can only be described as a confusing engagement. The Boii with their desperate attacks died at the feet of the young Decius whose personal valor was an example to all Rome. Indeed after the initial attack the Gauls were prone to fall back and then stand in close order covered by their shields. Now a hand-to-hand fight seemed no easy matter, but the officers gave orders for the javelins which were lying on the ground between the two armies to be gathered up and hurled at the enemy's shield wall. Although most of them stuck in their shields and only a few penetrated their bodies, the closely massed ranks went down, most of them falling without having received a wound, just as though they had been struck by lightning. Such was the change that fortune had brought about in the Roman right wing [9].

However, the clash with the Gaesatai was more difficult for the legions. In time the hastati opposite the Gaesatai would be forced back on the principes. It had now become obvious to Tiberius that the legions on the left would need to push forward against the Cenomani whose more open formations offered some hope of victory. Certainly it needed to be done urgently, before the Gaesatai could break through. To this end Octavius and the legions on the left pushed forward and struck the Cenamoni. Once again the fighting was desperate, but this time the Gauls were more organized. While the republic can rely on its soldiers to bring it victory this was not to be this day. Casualties continued to mount and despite heroic efforts by Roman citizens, along with the allies, the numbers now pressing all along the line were too much for the legions. The Romans having suffered some 7000 casualties in the fighting were lost and the line finally broke. Now while many gallant Romans fought on, the throng of Gauls pushed forward intent on destroying all before them. Casualties in the retreat were terrible and along with Tiberius many thousands perished in retreat [10].

This has been a dark chapter in Rome’s history and the news is likely to cause a shock in Rome. However, the strength of Rome can not be taken lightly and while the Gallic host loot the bodies of the Romans in Boii, yet another Roman army will be assembled for protection of the republic.