Chapter 10: Infantry and Cavalry Advance Together (Part 1)

"Here, some people sell their beauty, and some sell their eloquence." --British scholar Harris commented on the square politics of ancient Rome

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The shrill whistles came from east and west, and the Tenth Legion and the two legions of Labinus intertwined and fought together. Caesar's mixed formation at this time showed its power. When the slingers and archers were changing ranks with the infantry in front, they kept pouring bullets at Labinus's troops, causing great trouble to the other side.

The "Laloconia" Legion was an old army. They calmly leaned on their own camp as a support and continued to maintain their front line, fighting with Caesar's most elite Tenth Legion. The two sides shouted and cursed at each other because the two legions had grudges in history. The Laloconia Legion was first Sulla's basic team, and later became Pompey's elite base; and the Bacchus Legion was originally the Seventh Legion of Asia Minor. It was originally recruited by Marius's subordinate Flaccus and went to the east of Asia Minor to dismantle Sulla. Later, Flaccus was killed by a traitor, and this group of people was annexed by Sulla. Although they were brave and good at fighting, they were always treated as a miscellaneous brand. They were not loved by their grandmothers and uncles. They were simply the children of their stepmothers. Later, it was the same when Lucullus took over. "Go to hell, you old soldiers, you guys who have never done anything positive except mutiny, you are only worthy of turning into lonely ghosts in this sandy land!" This is the slogan of the Laloconia Legion.

Caesar's ten legions retorted, "Your great Pompey is about to become a lonely ghost, and we who were dismissed by him will eventually take his head."

Pompey, who learned about the battle situation, hurriedly galloped several Roman miles and climbed a hill next to Uzta. He stared at the enemy and our army fighting like two giant centipedes, and then saw signs of fire and engineering operations on the hill occupied by Caesar behind. Then Pompey squinted and looked down. To the right of Caesar's army was Hadrumum and the sea, and to the extreme right of his own side, there was a cluster of mountain highlands, which was also the end point of Labinus's right wing defense. It was called Jemal Mountain.

"Hurry up and send a messenger to tell Labienus that his four right wing legions are trying to outflanking Caesar's flank, but that is futile. It is more important to focus on Mount Jemal." As soon as Pompey finished speaking, torches lit up in the area of ​​Mount Jemal. It was as bright as day. Lepidus's 12 legions, with a thousand Matian cavalry, quickly attacked the top of the mountain. There were only about 200 Numidian cavalry stationed there. They were quickly driven down the mountain by the Matians. Then the 500 Agrian infantry selected by Lepidus were still walking on flat ground in the dark and mountains. They seized a hillside on the side of Mount Jemal, which happened to be the only way for the enemy to retreat and reinforce. After the Agrians put up the torches, they illuminated the mountain road. Then he quickly escaped from the slingshot and threw small stone bullets at the bottom like a storm. The screams of the Numidian cavalry filled the valley. They had no armor at all. Most of them were killed or injured on the spot, and a few ran away.

Then. The 12th Legion rushed into the enemy's fortification camp and slaughtered the remaining soldiers who were still resisting. "Raise the flames and let Labinus see all this on Mount Jemal." Lepidus stopped on the hillside and instructed the guards around him.

Soon, torches surged like a tide, and many Medjies held several in their hands, which made our army's formation on Mount Jemal look unusually strong. At this moment, Pompey hurriedly ordered the second token officer, "Tell all of Labinus's troops to rely on our camp, maintain a good formation, and not be attracted by the enemy on Mount Jemal."...

But before Pompey's token officer arrived, Labinus hurriedly led his entire right wing, which was equivalent to the entire Eighth Legion, to reverse the front line and rushed to Mount Jemal. He tried to restore this crucial commanding height and handed the Sixth Legion to Laelias.

The worried Labinus personally led the Gaul and Numidian cavalry, about three or four thousand people, most of the former were captured by him from Caesar's camp, and the latter were supported by King Juba. As a result, his cavalry line advanced very quickly, but the infantry was quickly left behind.

"Our cavalry, attack!" Caesar raised his finger under the eagle flag, and his followers blew the continuous military trumpet. Two thousand Severus cavalry shouted and rushed out from Caesar's command. They quickly penetrated and cut Labinus's cavalry and infantry in two, tearing them in half!

The infantry of the Eighth Legion saw that there were enemy cavalry galloping everywhere in front of them, and they were frightened and quickly stood in place to defend, but the Severus people ignored them, and quickly attacked the rear team of Labinus' cavalry, waving their swords and slashing the enemy cavalry who were still unaware of it one by one.

Because there were mountains, fire and bunkers in front of them, coupled with Lepidus's show of force, Labinus delayed the most precious time for judgment. When he found that the rear team had been basically killed by Caesar's cavalry, and the front team and the middle team were in chaos, everything was too late. The Numidian servant cavalry around him were the first to flee.

Lepidus also looked down at Labienus, the sun had already risen, he proudly held out his gilded baton, the XII Legion and the Agrian troops rushed down, and in an instant Labienus' cavalry brigade was attacked from all sides, in front was Lepidus' wolf-like army, and behind was Caesar's tiger-like army.

"Lepidus, we will meet again. Is my sacrifice to the goddess of vengeance still there?" Labinus shouted, fell on the saddle, and fled wildly through the tiny gap under the protection of his followers.

But his Gallic cavalry, which he had accumulated for many years and was equivalent to Caesar's, had no way to escape. Many people were ashamed to escape, because many of them had followed Caesar to fight and knew that they would be humiliated if they were captured, so they all dismounted and were chopped down and trampled on all sides by swords and horseshoes. They were killed on the flat ground like bushes, and almost no one survived.

Then, Lepidus's legion merged with the Serwefer cavalry, and then turned around to sweep away the Eighth Legion in front of them. The Eighth Legion collapsed across the board. Lepidus swept across four Roman miles, and Labinus's troops were covered with corpses. Even Laelius's Sixth Legion fled back to the camp in a panic and closed the door without fighting.

Pompey looked at the miserable scene of his own army at the foot of the mountain, and then looked at Lepidus riding a white horse and commanding soldiers to clean up the battlefield from afar, and sighed, "Has he become such a monster? I am really unlucky. I was suppressed by Sulla when I was young, and I have to compete with young people when I am old."

In this battle, Caesar's camp advanced two Roman miles, occupied almost all the ridges, and built a solid blockade line, killing about 5,000 Pompey's army, while only 60 of his own army were killed.

Now, Caesar's catapult can shoot javelins and stones into the city of Uzta at any time if he wants, and that place happens to be the important place where Scipio stored food and supplies-now Pompey and Scipio have to come out and confront Caesar head-on!