Legendary Campaign - The Story of Rome and the Legio I Italica blog - Headhunter128

Folly? The Legio I Italica finds Velathri defended only by its garrison and it falls easily to the Romans. As the city is plundered the Senate laughs at the Etruscans. Certain now that this war will be quick and easy, but wait. A messenger arrives from Neapolis. The Etruscan army have been sighted in the South, and with Rome's forces all gathered in the North, they are unchallenged and in striking distance of Rome itself! Soon Lucious Julious Libo finds himself pressured into leaving for Rome Immediately.

As the Roman army returns back to familiar lands, the war turns into a chase with the Etruscan army retreating up north. The Roman army almost ctahes up to it at Arimini, however the enemy quickly crosses the mountains and lay siege to the now poorly defended city of Velathri.
Now the folly increases, shaming not only the Etruscans, but also the Roma's in the eyes of the known world. The city of Velathri is taken from the Romans just as the Romans take the other Etruscan city of Arimini. And heres the part that many nations believe to be nothing more than rumor, what the Etruscan army does next is retreat to the open sea, leaving Velathri to the Romans and on the way find themselves ambushes by a barbarian army laying in wait. A strange tale indeed.

Etruscan treaty with Carthage
Things take a turn for the worse, the Etruscan League enters into an alliance with Carthage! Catastrophe! The Senate convenes into order to decide upon the next course of action. Shall the army return to Rome? Or lay siege to the last Etruscan Settlement, risking an unopposed invasion in the South?

Despite a buckling treasury, the Senate decided to raise another army under the looming threat of Carthage, while the main army set sail for the city of Alalia located on Corsica off the Italian coast. With both the last navies and armies of the Etruscan League all gathered for a last stand, taking this last bastion might prove difficult for the Roman commander.

In what seems as incredible luck, the Etruscans gather all their forces and leave for an unknown destination, making the taking of their last bastion a much more easy task. However the question remained, where are they headed? An army without supplies can be a dangerous foe, although a weakened one. The Roman fleet is too small to have any chances of victory, so it joins the garrison at Neapolis.

The Etrucans split their forces into three armies and attack and three different locations across Italy. The first goes north, towards Velathri. Another lay siege to the harbour of Neapolis and another heads for the Southern cities, also being by far the largest force. With the main Roman forces to far away a brave Roman general musters all the mercenaries he can into the Legio IV in order to try and stop their forces, however he is defeated. But as intended, he had inflicted critical losses on the enemy forces, perhaps enough for the Legio II to stand a chance of winning.

Hope prevails! Thanks to the sacrifice of the Legio IV the Garrison forces at Consentia manages to stave off the assault on their city. A significant turning point in the war. Then another victory as the Etruscans retreating from Consentia are caught by the Legio II and utterly defeated. In the North the attack on Velathri is repelled and the remaining forces captured and sold into slavery.

What remains of the Etruscan forces quickly retreat into the oceans with the Roman fleet in pursuit.

Victory at all costs

With the Etrucans all but defeated following a string of victories by the Romans, citizens all over the Republic celebrate. However, the Senate does not yet feel that they can start the relax. For grim news have reached their ears; Carthage have arrived.

With a Carthaginian fleet spotted headed towards the settlement on Corsica, Rome sends the Legio I to intercept. However, the balance of power is not in favor of the Romans, seeing the vastly superior navy of the Carthaginians, the Roman general instead sail for the nearest of their cities, the closest one being Karalis. It was a gamble as he would leave many Roman cities defenseless, however it worked. After placing his army outside their walls, Carthaginian armies and fleets alike rushes back to defend their city. Now the trick would be to win the Siege of Karalis.

Before the general of the Legio I could devise a plan, the Carthaginian Army and Navy decided to strike first hoping to catch the Romans off guard and gain the advantage. The odds did not favor the Romans, however the Carthaginians made one critical mistake, they chose to attack from the sea. The Romans whom had originally taken up a defensive position on a hill now quickly ran to the coast and just as the Carthaginian ships made it into land the Roman Legion counter attacked them on the beaches, with their skirmishers just behind targeting the men exposed still on the ships, even lighting some of them on fire burning the enemy soldiers alive. By the time additional reinforcements came to the aid of the Carthaginian fleet, the main force had been forced in to the sea and the Romans met the reinforcements with the entire legion mostly intact.

With a Heroic Victory for the Romans and the Carthaginian army crushed, the city of Karalis was easily taken, despite a small rebellion soon after that was swiftly crushed, the entire province was now firmly in Roman hands.

Following the loss of one of their armies along with a major city, Carthage sent word to Rome. They wanted peace. Unknown to Carthage, the Roman treasury was empty and the Senate in debt, so they were in truth forced to accept, however as far as Carthage had to know they were naturally being most generous despite Carthage's highly dishonorable entry into the war.

As the war ended, so did the glorious life of Lucious Julious Libo, General of the Legio I Italica, savior of Rome, conqueror of the Etruscan League and Bane of Carthaginians. A Statue was erected in the center of Rome in his memory and all now praise him before and after battle.

A lost Legacy

With the economy and treasury once again prosperous, the Senate now looked north. They had grown tired of paying off the Barbarians who constantly loomed at their borders. Especially the demands of the Veneti tribes had gotten utmost unreasonable. Wanting to teach them a lesson and show the Roman strength to its neighbors with whom relations were more tense by the day. The Senate decided to send the Legendary Legio I Italica to officially declare war and defeat the barbarians. The gods however had another lesson to teach.

After declaring war, the Roman General whom had now taken over the Legio I after the death of its last glorious General, Lucious Julious Libo, the new commander had a fairly large shadow to outgrown. He decided to wait for the enemy at the river, believing the barbarians foolish enough to attack him at the river.

The barbarians were smart enough to see through his ruse and instead sends a smaller force around the Roman Legion and attack from behind. Thinking their main army came from behind, the Legion turned only to find out to late that the barbarians had tricked the Romans crossed the river. After a desperate battle the Romans emerged victorious, however thinking themselves safe and staying, they soon discovered that their victory was short lived. Not only had the Legions new and foolish commander walked out during the night in order to pee and then get assassinated but they also got assaulted by another horde in the following morning. This time they no longer had the numbers to hold the line and the barbarians broke through, causing the legion to rout.

As they routed into the forests of Italy the barbarians followed and killed every man in the legion, bringing an, at least temporary, end to the famous Legio I Italica.

Following the barbarians victory and later offer of peace, which the Senate promptly refused in order to avoid further humiliation, the Veneti forged a Tribal Confederation with one of the neighboring states. Despite this, the Legio II was turned north and succeeded where the Legio I had failed. After taking the region, a peace settlement was reached with the Confederation and

Rome now began the reinstatement of rebuilding of the Legio I Italica, all the meanwhile now looking east towards the Illyrians whose power and influence had troubled the Romans long enough...

Legacy Regained

Under the pretense of aiding an ally the Romans now sent the fresh and new Legio I Italica to wage war on the Illyrians, the first being the Delmatae who were situated in the city of Iaden. The Siege of Iaden would be the best and perhaps last chance for the Legio I to regain the legendary status as Rome's best Legion.