[IB AAR] Taking Power in the West, Constantine's Battle for Rome

**LeonidasOfSparta** · July 26, 2007, 04:39 PM

What to say?
Great job again and once again I love it especilay cause of screenshots wich are great.

Leonidas

**Samuel Adams** · July 26, 2007, 05:11 PM

---------------Chapter IV: Foothold of Power in Italy-----------------------

Eldobich was in a closed session with Constantine. Scouts had finally come in from Northern Italy and brought word on strengths and weaknesses of Honorius's troop positions there.

The aim was now at Mediolanum, where the uncle of Honorius and a few hundred men were attempting to guard the area against marauding Goths, Alamenni, and brigands. Their hands were full, and the emperor at Ravenna had too many problems to try and cope with the problems up north. Illyria was only Roman because of the Eastern Empire, and north of there Huns, Ostrogoths, and Langobardi were massed against a skeleton force. Valens, the greatest general of Honorius, was himself in the field with only a rabble of an army. Africa was garrisoned by nothing; the once formidable frontier garrisons were empty ruins now, and what was left of the comitatenses were trying to hold Carthage and sicily.

Constantine knew when his time was ripe; he was not going to miss this chance. The Romans under Honorius were leaving every pass unguarded, every road ghostly quiet; Eldobich was under secret orders to leave with his army at first light and take Mediolanum by storm. Great Onagers were sent out ahead of the army, and in a little over two days of quick marching the army reached Mediolanum. Eldobich's army was now greater than ever before; some eastern empire soldiers had been persuaded to come fight for Constantine by Marcus, and had arrived by ship right after the defeat of the Goths.

The morning of the third day the onagers woke the city with a barrage of stone on the walls. The Goths had already weakened the walls, and the garrison was too lazy adn small to repair them. Within two hours there was a breach, and the comitatenses were through!

Patricius and his cavalry tore through the enemy ranks after the walls were captured by the infantry, and tore into the city square.

Honorius's uncle was slain among a grove of trees trying to escape by lowly milites; Patricius had taken and held the forum, and the enemy were now flushed out of homes they had taken refuge in and killed; it was more execution than battle.

Eldobich was master of inner Gaul and northern Italy with a great army. Honorius now knew his days were numbered; there was no guesswork.

Patricius rode around the great city. He couldn't believe that the masters of such a place would let it fall so easily.

Yet he couldn't rest; being a great man comes with great responsibility, and he was recalled to Arelate to join Constantine's army.

The march on Rome herself was about to begin...

**Lord Romanus III** · July 26, 2007, 08:35 PM

Next chapter, because I am still threatening you...............

It won't let me give you reputation.....

Cordially, Lord Romanus III

**Samuel Adams** · July 30, 2007, 06:12 PM

-----------------Chapter V: Constantine, Roman Emperor-------------------

Mediolanum, January, 412 AD; Constantine's Quarters:

Eldobich marched his comitatenses through the city in triumph. Constantine placed a wreath of olive branches on his head, and the month was spent in feasting. The first blow against Honorius's power was spent. There were no more Roman armies loyal to him; in the East, Valens was struggling to repel the Huns, allies of Constantine; his army was crumbling, and the Huns had taken every major city in the region. The eastern Roman Empire had started sueing for peace and alliances with the huns and Constantine, and it wasn't long before Constantine marched on Rome. The world watched in anticipation.

In February a council of war was held in Arelate, and the men expected to attack Rome were hand picked from the army. Patricius's Horsemen were the vanguard of the attacking force; their job was to scour central italy for troops and ambush as many small forces as possible, so that there would be no hope for Rome.

With his Auxilia Palatinii, artillery, and archers Constantine followed from Mediolanum. They wound through the fertile plain, and crossed the rubicon; Constantine could feel the swelling of pride, the exhilarating air of confidence rising from his troopers; no Roman army marched to meet them. They marched a full thirty miles a day on the Via Consularis, bypassing a fortified town held by Honorius's men. Eldobich was to take care of them soon enough. He was following with a smaller army to mop up enemy resistance in Northern Italy, and soon Patricius was going to meet the main column with his heavy cavalry.

They arrived at the Eternal City, Rome, February 28th. The garrison of the city was comprised of Auxilia Palatinii, and a few milites from the frontier that had been hastilly recalled to defend the city. The general of the garrison was a rather plump old governor from Germania, and was well aware his days were now limited; he was one of the few who had survived and not switched sides in these dark days.

Constantine decided to storm the city. He had 1200 men under his command; Patricius had just ridden into the camp, and the enemy had only 300 men in the garrison; not enough to man the walls.

So the next morning, accordingly, the Army set out from camp with their artillery engines to pummel the walls of the city down. Constantine ordered his artillery officer to make a breech, but to only break the walls enough to dishearten the soldiery inside; the walls would have to be repaired to keep the citizens of Rome on Constantine's side after the battle.

Constantine Overlooking Rome:

The morning passed as stones were hurled at the walls. For hours the huge rocks pummeled the age-old walls into a blivion, until at last, at the watch place of Honorius's abandoned Auxilia Palatinii, they fell.

The Army advanced into the breech. Like a giant machine the legion marched forward, and each men fell into place.

The men rushed into the breech as the defenders struggled to make a defensive line to hold them there; they were too late. Onto the walls one cohort marched, and fighting desperatley shoved the enemy into the streets below.

The next part of the battle was later made famous by a monk who was a soldier of Constantine's at that time; as the shadow of the Colloseum fell over the armies, they clashed in bloody conflict, one cohort of Auxilia against another. The best of Rome spilling each others' blood.

The defenders surrendered, seeing all was lost. Constantine entered the city, making his way to the Cathedral of Rome. There, a bright light shone from the window above the entrance; Constantine and his soldiers saw that as a sign that God himself had returned to the city in recognition of the rightful emperor.

The Emperor was really the emperor now. The whole city was given games and feasting, and the soldiers were all granted citizenship, farms, and the option of retirement. Most stayed, however; and the triumph was the greatest in Rome since Caesar's Gallic Wars.

The rest of Western Rome soon pledged their feality to Constantine. Only Ravenna held out, where Honorius was holed up with a scanty legion. Within the month, his own German Bodyguards would murder him and send his head to Constantine. The rightful Augustus was now in Rome; peace and prosperity followed, and when the aging emperor died, his son, Constans, took his place, following his fathers example. Patricius was honored with the childless Constan's blessing as his own, and as Constans himself aged and died, Patricius, then 37, took the seat of Augustus Caesar, Emperor of the Western Roman Empire.

A landless centurion's son was emperor of Rome; and a good emperor he was.

**LeonidasOfSparta** · July 31, 2007, 01:36 AM

at last!!! great, lucky your arr didn't get deleted by chrah..

Leonidas

**bomberboy** · July 31, 2007, 06:18 AM

Great update. Is the end of the AAR.

**Samuel Adams** · July 31, 2007, 09:51 AM

yeah it's the end. Sad yet true. I wanted there to be a good end to it, because all my other AAR's I've written haven't had a definitive story line, and they drug on, and on, and on, and if I had a CTD or lost the gamesave, it had to end in the air like my WRE AAR.

But I've started up with Roma Surrectum again, and I may... MAY... do an AAR for my current Pergamum campaign. Man those hoplites are cool...