Darius looked worried. This was what had broken Crassus' soldiers once before. But there was no doubt in Romulus' and Brennus' eyes. The relentless training of the men by the Etruscan was about to pay off.
Intent on smashing straight through to the river, the armoured horsemen formed a great wedge and charged forward, followed by the entire contingent.
Tarquinius and Pacorus were ready.
As Romulus watched, each testudo broke up smoothly and both flanks moved forward, forming an even greater curve in the line. Four ranks of long spears emerged from every cohort, poking out in a bristling hedge of sharp metal. Men behind readied their pila in welcome for the raiders. It was a totally different approach to normal Roman tactics.
The Sogdians had never fought defenders in such close, disciplined formation. Any enemies who did not flee after one or two volleys always broke before a charge. Ignoring the Roman response, they thundered down on the armoured squares with whoops and yells. Dust rose in thick clouds, mounts' nostrils flared with effort, the ground shook.
'Horses will never ride on to that,' said Brennus, pointing at the dense network of metal and wood. 'They are too intelligent.'
'That haruspex is a genius,' exclaimed Darius as he saw what was about to happen. 'Carrhae would have ended differently if your general had listened to him.'
'He never got the chance, sir,' replied Romulus regretfully. 'Tarquinius was just a simple soldier then.'
'And now he fights for us. The gods must be thanked!'
A tremendous noise went up as hundreds of horses reached the Roman positions. Desperate to avoid the deadly iron points, they skidded to a stop, rearing up and unseating many riders. Those in the vanguard were driven on to the spears by the crush from behind. The air filled with Sogdian screams as men were impaled on the impenetrable wall of metal. Their steeds fared no better. In some areas legionaries were driven back, the lines buckling with pressure. But the sheer number of long shafts projecting forward was enough to withstand the combined weight of men and animals. The charge came to an abrupt halt. Dozens of warriors had been killed or wounded while the remainder milled about aimlessly, unable to reach the enemy.
'Time for a volley,' hissed Brennus. 'Only the ones at the front have chain mail.'
The words had barely left his lips when the soldiers with pila drew back and released. A dark cloud of javelins flew in a low arc overhead to rain down on the densely packed Sogdians.
At such close range and against men with no armour, the Roman pilum was deadly. Scores of Sogdians fell from the saddle to be trampled underfoot. Horses which had been hit spun in circles, kicking madly. Desperate to escape, others turned and bolted. Used to easy victories over poorly armed townspeople, it was too much for the tribesmen. The survivors turned and fled to safety.
There was little mercy for the fallen. As soon as the Sogdians were some distance away, legionaries darted forward into the piles of bodies, killing the wounded. The gruesome task completed, the ranks swiftly reformed, once more presenting an unforgiving wall of shields.
Romulus could barely contain himself. The new tactics adopted by Tarquinius were revolutionary. A buzz of excitement shot through his cohort as word spread to the back.
'The fool is going to try again,' announced Brennus.
The Sogdian chief was rallying his war band, preparing for another charge.
'The nearest ford is a day's journey away,' explained Darius. 'More, on tired mounts. They'll try again before doing that. Just what we want.' He turned to the nearby officers. 'Prepare to advance!'
Pacorus' trumpets sounded when the enemy riders had covered exactly half the distance to the legionaries. It was the signal they had been waiting for.
'Forward!' shouted the stout Parthian, urging his horse forward. 'Double time!' He trotted through the covering trees, out into the open.
Romulus, Brennus and five hundred eager men followed.
Totally absorbed in their attack, the Sogdians were not looking to the rear. Every rider pressed forward, those at the front attempting to cut a way past the long spears. As the tenth cohort pelted after Darius, the Roman flanks moved in closer, boxing in the tribesmen on three sides. Soon the entire force was involved in the fighting. There was no possible escape for the enemy.
Except to the south.
Swords rang on scuta, urging them on. The sound was coupled with shouts and cries, trumpet blasts, the scream of orders. As in the first attack, most horses had stalled, balking at the prospect of impalement. But the sheer momentum of the charge had carried a few warriors through the defensive shield wall, face to face with the Romans. Their mounts were quickly hamstrung, the riders hauled down and dispatched. Sogdian heads began to turn to the rear, seeking an escape from the lethal spears. Fear filled their eyes as some men saw what was about to happen.
