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As the Roman baggage train came into view, the Belgic force suddenly rushed out of the trees and surprised their opponents, overwhelming the Roman cavalry. They crossed the shallow river at full speed and charged up the hill against the legions setting up camp, giving them no time to get into battle formation.
The sarcina was the marching pack carried by Roman legionaries, the heavy infantry of the Roman legions. Most of a legionary's equipment other than his arms and armour would, in early times, have been consigned to a baggage train and borne by mules and carts. The soldiers were also expected to carry much of their rations and equipment themselves.
Re-enactor with Pompeii-type gladius The Mainz Gladius on display at the British Museum, London. Gladius is the general Latin word for 'sword'. In the Roman Republic, the term gladius Hispaniensis (Spanish sword) referred (and still refers) specifically to the short sword, 60 cm (24 inches) long, used by Roman legionaries from the 3rd century BC.
Siege train arriving before Adrianople, Nov. 3, 1912. In military contexts, a train is the logistical transport elements accompanying a military force. Often called a supply train or baggage train, it has the job of providing materiel for their associated combat forces when in the field.
The Roman legionaries then drew swords and advanced downhill, wading into their opponents. Many Helvetii warriors had pila sticking out of their shields and threw them aside to fight unencumbered, but this also made them more vulnerable. The legions drove the Helvetii back toward the hill where their baggage train sat. [3]
The baggage train was guarded from the rear by the Legio XX Valeria Victrix, and the second half of the auxilia was in the rearguard. [78] [80] Having waited for the Romans to be drawn into the gorges, the Germans engaged the head of the column and the flanks in battle, and with their main forces attacked the rearguard.
After entering Atropatene, the latter convoy was attacked by a Parthian cavalry force under Monaeses [11] [2] [12] (according to Kelly (2008), King Phraates himself commanded the attack on the Roman baggage train). [10] Statianus and 10,000 legionaries were killed [12] [13] and the Antony's supplies and siege engines were destroyed. [2]
The baggage trail was guarded by the cavalry. Both the front and the flanks contained a number of speculatores (scouts), to provide warning of an enemy army's approach. When enemies were nearby, the baggage train would be dispersed between the maniples.