Author:Austen Bin






The Pontic Expedition: A Roman AAR









The Pontic ExpeditionA Roman AAR








































-Prelude-


Phrygia Superior, 547AuC, after the Battle of Phrygia Superior;

Augustus strolled through the mounds of dead on the burning dessert flats of Asia Minor. 500 of his men from the Legio VII Gemina Filex lay among them,
but that was not what was concerning him. He knew that his legion was badly mauled in the Pontics attempt to invade Roman occupied territory, but that they paid for it with 3500 of their own men’s lives with the rest running for home.

Still, that was not the reason for the look of worry on the old man's face. He looked at the vacant faces of the dead Romans at his feet, searching for one in particular. It had been almost 3 hours since he started, and the funeral detail he brought with him was almost ready to light the first set of pyres of their fallen comrades. The General looked on until he found the face he was looking for. "Oh, my poor boy!" he said as he gazed at his son's body.

He picked up the body, surprising the retinue with him with the display of strength from the old War Horse, and carried him back to the pyres. One was ready for the Tribune on the general's order, and the body was placed ceremoniously on top of it. After all the prayers were said to all the proper gods, the hundred or so pyres were lit afire.

The general stared at the scene before him for a while. The sun had just set, finally allowing a cool evening breeze to blow away some of the heat of the day. The flames whipped about in the dark blue/pink sky, sending showers of embers into the oncoming night. Augustus felt it to be a good setting to send off his boy into the afterlife.

After a long while, he finally spoke to his followers, saying, "Send word to Legio III that I am marching to Pergamum for the winter to await replacements. After that, I will retire from the army, and Stolo shall have temporary command of all eastern forces. Send with it a personal message from me: Come summer, march into Pontic lands and take revenge on those half-Greek curs!" His aids only nodded, scared of what any other response might bring down upon them. The great man mounted his horse and rode off into the desert toward Pergamum.

All his men that he passed stopped what they were doing and saluted as he went by to show how much they admired and respected their commander who had led them to victory after victory. His aids could only look on with a sense of impending doom for Augustus Maxentius, the Victor. They all knew that before the year was out, the great man would be dead of sorrow.



-A Situation-


Legio III Italica fort, south east of Pergemum, six months later;


Asinius Stolo, a soldier through and through, kept a tradition of exercising with his troops of the III Italia in the morning, picking a different unit every day. It was something that his men came to know and even expect to happen, so when the Legate was not seen at morning drill for three days, it made quite an impact. Rumors spread of the general contracting plague, or of him being secretly recalled to Rome to be brought up on some unfounded charges, or worse. It didn't help that their officers couldn't refute the rumors one way or the other, as only the general's closest advisors were permitted to see him. All was made worse when a new general rode through the gates of the Portus Decumana and into the Principia. The general consensus was that this was General Stolo's replacement. Centurions began preparing to put down a riot, should the need arise.

The new general dismounted his horse at the arched entrance to the Principia and march through the courtyard and into the main building. He continued his march into the Legates' office where Asinius sat at a small desk piled with scrolls in neat order. The general stopped his march, removed his helmet and razed his hand in salute. "Honored Asinius Stolo, I, Luca Caesennius, salute you!" Asinius stood from his chair and nodded in acknowledgement of the greeting, then pointed with his hand at a chair in an offering for the general to sit in. They both sat and Asinius looked at Luca, trying to take measure of the man. Luca was an aged man of little combat experience, though of great learning, who, Asinius knew, had been appointed to this post with the help of powerful political friends. It was to be his first command, and Asinius was not at all comfortable with the decision.


After a moment Asinius said, "I trust your journey was free of incident?"

"It was, Legate." Asinius hoped for more, but was forced to settle to this short, un-thoughtful answer.

After another awkward moment of silence, Asinius said, "Well, perhaps we should get down to business then, shall we?" Luca gave a single, stiff nod. He was clearly trying to hide his anxiety with strict formality. Asinius continued; "You have been given command of the VII Legion, Gemina Felix, tasked with operations in Asia Minor. What have you been told of our situation here?"

"Only that we are at war with Seleucia and Pontus, and are to make conquests in the name of the Senate and People."

"A noble intention indeed, but things are not so clear cut. In reality, we have three under strength, poorly supplied legions and roughly twenty auxilia cohorts to defend a front spanning the entire length of Asia Minor against the combined threat of the Seleucid and Pontic armies, which outnumber us 2 to 1 at any given time, each." Asinius looked for a reaction from Luca, who looked even more nervous and uncomfortable than before. When it was clear that Luca was not going to respond, Asinius sighed, and looked at a scroll open in front of him. "Go to you Legion. You orders are to make preparations for campaigning in the spring. That is all." Luca nearly leaped out of his chair, happy to be relieved of his uncomfortable situation, saluted and marched out of the room as fast as his legs could carry him while still looking dignified.

As Luca stormed out, he nearly ran down another man walking into the Legate's office. Though it was clear Luca was not in the least paying any attention to what was going on around him, the young man begged the generals' pardon. Asinius looked up to see his trusted Tribune walk in carrying a handful of scrolls and rolled maps.

"Nero," Asinius smiled warmly, "How was your trip to Pergamum?"


Nero Propertius returned the smile with just as much warmth and said, "Dusty and uninteresting." Asinius chuckled. Nero was going to say something, but hesitated. Finally he got the nerve and asked, “I assume you heard about Augustus’ death?”

“Yes,” Asinius replied and tried to smile, but it was clear he mourned for the mighty general.

Nero couldn’t find anything else appropriate to say, so he changed the subject. “I have brought some letters for you.”
He picked a scroll from the pile in his arms. "This one is strait from Rome." Asinius took it, opened its seal and unrolled it. After a moment, "I have been named Proconsul and Dux of all Roman forces in the Eastern Provinces." Asinius had no emotion at all in his words, as this had been expected for some time. All the same, Nero grinned, saying, "I congratulate you, Dux! Well deserved."

Asinius rolled the scroll up again. "Deserved..." he said, mostly to himself. "Plucked from the flesh of a great man like a vulture."

Nero scowled at his general. "You know full well that Augustus was planning on naming you his successor to his command. The man was nearly out of his mind in the end. Anyone would be after watching their son killed before their eyes."

"Maybe your right."

Nero grinned again. "When have you ever known me to be wrong?"

Asinius chuckle again and took another scroll from Nero's hand. It was from the Consul of Rome. He read it with great interest, then looked up at Nero. "It seems the Consul has taken a personal interest in our plight. He says that, because of the upcoming campaign against the Carthaginians, the senate is reluctant to release funds for a campaign against the Pontics. But, if we were to win a significant victory on our own, he might be able to sway them to our viewpoint."