Darius roared encouragement over his shoulder. 'Quickly! We must close the gap!'
Faces purple from running in full armour and carrying heavy scuta, the soldiers redoubled their efforts. Already they had covered more than half the ground.
'Spread out! Hundred men across. Five deep!'
Flowing smoothly, the cohort changed shape. Some of the running figures slowed while others increased their speed. It was one of many routines that had been practised countless times a lifetime before, when the legionaries fought for Rome.
Moments later, the first ranks reached the edge of the right flank. Locked in desperate combat, most Sogdians had still not seen the danger. Their chief was at the front of the melee, trying to batter a route through to the river.
Then the trap closed.
Darius' men were completely blocking the way out of the 'bull's horns'. Romulus grinned, remembering Cotta's lessons. Tarquinius was using the tactic employed by Hannibal at Cannae, when more than fifty thousand Romans had lost their lives.
Chests heaving, he and Brennus waved at the nearest soldiers.
Grinning broadly, they raised weapons in salute.
The Sogdians were dead men. In close combat, nobody on earth was as dangerous as the legionary. Every Roman knew it.
After the humiliation of Carrhae, it was exhilarating.
'Close order!' Junior officers pushed the men nearer to each other. 'Forward! At the double!'
Shields were raised, narrowing the gaps between till only the sharp blades of gladii protruded. The long spears had been too unwieldy to run with. Protected by bronze helmets, lines of hard faces were visible over the scuta. Romulus and his comrades advanced quickly, on to an enemy who was beginning to realise that there was no way out.
Screams of terror greeted the Forgotten Legion.
In the Roman centre, Tarquinius' eyes glinted.
Some of the Sogdians wheeled their mounts and charged at Darius' soldiers. Launched at the run, a swift volley of pila broke up the attempt to escape and soon there was no space for the horses to do more than turn on the spot. The cohort pressed closer, swords searching for homes in Sogdian flesh.
It was bloody and exhausting work. When the men in Darius' front ranks grew tired, they simply closed the shield wall completely. Held at bay by the press of bodies and the spears of the other three sides, the enemy could do nothing. But the Sogdians did not give in easily. Eager to fight still, many dismounted, shoving their way forwards on foot to hack at the legionaries.
Romulus fought with Brennus on one side of him and Felix on the other, each protected by the man on his left. The young soldier's sword felt like a living thing in his hand as warrior after warrior fell beneath it. Their lines moved forward relentlessly, compressing the Sogdians ever more tightly. Gladii stabbed back and forth, cutting deep with every stroke and covering their arms with blood. It was impossible to miss. Shrieks filled the air, rendering the officers' orders and the trumpets almost inaudible. It did not matter. The repetitive motion was hypnotic, its result absolutely lethal.
But the Sogdians were not completely beaten. Their leader finally managed to rally fifty of his mailed warriors together, using the space left by his own dead. Turning their horses' heads to the south, they drove forward at Darius' men. Attacking the legionaries without the long spears was their only chance of escape.
Romulus' eyes widened as the frantic mounts pounded straight towards them. The impact would be massive.
'Close order!' roared Darius. 'Rear ranks, move in tight!'
Scuta slammed off each other and the men braced themselves. But nobody backed away. This would be a minor setback only; the battle 's outcome was already certain.
And then the enemy was upon them. Horses crashed into the Roman shield wall, smashing it asunder. Romulus was thrown to one side, knocking his head as he went down. Half stunned, he fell on top of Felix. For a few moments he lay, unaware of his surroundings. Then he realised that the little Gaul was shaking his shoulder and shouting at him.
'Brennus!' Felix' eyes were wild. 'It's Brennus!'
Romulus' stomach lurched and he clambered to his feet, trying to make sense of the maelstrom of flashing swords, fighting men and sweating mounts all around him. Gradually he saw that somehow the rear ranks had not given way before the Sogdian charge. This amazing effort had confined the group of enemy warriors within the ranks of the cohort, creating a confusing mass of animals and humans. There were no longer discernible lines among the legionaries, no lines of battle. It was simply a matter of hacking at the nearest enemy.