[RS2.1 AAR] The Kingdom of Ionia - A Roman Reinterpretation of the Crusades

[chaplain118]

Prologue (see below)
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Chapter VII
Chapter VIII
Chapter IX
Chapter X
Chapter XI
Chapter XII
Chapter XIII
Chapter XIV
Chapter XV
Chapter XVI
Chapter XVII
Chapter XVIII
Chapter XIX
Chapter XX
Chapter XXI
Chapter XXII
Chapter XXIII
Chapter XXIV
Chapter XXV
Chapter XXVI
Chapter XXVII
Chapter XXVIII
Chapter XXIX
Chapter XXX
Chapter XXXI
Chapter XXXII
Chapter XXXIII
Chapter XXXIV
Chapter XXXV
Chapter XXXVI
Chapter XXXVII
Chapter XXXVIII
Chapter XXXIX
Chapter XL
Chapter XLI
Chapter XLII
Chapter XLIII

Prologue

-----

It is remarkable that the Kingdom of Ionia had survived for as long as it did. A brief twenty years of violent and often times quite bloody history exists only in rumors and hearsay. Little archeological evidence supports the existence of such a kingdom. However, the presence of three newly unearthed coins inscribed with Rex S. Pap. Cra dating back to this period seem to suggest that at one point or another, something of this Kingdom of Ionia must have existed.

What we know, we know very little of. However, there exist several broken Greek documentations to an uncertain date around the first century BC to mid first century AD. It spoke of a campaign by several Roman excursions and the establishment of a 'faithless kingdom, full of corruption and lascivious decadence that even the gods grew distasteful of.' One individual in particular that has been mentioned multiple times had been the eponymous Decimus the Coward, more commonly referred to in these documentations as the Coward King.



It has been mentioned that Decimus the Coward King held the Kingship to this fragile kingdom for nearly seven years, with the first two years being held by his father, Numerius Sulpicius Camerinus, whom sources say very little about but the Greek documentations claimed to have carved out a series of kingdom across all of Ionia, from Assos to Ephesos. However, renewed attacks by Greeks soon shrank this kingdom to just the lands around Ephesos.

However, when we turned to Greece itself, we found certain documentations of the long-established family of power in Athens that spoke of one of their sons, Numerius Aebutius Drusus, who was sent to Ionia on a Pilgrimage in order to restitute familial obligations--typically an euphemism by the Romans to denote seeking forgiveness for sins. Based on these two scant pieces of evidence, we begin our intrepid attempt at deciphering the histories of this elusive Kingdom. It was a central portion of the Eastern world. Its presence amongst a number of religiously significant structures cannot be ignored. Yet despite these factors, this Kingdom remains unspoken of in academic circles.

The excavations performed around the Ionian coast, particularly near the Temple of Artemis, revealed a number of clues that further support the notion that this Kingdom of Ionia truly was a Holy Kingdom and that the wars fought in its brief existence were religiously based in nature. The Kingdom of Ionia, for all intents and purposes, found itself beleaguered on all sides, its back pressed against the Aegean, its front facing a porous border that the Greeks could simply pour through at a moment’s notice.

Excerpt from “Forgotten History of the Ionian Coast” by C. Krieger Ph.D and J. Connelly Ph.D

[Boustrophedon]

I don't want to see how bad this gets with all those stacks waiting for you I like the intro and will be following this

[chaplain118]

This was several years of holding that stupid city from endless Greek invasions. And honestly, I don't know how I've managed to survive for so long with so few reinforcements (1-turn recruitment)

[chaplain118]

Chapter I

… Excavations around what many other academics have concluded to being the walls of Ephesus unveiled a shocking discovery: that an extensive siege system had been built around it and several bitter battles had been fought beneath it in relative quick succession. The regions around the walls show considerable amount of man-made activity suggestive of an actual attempt at either mounting or simply destroying the walls of Ephesus.

The walls around Ephesus, at their height, would have measured nearly thirty-five feet in height and nearly twelve feet wide. Siege engines of the day would have taken months to tear through the walls by brute force. One must wonder what methods the attackers would have chosen. To make for even more frustrating research, the scant archeological evidence does not provide clear indication as to who were the attackers and who were the defenders.

The presence of metal barbs and arrowheads pointing away from the walls—both inside and outside—clearly indicate that the defenders within had fought back against the invaders. Though the weapons found have proven to be useful in constructing a rudimentary knowledge of what has occurred, the paltry numbers seem to suggest that either the Ephesians behind the walls were so outnumbered that they recycled the armor and metal of the dead to re-equip themselves following the siege or that the battle was minor, a small skirmish compared to other engagements during this particular time period.

