36.38
Shortly before this the Ligurians had
assembled an army under the "Lex Sacrata" and made a sudden attack upon
the camp where the proconsul Q. Minucius was in command. He kept his
men drawn up within the rampart until daybreak to prevent the enemy from
getting over his lines at any point. As soon as it was light he made a sortie
from two of the camp gates simultaneously. But the Ligurians were not, as
he had expected, repulsed at the first attempt; for more than two hours they
maintained the struggle without either side gaining any advantage. At length,
as detachment after detachment issued from the camp, and fresh troops
relieved those who were exhausted with fighting, the Ligurians, worn out
and suffering especially from want of sleep, turned and fled. Over 4000 of
the enemy were killed, the Romans and allied troops lost less than 300.
About two months later, P. Cornelius fought a most successful action with
the army of the Boii. Valerius Antias states that 28,000 of the enemy were
slain and 3400 made prisoners, and that the spoils included 124 standards,
1230 horses and 247 wagons, whilst in the victorious army 1484 men fell.
Though we can place little confidence in this writer so far as numbers are
concerned, for no one is more reckless in exaggerating them, it was evidently
a great victory, for the camp of the Boii was captured and they made their
surrender immediately after the battle. Moreover, special thanksgivings were
ordered by the senate for the victory and full-grown victims sacrificed.
