History of Rome

​The vanguard of the Romans pitched camp in an open place outside the pass, around the temple of Bendis; the other part remained in the middle of the pass to guard the baggage, ​after throwing up a double rampart. On the following day, having first reconnoitered the pass before they should move, they joined the front.

​In that battle, although a part of both the baggage and the camp-servants, and some soldiers had fallen, since fighting was going on almost everywhere throughout the entire pass, the greatest loss was sustained in the death of Quintus Minucius Thermus, a brave and vigorous man.

​On that day they reached the river Hebrus. From there they crossed the territory of the Aenians, passing by the temple of Apollo, whom the inhabitants call Zerynthius.

​Another defile near Tempyra received them — this is the name of the place — and it was no less rugged than the former; but because there was nothing wooded around, it did not even provide hiding places for an ambush.

​To this place the Thrausi, themselves also a tribe of Thracians, had assembled with the same hope of plunder; but because the bare valleys caused those blockading the pass to be seen from afar, there was less terror and confusion among the Romans; for although the ground was unfavorable, they had to fight in a regular battle, with an open line, and in close combat.

​Advancing in close order and making a charge with a shout, they first drove the enemy from their position and then turned them to flight; thence, because of the narrowness wherein they hindered one another, flight and slaughter began to occur.

​The victorious Romans pitched camp near a village of the Maronites — which they call Sale. On the following day, an open road received them in the Priatic plain, and they remained there for three days receiving grain, partly from the fields of the Maronites, who contributed it themselves, and partly from their own ships, ​which were following with provisions of every kind. From that station, a day’s march was to Apollonia.

​From here they reached Neapolis through the territory of the Abderites. All this was a peaceful journey through Greek colonies; the remainder of the way from there was through the midst of the Thracians, day and night, and though not hostile, yet suspicious, until they arrived in Macedonia.

​This same army, when it was led by Scipio along the same route, had found the Thracians milder, for no other reason than that there had been less booty to be sought;

​although even then, Claudius is the authority that about fifteen thousand Thracians met the detachment of the Numidian Muttines, which was preceding to reconnoiter the ground.

​He states that there were four hundred Numidian cavalry and a few elephants; that the son of Muttines broke through the midst of the enemy with a hundred and fifty chosen horsemen; and that soon the same youth, when Muttines had already joined battle with the enemy, having placed the elephants in the center ​and disposed the cavalry on the wings, brought terror from the rear, and that the enemy, thrown into confusion thence as if by a cavalry storm, did not come near the column of the infantry.

​Gnaeus Manlius led his army through Macedonia into Thessaly. When he had come thence through Epirus to Apollonia, not yet disregarding the winter sea so much as to dare to cross, he wintered at Apollonia.