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The She-wolfs appetite is growingCrossing the wolf. Not wise in any version of history.
Chapter 23: The Opening of War with Umbria
Antonius Mumillo (Hastaii) – Visentium, Central Italy, 23rd of August 469C
Bodies lay strewn along the road, some still twitched with life and feint moans rose up from those still waiting for the grim spectre to come an take them, “Take him back to camp! Get him to a physician!” came the brisk command of the centurion, Antonius hoisted his friend up from the floor, putting an arm around the soldier and lifting him up.
War had erupted between Umbria, Ancona and the Sabanii on the one side and Rome an her allies on the other. Having re-joined the legion in mid-June, Antonius had not expected to find himself in combat quiet so quickly, but he had been enrolled due to his age as a member of a new cohort of Hastaii and then placed under the command of General Corvinus. The enemy were on the advance, pushing hard into Republic lands.
This morning’s clash however, had not been a battle, it was a massacre! Rome’s scouts had stumbled across a small band of Sabanii warriors moving cross country, to circumvent the Roman position and the General had ordered his men to lay in ambush for the passing men. They had fallen upon them and exterminated them down to a man with next to no casualties on the Roman side. If the gossip around the campfires were to be believed, this would however, be no easy conflict, the enemy were marshalling in considerable strength and the high mountains that were home to the Sabanii tribes people would not be an easy win.
Antonius Mumillo (Hastaii)- Tuder, Central Italy, 24th of September 469C
“HOLD THE LINE!” the centurion called, his face, arms and armour smeared with blood from the previous attack. “YOU FIGHT AND DIE FOR ROME! REMEMBER THIS TRUTH AND VICTORY IS YOURS!” he stepped into the front ranks, gripping a legionary who tried to turn his head and shoving him onto the front-line. Three times the Sabannii had sent their warriors charging down the slope, trying to see off the Roman advance and despite being made up primarily of hill-men, huntsmen and villagers they had exacted a harsh toll on the Romans. Archers had lay in ambush, firing volley after volley from amid the trees and thickets along the mountain paths, falling ever back up the slopes before their infantry had made reckless charges down the hill, using the momentum they gained to punch holes in the infantry line before themselves retreating.
Antonius put his full weight behind his shield, he himself on the front line. Over the rim of his shield he could hear the screams and jeers of the onrushing enemy. Mars protect me! He had cast all his pilum in the first two attacks and now it would be down to sword and shield alone. He caught one last glimpse over his shield, “MARK YOUR FOE!” the centurions called as the clan warriors leapt down over roots and fallen branches, screaming murder on their faces.
A heavy thud landed on Antonius shield and a weak-shafted spear tried to flick over its top, Antonius swinging his sword to shear the wood in two. He punched his shield forward, hitting his enemy hard in the chest before swinging it aside and lashing out with his sword, grazing the mans swiftly retracting arm, terror on his face at the reality of having lost his spear. All along the line of Hastaii, the Romans launched forward, stepping cautiously on to meet the enemy, the hill-men’s momentum shattered in an instant against Roman shields.
Military Tribune, Statius Volumnius Violens- Tuder, Central Italy, 24th of November 469C
“GET OFF ME YOU IDIOT!” General Corvinus lashed out with his baton, trying to strike the military physician attempting to fasten a splint to his leg, ‘Do you have the first idea what your doing you utter fool!’ the General fell back onto his cot, sweat pouring down his agonised face. The physician stepped back nervously, apologises and bowing as he moved away from the General. Their attempt to push up into the mountains had been stifled by the arrival of fresh enemy troops from Ancona and during the march Corvinus’ horse had slipped down a rough stone ditch, crushing the Generals leg beneath its bulk.
“You must let him bind the pole to your leg Commander or it will never heal!” the young military tribune tried to calm his commanding officers anger, ‘we can not afford to waist any time sir, the enemy are moving on our position and if we are to make an orderly retreat we need you to be fixed up, ready for the march.’
‘Retreat?’ Corvinus looked confused, ‘I have given no such order, I have no intention of retreating! We must maintain our direction or else we will get put on the back foot’ he would brook no opposition to his command this time around, he had been appointed sole commander of a full legion and intended to make the most of it. Picentia and Ancona had joined the war against Rome within the first few weeks and already their armies were marching through Republican territory, spreading fear and uncertainty before them and Corvinus was determined to turn them back and counter-strike as quickly as he was able.