"How are we to attack the Pontics when we can barely feed our troops as it is?"

"Did you bring that map I asked you to?" Nero handed over the role map, and Asinius unfurled it on his desk. "There!" he pointed to a dot marking a city along the west coast of Mare Pontus. "The city of Odessus. That’s where we strike first. The Pontics took it from the Dacians and have been building up forces to recapture Byzantium from us. If we can capture it, it will force Pontus onto the defensive. The senate will have no choice but to exploit such an advantage."


"That's the IV Scythia's area of operations?"

"Yes."

"Can they handle it? Pontus has a huge force defending that city. They know of its importance as well as we do, and the IV has never been in battle."

"Placus Maxentius has been begging me to put his men in a fight. He says they are better prepared than any legion on the Carthaginian front." He calculated some things in his head, then coming to a satisfactory result, he told Nero to right up the order to the IV Legion. "Let’s see if we can't get some momentum back on this front." Asinius rolled the map up and stood to leave.

"Where are you headed, general?"

"The men must think I've been replaced by now. I think I will go tell show myself before a riot brakes out."



-March of the Scythia-



Moesia, early spring, 548AuC;



When Placus Maxentius, Legate of the IV Scythia, received his orders to march against the Pontics to the north two weeks ago, he had all his Centurions working their men well into the night to have them ready to move out in the morning. everyone of his men had years of pent up anticipation pumping through their veins and marched with an enthusiastic step, reaching the border in a day and a half, and averaging twenty-five miles a day!

Placus, too, had been initially enthusiastic, but now, problems were starting to plague his command. For one, Legion XI Claudia, who was stationed on the bridge at the border to protect the supply line and escape route, was taking much of the provisions for themselves and leaving Placus without enough grain to feed his men. The other main problem that faced him was the approach to Odessus. The city was surrounded on three sides by large Pontic armies, and on the forth side was the sea. Placus could take on any army individually, but if he attacked from any direction, he knew the Pontics would mass their forces and overwhelm him with superior numbers. there was simply no way of dividing the enemy or coaxing them to attack him instead. the only way to take Odessus was to take the Pontics on in a frontal assault.

The Centurions had united with the Primus Pilus's point of view of marching through the forest and attacking the enemy from the west in a flank attack, hopefully taking them by surprise. Lentulus, his Tribune, wanted to march strait at them and attack from the south. Placus agreed with Lentulus, but knew the Centurions collectively held too much sway with the men. The debate was heated, but the Centurions would not budge, so Placus reluctantly went along with their plan.


The march was a fiasco! The supply line couldn't find them half the time, and the troops were forced to hunt rabbits, field mice, and birds for food. This spread his army out and scattered them horribly. at one point, he lost an entire cohort for a day an a half before he happened upon some of their men on a forging party. four days into the march, just as they were nearing the edge of the woods before reaching the city, a Pontic scout patrol spotted the Legion and warned their armies, who massed forces to repel the Roman attack. Placus not only lost the element of surprise, but he was cut off from his supply line and facing an enemy that outnumbered him almost 3 to 1 on ground of their choosing.

Placus felt he had no choice but to retreat and link back up with his supply line. This enraged the Primus Pilus, who came into his tent to tell him that they must attack for the sake of Roman honor. When Placus refused, the Centurion lost his head and shouted, "Your nothing but a cowardly woman, unfit to lead a Greek, much less sons of Rome! you’re a disgrace to your title, your men, and the whole Roman race!"

Placus stood quickly, nearly leaping over the desk to a lunge at the Centurion's throat. "You listen here, you stupid old man, It may be your idea of glory to lead half starved, exhausted men headlong into a prepared enemy 3 times their number to be slaughtered piecemeal, But that's why centurions are renowned for their lack forethought, or any kind of inventive thought that wouldn't trick a pleb into mistaking you for some kind of intelligent being whatsoever! Now get out of this tent of honor, you worthless sack of fermented barbarian puke, and leave the thinking to your betters!"

The Centurion left the tent in shock at the insult. Placus had slept with a knife under his pillow ever since, and made sure at least two of his personal bodyguard were awake at all times during the night. Morale was low. It took another week to find their way out of the woods, link back up with the supply train, and start marching north again to their objective. They were now only a half-day's march from the Pontic camps and Placus hid his army's movements behind the low ridges. The sun was setting, and Placus ordered that no fires or torches be lit as it might give away their position. This did not help with the situation between him and his centurions. The men were becoming disgruntled now at the slow supply line and the lack of action. Now they were going to be denied one of the few comforts they had left, heat in the cold night. Placus felt that the centurions might start something within the next few days to overthrow his command. Still worse, It would not be long before the Pontic scouts found him and started alerting all their forces in the area.

Placus stood on top of the ridge looking towards Odessus, which was just visible in the twilight, pondering of his next course of action. Lentulus came and stood next to him.

"What are you thinking, Legate?"

It took a while for Placus to answer. He stared hard out over the horizon, hoping some great plan would come to him. "All depends on speed and surprise." he muttered, thinking out loud. "If only we could..." his voice drifted off. Suddenly, Placus' eyes lit up and he grabbed Lentulus' shoulder. "Come with me!" he said, and they both ran, nearly full sprint, down the hill towards the camp, as Placus explained his plan: "If the Pontics haven't spotted us by now, and I bet they haven't, than we still have time to get the jump on them. When the men are called to meal tonight, make sure they get double rations, and are bedded down early. Then, I want you to gather some men that you trust wholly, and rouse the entire legion at midnight. get them in full battle gear, ready to move out, and have them assembled in an hour. I think if we move out then, we can make it to the city before the sun rises. In the morning, we can attack the closest enemy garrison before they can get reinforced and destroy it. Then, we will destroy the rest as they come down against us one at a time, disorganized. You think you can handle it Lentulus?"

"Absolutely, general!" Lentulus responded as the reached the gate. "It’s a bold plan, general, but it will work. I know it will!" Lentius ran into the fort to get his trusted men and get them to work.

"It had better," Placus thought as he looked up at the platform where the centurion-of-the-watch was staring at him with plotting eyes, “Or I am a dead man!"



