Chapter
2:
The first column of the Roman line comes within archer
range, the order to open fire spreads threw out the archer and
peltast column. The archers pull back as they hear their commanders
simultaneously yell the order to fire. Arrows sore across the air
into ranks of men, piercing armor and skin alike. 2 and 3 arrows at a
time impale into men's torsos sending them to the ground spilling
blood out of the newly formed penetrations. Other arrows find their
home in the necks of the Romans, sending them wriggling to the ground
gasping for life while blood fills their lungs and gushes from their
mouths. Macedonian peltasts send 2 meter long bronzed tipped javelins
into the front line of the advancing enemy. Those that hit shields
dig themselves in and render them useless. Those that hit men and
flesh skewer the foes, causing entrails and blood to spew forth ward
while toppling them to the ground. The few that had managed to dodge
the barrage of arrows and javelins soon hit the devastating 6-meter
long sarissa spear used by the Macedonian
phalanx men. Once in range the phalanx men took a step forward using
the Roman soldier's momentum against them. Man hits spear, in a burst
of blood and carnage. Many of the soldiers being decapitated by the
lengthy spears while others impaled themselves 2 meters onto the
deadly points. This decimation and destruction of the roman onslaught
lasts the whole 3 waves of Roman infantry sent at the Macedonian
lines. As phalanx men would break spears on the enemy, the man behind
him would step forth to fill in the hole. Thus the man would drop
back to pick up a new spear and continue the roman carnage. After the
killing off the 3 waves, all 1950 men, the Roman attacks were halted
for the following 15 minutes. Macedonian lines, dirty, tired, and
sweaty reformed into their ranks. Wiping sweat, dirt and blood from
their eyes, the Macedonians realized few men were lost while killing
off over 1500 Romans. The moral of the troops along the lines soared
until...