‘You cannot command the legion from your bed General, we must retreat!’ the young Tribune saw no other way around the dilemma.
‘You will command in my absence’ Corvinus stated flatly, ‘You will ready the men for battle at once, there will be no retreat! Your father I am sure did not spend a fortune on your armour and a horse just to see you turn tail and run as soon as things got complicated!’ At only seventeen years old, what Corvinus suggested seemed akin to madness, but Statius was the only man in position to take over command whilst the General was incapacitated.
‘I urm….ME?’ He swallowed hard, stunned at the position he was being thrust into. He was a capable young man, more than capable of commanding a wing of the legion, though he lacked imagination or flare, he could however, follow orders well enough, ‘Yes sir’ he accepted the challenge, ‘tell me your will and I shall see it done.’
Corvinus looked to the tent-flap, catching the attention of his personal runner, ‘Bring me the cohort captains at once, we have work to do!’ without another word the man exited the dimly lit tent into the cold brisk air of the winter morning.
Consul Lucius Postumius Megellus- The House of Rullianus, Rome, 14th of January 469C
Lucius eyes gazed down the list he had just been handed by his colleague, Publius Cornelius Barbartus, alarm registering on his face, he turned his eyes to Lady Flavia, his jaw open in shock before looking on the vacant expression of the Censor, Rullianus. ‘My friend some of the men on this list have been dead years?’ the papyrus in his hand, being a list of names proposed by the Censor to be enrolled before the Consular elections in the Senate, along with another list of those to be struck from the rolls, the Co-Consuls own name amongst those to be removed from the house, though he tried to overlook the suggestion for the moment.
‘My husband is not himself, Consuls! You must see that?’ the Lady of the house rested her hands gently on her husbands shoulders reassuringly, though he made no move to speak, ‘I would appreciate your digression’ her gaze flicking from one to the other.
‘Well yes that’s quiet obvious’ Lucius looked to his colleague again, ‘What do we do?’ he voice low, ‘we can not take this before the House, it will be blatant for all to see that something is seriously amiss.’ The Co-Consul was one of the most affluent men in Rome, his business currently thriving on the back of new markets opening in Etruria, mines and quarries seized from the estate of the late Aulus Verginius and the influx of slaves in recent years, the very suggestion he would be struck from the Senate for not meeting the financial threshold was ludicrous.
He must have run utterly mad! He looked one with sympathy at the Pro-Consul, current Censor and long serving son of the Republic, his mind had broken clearly.
Publius Cornelius Barbartus did not answer at first, he was a quiet man and one who liked to assess the situation before reacting off-handily, he sighed ‘We shall have to take a motion to the House, by-passing the census until a later date’ he paused, musing to himself as he calculated the best course of action, ‘we can speak with Claudius and rearrange the voting schedule so that the Censorship is put to the vote before the Consular elections?’ They had with the outbreak of war already amended the voting schedule once already to allow the Consular elections to take place six months later than usual, one more slight alteration would not hurt.
‘I can not see we have many other options’ Lucius concurred, he smiled to Lady Flavia, ‘Your husband deserves better than to simply be removed from office, this will preserve his dignity as best we are able’ they both were off one mind. Rullianus was a hero of the Republic and a popular man despite minor setbacks, having him removed from Office would upset many of his friends and damage the reputation of the Fabii clan at large.
‘I thank you both for your kindness’ Flavia gently stroking her husbands hair, ‘He will be well again I am sure’ she lied to herself ‘but I really do thank you for anything you can do to ease his burden.’
Consul Publius Sempronius Sophus—The Senate House, Rome, 10th of March 470C
Publius sat quietly, his face blank and expressionless as he hoped to avoid intervening in the exchange. He had won election to the Consul’s chair alongside Decimus Mus, his colleague and with that he had been nominated to take over overall control of Rome’s military campaign against Umbria but Marcus Valerius Corvinus was not it seemed willing to take this choice laying down.
Some people just need to know when they are beaten! He mused to himself, deaf to Corvinus words.
“It was his indecision during the war with Etruria that caused the conflict to drag on and on, wasting Rome’s money and resources, an costing the lives of thousands of legionaries’ Corvinus spat, pointing at the Consul, ‘he was given the chance to prove himself and he failed!’