-The Battle of Moesia-



Lentulus and his 'trusted men,' mainly Thracians from his cavalry, burst into barracks after barracks, shouting for the legionaries to get out of their bunks and into their armor. The centurions were too busy getting their men in order to question why they had not been informed of the midnight assembly, and Placus was glad for that fact. Once all were assembled at the north wall, Placus mounted his horse and started riding from one end of the army to the other, making a speech to them:

"Brother Romans, My children, for years, we have waited for a day to prove our worth in battle, but Rome did not unleashed us! We trained and trained for a day we feared might never come, but I tell you now, that day is upon us! For weeks, we have marched to our enemy with little provision and great hardship, which has tested our resolve. But our plights will be repaid to us this day in full! Tonight, we march on our enemy who does not know of our approach! With the rising dawn, we will bear down upon our foe with all the fury that we have had to keep at bay these many years! Many a Pontic warrior will leave this world in shrieks of terror as your blades fall upon them! And before the day is done, word will be spread throughout all the kingdom of Pontus of how the IV Scythia is the best, most fearsome and most terrifying Legion in all the world!" Cheers and laughter broke out through the ranks at the sound of this statement. Placus continued once things quieted down, "Now, my brave children, I think I'll take a little stroll and find some Pontics to butcher! Who wants to join me?" At this, the legion burst into nearly uncontrollable shouts and cheers for their general, and Placus rode tall in front of them, taking in the spectacle.

He then ordered to prepare to move out, and the IV Scythia march out of the fort in good order, and on to their destiny that awaited in Odessus.

Hours later;

The March was going slower than Placus had hoped, and now the first hint of light peaked over the far off waters of the Mare Pontus. Odessus was still a few hours march, and Placus sent scouts to find the enemy armies or pickets. As he awaited news, Placus went to find the Primus Pilus at the first cohort. "Centurion, I know we have had our differences over the past few weeks, but I must know that I can trust you fully in this fight to come."

The Primus Pilus looked at him and thought for a moment, then said, "I will follow your every command you give me, general." Then, as Placus rode away he added, "For now." Placus had heard this addition, but decided not to confront him just then. He needed the men focused of the fight to come, and not on the ongoing feud between his Centurions and him.
Scouts started returning with dismal news. The Pontic army's were on the move, and headed towards him. "Damn!" Placus muttered. "Only one army and the city garrison approach us," the scouts continued, "Coming strait at us. They have not joined forces yet." Another scout rode up. "Legate, I spotted an army that has been shadowing us from our rear! Mainly spear and pike infantry with heavy cavalry and chariot support."


We are surrounded!" Lentulus cried.

"Lentulus, take your cavalry and get them into the woods to out right," Placus ordered. "Await for my signal to attack. Your men are going to be critical today." Lentulus saluted and ordered his men to follow him. Placus ordered the infantry to form in battle order. Morning was approaching fast, and the sun peaked over the horizon. Placus could now see the enemy armies bearing down on him. He calculated in his head as to which to attack first. The armies from the city were still a ways off. The army shadowing him had gotten too close to his legion in the night, and Placus decided that they would be his first target. He ordered his men to countermarch, leaving the skirmishers and archers to protect his rear, and headed towards the ‘shadow army.’ There was no turning back now. The fight was on!



The Legionaries marched against the shadow army at the bottom of the ridge they were on. Placus stopped his men and allowed the Pontics to come to him so they would wear themselves out climbing the incline.


"Save your pila for later, boys!" Placus ordered. The Pontics came sporadically as they were already tired from the long night march. The archers made short work of the chariots, which relieved Placus.


The Pontic pikemen attacked the center of the Roman line while their light infantry hit mainly on the left. Placus ordered a reserve cohort to prevent the flanking move, but they were too far to get there in time.



Placus himself rode in and attacked the enemy until the reserve could get there, inspiring his men.


Meanwhile, some light infantry broke away from the main line and attacked the archers in the rear. The Skirmishers unleashed a volley of javelins causing the enemy to rout.




Fighting remained heaviest on Placus' left, forcing him to put in most of his reserves there. Pontic Cappadocian heavy cavalry joined the fray. "Hold fast!" Placus shouted as the enemy tried to brake through the Roman line.





The Legionaries held, and the Pontic light infantry couldn't withstand the Roman heavy infantry. The Pontics soon broke on the right, causing even the dreaded Cappadocians to run.



The cheers of the men were short lived as a second army approached from behind.


The new enemy army sent more Cappadocians to attack the Roman rear, but the skirmishers sent another deadly volley, cutting most of them down. Enemy light infantry attacked and overwhelmed the skirmishers causing them to rout, forcing the archers to make for the Cohorts.



Placus rode to the Primus Pilus. "Centurion, take six cohorts and form a new line to the rear to counter that army!" The Primus Pilus was almost shocked that the general would give him such an important task, in spite of their feud, which caused him to hesitate for a moment. "Do it!!" The general shouted again, and the Centurion sounded the horns to rally the six cohorts no longer engaged in battle to follow him. The new line was formed just as the second Pontic army came to bear.



Meanwhile, the last of the shadow army was breaking under the wieght of the Cohorts there. Placus would soon have his whole legion to defend against the new threats.


Placus decided that this was the time to bring his cavalry into play. The Pontic commander was swinging around Placus' new right flank, hoping to inspire his men and do some damage to the Roman rear. He was alone and cut off from his forces. Nothing to worry about if he was dealing solely with infantry, but Placus gave the signal and Lentulus emerge from the woods with 250 Thracian horsemen on either side of him. The sound was deafening! It lifted the spirits of the Roman Legionaries, and terrified the Pontics to their core. The Pontic commander was dumbfounded as the Roman cavalry crested over the hill with a funnel of dust in their wake. He felt neither fear, nor dread, but a curious, strictly academic, thought of, "I wonder what this is going to feel like?" He had to wait only a few seconds to find out as the horsemen slammed headlong into his bodyguard, cutting most of them down instantly. The Thracians made short work of the rest, and the Pontic commander was cut down and trampled to death.





This did little to convince the Pontic army to withdraw. In fact, few noticed the absents of their commander, so the fighting continued just as furiously as before.


The fighting became a mess. Cohorts tried to flank the Phalanx on the left, while the Pontics flank on the right.


Unfortunately for those men, the Roman cavalry had reformed and charged full force into their rear, again making short work of them.



The second Pontic army was on the brink on breaking, but still a third enemy army came up to join the bloodbath.


Placus decided that his forces were too disorganized and had them break off the attack and reform. A risky maneuver, But his men did it with great discipline and precision. They reformed and braced for the new assault.



Placus was so concerned with managing the reform maneuver that he didn't notice a group of pikemen caught behind the Roman line and were new dangerously close to the general. Luckily, a quick thinking cohort counter charged and was able to rout the enemy unit before Placus was harmed. "You men shall have first pick of the wine stores in Odessus when we take it," Placus shouted to his savior cohort. The men laughed and cheered the general.

Meanwhile on the newly formed line, the third Pontic wave was now attacking on the Roman left with light infantry.


The rest of the Pontic line was forming into a solid line to attack the Romans with their full numbers.


Placus wouldn't have it. "Charge into those curs! Sound the charge!" Trumpets sounded across the line and the Roman line charged.


