Yes, historical accounts record that Octavius Maecius used a psychological ruse involving disguised mule drivers and dust clouds to mimic a massive reinforcement charge. [1]

This stratagem was deployed at the Battle of Aquilonia (293 BC) during the Third Samnite War, where Maecius served as the leader of the allied cavalry under the Roman consul Lucius Papirius Cursor. [1, 2, 3]

The Ruse Explained

The Roman historian Livy detailed this battlefield tactic in his Ab urbe condita (History of Rome):

• The Setup: Before the main clash, Consul Papirius Cursor instructed Maecius to take the allied cavalry and a group of camp servants (mule drivers) and slip away from the main battlefield undetected.
• The Disguise: Maecius ordered the mule drivers to mount their baggage animals—mules and horses normally used for camp logistics. He then gave them branches and brushwood to drag behind them along the dry ground.
• The Climax: At a critical juncture in the battle, Maecius commanded this makeshift force to charge down a nearby hill toward the field. The dragging brushwood kicked up an immense, billowing cloud of dust.
• The Result: To the Samnites, it appeared as though a massive, fresh Roman legion was arriving to flank them. Terrified by what looked like an insurmountable wave of enemy reinforcements, the Samnite battle lines broke, allowing the Romans to claim a decisive victory. [1, 2, 3, 4]

If you are researching Roman military history, would you like to explore other famous battlefield stratagems or details about the Third Samnite War?