Excerpt from “Forgotten History of the Ionian Coast” by C. Krieger Ph.D and J. Connelly Ph.D

The Coward King's Triumph

-----

Dawn gave birth to a morning made red from the dust of the marching Greeks. The sun dimmed to a small red orb dangling precipitously over distant plains. Upon the walls of Ephesos, the Coward King stood against the parapet, his purple cloak bordered with threads of gold enveloping him and barely brushing against the stony surface of the high walls. He was sleep-deprived, having stayed up endless nights listening to the dull thudding noise of the Greek axes as they hammered away at the forests surrounding Ephesos to construct their engines. Adjusting his aged cuirass, the single piece of armor left to him by his father, the Coward King sighed at the sight. His men could hardly be described as adequately armed, and his army existed only on paper. The standards under which each attaché marched under were woefully depleted from the half-year siege. The Greeks were approaching with their siege engines—a ram, a tower, and a single sap point from which their men labored like moles to undermine the walls. The dust swirled around the creaking siege tower that wobbled as it rolled towards the walls and for a brief moment, the Coward King prayed that the tower would topple on its own.

His fingers brushed against the crack in his cuirass—the place that mutinous legionnaires had pierced his father’s side—and he whispered. "It was only a matter of time before they came. Really, I had been prepared for the worst."

"Sire?" Asked one of his personal retainers, unaware of the thoughts turning within the Coward King’s mind.

The Coward King shook his head at the black figures approaching Ephesos. "Nothing."




He descended from the walls, and many defenders said that the Coward King had abandoned the walls before the enemy ever approached them. They said that, and they were right. But they were also wrong. The Coward King did not abandon the walls. He simply left them to fewer men. Instead, he gathered the Army of Ephesos beneath the Great Temple of Artemis. And it was there that he spoke.




"I have been called many things in my life, but only two truly stand out to me. King and Coward. A title of shame alongside one of prestige. But I am not here to tell you of the faults that befall me. I ask you now, to look around. Do you see the Greek temples that lie above the Persian ones? Do you see the Egyptian obelisks that tower above the Greek shrines? Do you see the Roman banners atop the towers? These are yours, be you Greek, Persian, Roman, Khaldian, or Jewish. Do you see the children that have lined the streets, the women with their eyes red from weeping, and your fathers who are too old to bear arms on their families’ behalf? These too, are yours. Your homes are here, your livelihoods are here. To preserve what is yours, you must be prepared to fight to defend it. You give ground here, and you forfeit everything you hold dear.

Even a coward can understand that.

Fight with me. Fight for your homes. That is all I ask of you."

The Coward King's speech roused some men. Its message echoed from brevity. But most of the men felt less at ease after their king had spoken to them. Nevertheless, they shuffled to their posts. Upon the walls, a handful of archers lit a fire upon the crumbling stone and mortar. Dipping their arrows into the flames, they aimed at wheels of the siege towers, already halting here and there from the uneven grounds. A single man held the bright red flag—a signal to the rest of Ephesos that the wall remained intact.

Arrows whistled with hissing flames and drove themselves deep into the soft wood of the siege tower. The men who stood on the walls had spent their lives hunting in the forests around Ephesos and knew the consistency of the wood of the trees that grew there. Their aim, perfected by years of intercepting gliding birds and prancing rabbits, sent the arrows to their targets. A few even picked away at the Greeks pushing the tower.

Smoke sprouted from the seams of the tower, and the bindings around it soon caught aflame. There was no choice for the Greeks pushing the tower. They attempted to put out the flames with jars of prepared water, but the Roman archers shifted their aim and directed their missile at the Greeks attempting to put out the fire. Soon, flames engulfed the tower and belched black smoke to the heavens. Men tumbled from the tower, aflame and screaming. The Greeks scattered like ants from a disturbed hill, turning their backs to the Romans who fired until their quivers became empty. Arrows sprouted like weeds before the Eastern wall.

The flags rose. The enemy siege tower has fallen.



Fresh arrows were brought up from the base of the walls, and attention was diverted to the ram that lumbered towards the Porta Orientalis. Its topside was covered with wet leather and was impervious to simple flaming arrows. Tensions rose up as the supply of arrows dwindled. The ram’s head came closer and closer. Only when the order to prepare the oil did a single man realize a new tactic. Rushing past the shirtless sentries who sweated over the hot cauldrons, he took a jar and dipped it into the bubbling oil, incurring angry burns as the oil splashed against his arm. The oil was mixed with tar and the arrows were coated with the mixture. Now, set aflame once more, these arrows continued to burn as they struck the ram.

To the men who waited anxiously behind the walls, the happy news finally arrived from the Porta Orientalis: the enemy ram was abandoned. The two vermilion banners of Ephesos fluttered in the morning breeze, echoing the color of the eastern sky.



The entire Army waited in anticipation from the other defenders, a sign that the enemy sieging capacity has been repelled. But the third banner never rose, and their hearts sank. The Greek sappers continued their work unmolested.