Lentulus again formed his cavalry and started attacking the rear of the enemy with impunity.


Despite increasing losses, both sides fought as hard as ever, but the Pontic losses were mounting much faster due to the Roman cavalry, until they finally could no longer mount an effective attack. A few units withdrew intact. Most were slaughtered by the Thracians.





The battle was all but over except for a small artillery crew who were not able to make it to the fight in time. Lentulus personally rode into the crew and cut them down.


Placus signaled for the legion to regroup and for stretcher bearers to collect the dead and wounded. As he passed by a mound of dead bodies, he happened to see someone he recognized. He looked closer and found that it was the Primus Pilus with a dozen wounds in his chest and surrounded by dead Pontics. "Farewell, old man," Placus muttered, with almost a reverent tone.


As the cohorts regrouped, they gathered around their general, staring at him in awe. "A great victory, Legate!" shouted a Centurion. "Rome will honor you for this battle for sure!" shouted another. "Let’s hear it for the General, boys!" All the Legionaries started cheering, "Placus, Placus, Placus!" It took all of Placus' will power to hold back his emotion.



The long years of being ignored by the Senate, the exhausting march of the past few weeks, the turmoil with his Centurions, all seemed to evaporate in the chants of 1000 Roman troopers shouting his name. He felt that his life had finally reached a turning point. All he could do now was raise his sword to salute his men, who had made all possible.



-The Fourth Army-



Paerisades of Dia galloped ahead of his cavalry vanguard. His army was the furthest away from the Roman advance, and he received word of the fighting late in the day. It was now almost dusk, and his army was still a few hours march away. He figured the fighting was over, but if it wasn't, he took his cavalry ahead at a fast gallop just in case. The stench of the dead had plagued his nose for some time now, and grew ever stronger as he approached the battlefield. He reached the top of the ridge and looked out over the plain where the other Pontic armies had engaged the Romans. Only the dead of Pontus remained as the Romans had retrieved theirs already. The fires of the Roman pyres still burned in the distance.

"Oh, Rhoemetalces, you fool!" Paerisades whispered. A horn sounded, and Paerisades looked left to see Roman cavalry riding towards him. He pulled on the reins of his horse and rode as fast as he could back to his own men. The Romans did not chase long as they were only ordered to patrol the parameter. Night had set by the time he returned to the army's camp. An aid met him at the gate. "General Sir, some survivors from the battle have found their way to us. I thought you might want to talk with them."

Paerisades walked into his tent where two men sat on cushions, awaiting his arrival. They stood and bowed at the general. The general looked them over with some surprise. Both men wore mud-stained tunics and had neither armor, nor shield, nor spear. All had been abandoned in the route. It struck Paerisades that moment to just how bad the defeat really was. "Sit, men, and speak your piece." The men did as they were commanded and begun their account: "Please, we beg your forgiveness, great Lord! We did not wish to flee from the enemy, but they were so many, and the rest of our men were already in flight before ever we turned our backs to the enemy."

Paerisades waved his hand. " What is done is done! Continue, please."

"Well, my Lord," said one of the men, "General Rhoemetalces had us wake early in the morning, before the sun was up, and marched us in the dark."

"Yes," started the other man, "his scouts spotted the Roman legion moving towards the city in the night."

"He sent riders to the other armies to rally them, but they came late into the fight."

"The Romans took on our armies on one at a time! They moved like lightning across the field!"

"Like demons!"

"It was unnatural, their swiftness!"

"Our men fought with honor, but it was the Roman cavalry that broke our will in the end!"

"There were so many of them! Our own cavalry was destroyed so quickly, and they attacked our rear.!"

"We did not wish to run, my Lord, but not even the bravest man could hold against such odds!"

"Some of our troops made it back to the city to defend it, as they knew the Romans would be coming to take it from us."

"So few made it though! Only a small number defend it!"

Paerisades looked at them for a moment, than said, "You did all you could, there is no shame in it. I am grateful to your bravery." He called the guard in from out side. "Take these men and give them a meal and a tent." to the men, "I will need you in the coming fight when we defeat those Romans once and for all!" The men bowed and smiled at him and followed the guard out of the tent.

Paerisades' personal aid came in after the two men had left. The general had his back to him with his head in his hand. The General stood there for a long moment, then in a rage, flipped the table in the center of the tent over. "Damn Rhoemetalces!" Did I not tell him to wait and not attack the Romans without me?! Did I not tell him to gather our full force before engaging them?! Six years of preparation and execution, wasted!"

"Perhaps he became over-confident when we turned the Romans back a week ago," the aid offered.

"They turned back because they were low on supplies and we were massed! We might well have turned them back again, or even defeated them if were coordinated, as I instructed! 2500 men dead and my dream of taking Byzantium back, all lost because of a foolish man who disobeyed my orders!"

Paerisades took a breath and flung himself down on his couch. The aid waited a moment, then asked, "What do we do now? Do we attack the Romans right away? Perhaps we will catch them off guard."

This Roman commander is no fool! He has his cavalry out watching us. They nearly rode me down just now! So much lost!" he whispered to himself. He aloud himself to get lost in his thoughts for a while, allowing himself to came down. "Were you there at Byzantium?" he asked finally, in a calm tone.

"No, my Lord. I was fighting the Bosphorons."

"I was there when we took it from the Macedonians! I was a young man then. What a glorious time! We turned it into a Fortress! Not even Sinope was so well defended. We had perhaps 10,000 men there when the Romans first came. Only 2 legions, no more than perhaps 3000 men! We thought we would drive them back with ease. That first battle, we sent half our forces against them, more than enough to handle them. They slaughtered us! We attacked with everything we had throughout the year, but we were driven back into the sea! The King sent more men throughout a several year period, but it was never enough.

"It was a man called Augustus Maxentius who commanded the Roman forces. He drove us back to the sea and then took most of the Seleucid lands in Asia Minor. His name haunts my dreams! I spent my whole fortune to raise this army to reclaim Byzantium! The King was no longer interested in the land, but I persuaded him to take Odessus so we could march south on my old stomping grounds. So much is lost! So much..."

The aid had tears in his eyes as he saw how much hurt was in his commander's voice. "Perhaps there is still a chance? Perhaps the king will send more men?"

"No. the king has no more interest in what happens here." A breath later. "What can I do..." He thought for a moment. "All the same, I will ask the king for more troops. I must do all I can for my men here."

"And if he sends none?"

"...Then I will march us to our deaths, for it is my duty to do so.!"

"I weep for us, sir!"

"So, too, do I. I weep for all my men here, who will go out to fight and die to those Romans yonder, but will never be written about in the histories! They will fight with valor, but the Romans will only write about their sons, who slaughtered a foe no one will ever remember! How I weep..."

