The Ballad of Bradicles

Bradicles saw the Romans exit the woods directly in front of him and form up. Some of their light troops lingered in the woods while the more disciplined troops dressed their lines and began to move forward. Off to his right, some of the Roman’s allies flitted through the woods.

“Pezhetairoi, wheel right! Psiloi, forward and engage those troops by the farmhouse.  Slingers, forward and stand ready. Hypaspists, stand fast, your time of glory is nigh!”

Bradicles watched as the troops moved like a well oiled machine. The Psiloi struck first but their javelins just glanced off the Roman’s shields. No matter, he only wanted to disrupt their lines, maybe make them more cautious. He turned to the slingers.

“These Romans seem overly fond of their noses. Perhaps we should rearrange them?” The slingers laughed and loaded their stones.

“My lord,” called out one of the slingers, “this is most fortuitous! I’ve engraved this bullet with ‘May you be blessed by Aphrodite’ “, as he held up the lead projectile.

Bradicles laughed, “For Aphrodite!”

”Aphrodite!” And with that, they loosed. Wave after wave of stones arced over the field and towards the Romans. A few staggered an unfortunate soldier but the Romans redressed their lines and came on.

More Roman units moved through the woods on the right but one unit on the plains had overextended itself. Bradicles ordered the Pezhetairoi to were left and engage. They came on and forced the Romans back, disrupting their formation but as they advanced, Roman units exited the woods and began to move forward.

Meanwhile, on the left, the Romans unloosed their pilums at the Psiloi. They then charged the Psiloi and forced them back. The light troops fought back and then retired losing half their numbers in the retreat.

The Samnites had cleared the woods and charged the Pezhetairoi with a mighty roar. Caught while exhausted and unaware, they made short work of them but the Samnites weren’t done. Into the slingers they came and performed a great slaughter before being exhausted, leaving some slingers to scamper away.

Bradicles tried to order the Psiloi back into the fight but they just looked at him blankly panting with fear and exhaustion.

“Hypaspists, this is your time! This is your opportunity! The pikes have disrupted their lines! Seize your glory! Forward!”

Forward indeed. Bypassing one Roman unit to go straight for the hard pressed center of the enemy line. Clash! went the shields into the enemy’s chest. Clash! went the spears into the enemy armor. Clash! went the swords on the enemy’s armor. But alas!, to no avail, for none of their weapons bit flesh. The Romans just fell back, and fell back again.

And then he came. Like Thanatos himself, astride a pale horse, he came.

And Bradicles wept. For it was beautiful.

Down came the Gladius, and down went the Hypaspists. Again and again until there were none left. But his red rage was not satiated. On to the slingers, the beloved slingers. So often the key to victory but now part of a gory tableau.

With only himself, his trumpeter and a few Psiloi ineffectively trying to flank one of the Roman units, there was but one thing Bradicles could do. He removed his helmet and handed it to Aias, then his shield and finally, he thrust his spear into the ground.

And he bowed.