39.20
By this
time Q. Marcius had completed his inquiry throughout the district assigned
to him, and was preparing to start for his province in Liguria. He was
reinforced by 3000 Roman infantry and 150 cavalry, together with a
contingent from the Latin allies of 5000 infantry and 200 cavalry. This
province had been decreed to his colleague in conjunction with him, and he,
too, received reinforcements of equal strength. They took over the armies
which the previous consuls had commanded, and on the authority of the
senate enrolled two fresh legions in addition. They required the Latin allies
to furnish 20,000 infantry and 800 cavalry, and called up 3000 Roman
infantry and 200 cavalry as well. The whole of this force, with the exception
of the legions, was destined to reinforce the armies in Spain. While the
consuls were preoccupied with their judicial investigations they appointed T.
Maenius to superintend the levying of the troops. Q. Marcius was the first to
complete his inquiry, and he at once advanced against the Apuani. Whilst he
was following them into the depths of secluded passes, where they were in
the habit of sheltering and concealing themselves, the enemy seized a narrow
defile and hemmed him in. Four thousand men were lost, three standards
belonging to the second legion and eleven ensigns from the Latin allies fell
into the enemy's hands, together with a large quantity of arms which the
fugitives, finding that they hampered their flight through the forest tracks,
had everywhere thrown away. The enemy stopped their pursuit before the
Romans stopped their flight. As soon as the consul got clear of the enemy's
country, he dispersed his army in friendly territory to prevent the extent of
his losses from being known. He was not, however, able to efface the
memory of his ill-success. The pass out of which the Ligurians had chased
him was afterwards known as the "Marcian Pass."
