The battle had ended. Many roman lives had been lost, but the task was fulfilled: king Bocchus was prisioner, and his kingdom conquered. He would never be more a danger for Numidia, a close ally of Roma. He was now under close watch in a tent in legio XVIII castra, were Falco also was.

Commander Sallustius Falco was washing himself in his tent, trying to refresh himself after a tough but victorious battle.
The tent opened, and a man entered: "Salve, master, I have received your letter and I have come as soon as possible". Falco smiled: "Salve, Hiparchus. I miss you a lot this last days...You have to give me some of your medicines, this climate is terrible, the water is horrible and I have some stomach problems..."

The roman army gathered during the afternoon the corpses of his comrades, to bury them in the trench in the other side of the river. Their Commander wanted to raise a Mausoleum there for them (1000 D worth). The mauretanian corpses were put in mountains and put on fire. The numidians buried also their soldiers. Soldiers were a little bit deceptionated for not having the opportunity of plundering the city, but the orders were strict. They had received the 70% of the booty of his commander, and rumours said that the Commander was negotiation a war indemnization with the Council of the city, and also to put a ransom over the citizens for not been enslaved (but this last money was to the Aerarium).
They have 3 days to rest and recuperate. Then rumours said that they have again to march, to the west. It seems that the war has not yet concluded.


Next day, a funeral ceremony was done, directed by the priest of each legio; soldiers were formed, with vexillum flaming in the air, to honour their comrades fallen. The first stone of the future mausoleum was put near the crosspoint of the 2 roads, in the east side of the river. The army honoured too Tribuno Lucius Luvillus, and the Commander put him the Civic Crown. The whole army salutate and applause him.

Then, soldiers went to rest and routine of military life came again to the camps.

Falco was very busy. He had ordered a mausoleum of stone and marble (1000 D worth, to be paid in 4 months -he was short of cash-) to be raised by artisans of Saldae.In the frontispice will say: "Roma honours her brave soldiers. SPQR will not forgive their sacrifice. December DLXII."

He also has negotiated a ransom to be paid by the civil citizens of Saldae, if they didn't want to be sold as slaves: 1 D. per family head. This money will go to the Aerarium.

But another indemnization has also to be paid: to avoid the looting of the city, that was the right of the conqueror: 10.000 D (this is around 1 D per family head, but it must be paid by the whole city, not family by family). The Council must raise the money –in coins, jewels, gold, silver…- in a week time, or assume the consecuences. This money was going to be given only to the roman legionnaries: is more or less the amount calculated to be obtained if the city were looted, and this must raise the moral of the army. Falco was aware that soldiers were a little bit discontent by his unpopular decission of not allowing to loot the city, but there were political and economical reasons.

He also send Polibius to ask where is the treasure of the king. A king couldn't travel without money to pay the troops, jewels,and all this things...And to find out also if some member of the royal family was in the city (a wife, a son...).

Finally, he has to do some legal bussiness (helped by Polibius), and buy 60 estates in the city. He was sorry for Livius, but Falco has give the mercenaries 2/6 of the money obtained from the ransom of the citizens, so Livius has to conform with this. Livius can't compare himself with a legally named Army Commander of a roman army. Ridiculous. He only was the commander of a mercenary troop, an so must be done. He will be paid for his job, and he now will have to distribute the money obtained (between him and his mercenaries).

Falco also had a little interview with prince Micipsa. He was a young but seems intelligent boy, and he explained him with maps and some figures the tactics used and the whole battle. Micipsa was delighted and thank him for the explanations. Falco smiled, but he had deep thoughts and in a little part of his brain, a voice was telling him: "Be careful... Don't trust him...". Falco didn't follow the idea of Livius, and prefered to have the young boy near him, with the roman army.

So the 3 days past very quick.

In the afternoon of the third day, Falco realized that he has to put the army in march: a new kingdom has to be conquered in the west.