Consular Rome vs. Iberians

Following Rome’s victory over Carthage, ending the Second Punic War, the senate reviewed its overseas policies with respect to Hispania. During the conflict with Carthage, Rome successfully invaded the peninsula at two areas which later to became the provinces of Hispania Ulterior and Hispania Citerior. Following the war, the process of Romanization of the Iberian tribes would take nearly two centuries to reach its completion during the reign of emperor Augustus. Hispania would prove a vital testing ground for tactics and reforms of the military. 

 

Game one

After a period of capturing towns and villages, Rome found the Iberian horde offering battle positioned between two steep hills. A village split their line in two and this offered the consul an opportunity to defeat the enemy in detail. Holding the Iberian right wing back, Rome would focus its attention on the Iberian left wing, first clearing the hill of its defenders to take advantage of an exposed flank. The Iberians had other plans and caught Rome off guard with the rapidity of their assault on the Roman left. This placed the Roman left-wing scrambling to establish a new defensive line. 

The situation on Rome’s left escalated such that reserve units of triarii and hastate were taken from the main assault. This kept the Iberians in check but had the unfortunate result to weaken the main assault easily held back by the Iberian centre. Losses on both sides were high but seeing no opportunity to turn events around, the consul called for a retreat.  Score 9 – 8 for Iberia.

Game two

Following their victory, the Iberians pursued Rome forcing them to give battle. Near an abandon village, Rome deployed in its familiar formation with legions in centre and on its flanks, the allied infantry. 

The Iberians began the battle moving its right flank against the hill position held by velites and allied troops. Outnumbered, it was not long before the hill position had been swept clear of its defenders giving the Iberians a view of an exposed Roman left. 

Seeing the rapid assault on the hill position, the consul ordered a rapid assault on the Iberian centre. Reserve units of triarii were repositioned to deal with the Iberian threat from the hill, but as the Iberians were busy plundering the Roman dead the threat did not seem imminent. 

The Roman assault on the Iberian centre quickly gained ground as the hastati and principes cut through their line. Seeing the collapse of his centre, the Iberian warlord called for a retreat. The battle proved costly to both sides, but Rome held the field. Score 8 - 7 for Rome

Both armies are double sized single commands.

Polybian Roman

1 x General (Cv), 1 x equites (Cv), 4 x hastate/principes (4Bd), 2 x triarii (Sp), 2 x allies (3/4Ax), 2 x velites (Ps).

Iberian

1 x general (Cv), 1 x horsemen (LH), 6 x scutarii (3/4Ax), 4 x caetrati (Ps)