‘I do not think you are in any position to talk of another man’s failings!’ Senator Junius interrupted.
“You hardly proved yourself to be a capable man, when you turned what should have been a simple enough operation into a nearly four-year conflict’ Fabius Gurges, added his voice too, silencing Corvinus. Sempronius had wasted no time in gathering his allies around him and they now were rising to the occasion; his nomination to overall command had been near unanimous, only a handful had objected, Corvinus their rallying point.
‘That could not be helped’ Corvinus snapped, refusing to sit despite the Speakers indication for him to do so, ‘You gave me a man who simply could not be worked with! He is the one who caused the delay, not I!’ Clearly referring to Lucius Julius Libo.
‘And yet he is the man who is currently leading the Siege of Aternum in the Senates name, whilst you sit here prattling that it was not your fault!’ Gurges laughed, not deeming to rise.
Claudius, the Speaker rose, raising his hands high for silence to fall, the Lictors wrapping their staves hard on the floor, ‘Regardless of these discussions the vote has been had and the vote carried’ he turned to the sitting Consuls, offering his hand, ‘Sempronius has been nominated and selected by a near unanimous verdict and I for one shall wish him every success.’
Lucius Cornelius Scipio – The Tribunal, Rome, 25th of March 470C
“My friend Tiberius makes a few valid points” Scipio, the Younger turned on the spot, gesturing to his previous speaker, ‘but none can deny the merits of this legislation, the timing off it could not be more appropriate!’ His smile beamed across his face, seeking to sooth the worries of the Senate, ‘the Citizen tribes have sanctioned the bill and all that is required now, is for you fine men to do the same!’
Lucius Cornelius Scipio, Peoples Tribune had put a motion before the Citizen Assembly the previous week and now that legislation was before the Senate, seeking their approval. The proposed bill offered Roman citizenship and the voting rights attached to it to two new citizen tribes which would be drawn up by the new Censor, Gaius Fabius Licinius. By increasing the citizen body Rome would not only be strengthening her democracy and increasing her revenues, but the legions too would benefit since at present only those men born citizens were eligible for services and the more families able to vote, the more soldiers could be recruited; the previous days debate had sanctioned the raising off a new legion and that itself would be in sore need of fresh recruits.
“Think of the message this will send to our allies” Lucius pressed on, conscious that many within the Senate had accepted the motion had significant merit, ‘Rome is not only the defender of democracy, she is its beating heart!’ he turned again, noting the approving looks of many of the younger more populist leaning members, Gnaeus Flavius, leader of the Populist faction had already thrown his weight behind the bill. ‘The Athenians found, so the historians say, that their democracy nearly fell for failure to move with the time’ his voice carried across the room, ‘shall Rome dance along the same precipice?’ And with that he sat, taking his place amid the other tribunes, silence falling for a moment.
Claudius rose from the Speakers chair, ‘If no one has anything further to add?’ he waited, skimming along the ranks off assembled Senators, a quick glance toward the Consuls, ‘Then we shall put the motion to the vote and settle this matter before the close of session.’
Triumph bloomed in Lucius chest, convinced the motion would pass and the Lex Democratium Scipio, would be written into law.
Senator Hilarius – Outside the Temple of Castor and Pollux, Rome, 4th June 470C
Hilarius stood amid the huge crowds gathered around the ancient Temple, one of the oldest in Rome, built during the time of Rome’s Kings. The statues of the Divine Twins gazed down upon the assembled crowd, smoke from the funeral pyre rising to dance around them.
Censor, Consul, Pro-curator and General, Quintus Fabius Rullianus was dead and on account of his many years of loyal services to Rome he had been granted the honour of a state funeral, much like Marcus Valerius Corvus had been. The crowd watched on in silence as the Pontifex Maximus, the Heads of the Priesthood and their attending acolytes carried out the funerary rights, Lady Flavia standing at the fore with her children, her face a frozen mask of Roman dignity. Behind her the Consul’s elect both stood and behind them the Senate gathered almost in its entirety watched.
“What is the matter my love” Laelia spoke softly, her voice low, gently touching her husbands elbow, he clearly did not seem himself.
“Nothing my sweet” he lied, ‘just caught up in the moment I guess!’
I have had enough of this nonsense, they all come here professing their sorrows and offering their respect but every single man here would tare down another in an instant just to have a shred more power! Poor Rullianus has served his whole life, to be given a few planks of wood and some incense at his ending.
