137. On the eve of the decisive battle
"Caesar, Gauls, they are catching up. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. biquge。 info”
Many of the world's most classic battles may have taken place in the most desperate moments, when Caesar and all the Roman legionary officers were in despair, and from the rear of the legions, news came that the Gauls were in pursuit.
This news was a big surprise for the Roman legions at this moment. They spent a whole year trying to find the main forces of Vicintoli for a decisive battle, but they found nothing and put themselves in a desperate situation. Now the Gauls themselves have come to the door.
They roared like wolves, and behind the whole hillside, I don't know how many manic Gauls. Armed with rudimentary weapons, axes, and the worst leather armor, they did not even wear any protective gear, and in this way, under the leadership of their respective chieftains, patriarchs, they rushed towards the Romans.
"Tell the soldiers to prepare for battle. Rabienus, Antony, the moment of dawn of the decisive battle has arrived. Today, we want to change history! ”
Caesar was so excited by the news of the Gauls' initiative that he pulled the reins with a blazing gaze, as if he had returned to the passionate Caesar of the soldiers two years ago, the commander of the Roman legions.
At the same time, Caesar tightened the reins, and the white horse under him immediately galloped out like an arrow from a string. He was going to get the legions to change their formation, to stop the march, and it was in this valley that he was going to face the Gauls, his sworn enemy in Gaul, Vicintoli. The man who had driven the Roman legions into a mortal enemy was now in sight.
"Drink."
At the same time, Anthony shouted, his legs clamped, and the black war horse under him immediately jumped high and neighed, he wanted to return to his cavalry team and organize the remaining cavalry of the legion, just like Caesar, this battle, he had waited for a long time.
At this moment, Appis saw that the whole Roman legion was like a flaming ribbon, and wherever Caesar passed, he told everyone the news of the appearance of the Gauls, and the soldiers, like knights rising from the dark dead, shook their heavy javelins and slammed them into the square shield. Everyone was cheering, as if, at this moment, they had been waiting for a long, long time.
……
"Appis, the first phalanx is still led by you. I'll take command of the reserves. The others were handed over to Caesar, and I think this was the time when he was most excited. He has that spirit and energy, doesn't he? ”
As the battle was about to begin, Rabienus went up to Apis and spoke to him with a fatherly concern. At the same time, Apis noticed that Rabienus looked at Caesar with the same care or adoration as an old friend. It's just that, for a moment, Apis suddenly felt a burst of sadness, if he told the old Roman general in front of him at this moment that Caesar would one day provoke a bloody storm in Rome, then what kind of mood would Rabienus, the most faithful defender of this republic, have?
At this moment, however, Apis did not have time to think about these words, and now, more than a hundred thousand Gauls were on the other side of the hillside, and their roars could even be faintly heard.
"Soldiers, defensive formation."
Appis stopped thinking about this, turned his head, and shouted at the infantry phalanx behind him.
Soon, the thousands of legionary infantry behind him neatly erected their large shields, and the red shields lined up in a line, like a red dam. Standing in this unknown valley. If at this time an eagle swept across the sky, it could see the Romans and the Gauls, like two warm currents of bright colors, merging into this wide valley. Densely packed with people, tens of thousands of swords and spears, reflecting a dazzling light in the sun.
……
"Brothers, citizens of Rome, you have fought with me in this land for seven years, and the wealth and glory that I promised you were so unattainable a day ago, and even yesterday we had been so dark. However, at this moment, the Roman gods have once again favored us, and Mars, the god of war, has given us a chance, the only chance to defeat our enemies, to achieve glory, to win our own wealth, to prove our courage, and at the same time, to keep us alive. Brothers, this is only one chance, are you willing to follow me, stain the battlefield with blood again, and fight and kill the enemy? Will you follow me? Would you like to?! ”
The final decisive battle between the Gallic anti-Roman alliance and the Roman legions was about to begin, and Caesar rode through the phalanx, and in the center of the legions, he delivered a sonorous and enthusiastic pre-battle speech.
This was the first time Apis had heard Caesar give a pre-battle speech in front of the whole army, and it was as shown in the movie, even more exaggerated than in the movie, the leader's voice seemed to be equipped with a megaphone, and it spread infinitely, with the powerful cheers of the soldiers in the first row, the soldiers in the back row cheered, and then the sound wave was passed down in rows, and the entire phalanx, the whole legion began to cheer feverishly. Apis guessed that at this time, many soldiers in the back row may not have heard the content of Caesar's speech, but they were encouraged by the fanatical atmosphere in front of them, and they also cheered, so the whole scene was immediately extremely hot. The call of the Legion Commander in front of him is like the star effect of later generations, which makes people fanatically pursue and even lose themselves.
After arranging everything, the Gauls also completed the formation on the opposite side.
They were so far away from the Roman legions that it was impossible for anyone to hear what those barbarians were screaming. But what is certain is that, like the Roman legions, the Gallic coalition was as demoralized as they were, and they had already won a phased victory, or rather, they thought that they had succeeded in driving the Romans back to their homeland, and that this time the battle was only to completely destroy the remnants of the Romans.
They were numerous, and in terms of momentum alone, they would not lose to the Roman legions. More importantly, they came well fed, and all the Gauls believed that with such a crushing advantage, they could not lose, could not lose. Because they numbered five times as many as the Roman legions, close to two hundred thousand!
Appis knew that a battlefield of this magnitude was rare in ancient history. And this battle, perhaps, was just a prelude to the Battle of Alesia? It's been three years in this world, and I'm finally lucky enough to witness the most magnificent battlefield of this era, even if I die in battle, I have no regrets.
Catapults and ballistae were pushed up the heights, along with the Creek archers, where Caesar's elite guards protected the sappers and ranged troops from the Gallic cavalry. (To be continued.) )