The walls came down with a great crash heard around the city. Decimus' own bowel cramped uncomfortably. He closed his eyes, hoping to calm his nerves. But he could already hear the footsteps of the Greek soldiers who now poured through the breached walls.



Children atop the Great Temple spot the approaching horsemen. Some cried for their mothers. Others looked on, not knowing the danger. Still others called out to them, thinking it an elaborate game. All the while, the hooves clopped steadily against the ground.


Unable to wait, Decimus ordered his men to charge the enemy by the foot of the temple. Bitter fighting broke out, and the streets soon ran slick with blood.


An uproar went up, and news that the enemy commander had fallen was spread across the city.


But for no particular reason, as the men fought beneath the Great Temple, the Coward King rode with his personal cavalry away from the fighting, seemingly towards the Porta Orientalis. Men despaired, imagining that their king had abandoned them. But the sound of children atop the Temple, the sun's white rays glistening against the pristine marble of the city inspired them, and they continued fighting.



But the Coward King had not abandoned his kingdom, though he easily could have. Instead, he rode around the temple until he found himself at the rear of the enemy. A single charge would win the day.


A great victory against the Eastern Greeks. A much-needed victory.


But even this victory would be short-lived. For within the month, a second Greek army had marched to the walls of Ephesos once more. Worse, reports came from north that the fortress of Boreapolis had fallen and the citadel now occupied by the Greeks.

Court Politics

-----

By spring, a letter arrived to Ephesos, despite the Greek siege, bearing the seal of the citadel at Colophon. Rumors immediately flew across the Kingdom, whispers of a new Pilgrim Army that has newly arrived to the Hallowed Land grew. Intrigued, the Coward King called all of his Legates from across their citadels to gather in Ephesos. Under the cover of night, they snuck into the city and convened at the Court of Sulpicius Camerinus the next morning.

Servilius Teucer, the Legate of Ephesos, stood.

"We cannot trust this letter. It may well be a Greek trap. If they deceive us into believing that help will come from Colophon, then we may be provoked into sallying forth from the city. We would be annihilated. I say burn this!"

"You truly are a servant to the Coward King, aren't you?" Maximinus Pulcher, the Legate of Lebedos said. "You would dare to remain behind the walls, letting the enemy approach closer and closer, than to meet them head on? We have defeated them before, and we can do it again. That is the will of the gods!"

He was met with enthusiastic cries of assent from others, most notably, Corvenus Glabrio, Legate of Smyrna. This worried Decimus. Smyrna's garrison kept the Greeks from descending from the north. He did not want the War Party of his Court to gain the upper hand. There were not enough men at arms to cobble together any measurable defense force in Ephesos. The victory from the last siege came not from offense but defense. An active war would be suicidal. He held up his hand, calling for silence from his Court.

"Our position is precarious, far too precarious to risk an all out engagement against the enemy. Even if there is hope that the citadel of Colophon, destroyed a year earlier, had been rebuilt and a new army raised, we cannot risk ourselves now."

"You coward, we can destroy the enemy. We cannot simply remain here, year after year. We will never replenish our numbers lost! Your course will lead to our deaths." Pulcher bellowed.

"I am still King of Ephesos, and you, Pulcher, are still my legate. You will bow to my wishes."

"Or what? You'll sally forth from Ephesos and attack me at Lebedos?"

"I warn you now, Pulcher, stay your tongue."

"The Coward King does not wish to fight. I say we abandon him. What say you?" Pulcher looked around the room. At first, no one stepped forward. But then, one person spoke up.

"I stand with Pulcher. We sally out at once."

It was Glabrio. After he spoke, the other Legates declared their consent, and Decimus' heart sank. These men would bring an end to the Kingdom. But he had no choice. King he may be, it was a title that he could not back without his Legates.

"So be it. Assemble the Army."

And what did it all take? Decimus thought. Ah yes, the hope of reinforcements at the destroyed citadel of Colophon.

Kingmaker

---

Disembarking from the ships that ferried his men, Numerius Aebutius Drusus sighed as he took in his surroundings. The roads were mere dirt paths beaten into the ground by the endless herds of sheep and cattle that milled about. There seemed to be little to activity in the port, and every language he heard sounded different from one another. There was no trace of Greek, written or spoken, anywhere in the port. He watched his men gather and strode away. It would be several hours before they are ready to depart for Ephesos. The cool early spring air kissed his brows and he removed his helmet. The lack of activity shocked him. He had remembered his father bringing exotic spices and perfumes from the East, proclaiming that they had come from Ephesos, but his keen nose could not pick out the distinctive aromas. Instead, the only scent he detected were that of poverty, starvation, and desolation. A few barges rocked gently in the harbor while the fishermen who manned them dredged through their nets for a few tiny flopping fish. Covering his nose, he walked deeper into the harbor, hoping to find someone, anyone, to tell him that this was not the entrance to the Holy Kingdom.