Paerisades took two cups and poured some wine. He handed one to his aid, "Drink a toast with me, to us
Dead men! May we be forgotten with honor!"


-End of the Begining-



It was a month before Paerisades received a replay from the king. It was just as he expected. No help was coming. The Romans had fully besieged Odessus, trapping the few defenders, and it would have been easy to storm the walls, but the Romans were waiting for the fourth Pontic army to make its move. Placus wanted to clear out all enemy forces in one foul swoop.

Things weren’t so good for the Romans either. Their supply line was still being horded by the XI legion to the south. Placus had to risk sending forging parties to gather provisions. Also, he had lost 400 men in the previous battle, and replacement wouldn't reach him for another six months. What was going right for Placus was the conflict with his Centurions was all but a bad memory. His men respected him, and without the Primus Pilus to unite them, there was no hint of descent left. The entire legion could see full victory in sight, and they were committed to the end.

Every morning, the Roman lookouts watched for the Pontic army to appear. It took a month of frustration and disappointment, but then one day they were there!

"Rally the men Lentulus!" ordered Placus, "It ends today!"



The Romans lined up in battle formation in high spirits. In the distance, the Pontic army approached in good order, singing old army songs of death and glory.



Placus ordered Lentulus to hide half his cavalry in the woods again, as the tactic had served him so well the last time.


The skirmishers raced forward to pepper the Pontic line with javelins. Paerisades had his men double quick forward to attack the skirmishers so they would not do so much damage. Just as he anticipated, the skirmishers withdrew, so Paerisades ordered his archers to unleash a deadly fire-volley of arrows. The archers were spot on, inflicting appalling casualties and it caused half the skirmishers to take flight.





The Romans were shocked to see their skirmishers take such a beating while the Pontic's hearts lifted at the early success. They felt that, just maybe, they might pull off a win. Paerisades took the momentum and had his cavalry screen the woods to the right, as he knew the Romans would hide cavalry as they did before. Lentulus saw that he was spotted and ordered his men to charge.



The Pontics fought as hard as they could, but they were no match for the Roman numbers.


Paerisades had no more illusions of an upset victory over the Romans. It was a matter of going through the motions now.

The Pontic army marched forward, only to meet a pila volley that decimated the front units.


Light infantry attacked the Roman flanks in hopes of inflicting as much damage as they could on their foe. It did little damage as the Legionaries massed to repel them.


Some Pontics broke away from the main fight and attacked the Roman archers in the rear. Placus himself had to ride in to protect them.


Lentulus, finished with the enemy cavalry, rode in to assist.


The Pontics broke easily.


Paerisades watched his army disintegrate and couldn't take it any more. "Charge!" he ordered his bodyguard, and he rode strait at the Roman center. The Legionaries held firm and fought viciously against the Pontic general, with the help of Lentulus.


The Roman cavalry dealt with the last of the enemy infantry, slaughtering them almost to a man.


Paerisades killed many Romans, but inevitably he was taken down off his horse and killed along with the rest of his guard.




The battle was over, but Placus ordered his men to rally again and immediately march on the city. The garrison troops had sallied out to join the battle and the few survivors left numbered less them 100. Placus and the IV legion again stood before the walls of Odessus.


The remaining skirmishers were ordered to gather the latters and take the walls, which were undefended.


A few casualties were taken from the towers, the only casualties of the short fight, but the walls were taken with little effort.
They formed up and released a volley of javelins on the Pontic pikemen below, killing them quickly, and the gatehouse was taken soon after.



Lentulus looked at Placus. "May I have the honor of taking the city center, General?"

"Of course! Indulge yourself, my friend." Lentulus rode into the city and towards the last of the meager defenders left.


It took only a single charge, and the Odessus campaign finally came to a close!





Placus ordered slaves taken and the city provisions gathered for a feast planned for evening meal. First pick of the wine stores went to the cohort that saved Placus in the Battle of Moesia as promised, and the Legion sang, drank, and feasted well into the night.

Placus sent for a messenger rider and scribbled a note:

To Dux Asinius Stolo,

Odessus is yours.

Your servant,
Placus Maxentius, Legate, Legio IV Scythia.




-Phase One: part one-


Ipsus, early winter, 548AuC;

The Odessus campaign had brought Asinius Stolo more than he could have hoped. The Senate dedicated all of southern Greece, Illyria and parts of Macedonia to supply the Pontic Campaign, flooding Asia Minor with provisions and equipment. The IV Scythia was also fairing well as the Senate ordered a monument erected in honor of Placus' victories in Thrace. "Typical Roman," Asinius commented to his Tribune, Nero, "I tell him to take a city and he becomes a national hero!"

Despite now being well supplied, things were still difficult in the region, and Asinius was still under-strength. In the South, the Seleucids laid siege to Myra, an old Ptolomiac stronghold. The X Gemina Equestris was compelled to march into the area to give support to the defenders, but Asinius ordered it not to take offensive action. "Defend only! You need to preserve your numbers," he told Quintis Laetus, the X's Legate.

With the arrival of winter and harsh weather in the region, Asinius called all his commanders to a meeting to present his plan for the next spring. As he waited for his generals to arrive, he sat in his office with Nero reading letters with news from around the Empire. They both were quiet for a long time, making only single comments about news of interest.

"Our allies, the Bosphorans, defeated the Dacians!" Nero commented on one such occasion "They took Olbia!"

"About time! They have been besieging the city for years." Asinius replied absently. Later, "Our Carthaginian invasion is stalled yet again. They say next summer at earliest now." Nero nodded in reply. "Also," Asinius continued, "The I Adiutrix took Cyrene!"

"Good, maybe the Senate will release them to our cause now."

"We shall see about that."

Just then, a Legionary on guard outside the Principia came in. "Dux, Prefect Herennius Silanus has arrived."

"Excellent! Show him in, soldier."


Herennius walked into the Dux's office and saluted. Asinius greeted him with a friendly handshake. Herennius was a smart, kind man who had made enemies in Rome, and was unable to get any decent civil or military posts until the late Augustus Maxentius brought him along to Asia Minor as camp Prefect and captain of the Auxilias when the Roman first invaded the land. He still found few opportunities to distinguish himself, as he was kept in the rear guarding the supply line for most of the Seleucid War. When Asinius took command, he promised Herennius a chance to build a reputation for himself as soon as an opportunity was presented. Herennius was, in fact, just returning from a successful minor battle against the Pontics on the border, east of Ipsus. "I trust I find you and your men well?" Asinius asked.

