A letter arrives from Scaurus in Lycia.

Patres Conscripti!

I am pleased to report that Roman and Allied forces under my command have met the enemy in battle near Olbia and defeated them. The enemy has been forced to retreat after suffering heavy losses and the road to Perge is open. I am taking steps to show the foe what it means to face Rome.

Nonetheless, much fighting remains ahead of us. Consul Livius has suggested that both my colleague Decimus Junius Pompeius and I "have largely eliminated the major land armies." I thank him for the compliment, but we have not. We have inflicted many defeats upon the Tyrant Antiochus' forces, but do not underestimate the size of our foe. While Decimus Junius and his army currently looks to a long siege, my own army does not. Ten thousand Seleucids survived this most recent attack here in Lycia alone, there may well be additional Seleucid forces in Cilicia, and we may even see the Tyrant bring in men from Asia. And in contrast to the situation in Palestine, where our forces face heavily fortified and garrisoned cities, the cities I am approaching are unfortified and it is unlikely the enemy will try to stand siege within them.

Indeed, I expect to face the enemy in the field, and not behind walls. So what I need is more cavalry. Since the Illyrican auxiliaries are no longer needed against the Etruscans, I request that these men be transferred to my command.

Therefore I propose the Senatus Consultum Aemilia Equites Auxilia. That the Illyrian auxilia be transferred to the command of Proconsul M. Aemilius Scaurus.