Hilarius felt anger, an unfamiliar emotion rising in his gut. He had only the day previous turned down the Consuls request to join the legions once more in the position of legate; he had no wish to go to war nor did he wish any further to be a puppet of other men.
Sod it, when this pantomime is over that is me done! I will not spend my days amid this pack of wolves, waiting for the moment I am off no use and they cast me aside and put me to pasture like they had to Rullianus! I will sell up; my businesses are worth enough to keep us comfortable. Apulia or Corsica, are nice enough places I am sure, we will buy some land and a house, and they can all be damned.
Having turned down the offer of legate, Sempronius had tried to parcel Hilarius off as a Pro-curator and then he had tried to twist his arm into accepting one of the lesser Quaestors offices unwilling to take no for an answer. But finally he had snapped, he had no wish for high office nor would those in real power ever let him attain it and so he had made up his mind, to sell his cloth making companies, his import houses and his small farms around Veii with that he could clear all his debts and live reasonably well with his wife and children in the country.
Antonius Mumillo (Hastaii) – Visentium, Central Italy, 23rd of August 469C
Bodies lay strewn along the road, some still twitched with life and feint moans rose up from those still waiting for the grim spectre to come an take them, “Take him back to camp! Get him to a physician!” came the brisk command of the centurion, Antonius hoisted his friend up from the floor, putting an arm around the soldier and lifting him up.
War had erupted between Umbria, Ancona and the Sabanii on the one side and Rome an her allies on the other. Having re-joined the legion in mid-June, Antonius had not expected to find himself in combat quiet so quickly, but he had been enrolled due to his age as a member of a new cohort of Hastaii and then placed under the command of General Corvinus. The enemy were on the advance, pushing hard into Republic lands.
This morning’s clash however, had not been a battle, it was a massacre! Rome’s scouts had stumbled across a small band of Sabanii warriors moving cross country, to circumvent the Roman position and the General had ordered his men to lay in ambush for the passing men. They had fallen upon them and exterminated them down to a man with next to no casualties on the Roman side. If the gossip around the campfires were to be believed, this would however, be no easy conflict, the enemy were marshalling in considerable strength and the high mountains that were home to the Sabanii tribes people would not be an easy win.
Antonius Mumillo (Hastaii)- Tuder, Central Italy, 24th of September 469C
“HOLD THE LINE!” the centurion called, his face, arms and armour smeared with blood from the previous attack. “YOU FIGHT AND DIE FOR ROME! REMEMBER THIS TRUTH AND VICTORY IS YOURS!” he stepped into the front ranks, gripping a legionary who tried to turn his head and shoving him onto the front-line. Three times the Sabannii had sent their warriors charging down the slope, trying to see off the Roman advance and despite being made up primarily of hill-men, huntsmen and villagers they had exacted a harsh toll on the Romans. Archers had lay in ambush, firing volley after volley from amid the trees and thickets along the mountain paths, falling ever back up the slopes before their infantry had made reckless charges down the hill, using the momentum they gained to punch holes in the infantry line before themselves retreating.
Antonius put his full weight behind his shield, he himself on the front line. Over the rim of his shield he could hear the screams and jeers of the onrushing enemy. Mars protect me! He had cast all his pilum in the first two attacks and now it would be down to sword and shield alone. He caught one last glimpse over his shield, “MARK YOUR FOE!” the centurions called as the clan warriors leapt down over roots and fallen branches, screaming murder on their faces.
A heavy thud landed on Antonius shield and a weak-shafted spear tried to flick over its top, Antonius swinging his sword to shear the wood in two. He punched his shield forward, hitting his enemy hard in the chest before swinging it aside and lashing out with his sword, grazing the mans swiftly retracting arm, terror on his face at the reality of having lost his spear. All along the line of Hastaii, the Romans launched forward, stepping cautiously on to meet the enemy, the hill-men’s momentum shattered in an instant against Roman shields.
Military Tribune, Statius Volumnius Violens- Tuder, Central Italy, 24th of November 469C
“GET OFF ME YOU IDIOT!” General Corvinus lashed out with his baton, trying to strike the military physician attempting to fasten a splint to his leg, ‘Do you have the first idea what your doing you utter fool!’ the General fell back onto his cot, sweat pouring down his agonised face. The physician stepped back nervously, apologises and bowing as he moved away from the General. Their attempt to push up into the mountains had been stifled by the arrival of fresh enemy troops from Ancona and during the march Corvinus’ horse had slipped down a rough stone ditch, crushing the Generals leg beneath its bulk.