"Battered, but well," Herennius retorted. "My auxilias could use replacement as soon as is practical. But they are all in high spirits"

"Of course! I will write up the order for replacements as soon as our business is concluded here, but sit now! Take so wine, just delivered from my personal vineyards in Italia, and give us an account of your action."

Herennius sat and took a large gulp of wine, taking a moment to relish the taste, and said, "Well it was as strait forward as one could expect. The enemy was made up of light infantry with some pikemen and archer support. No cavalry though, which was good for us as we had none, save my guard.


They had fewer men than me, but held the high ground, so our advantages were equal. I put my strength on my flanks, since the Pontics like to try to flank our lines, as I am sure you well know, and marched on the foe.


They sent skirmishers out and peppered our lines as we advanced, inflicting some casualties. I ordered a local pila volley, which seemed to knock the fight out of the skirmishers, and I made for the Pontic line.





The Pontics counter-charged before I could close and attack on my terms, but the men unleashed the rest of their pila and caused many casualties.


As I predicted, they hit the flanks exclusively, but I had the men in place to counter-flank them.



Their light infantry didn’t last long, but the pikemen came up and gave a real fight.


I lost far too many men to those bastards, but we held out and eventually routed or killed them.





My men were very pleased with themselves on the whole, and rightfully so. As I said, our casualties are quite high, but so too are our spirits, so it was a good victory."




"Well I congratulate you on your success. I will get those replacements to you soon enough. I will need you again before this campaign is over, I am sure." The Legionary guard returned again to announce more arrivals. Asinius looked at Herennius and Nero, "Well, my friends, it seems that our guests are arriving, so let us turn to more formal topics, shall we?"



-Phase One: part two-



The next commander to come in was Publius Triarius, Legate of the X legion Gemina Equestris. The X legion had been transferred to the region after a successful minor campaign against the last stronghold of Syracuse on Malite. Its original role was to secure the newly won territory in Asia Minor as an occupation force, but with so few forces in the area, it had taken on the role of a frontline legion more and more. Currently, it was the only legion holding off the Seleucids in their attempted counter attack.

"I welcome you Publius!" Asinius greeted. I hope my call didn't come at too inconvenient a time?"

"It did, as a matter of fact," Publius replied with all due respect in his voice, "The Seleucids just moved another army into the area, and I was a bit weary to leave my men just then. But you called and I am your humble servant, so here I am!"

"Well, I will try to make this meeting as short as I can so you can get back to your duties."

The final commander came through the doors to join the gathering. It was Luca Caesennius, and Asinius' good spirits dampened a bit. Asinius simply didn't like the man; however, Luca was giving him less of a good reason to do so. He had proved to be an able organizer and trainer for his troops. The VI legion Gemina Felix was back up to full strength and ready for another fight. Asinius swallowed his dislike and shook Lucas hand as cordially as he could fake and then motioned for all the commanders to take a seat at the table in the room.

"Well, my friends, I called this meeting for a couple of reasons; one, to assess our current situation and state of readiness in this region and, two, to plan phase one of the invasion of the Kingdom of Pontus. Herennius, you have told me about your mobile auxilia force, how are the rest of your men deployed?"

"I have six cohorts at our supply dumps around Pergamum. I figure that’s enough to defend them as the VI Gemina is at the border for now and about to move on the Ponitcs, I suspect? Other than my mobile force, the majority of my cohorts are stuck in Myra in the siege."

"Yes, I believe I can give an accurate picture of the status of our troops in that area," Publius broke in. "The Governor of Myra raised quite a few cohorts of auxilias at his own expense, along with archers and other defenders to protect the city. As I told you earlier, the Seleucids have two armies besieging the city and I have moved my legion there to support them."


"What do you feel your chances of holding the city are?" ask Nero.

Publius shrugged unsurely. "It's difficult to judge. Your auxilias are good troops, Herennius, but they are no legionaries. Plus, my legion has only light armor, so our chances... it could go either way is my best guess. But we are Romans in the end, so that counts for half the battle right there."

"Indeed," said Asinius. "Well that just leaves your VI Gemina, Luca. What is your status?"

"Ready, general," replied Luca. Asinius waited for more, but it was clear that this was going to be another characteristic un-thoughtful answer from Luca. "Perhaps a bit more detail than that would help my assessment of what 'ready' means, Legate."

Luca cleared his throat, which was becoming dry with unease, "My supplies are full, my numbers are at full strength, my troops are trained up and ready to go, and we are all looking for a fight!" Asinius was almost surprised at the respectable answer from his poor-spoken Luca.

"Well, I am glad to hear that," he responded. "Now, we must move on to the invasion plan. Ideally, I would like four legions to conduct this kind of operation, but the senate, in all its wisdom, has given us two with some auxilias. They tell me that we should not expect new legions until they start to see profits from the Carthaginian campaign, which has yet to even start. That could be two years at the earliest. There is a chance that they might allow the I Adiutrix to join us should the need arise, but we should not count on any certainty about that.

"Therefore, this is what we shall do: Luca, you and the VI Gemina will take the North Road along the coast.

Your objectives are Nicomedia and Herakleia. I will take my III Italica on the desert road to Ancyra. We will join forces at Sinope and take the Pontic capital.

Herennius and Quintis, you will focus your efforts on beating back the Seleucids until we have more forces to work with. Don't be wasteful with your troops! If you fail at holding them back, our whole flank caves in and we may loose all Asia Minor! Herennius, be prepared for special assignments with your Auxilia Corps. I may need you to take some of the Pontic outer colonies. Everyone clear on their orders?"

"Yes, Dux!" they all answered.

"Very well. We will execute the plan in March of next year. I hope to be in Sinope by winter. If there is nothing else, let’s get back to our men."

Everyone got up and when their separate ways. Luca approached Asinius. "May I have a word, Dux?"

"What is it?"

"There is a Pontic army at our border on the North Road. I wish to have permission to attack it."

"Have they crossed the border?"

"No, General, but If I were to take them out now, there would be far less resistance when we start our attack."

"No, Legate. I can't risk you taking heavy losses and stalling the whole operation."

"If I attacked them now, I would end up taking far less losses in the long run. If they withdrew, however, they would be able to support the cities I'm to take, and my losses would be doubled!"

"My order stands. Do not attack that army!"

"But general..." Luca grabbed Asinius' arm. Asinius stared at him with a look that told Luca to let go or face a gruesome end. Luca released his grip and fell silent.

"See to your legion, Legate!" Asinius said with stern authority. Luca nodded with a defeated compliance and did as he was told.


