Chapter 3:
Macedonian scout horns blow, on the horizon comes to sight the Julii legionnaire cavalry. This cavalry armored enough to break a phalanx spear line, and strong enough to take 10 Macedonians to 1 legionnaire cavalryman. The Macedonians chanting the moral raising sayings and grasping their spears tight, braced themselves for the tough battle in front of them. 600 Roman cavalry soldiers kick hard, sending their armored horses to a full out sprint toward the Macedonian lines. Following the cavalry are 800 Roman infantry consisting of Principles and Legionnaires. Archers let lose a hail of arrows, missing the riders or failing to penetrate the thick armor in which they wear. Peltasts volley javelins, all missing the quick agile horses of the cavalrymen. Loud crashes of metal, man, horse, and earth thunder out along the Macedonian lines as the cavalry crashes into ranks of phalanx men. Heavily armored horses shatter through spears and fall into a column of men, killing 5 to 6 at a time, sending riders falling to the ground or into raised spears at the back of the column. The horse soldiers opened up 12 holes within the Macedonian spear lines. Following the cavalry charge the Roman legionnaires and principles serge into the bloody chaotic holes of death and destruction. Phalanx men draw their Spatas and begin hand-to-hand combat with the roman legionnaires. Macedonian after Macedonian falls before the skilled sword work of the Romans. Inside the fray the life of men are decided by Roman's metal armor and the Macedonian leather armor, almost 3 Macedonians die to 1 Roman. Men's screams with spraying blood, torsos hacked and organs spilled upon the ground are the sight all in the bloody Macedonian ranks. The strength of the line begins to fail, as the phalanx commanders tell their battalions to engage in a fighting retreat up the hill. Roman blades of steel thrust into stomachs spilling out innards. Mutilated Macedonian bodies litter the side of the hill covering it with the stench of death and staining it red with blood. The remaining phalanx men take better defensive positions upon the top of the hill. The Romans begin to fall back to their main group because of the high casualties taken from the attack on the battle lines. Of the 1400 roman cavalry and infantry assaulting the lines, 100 cavalry with 300 infantry stagger back to their main battle force lead by Marcus Julius, The Macedonian suffering many breaks along the front endure 1600-1700 casualties along with the loss of strategic ground.