He spotted a shepherd with his herd and asked. "Old man, is this the road to Ephesos?"

The man nodded but shied away from Aebutius Drusus’ nodding plume. He felt his heart sink at the realization. Turning dejectedly back to his army, he realized that Ephesos must be just as battered, just as dilapidated as this harbor. He looked at their eager faces and realized that he must lie to them. But a few words of deceit, what does that matter in the pursuit of absolution?

"Men, brothers all, look about you now. This is the doorway into that Holy Kingdom, the Kingdom of Ionia. Our forefathers had created this kingdom in pursuit of the shades of those ancient Heroes from Troy. But our forefathers are gone, their relics left to ruination and pillage and plunder. The Greeks seek to destroy all that we have worked for, and you can see it here now inside this harbor. But we are the sons of Mars, the proud inheritors of the legacy of Dardanus. We will rebuild this Kingdom to its days of glory! We will reclaim those lost lands that our ancestors have bled for. Soon we will set foot within Ephesos. We will gaze upon all the wonders that had previously only been imagined. The spirits of Heroes lie behind those walls. Spirits that now search for their descendants. When we enter, make them proud!"

Not a bad lie. Aebutius Drusus followed the beaten path towards Ephesos and found himself not staring at the great gates but at an abandoned citadel. The inscription at the base of a broken statue read: COLOPHON. He chose to rest his men here overnight while he composed a letter to be sent to the Court at Ephesos.

They departed at first light. But as they approached Ephesos, the roads became even far more unkempt and turned over. Twice they marched through patches of grass, guiding themselves only by the sun that galloped in the sky. Aebutius Drusus felt uneasy. He can hear whispers amongst his men, whispers of lies about the Holy Kingdom .He ignored them and rode forth with his army until they came within sight of Ephesos. His heart picked up slightly, the city showed the tell-tale signs of a siege, and all perhaps would be well should they continue on. As they came closer, Aebutius Drusus saw that a Greek army had amassed and encamped itself at the base of the walls. Aebutius Drusus could already see the breaches made in the ancient walls. Pity rose up in his heart and he spurred his army forward to meet the enemy.




The Greeks, realizing their precarious position, chose to abandon their siege and instead flee back east.


Within the Court of Ephesos, pandemonium reigned. Legates shouted above one another, sometimes drawing swords and pointing it across the hall. Their own men at arms, their own accompanying riders, and their own retainers all flew into the argument. Words were hardly heard and anarchy threatened to descend. Loudest amongst them were the two men who had been at each others’ throats when the first news of Aebutius Drusus reached their ears: Pulcher and Teucer.

"This man had been sent by the gods. He relieved the siege without so much a loss of a man!" Pulcher said.



"Yes, Pulcher, but he also did not kill a man either. The Greeks simply pulled back when they realize that they would have been trapped between two armies." Teucer said.

"That isn't the point, now is it, Teucer?"

"Then enlighten us."

"This army that has come. It is a sign. New pilgrims are coming once more. We have reinforcements. The tactics of the Coward King are no longer justified. We need not his leadership."

"You speak of treason, in these very halls. Stay your tongue lest you find yourself at the end of my sword."

"Treason, Teucer? Is it treason to speak of defense of our homes? Is it treason to fight against the aggressors and invaders?"

"It is treason to defy the King."

"A Coward King who refuses to fight unless the fight comes to him. A coward king without support!"

The arguments shot back and forth between Teucer and Pulcher. The entire Court became so caught up in it that none had noticed Numerius Aebutius Drusus, the hero who relieved the siege, entering until he cleared his throat and announced his presence.

"I wish to see the King of Ephesos."

Decimus acknowledged the boy. "Come forward."

Aebutius Drusus bowed before Decimus. "I pledge my men at arms at your disposal, King of Ephesos. I pledge their fealty and mine for the defense of this Kingdom and for the absolution of my sins."

Teucer looked on smugly at Pulcher. "Well, it would seem that our King does have support after all."

[Boustrophedon]

I'm really enjoying this and can't wait for the next update! Well-deserved +rep from me
I don't understand the "pilgrim" thing though. Sounds Medieval instead of Ancient to me... Maybe I'm reading this wrong?

[chaplain118]

It's sort of an interpretation of the Crusader Kingdoms told from the historical vantage point of the Romans. It's more of a writing exercise for me.

And just wait, there will be something like the Templar Knights showing up soon. REAL soon.

[Boustrophedon]

It's sort of an interpretation of the Crusader Kingdoms told from the historical vantage point of the Romans. It's more of a writing exercise for me.