-The North Road: Nicomedia, part one-

Roman/Pontic border, camp of Legio VII Gemina Felix, 549AuC;

Luca returned to Legion VII in a foul mood. He had waited all his life to command a legion, but ever since he arrived, He had had nothing but troubles. The men of the VII gave him all the proper ceremony due to him as Legate, but they did not respect him. This was not hard for Luca to understand when he first arrived, as this was the legion of Augustus Maxentius. But despite rebuilding the legion, training them and supplying them with everything they needed, even when supplies were short, things did not improve for him. On top of it, the Dux did not care for him and made no attempt to hide that fact. The only hope Luca had for himself was to get into battle and prove his worth as a commander, but he would have to wait until March to do it.

For the next few months, Luca and the VII sat around staring out across the border at the Pontic camp just a day's march away.


His Tribune, Kaeso Maxentius, had tried several times to persuade Luca to march out against the enemy, despite his orders to stay put. Luca was half tempted to do so, but he felt it would have given Asinius an excuse to relieve him of his command. He just didn't want to risk it. In February, the VII watched as the Pontics broke camp and withdrew into their territory, abandoning the border. Luca went into a rage, turning over tables and chairs, smashing jars, cups, or anything that would brake, and using profanities that made the most hardened legionary blush. He felt that he had let an opportunity slip away from him and was now regretting it terribly.

March came finally. Everyone was happy to be out of camp and on the move once more. They march along the North Road to their first target of Nicomedia, which was a formidable Pontic stronghold with a full garrison. The march to the city was uneventful, but tense. Luca knew that the Pontic army that retreated last month could be anywhere. It might attempt to ambush his men, or worse yet, attack him as they laid siege on the city, forcing the Romans to fight two armies at a time. But the army never showed up and Luca soon found himself in front of the walls of Nicomedia preparing for the siege.


"Well, here comes a long siege," Kaeso sighed.

"Ready the artillery. We attack at once," Luca ordered.

Kaeso almost laughed. "What, Legate? You can't be serious! There are over two-thousand men in there! We would loose half our men if we attacked without at least starving some of them out for a little while.

"There is another two-thousand men somewhere out there ready to pounce on us if we were to lay siege here. Then we would be caught between four-thousand men! I don't like it any more than you do, but we have little choice since we allowed that army at the border to escape."

"You mean when YOU allowed it to escape!" Kaeso said harshly.

Luca looked at him with daggers in his eyes. "You stay here with your cavalry and protect the artillery and stretcher bearers! I will make the assault myself!"




-The North Road: Nicomedia, part two-




The artillery pounded the walls and towers of Nicomedia for most of the morning. Luca had divided the legion into two groups to attack on either side of the gatehouse once the breaches were made.


The archers moved in to try to clear some if the defenders on the wall, but were met with fierce and accurate missile fire from the Pontics. Luca ordered them back and for the legionaries to form testudo formation to protect themselves.



A scout rode to the army. "Where is the Legate?" he asked a soldier. The soldier pointed and the scout found Luca directing the artillery. "Legate, I am glad I found the army in time! I have come across important information: The Pontic king set out to oversee the defenses of Nicomedia several months ago. He may well be in the city now!"


"Thank you, soldier. Water your horse and rest a while." The scout went off to the baggage train and Kaeso looked at Luca. "Now will you see reason?" Kaeso said. "The defenders will fight twice as hard to protect their king!"

"My plan has not changed! It just means I will get a bonus in killing the King of our enemy! Furthermore, I will not risk reinforcements reaching the city to be commanded by him. No. We proceed." Kaeso huffed and walked away, muttering insults about his commander under his breath.

Hours later, the breaches had been carved out of the walls.


Luca knew that the Pontic missile troops on the walls would thin his ranks out too much, so he ordered the skirmishers forward to take the brunt of it. The Legion watched in horror as the skirmisher ranks were devastated. They became filled with rage and Luca knew it would be useful in the hard fight to come.



He ordered his infantry foward with their shields still locked together. The Roman archers did their best to thin the enemy in the city, but they could not make much of an impact with the Pontics behind their ramparts.


The Legionaries reached the breaches, broke their testudo and charged into the enemy defenders.



Fighting was gruesome and chaotic. Formation had no meaning in what had become an all out street brawl. Luca moved in reinforcements in as quickly as possible. The Pontic king did likewise, charging in himself to encourage his men.



Luca joined the fray as well, fighting side by side with his troops.

The Legionaries pushed hard into the Pontic ranks. They overran the Pontic King and surrounded him. They stabbed at him and his horse, pulling both to the ground and hacking the kings’ body until it was a mare heap of flesh and blood with no human form left to make out.

This did little to discourage the Pontics. The Romans had to fight for every inch of the road leading to the city center. Luca fought right on the front line hacking down scores of Pontic fighters.



The Legion soon beat the remaining defenders to the center. Luca reformed his men to move in for the final clash. The Pontics charged into the reformed Roman ranks.


The Legionaries quickly surrounded and butchered the last of the defenders, razing a cheer as the last fell.


The cheer, however, was not for Luca. Nearly half the Legion lay dead or wounded in the streets!

Too many had died for the men to find respect for Luca. They felt he was seeking glory only for himself at the cost of their lives, and resented him for it.

Luca had hoped fighting along side with his men would earn their respect. He hoped that winning a hard-fought battle would win praise from Asinius and the Senate. It did nothing of the sort.




The Desert March



Central Asia Minor, spring, 549AuC;

The Legion III Italica's march had been disappointingly dull for Asinius. March came, and he set out to meet a Pontic army he knew to be lurking around the border. There he found them just where they were supposed to be, and he set out to attack them, but the Pontics wouldn't commit. For three days, the armies danced around each other in the desert. Asinius grew weary of it and had his men perform a forced night march around the enemy to attack from their rear, cutting off their line of escape. The Pontics had no choice but to fight. When Asinius got his first look at the enemy troops, he saw why they were reluctant to engage.


"What a pathetic band that it!" he commented to Nero.

"Yes, Dux. Only light infantry for the most part. I see only a small Phalanx. No archers or Cavalry."

Asinius was not happy. Ever since he had arrived in Asia Minor, he always played a sideshow for Augustus Maxentius. He was not in the least bitter about that, as he was learning the ways of war from the great man, but now that he was Proconsul and Dux, he wanted a great victory for himself. This fight would not be it. He grunted in frustration. "Well, let’s get on with it. There is no sense in depriving the carrion birds of a good meal." Nero laughed.

The Pontics still played maneuvering games with the Romans, jockeying for the best fighting position.


Asinius ordered the skirmishers to run out and anchor them in place so the infantry could advance while Nero and the cavalry swung around to the enemy's rear and reeked havoc.


The archers provided further cover for the advance, cutting down units roaming free from the main body.


The Pontics, seeing that there was little they could tactically do, decided to charge headlong into the Roman line.

The fight was heated, but brief. Too brief for Asinius.


