Editio VII.

First of two Veneti Armies marching south on the Patavium Road.

Fireballs rolled down the hill by the Romans strike the Veneti.

(Cisalpine. BC 262 Spring) The Roman Senate had declared war upon the Veneti, a Celtic tribe in the Cisalpine region in BC 263, A year had elapsed with little word from the Legions that had marched north to meet the foe. Then a thunderbolt struck! News came in that two Veneti armies had been ambushed along the Patavium Road by the 1st and 2nd Legions! Heavy enemy casualties were the result as well as the survivors routing back into their territory. Their Generals in particular General Sauumason had been slain.

This was a tale of two actions, the first found Legio I 'Italia' deployed beside the road in the forest, along came the Celts whose lack of scouting was punctuated by Roman arrows and javelins raining of the forest into the Veneti's panicked ranks. Old hero Lucius Julius Libo, now 51 years old, then set his infantry forth. Out of the trees and brush charged the legionaries into the ranks of the startled Veneti.

The barbarians fought hard but gave way and routed. Only General Sauumason and his bodyguard of heavy cavalry remained in action. He got behind the Roman line, routed a unit of hastari, then harassed missile troops through the forest before being hit and falling on the battlefield in a noble death.

General Libo then pulled the 1st Legion back and headed south down the road to Ariminum. Lurking in the forest however still was the 4th Legion under the command of General Tiberius Caesetius Pulvillus. Like General Libo, a member of the Julii family.

A day later than the first action again came a Veneti army marching out of Cisalpine into Roman territory. Tiberius had his troops on both sides of the road. At the perfect moment Roman archers opened fire with flaming arrows and the Roman infantry charged in on the Celts. A large mass of Veneti found them surrounded and pressed from all sides. The Celts were slaughtered with only a few managing to escape into the forest. The opening battles had been a resounding victory, but the Roman commanders were impressed by the ferocity of the barbarian warriors even in a hopeless ambush.

General Sauumason's body guard hitting Roman Infantry hard! He was slain a few minutes later but caused much confusion.

Last stand of the Celts! Veneti warriors in a large mass surrounded by Legio IV 'Hercules!'

Roman flaming arrows shooting out of the trees into the Veneti. Those Romans belonged to Legio IV 'Herculia.'