9.27
The
rumour of these proceedings, and, still more, the expectation of a Campanian
revolt, which had already been secretly organised recalled the Samnites from
their designs in Apulia. They marched to Caudium, which from its proximity
to Capua would make it easy for them, if the opportunity offered, to wrest
that city from the Romans. The consuls marched to Caudium with a strong
force. For some time both armies remained in their positions on either side of
the pass, as they could only reach each other by a most difficult route. At
length the Samnites descended by a short detour through open country into
the flat district of Campania, and there for the first time they came within
sight of each other's camp. There were frequent skirmishes, in which the
cavalry played a greater part than the infantry, and the Romans had no cause
to be dissatisfied with these trials of strength, nor with the delay which was
prolonging the war. The Samnite generals, on the other hand, saw that these
daily encounters involved daily losses, and that the prolongation of the war
was sapping their strength. They decided, therefore, to bring on an action.
They posted their cavalry on the two flanks of their army with instructions to
keep their attention on their camp, in case it were attacked, rather than on
the battle, which would be safe in the hands of the infantry. On the other
side, the consul Sulpicius directed the right wing Poetilius the left. The
Roman right was drawn up in more open order than usual, as the Samnites
opposed to them were standing in thinly extended ranks in order either to
surround the enemy or to prevent themselves from being surrounded. The
left, which was in a much closer formation, was further strengthened by a
rapid maneuver of Poetilius, who suddenly brought up into the fighting line
the cohorts which were usually kept in reserve, in case the battle was
prolonged. He then charged the enemy with his full strength. As the Samnite
infantry were shaken by the weight of the attack their cavalry came to their
support, and riding obliquely between the two armies were met by the
Roman cavalry who charged them at a hard gallop and threw infantry and
cavalry alike into confusion, until they had forced back the whole line in this
part of the field. Sulpicius was taking his part with Poetilius in encouraging
the men in this division, for on hearing the battle-shout raised he had ridden
across from his own division, which was not yet engaged. Seeing that the
victory was no longer doubtful here he rode back to his post with his 1200
cavalry, but he found a very different condition of things there, the Romans
had been driven from their ground and the victorious enemy were pressing
them hard. The presence of the consul produced a sudden and complete
change, the courage of the men revived at the sight of their general, and the
cavalry whom he had brought up rendered an assistance out of all proportion
to their numbers, whilst the sound, followed soon by the sight of the success
on the other wing, re-animated the combatants to redouble their exertions.
From this moment the Romans were victorious along the whole line, and the
Samnites abandoning all further resistance, were all killed or taken prisoners,
with the exception of those who succeeded in escaping to Maleventum, now
called Beneventum. Their loss in prisoners and slain is stated by the
chroniclers to have amounted to 30,000.