And just wait, there will be something like the Templar Knights showing up soon. REAL soon.

Hehe that would be awesome (I love those knights) and yeah in the end all AAR's are really nothing more than a writing exercise.

[chaplain118]

re-did the format so it looks better. Will be updating later today

[chaplain118]

Chapter II

… Our first records of a religious factor in the conflicts that surrounds this Kingdom of Ionia lies in a fragment found inscribed upon a beautifully preserved metal clasp near where the old harbor of Ephesus used to be.

The fragment reads, and translated here to the best of abilities: “pilgrimage to […] Ionia with blessings […] Maximus for the defense […] Kingdom […] absolution”

If the rest of this fragment could be found and deciphered, then what we have discovered here would have been conclusive proof that Roman religion, far from being a relatively loose collection of different beliefs amalgamated together, was a more dogma-based doctrine not dissimilar to that of major monotheistic religions of the Middle Ages. Furthermore, it would suggest that the concept of Roman religion that many academics hold may have been an incorrect assumption and that Romans did not actually adopt their enemies’ religions to help facilitate a smooth transitioning period. In fact, the unveiling of this information could be crucial in explaining several oddities in Roman conquest history such as the brutal sacking of Corinth, the genocidal campaign waged in Spain and Gaul, the utter repugnance at the eastern religions, and the fierce persecution of Christians.

Excerpt from “Forgotten History of the Ionian Coast” by C. Krieger Ph.D and J. Connelly Ph.D

Ambition

-----

"Tell me, Aebutius Drusus, why have you truly come to Ephesos?" The court had been emptied and Decimus sat alone with Numerius. The timely arrival of the boy was a surprising turn of the Fates, but he knew in his heart that a single army could not halt the Greeks.

"Absolution for my sins."

"And how, pray tell, will you receive that absolution?"

"By defending this kingdom."

The Coward King nodded. "All good answers, now tell me: how will you defend this kingdom?"

"I have brought my own army! Nearly two thousand men at arms."



"And so you have, but the Greek Kingdoms around us can muster tens of thousands against us. They will crush us through numbers alone."

"We have the might of the gods behind us. With Mars leading forth our banners, we cannot be defeated."

"But we will be. It is certain. The Kingdom is destined to fall. We are but transient beings, witness to the finals days of a once proud land. Even with the gods on our side, we cannot hope to repel back the invaders endlessly."

"You truly are a Coward."

"No, I have only recognized the futility of protracted war. Men such as yourself, young, ambitious, hot headed, only believe that only violence can best violence. But other solutions must be sought as well. We cannot simply allow war to be the one thing that rules us."

Numerius shook his head. "You don't believe in this kingdom, do you?"

"I believe, but I have also seen countless men fall from their belief that a war could be won here."

"But a war has been won before, when Ephesos was not the only city of the Kingdom!"

"And in years, those other cities fell to the Greeks once more. I have seen thousands of men come, just like yourself, claiming to defend the Kingdom, only to die by Greek swords."

"But we can push them back, take the fight to them!"

"With your lone army. With no riders, no archers, only men at arms who specialize in close-range fighting. The Greeks will ride you down with their cavalry, their peltasts and toxotai will nail your soldiers to the ground. They will flee when you give chase, and fall upon you viciously when you tire. How will you take the fight to an enemy that cannot be touched?"

"Inside their cities."

"And how will you hold those cities? The further you push, the fewer men you will have."

"Alexander did it."

"You are not Alexander."

"Perhaps it was wrong of me to come to you."

"Perhaps, but only time can tell."

"I shall take my leave now, and return to my army."

Decimus smiled sadly. "You go to Pulcher now I presume?"

"I cannot support a Coward King who will not defend this Kingdom." He saluted the Coward King, turned around, and departed.

Pulcher's Ploy

------

"The coward has rejected your offer?"

"I was a fool to have pledged my fealty to him."

"No matter. Once we destroy these Greek armies, we will march to Halikarnassos, leave the Coward behind to his fate."

"That is betrayal."

"Of a traitor to the Kingdom. I say it's justice."

"I came to defend this Kingdom, not to overthrow it."

"Be careful, boy. The King may be a coward who will stay his hand for violence, but I am not."

"Are you blackmailing me?"

"No. I'm warning you."

"I came to defend this Kingdom, and that is exactly what I plan to do."

"Oh?"

"I will repel the Greeks to the East, and reinforce the citadel of Noturia Ponta."

"I've seen braver men and better armies claim that. You will fail, as all others before you have failed."

"We'll see about that."

[Boustrophedon]

Interesting I feel an epic battle coming hehe...

[Diomede]

I've tried to be more reserved with what I rep recently, but I feel this deserves it. Good job.

[chaplain118]

Thanks for the feedback!

The next update is in the works, and it will bring some of its own twists very soon.

