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The Battle of Saticula, 343 BC, was the second of three battles described by the Roman historian Livy, in Book Seven of his history of Rome, Ab Urbe Condita, as taking place in the first year of the First Samnite War. According to Livy's extensive description, the Roman commander, the consul Aulus Cornelius Cossus was marching from Saticula when he was almost trapped by a Samnite army in a mountain pass. His army was only saved because one of his military tribunes, Publius Decius Mus, led a small group of men to seize a hilltop, distracting the Samnites and allowing the consul to escape. During the night Decius and his men were themselves able to escape. The next day the reunited Romans attacked the Samnites and completely routed them. Several other ancient authors also mention Decius' heroic acts. Modern historians are however sceptical of the historical accuracy of Livy's account, and have in particular noted the similarities with how a military tribune is said to have saved Roman army in 258 BC during the First Punic War.
References
- ↑ Smith, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology vol. 2 p. 168 " "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-12-13. Retrieved 2009-09-26.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)"
- ↑ Donald G. Kyle (12 November 2012). Spectacles of Death in Ancient Rome. Routledge. pp. 74–. ISBN 978-1-134-86271-9.
- ↑ Livy, Periochae book 17 ""
- ↑ Livy, History of Rome, 22.60 ""
- ↑ Sextus Julius Frontinus, Strategems, book 5 para. 15 ""
- ↑ Pliny the Elder, Natural History, book 22 ch. 6.