“You must let him bind the pole to your leg Commander or it will never heal!” the young military tribune tried to calm his commanding officers anger, ‘we can not afford to waist any time sir, the enemy are moving on our position and if we are to make an orderly retreat we need you to be fixed up, ready for the march.’
‘Retreat?’ Corvinus looked confused, ‘I have given no such order, I have no intention of retreating! We must maintain our direction or else we will get put on the back foot’ he would brook no opposition to his command this time around, he had been appointed sole commander of a full legion and intended to make the most of it. Picentia and Ancona had joined the war against Rome within the first few weeks and already their armies were marching through Republican territory, spreading fear and uncertainty before them and Corvinus was determined to turn them back and counter-strike as quickly as he was able.
‘You cannot command the legion from your bed General, we must retreat!’ the young Tribune saw no other way around the dilemma.
‘You will command in my absence’ Corvinus stated flatly, ‘You will ready the men for battle at once, there will be no retreat! Your father I am sure did not spend a fortune on your armour and a horse just to see you turn tail and run as soon as things got complicated!’ At only seventeen years old, what Corvinus suggested seemed akin to madness, but Statius was the only man in position to take over command whilst the General was incapacitated.
‘I urm….ME?’ He swallowed hard, stunned at the position he was being thrust into. He was a capable young man, more than capable of commanding a wing of the legion, though he lacked imagination or flare, he could however, follow orders well enough, ‘Yes sir’ he accepted the challenge, ‘tell me your will and I shall see it done.’
Corvinus looked to the tent-flap, catching the attention of his personal runner, ‘Bring me the cohort captains at once, we have work to do!’ without another word the man exited the dimly lit tent into the cold brisk air of the winter morning.
Consul Lucius Postumius Megellus- The House of Rullianus, Rome, 14th of January 469C
Lucius eyes gazed down the list he had just been handed by his colleague, Publius Cornelius Barbartus, alarm registering on his face, he turned his eyes to Lady Flavia, his jaw open in shock before looking on the vacant expression of the Censor, Rullianus. ‘My friend some of the men on this list have been dead years?’ the papyrus in his hand, being a list of names proposed by the Censor to be enrolled before the Consular elections in the Senate, along with another list of those to be struck from the rolls, the Co-Consuls own name amongst those to be removed from the house, though he tried to overlook the suggestion for the moment.
‘My husband is not himself, Consuls! You must see that?’ the Lady of the house rested her hands gently on her husbands shoulders reassuringly, though he made no move to speak, ‘I would appreciate your digression’ her gaze flicking from one to the other.
‘Well yes that’s quiet obvious’ Lucius looked to his colleague again, ‘What do we do?’ he voice low, ‘we can not take this before the House, it will be blatant for all to see that something is seriously amiss.’ The Co-Consul was one of the most affluent men in Rome, his business currently thriving on the back of new markets opening in Etruria, mines and quarries seized from the estate of the late Aulus Verginius and the influx of slaves in recent years, the very suggestion he would be struck from the Senate for not meeting the financial threshold was ludicrous.
He must have run utterly mad! He looked one with sympathy at the Pro-Consul, current Censor and long serving son of the Republic, his mind had broken clearly.
Publius Cornelius Barbartus did not answer at first, he was a quiet man and one who liked to assess the situation before reacting off-handily, he sighed ‘We shall have to take a motion to the House, by-passing the census until a later date’ he paused, musing to himself as he calculated the best course of action, ‘we can speak with Claudius and rearrange the voting schedule so that the Censorship is put to the vote before the Consular elections?’ They had with the outbreak of war already amended the voting schedule once already to allow the Consular elections to take place six months later than usual, one more slight alteration would not hurt.
‘I can not see we have many other options’ Lucius concurred, he smiled to Lady Flavia, ‘Your husband deserves better than to simply be removed from office, this will preserve his dignity as best we are able’ they both were off one mind. Rullianus was a hero of the Republic and a popular man despite minor setbacks, having him removed from Office would upset many of his friends and damage the reputation of the Fabii clan at large.
