38.41
When
they had got clear of the pass, the first division of the Roman army
encamped on open ground near the temple of Bendis. The second remained
in the pass to protect the baggage train which they enclosed with a double
rampart. The next day after reconnoitring the pass, they joined the front
division. The fighting had practically extended the whole length of the pass,
a portion of the pack animals and camp servants had fallen and a
considerable number of soldiers. But the most serious loss was that of the
gallant and energetic Q. Minucius Thermus. In the course of the day they
reached the Hebrus, and from there they marched past a temple to the
Zerynthian Apollo, as the natives call him, into the country of the Aenians.
Another defile near Tempyra had to be crossed, not less precipitous than the
one already surmounted, but as there was no wooded country around it, it
afforded no concealment for an ambush. Another Thracian tribe, the Thrausi,
had assembled here, quite as greedy of plunder, but their movements, as they
tried to block the pass, were visible from afar owing to the bareness of the
landscape. The Romans were very little perturbed as though the ground was
ill-adapted for maneuvering, they saw that they could fight on a proper front
in a regular action. Charging in close order and raising their battle-cry they
drove the enemy from his ground and then put him to flight. The narrowness
of the pass crowded the fugitives together, and there was much slaughter.
The victorious Romans encamped at a village belonging to Maronia
called Sale. The following day, marching through open country, they entered
the plain of Priantae. Here they remained, taking in corn partly from the
country people, who brought it in from their fields, and partly from the ships
of the fleet which were loaded with all sorts of stores and were following
their movements. A day's march brought them to Apollonia and from here,
through the district of Abdera, they arrived at Neapolis. The whole of this
march through the Greek colonies was unmolested, but the other part
through the heart of Thrace, though not actually opposed, demanded caution
both by day and night. When this army traversed the same route under
Scipio they found the Thracians less aggressive; the only reason for this
being that there was less chance of plunder, plunder being their one object.
We are, however, told by Claudius that a body of Thracians, amounting to
some 15,000, sought to oppose Muttines the Numidian, who was
reconnoitring in advance of the main army. There were 400 Numidian
cavalry and a few elephants; the son of Muttines, with 150 picked troopers,
rode through the middle of the enemy, and after Muttines with his elephants
in the centre and his cavalry on the flanks had engaged the enemy, his son
attacked their rear and created such disorder amongst them that they never
got near the main body of infantry. Passing through Macedonia, Cn. Manlius
led his army into Thessaly and finally reached Apollonia. Here he remained
for the winter, as the dangers of a winter voyage were not yet so
contemptible that he could venture to cross.
