40.33
The
wounded were carried into Aebura and the legions marched through
Carpetania to Contrebia. When this city was invested, the townspeople sent
to the Celtiberi for assistance. This was delayed, not through any reluctance
on the part of the Celtiberi, but because they could not make their way over
the roads which were rendered impassable and the rivers which were flooded
by incessant rain. Despairing of any help from their countrymen, the
inhabitants surrendered. Flaccus found himself compelled by the terrible
storms to move his entire army into the city. The Celtiberi, meanwhile, had
started from home in ignorance of the surrender, and as soon as the rain
stopped they succeeded at last in crossing the rivers and arrived before
Contrebia. They saw no camp outside the walls, and concluding that it had
been transferred elsewhere, or else that the enemy had withdrawn, they
approached the town without taking precautions or keeping any proper
formation. The Romans made a sortie from two gates, and attacking them
whilst in disorder, routed them. The very thing that made resistance
impossible, namely, their not marching in one body, or keeping with their
standards, really helped the majority to escape, for the fugitives dispersed all
over the field and the Romans could nowhere intercept any considerable
number together. Nevertheless, the killed amounted to 12,000 and the
prisoners to more than 5000; 400 horses and 62 standards were also secured.
The scattered fugitives made their way to their homes, and meeting another
body of Celtiberi who were going to Contrebia, stopped them by informing
them of the surrender of the place and of their own defeat. All promptly
dispersed to their forts and villages. Leaving Contrebia Flaccus led the
legions through Celtiberia, ravaging the country as he marched and storming
many of the forts until the greater part of the nation came in to make their
surrender. Such were the incidents this year in Hither Spain. In Further Spain
the praetor Manlius fought several successful actions with the Lusitanians.