‘I thank you both for your kindness’ Flavia gently stroking her husbands hair, ‘He will be well again I am sure’ she lied to herself ‘but I really do thank you for anything you can do to ease his burden.’
Consul Publius Sempronius Sophus—The Senate House, Rome, 10th of March 470C
Publius sat quietly, his face blank and expressionless as he hoped to avoid intervening in the exchange. He had won election to the Consul’s chair alongside Decimus Mus, his colleague and with that he had been nominated to take over overall control of Rome’s military campaign against Umbria but Marcus Valerius Corvinus was not it seemed willing to take this choice laying down.
Some people just need to know when they are beaten! He mused to himself, deaf to Corvinus words.
“It was his indecision during the war with Etruria that caused the conflict to drag on and on, wasting Rome’s money and resources, an costing the lives of thousands of legionaries’ Corvinus spat, pointing at the Consul, ‘he was given the chance to prove himself and he failed!’
‘I do not think you are in any position to talk of another man’s failings!’ Senator Junius interrupted.
“You hardly proved yourself to be a capable man, when you turned what should have been a simple enough operation into a nearly four-year conflict’ Fabius Gurges, added his voice too, silencing Corvinus. Sempronius had wasted no time in gathering his allies around him and they now were rising to the occasion; his nomination to overall command had been near unanimous, only a handful had objected, Corvinus their rallying point.
‘That could not be helped’ Corvinus snapped, refusing to sit despite the Speakers indication for him to do so, ‘You gave me a man who simply could not be worked with! He is the one who caused the delay, not I!’ Clearly referring to Lucius Julius Libo.
‘And yet he is the man who is currently leading the Siege of Aternum in the Senates name, whilst you sit here prattling that it was not your fault!’ Gurges laughed, not deeming to rise.
Claudius, the Speaker rose, raising his hands high for silence to fall, the Lictors wrapping their staves hard on the floor, ‘Regardless of these discussions the vote has been had and the vote carried’ he turned to the sitting Consuls, offering his hand, ‘Sempronius has been nominated and selected by a near unanimous verdict and I for one shall wish him every success.’
Lucius Cornelius Scipio – The Tribunal, Rome, 25th of March 470C
“My friend Tiberius makes a few valid points” Scipio, the Younger turned on the spot, gesturing to his previous speaker, ‘but none can deny the merits of this legislation, the timing off it could not be more appropriate!’ His smile beamed across his face, seeking to sooth the worries of the Senate, ‘the Citizen tribes have sanctioned the bill and all that is required now, is for you fine men to do the same!’
Lucius Cornelius Scipio, Peoples Tribune had put a motion before the Citizen Assembly the previous week and now that legislation was before the Senate, seeking their approval. The proposed bill offered Roman citizenship and the voting rights attached to it to two new citizen tribes which would be drawn up by the new Censor, Gaius Fabius Licinius. By increasing the citizen body Rome would not only be strengthening her democracy and increasing her revenues, but the legions too would benefit since at present only those men born citizens were eligible for services and the more families able to vote, the more soldiers could be recruited; the previous days debate had sanctioned the raising off a new legion and that itself would be in sore need of fresh recruits.
“Think of the message this will send to our allies” Lucius pressed on, conscious that many within the Senate had accepted the motion had significant merit, ‘Rome is not only the defender of democracy, she is its beating heart!’ he turned again, noting the approving looks of many of the younger more populist leaning members, Gnaeus Flavius, leader of the Populist faction had already thrown his weight behind the bill. ‘The Athenians found, so the historians say, that their democracy nearly fell for failure to move with the time’ his voice carried across the room, ‘shall Rome dance along the same precipice?’ And with that he sat, taking his place amid the other tribunes, silence falling for a moment.
Claudius rose from the Speakers chair, ‘If no one has anything further to add?’ he waited, skimming along the ranks off assembled Senators, a quick glance toward the Consuls, ‘Then we shall put the motion to the vote and settle this matter before the close of session.’
Triumph bloomed in Lucius chest, convinced the motion would pass and the Lex Democratium Scipio, would be written into law.
Senator Hilarius – Outside the Temple of Castor and Pollux, Rome, 4th June 470C
Hilarius stood amid the huge crowds gathered around the ancient Temple, one of the oldest in Rome, built during the time of Rome’s Kings. The statues of the Divine Twins gazed down upon the assembled crowd, smoke from the funeral pyre rising to dance around them.
