40.25
During
these occurrences in Macedonia, L. Aemilius Paulus, whose command had
been extended on the expiry of his consulship, marched against the Ingauni
in Liguria. As soon as he had encamped on the enemy's territory, envoys
came to him ostensibly to sue for peace, but really as spies. Paulus told them
that he only made terms with those who surrendered. They did not definitely
reject his conditions, but explained that they would require time to induce
their people, a rustic population, to submit. An armistice for ten days was
granted them. Then they asked that his soldiers might be forbidden to cross
the mountains to gather fodder and wood -that cultivated part of the
country formed part of their territory. They gained his consent to this also,
and at once concentrated an enormous host behind those very mountains
from which they were keeping their enemies away. A fierce attack was made
on the Roman camp, all the gates being assaulted at once, and they kept up
the attack with the utmost violence during the whole day. The Romans had
no room for advancing against them, no sufficient ground for forming their
battle-line. Massed in close order at the gates they defended the camp more
by forming a barrier than by actual fighting. At sunset the enemy withdrew
and Paulus sent two troopers to the proconsul at Pisae with a despatch
informing him that his camp was invested in breach of the armistice, and
asking him to come to his assistance as soon as possible. Baebius had handed
over his army to the praetor M. Pinarius, who was on his way to Sardinia;
however, he wrote to inform the senate that L. Aemilius was blockaded in
his camp by the Ligurians, and he also wrote to M. Claudius Marcellus,
whose province adjoined, that if he thought it wise he should transfer his
army from Gaul to Liguria and relieve L. Aemilius from investment. This
assistance would have been long in coming. The following day the Ligurians
renewed their attack on the camp. Though L. Aemilius knew that they would
come, and though he could have led out his men in line of battle, he kept
them within their rampart in order that he might delay a battle till such time
as Baebius could come with his army from Pisae.