[Crozimodo]

Keeping an eye on your work as ever chap and as ever I continue to be impressed. I would rep but I need to spread it around first besides that great work

[chaplain118]

Chapter III

… Our foray into this lost history of a forgotten kingdom cannot be complete without examining its surrounding countryside. The first indication of a large-scale battle had been found to the south, near the old riverbed. Weeks of excavation brought up two different bases for bridges, leading us to our earlier conclusion of the Kingdom’s defenders originally cutting the bridge to prevent further assault from the surrounding Greeks. However, it is obvious from the upper base that the bridge was quickly rebuilt within the following years. Therefore, we can only conclude that the Romans, in an effort to respond to the Greeks, reinforced the town across from the bridge.

Aptly, the town was named Noturia Ponta (Southern Bridge) as according to an inscription found at the site of what is presumed the main street into the town. What was the most useful discovery, however, were the broken swords and cleaved helmets found not at the bridge, but three miles away from where the bridge would have been—conclusively demarcating the limits of the Kingdom’s borders and helping us map out exactly what time period this Kingdom existed in. The weapons found here were distinctively Roman. Cheek flaps from late-era Montefortino helmets and the attachments for a centurion plume allow us to date the time period to that of either the late Republic or early Principate. However, there does exist several discrepancies in later discoveries around the region that make the dating of this period much more problematic (this point will be expounded upon later). We can only surmise the date of the Kingdom’s existence around the first century BC to the early parts of the first century AD, and no more.

But even then, the presence of a kingdom with its own king and vassal system that has taken on the qualities and flavors of Roman culture is shocking. The existence of this kingdom gives rise to a wholly new outlook on the emergence of feudalism, the lord-vassal system, and threatens to debase all the previous scholarly works on the Roman Empire.

Excerpt from “Forgotten History of the Ionian Coast” by C. Krieger Ph.D and J. Connelly Ph.D

Vicissitude

-----

Numerius felt uneasy with each additional step he took away from Ephesos. Pulcher's words still rang in his mind though he had tried to ignore it. He had sent scout parties throughout the land in front, and they did not return with the location of the Greek army. It was as if the army had vanished. Maybe from fear of him, Numerius thought and chuckled to himself.

Because of the uncertainty of the enemy's army, he ordered his men to march in battle formation. It stretched out his lines and seriously limited his strategic options, but it was better than being ambushed along the way.



On the eighth day of marching, one of Pulcher's riders that accompanied Numerius spoke up.

"Your men are growing restless. They think they should have remained in Ephesos."

"The King refuses to defend the Kingdom, and so I must do it for him."

"How will you pay them?"

"From the loot of the enemy bodies."

"That won't be enough. Sooner or later, you'll have to make a decision on whether or not you will bring the war to the Greeks. Pulcher is willing to throw his support behind you if you should make for Halikarnassos. He says that if you stand with him, all the other legates except for Teucer would join you. You could be King of Ionia if you wished."

"And Pulcher?"

"The governor of Halikarnassos."

"And the other legates?"

"They will bend to Pulcher."

"But not to me."

"No, but would you need such support? King of Ionia?"

Numerius looked ahead. "I suppose not. So, take Halicarnassos, and I become King."

The rider smiled. "Indeed."

An uproar rose up from ahead of the army. Soon the message was relayed to Numerius: The Greeks were sighted at last.



"How far?" Numerius asked the messenger.

The answer took painstakingly long to return. But his heart leaped with joy upon hearing it.

"Three miles from the bridge to Noturia Ponta."

"Give order for battle!"

Pulcher's rider trotted beside Numerius. "One battle, three miles, and you'll be King of Ionia by winter."

"Yes. King of Ionia."

Three Miles

------

By the time the order for battle had been given, the Greeks had already pushed down the hill towards the men-at-arms. The ground trembled and groaned from the mass of bronze, pikes, and men. The mountain itself seemed to shake. The Romans, fueled by religious zeal and prospect of war, watched in rapture as the Greeks closed rank.



Showers of pila fire went up, but the Greeks were at a higher vantage point. Many of the missiles went astray and fell harmlessly back to the ground.



Having baited the Romans to waste their missile fire, the Greeks charged.



On the wings, veterans from the campaigns in Gaul were locked in bitter struggle against the Greek-Eastern soldiers. The Roman veterans had came to Hellas at Numerius' call for a pilgrim army to Ionia not from religious piety but from a fear of their afterlife on account of the sins they committed in Gaul. Unspeakable horrors they inflicted, even upon barbarians.



Meanwhile, Numerius trotted throughout the rear of the army, shouting words of encouragement to the soldiers.



As he approached the left flank, he noticed a detachment of enemy hoplites attempting to flank his left wing. Spurring on his horses, he charged at the would-be flankers and chased them from the field.