Censor, Consul, Pro-curator and General, Quintus Fabius Rullianus was dead and on account of his many years of loyal services to Rome he had been granted the honour of a state funeral, much like Marcus Valerius Corvus had been. The crowd watched on in silence as the Pontifex Maximus, the Heads of the Priesthood and their attending acolytes carried out the funerary rights, Lady Flavia standing at the fore with her children, her face a frozen mask of Roman dignity. Behind her the Consul’s elect both stood and behind them the Senate gathered almost in its entirety watched.
“What is the matter my love” Laelia spoke softly, her voice low, gently touching her husbands elbow, he clearly did not seem himself.
“Nothing my sweet” he lied, ‘just caught up in the moment I guess!’
I have had enough of this nonsense, they all come here professing their sorrows and offering their respect but every single man here would tare down another in an instant just to have a shred more power! Poor Rullianus has served his whole life, to be given a few planks of wood and some incense at his ending.
Hilarius felt anger, an unfamiliar emotion rising in his gut. He had only the day previous turned down the Consuls request to join the legions once more in the position of legate; he had no wish to go to war nor did he wish any further to be a puppet of other men.
Sod it, when this pantomime is over that is me done! I will not spend my days amid this pack of wolves, waiting for the moment I am off no use and they cast me aside and put me to pasture like they had to Rullianus! I will sell up; my businesses are worth enough to keep us comfortable. Apulia or Corsica, are nice enough places I am sure, we will buy some land and a house, and they can all be damned.
Having turned down the offer of legate, Sempronius had tried to parcel Hilarius off as a Pro-curator and then he had tried to twist his arm into accepting one of the lesser Quaestors offices unwilling to take no for an answer. But finally he had snapped, he had no wish for high office nor would those in real power ever let him attain it and so he had made up his mind, to sell his cloth making companies, his import houses and his small farms around Veii with that he could clear all his debts and live reasonably well with his wife and children in the country.
Chapter 24: Jumping Forward
I could if I wish to waste another forty or so chapters, if not more recounting the history of Rome between the years 470C and 530C, a span of sixty years, but for the sake of my readers, the thread of my story and the overall interest keeping things moving, let us jump ahead.
Prior to 470C you have witnessed the beginnings of Roman dominance in Italy, from the war with Etruria to the short spat with the Frinii and then to the opening moments of war with Umbria, but I grow weary of recounting petty wars in great length, when the glory of Rome’s future waits to be written. That is not to say in the years following nothing of note has happened, quite the opposite but let us move through these events at speed, since the Rome that is now in existence is vastly different to the one previously. The faces that dominate the Republic have changed immeasurably and the borders of Rome now stretch from the northern most fringes of Illyria along the Alps, all the way south, through Latium, Campania, Samnia and Apulia to the coastal city of Brundisum in the South East to Syracuse in the south west and out to the island of Corsica at Rome’s furthest most reach.
Sons of Mars (Rome at war from 470-530C):
Rome now dominates all of Italy and on her road to domination a dozen peoples and nations have fallen beneath her heels; The Etruscans, the Umbrii, the Sabanii, the Samnites, the Picentii, Marsia, the Brutii, the Apulians, Lucanii, Senoii, Ventii, Ilvatii, Histisii, Syracusians, the Messapii, Sipontum, the Nucerians, the City of Ancona the Herakleans, the Pelegenii, the Boi and the Cemenoii to list them in full.
In constant shifting war between north and south of the Eternal City, the armies of the Republic have marched and heros have risen and then been laid to rest. The final war between Rome and the Heraklean Federation is now at an end, the final death toll coming with the fall of Syracuse in 530C and the capitulation of the Republic of Heraklea in the same year.
Thousands have died on both sides, Rome herself on more than one occasion being threatened by siege, but not all of these wars came about via Roman aggression or interference. The war with the Illyrians, the Histisii and the Ilvatii came at their own doing, invading Italy alongside a conferdation of barbarian tribes seeking to seize power over the Po Valley, only Romes refusal to surrender granting them eventual victory.
The fall of the Lucanii and the Samnites, came at the end of the war against the Free City of Sipontum and Nuceria, when the two merchant cities provoked Rome into hostilities by impounding her trade ships and refusing to release them.
