37.16
C.
Livius was sent to Lycia with two Roman quinqueremes, four Rhodian
quadriremes and two undecked ships from Smyrna. His instructions were to
visit Rhodes on his way and communicate his plans to the government. The
cities which he passed on his voyage -Miletus, Myndus, Halicarnassus,
Cnidus and Cos -fully met all his requirements. When he arrived in Rhodes
he explained the object of his expedition, and asked their opinion on it. It
was universally approved and three additional quadriremes were supplied for
his fleet. He then set sail for Patara. A favourable wind carried them right up
to the city, and they hoped that the suddenness of their appearance might
frighten the citizens into deserting Antiochus. Afterwards the wind veered
round and a heavy cross-sea arose. They succeeded by dint of hard rowing in
holding the land, but there was no safe anchorage near the city and they
could not lie off the harbour mouth in such a rough sea and with night
coming on. Sailing past the city walls they made for the port of Phoenicus
rather less than two miles away. This harbour afforded a safe shelter from
the violence of the waves, but it was surrounded by high cliffs which the
townsmen together with the king's troops who formed the garrison promptly
occupied. Though the shore was rocky and landing difficult, Livius sent the
contingent from Issa and the Smyrnean light infantry to dislodge them. As
long as these light troops had only few to deal with they kept up the contest
with missiles and desultory skirmishing more than with hand-to-hand
fighting, but as more and more came out of the city in a constant stream and
at last the whole of the able-bodied population were pouring out, Livius
began to feel apprehensive lest his light troops should be cut off and the
ships assailed from the shore. So he sent into the fight the whole of his
troops, the seamen and even the rowers, armed with whatever weapons they
could get hold of. Even then the battle hung in suspense and not only were a
good many soldiers killed, but L. Apustius was amongst those who fell in
this promiscuous fighting. The Lycians, however, were routed and driven
back to their city and the Romans returned, victorious, but with considerable
losses, to their ships. All idea of making any further attempt on Patara was
abandoned; the Rhodians were sent home and Livius, sailing along the coast
of Asia, crossed over to Greece to meet the Scipios who were in Thessaly at
the time. Then he returned to Italy.