Chasing the hoplites, he found himself at the rear of the enemy army. It would seem that the gods were truly with him on this day.

He turned to his horsemen. "Amici! If we win here, we will break the enemy's back. From that moment on, Halikarnassos will be yours to take. Her treasures will be yours. Her heritage will be yours. Ride with me, for glory in battle. Ride with me, for the rewards that await you in this life and the next. Ride with me, towards our glory, and towards your absolution!"



But the situation was fast deteriorating. The grunts and yells and warcries of men in combat soon changed to the screams of men being slaughtered.

The right wing had collapsed.



Numerius did not notice the commotion that had rose up. He was too caught up in the thrill of the cavalry charge. The feeling of hooves pounding the earth, sends clods of dirt hurtling through the air, the impact of spears on shields and bodies. All of it rushed into his head like a breath of poppy air.

And so, he pulled back his cavalry and charged again, this time through the enemy lines and back across to his own.



"Pass the message down the line to the general! The wing has collapsed!" One of the centurions bellowed.

"What about us?"

"We'll hold as long as we can. Wait for the general to come."

"And if he doesn't?"

"Pray that you die honorably, and we'll meet again on the fields of Elysium."

"Centurion, I'm scared."

"We all are. But so are they."

The spears of the Greek phalanx rolled slowly and menacingly downhill. The wall of pikes smashed against wooden shields and metal bosses. Ash on Oak. No time for conversation. Words turned to war cries. The biting iron flashed red.



"General! General!" The ragged messenger shouted. "General! The right wing has collapsed! The right wing has collapsed!"

"What? What did he say?" Numerius was still reeling from the charge.

One of his horsemen trotted nervously in a circle. "They say the right wing has collapsed."

"What? Impossible! The veterans from Gaul are there!"

"Wait! I see them! I see the right wing!" Another horseman shouted.



Numerius wanted to cry. This wasn't how he imagined the battle to turn out. The Greeks were suppose to break and run upon first impact against the Romans. How did it come to this? Words of both Pulcher and the Coward King now repeated themselves in his head.

Enraged, he bellowed orders to his horsemen, snarled at them to follow him. In his rage, he charged headlong into the enemy's ranks that were piling against his own center line.



But his own recklessness nearly killed him. The enemy spears swung backwards and impaled several of his horsemen on the spot. Pulcher's rider that had said Numerius would become King of Ionia was the first to die upon Greek pikes.



"General, we have to leave now! The battle is lost. The men's will to fight has deserted them."

Numerius, too shocked to say words, simply nodded. His hand limply reached for the horn strapped to his side, but he could not lift it.

"General! Sound the retreat!"

He whispered. "Yes. The retreat."

But his hand could not move the horn to his lips. That image, the thought of becoming King of Ionia, seared itself into his mind. He was so close. Three miles. Just three miles.

"General!"

"You do it. Quintus, do it."

Quintus the horseman ripped the horn from Numerius' hand and blew into it. The retreat note wailed over the killing fields. The Romans all turned and ran from the battlefield.



"Centurion! Centurion where are you?"

"Let's go. That's the retreat!"

"Where's the Centurion?!"

"He's dead! Now let's go!"

"No! He's not dead! He was right here! He was right here! I saw him! He's not dead!"

"We need to go!"

"No! Where's the Centurion?"

"You can find him yourself then, I'm leaving you behind!"



They fled the field. The battle was clearly lost.



But despite his failures, Numerius Aebutius Drusus lived up to one of his promises: he reoccupied the fortress of Noturia Ponta. But he had not the men to defend the citadel.


Before the end of summer had come, the Greeks laid Noturia Ponta under siege.

















… If we were to assume that the Kingdom of Ionia operated along the lines of a medieval feudal kingdom, then it is not illogical to assume that a basic court system, similar to the Haut Court of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, would have been established within Ionia. With so little evidence, however, it is difficult for us to piece together a coherent court structure for the Kingdom of Ionia. We can only presume that many members of the court were those with military command of the individual units and vexillations that marched under the command of a single king. Whether or not we can truly come to a conclusion about the roles these military leaders played is questionable.

History, however, has told us that at any time when the control of power is thrust into the hands of the military—fragmented powers that they may be, there will be factions that would have formed. Presumably, this is what had happened to the Kingdom of Ionia, since it existed in a period when Roman military strength was at its highest, with veterans of several bitter campaigns being readily available to call upon to fight.

We resumed our excavations back near Ephesus and found a single most damning evidence of foul play at court, several words of broken Latin in what is presumed a letter from one of the nearby cities to the Ephesus itself, describing a situation in which a nobleman, perhaps one of the military commanders, justifying his actions and demanding that other noblemen also be called traitors in return. Eyebrows will be raised, of course, and this letter could easily have been a communiqué between members of a conspiracy. Once again, the scant evidence we have unearthed has proven to be both fruitful and fruitless at the same time, leaving us knowing enough to make conjectures, but not enough to make definitive statements.