This final war came when the Heraklean Republic threatened the Free City of Tarentum, Friend and Ally of the Senate and People of Rome. Only when the Greeks called in their allies in the region and the Syracusian King decides to press his claim to the southern cities of Brutium did Rome decide to silence the Free Greek Cities
once and for all.
Rome had at one time only been capable of fielding a few thousand soldiers, yet today after significant reform under General Marius her armies number at their lowest, some sixty thousand men though she is capable of controlling more than a hundred thousand with potential reserves of the same number again, all disciplined, well-armed and trained in the triplex axis formations. Her navy too has slowly but surely begun to increase as the need to maintain connection with the islands of Corsica and Sicily demand ever more investment.
Roman trade, agriculture, Roads and economics:
At the end of 470C Rome had already begun to rise as an economic force within the local region exporting wine, marble, olives, wood and cloth to their neighbours along the Adriatic and throughout Italy. Now we stand at 530C and Rome is not simply an economic force but a growing economic superpower, with substantial revenues being turned over every year. The Quaestors office once manned by one Senator and his immediate circle has now become a full time official arm of the state, employing many hundreds of citizens collecting taxes, monitoring transfers of property and overseeing the vast numbers of imports and exports flowing across her borders.
It is not simply Rome’s coffers that now look different, but the very landscape of Italy reflects her growing mercantile nature with vast slave estates, farming communities, fishing ports, markets and mines spreading the length of Italy.
The ports of Ostia, Sipius, Herkleia and Ancona are now hot beds of international trade and commerce, ships docking every day laden with goods from across the Mediterranean. Foodstuffs though are amongst Rome’s main imports, with thousands and thousands of tonnes of grain, dates, meats and salt imported from her main trading partner; Egypt. Without this life line to the far-east Rome herself, never mind the wider Republic would starve to death in weeks.
Roads are the other most telling sign of Rome’s growing economic power, with a huge highway built by the legions in peace time stretching down from Illyria, through central Italia and down to the shores of Croton in the south west. As Rome’s Empire, for an empire is what seems to be coming, spreads further no doubt these busy highways will go further and further still, providing much easier routes of travel for merchant and soldier alike.
Population, diversity, democracy and Civilisation:
No more can Rome claim to be simply one collection of people, united by a common history, language and religion. Amid the lowest order of the city itself is a soup of different peoples, slaves being taken from all across Italy, Illyria, the Greek Cities and Cilsalpine Gaul form the backbone of the Roman workforce and each of them speaks varying degrees of Greek, Latin and sub-languages, whilst worshiping the traditional gods of Rome and those of their homelands.
Rome’s population now booms at some eighty to ninety thousand, whilst the empire at a whole can call upon some one hundred thousand citizens, not including the million an more people who inhabit Italy as a whole. Increasing votes within the Senate have granted citizenship to thousands of families up an down the peninsula, with voting rights and rights to own land being granted by the status.
To the north the land is more sparsely populated after years of war and settlements that do exist tend to differ considerably in character from the larger numbers of tribal villages and farmsteads that dot the landscape. The more north one goes the less frequently latin in spoken and Ligurian replaces it as the spoken tounge. Through Etruria and Umbria, the people worship the Hellenic gods, but once one passes the Appenine mountains the people there, worship trees and standing stones, rivers, mountains and beasts, their ancient druidic faith fixed deep inside them.
Outside of Rome the most varied of populations is Corsica, for despite the fact its largest city and port, Aleria is made up principally of Roman citizens, outside her walls the people are wilder and less civilised, mixed as they are between native Corsicans, Latin-speaking settlers, and Carthaginian and African migrants. Their religion also is wider stretching for alongside the faith of the locals, the Canaanites and the Romans, the Cult of Isis has found itself a safe haven within the Republics borders and high up in the mountains a shrine has been erected to the Most Ancient of Mothers.
To the Future:
Rome stands now on the brink of becoming a super power, a nation with dreams of Imperial grandeur. But all around her are now positioned other powers, long standing in their greatness, some already empires. To the South, Carthage looms, unsettled by Romes intrusion into Sicily (an island it believes his historically its own). To the west and north, huge barbarian coalitions see Italy as a soft target and seek to set themselves up on her rich farms, whilst to the east the Kingdom of Macedon, the Greek States and more further onward pay close attention to the unification of Italy under this new emergent, radical and militaristic nation.
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