Excerpt from “Forgotten History of the Ionian Coast” by C. Krieger Ph.D and J. Connelly Ph.D

Traitor's Fall

-----

"Where is Maximinus Pulcher! Traitor to the Kingdom of Ionia!" Servilius' Teucer's booming voice resounded in the King's Court.

"He's fled." Glabrio stood. "Out to Colophon. His garrison at Lebedus is leaderless."

"That traitor! I will have him crucified on the gates of Ephesos when I lay my hands on him." Teucer snarled.

"Enough!" Decimus the Coward King held up his hand. "If these reports are indeed true, then we have a far greater issue on our hands. The boy Aebutius Drusus fielded an army that could have repelled an attack had the Greeks made the first move, but with its defeat and retreat to Noturia Ponta, we are left with precious few options. The city will be sieged once more. Even with our newly replenished forces, we cannot survive like this."




"Then what must we do?" Glabrio asked.

"You still have the gall to ask? After you nearly betrayed this Kingdom?"

"Teucer, now is not the time. Polymedes of Pydna is marching to Ephesos as we speak.."

"What options do we have? Either hold out the city, or sally forth when they siege us. There is no other alternative. We will lose in time. It is assured."

A messenger suddenly barged in. His clothes were torn and his face was dirtied. He threw down a single ripped letter before collapsing on the spot.

King,

I am besieged in Colophon. Our forces are horrendously outnumbered by the enemy. We will fall soon. I wish to say that on the hour of my death, I am truly sorry for having turned against you. But realize that I did not act alone. Glabrio and the other legates acted on my behalf. If I were to be declared a traitor, so shall they.



But if you have mercy enough in your heart to come relieve me of this siege, I will pledge my undying fealty to you.

May the gods be with you, for they have abandoned me.

Vibius Maximinus Pulcher

The other legates erupted into arguments. Each pointed to the other and claimed them to be traitors. The Coward King rubbed his brow in irritation. This would not suffice. He needed his legates more than ever now. He motioned to Teucer and Teucer shouted all of them down.

Decimus spoke. "Now, it is clear what must be done. If you all should still pledge your fealty to me, and remain as loyal legates to me, then you will renounce your right to command your troops and instead join me in my riders here at Ephesos. If not, I will have you arrested and crucified for treason. Your citadels will fall under Greek onslaught without this Kingdom's protection. I give these choices to you. What say you to me?"

Tense seconds turned to minutes. A bead of sweat rolled down Decimus' cheek. Finally, each legate knelt before him and held out their hand in supplication.

"Very well. What do we vote for Pulcher? Do we move to rescue him?"

Glabrio was the first to speak. "Pulcher is a traitor to this Kingdom. We abandon him to his fate and punishment."

Murmur of consent rose up.

"So be it. The Army remains in Ephesos."

Just then, another messenger came in. But unlike the previous one, this one wore clean clothes and spoke with a distinctive Italic accent.

"I come on behalf of my commander Servius Papirius Crassus, one who's been charged by the Senate and People of Rome to reclaim the lands lost to the Greeks from this Kingdom of Ionia. His army has just arrived from Italy. He wishes the King of Ephesos receive him kindly."





"Charged by the Senate and People of Rome to reclaim the lost lands?" Decimus had an uneasy feeling. He did not care for his title of King, but the wording of the mission chilled him. It was almost as if...

"Yes. The Pontifex Maximus has called for a Second Great Pilgrimage to be taken within these Hallowed Lands, the Kingdom of Ionia. He has called for the Kingdom's lost lands be regained and the Kingdom's territory expanded to provide safe passage for Pilgrims wishing to be upon the sacred soil of High Troy."

"A Second Great Pilgrimage?" Decimus felt his throat hardening into a lump.

"The Pontifex Maximus has been personally calling together the finest riders of the Republic and combining them with a native Italian legion, bearing the signs of Ancient Mars and Father Juppiter."

The realization ran through Decimus like a lightning bolt. "Praetorians."

[Legio]

I've just read through this and I love it!

[Populus Romanus]

Awesome! This is so cool!

[chaplain118]

Sorry about the delay in updates. I've been swamped with work lately. If all goes well, there should be an update come this weekend.

[MemphisRex]

Pretty awesome concept mate.. your words bring life to the story..!! nice placement of pics too..!!! I just wanna see how far this goes..All the Best for your next update..!!

[Populus Romanus]

Sorry about the delay in updates. I've been swamped with work lately. If all goes well, there should be an update come this weekend.

I can hardly wait!

[Boustrophedon]

I like how you made the "quote" a letter in your story haven't seen that anywhere before I think...