Just as quickly as they rushed the line, the Pontics broke in a panicked tide of men running for safety.

All they found was Nero and the Roman cavalry charging at full gallop to slaughter the retreating troops.

The Legion reformed and the Centurions took muster. Less then 100 dead and wounded was the final tally. "If they continue to fight like this, we will be in Sinope by the end of the month!" Asinius commented.

In fact, it was well into May before they even reached their first target city of Ancyra. There was only a small Garrison inside, but Asinius' artillery was delayed in being brought up.

In the mean time, word reached Asinius of Luca's battle at Nicomedia. "Have you seen this report?" he asked Nero.

"I glanced at it."

"That..." Asinius searched for the right insult, but only got out, "...foolish old man! He kills half his legion in his first battle. And the most experienced legion in the Empire at that, IV Flavia Filex be damned!(1) I swear to you, Nero, I will have him replaced at the first opportunity!"

"In all fairness, General," Nero started cautiously, "the situation on the North Road is not nearly as easy going as we have been fortunate enough to have it. They have at least two armies which they still face between them and Herakleia."

"Yes, but he has only half the men to face them now! He is liable to get them all massacred!"

"Of course, but If he had to face all those armies while he was stuck on a siege of the city, he might not have made it as far as he has. And, to his infinite credit, he has not asked to delay his advanced, but in fact proceeded onward."

"Why are you defending him, my friend?"

Nero tried to think of a reason, but nothing acceptable came to mind. He, himself, didn't really understand why he was defending Luca. He didn't particularly care for the man along with most everyone else. "I’m just thinking out loud, Commander," Nero finally said, forcing an embarrassed smile.

"Well, in any case, it looks like Luca is getting all the action up north. Even with him in command, I think his troops will be able to pull off a victory for their own reputation. As for us, it looks like sparse pickings here. What a quaint little war we have made for ourselves."

(1) the IV Flavia Filex is one of the oldest named legions for me and has seen more action than any of the other legions.


Heracleia;

Shouting could be heard all over the camp. Luca was becoming upset. He slept little in the past few weeks and he didn't appreciate a bunch of drunken Legionaries making a bunch of noise in the middle of the night. He tore off his blanket and began to charge out of the tent to put his men in their place, but Kaeso rushed in wide eyed with all his adrenalin pumping though him.

"What is happening?" asked Luca, realizing that the shouting was not drunken merriment, but panic. "Pontic army sighted in the valley!" Kaeso gasped. "They will be on top of us with in an hour!"

It took a moment for Luca to absorb this information. He gathered his thoughts and said, "Get the artillery outside the fort walls, then get your cavalry ready. I will take care of the infantry."

"Yes, Legate, but the horses have to be re-shoed or they will be no use in battle. It might take longer than an hour!"

"Well get them ready and out in the field as quickly as humanly possible or this will be the shortest battle in Roman history!"

Kaeso saluted and left. Luca put on his breast plate, grabbed his sword and went out of his tent into the pandemonium that plagued the camp. Legionaries were running in every direction in various states of readiness. Luca found the closest Centurion.

"You, Centurion, get these men in order! Get them in full armor and out of the camp in twenty minutes!"

"But Legate, These men are not in my century!"

"I don't give a damn what your problems are! Just get them ready to fight!" Luca ran down the Via Principia and shouted for his men to gather their arms and armor and follow him. Luca ran out of the fort and up to the artillery already set up outside. He could see the countless torches of the upcoming army on the horizon.

"Where did those bastards come from?" asked the captain of the artillery. "I thought there wasn't a Pontic army within a thousand miles of here?"

"Clearly, you would be wrong, Captain." The Legionaries finally started to poor out of the gates of the fort and lined up behind the artillery. "Get up here!” shouted Luca. The troops rushed up to protect the artillery, forming a poor line of defense that was not becoming of a Roman Legion.

"Calm down, boys! Tonight, your choices are simple; fight with me or die by them! You’re the best legion in the world, and tonight you get to prove it!" The troops seemed to find some comfort, albeit very little, in the simplicity of the explanation given to them. The line grew quiet and a bit more orderly as the artillery fired into the enemy army, just 500 paces away now.

Fire arrows lit up the black night like demons creating surreal lights and shadows across the valley.

The Pontics charged the Roman line from what seemed like everywhere.
There was no order to the fight at all.


Luca couldn't see anything and could give no signals. The cohorts were all on there own.

The Lines broke down entirely and even the archers and artillery crews had to fight for their lives!

It was a battle between savage beasts rather than civilized men.


Kaeso had finally got his horsemen ready and rode out to the nightmarish scene.

He scanned the battlefield to see where his services would be needed most. On the right flank, a cohort had been cut off from the main fight and was surrounded by enemy.

Kaeso ordered a unit of cavalry to charge into the Pontics to help the besieged cohort. The unit charged, but the Pontic spearmen rallied and turned their focus on them.


All but a few were slaughtered and the survivors fled as fast as their horses could carry them.

Meanwhile, the cut off cohorts' defensive orb had been breached and its cohesion as a unit began to break down. Romans were dieing in droves.

"Not today!" shouted Kaeso and he ordered all his cavalry to charge to save his comrades.

After digging deep into the Pontic formation, the enemy finally broke and fled.


But it was too late. All the men of the cohort had been cut down, save one, who stood there in the field of dead in shock.

"There all dead," he muttered, "All dead!"
He dropped his sword and shield and sat there on the ground putting his head in his hands.

The battle had come to a close across the rest of the field. The Pontics were utterly crushed, but there was no shout of victory. There was no glory or celebration. The VII Legion had left Pergamum with over 1600 men! Now only 600 remained, and the legions' back was broken.


Grown men, veterans of Thrace, The Seleucid Campaign, and the Pontic Expedition, fell to their knees and wept like children. They looked death in the face that night and would never forget it for as long as they lived. The 'victory' had been a disaster for the Asia Minor operations, but the worst was still to come.





Myra;

A stink overcame the citizens of the City of Myra. The Roman garrison had left the gates early in the morning to meet the Seleucids and not one had yet returned, despite the fact that the battle had been over for an hour or more.

The Myrains were heavily Ptolemaic in makeup. They were acceptant of the Roman occupation for the most part, as the Romans had aided their Empire in many ways throughout their history, but longed to be under the Pharaoh’s rule once again. The one thing they could not tolerate was the rule of the Seleucid King, whom they had learned to despise over many generations of war and travesty. So when the watchmen from the city towers shouted to the people that the Roman defenders were wholly obliterated, the citizens went in to a frenzy.

Some people tried to hide or destroy their belongings so they would not fall into Seleucid hands. Others tried to organize militias to repel the invaders. Mainly, the people lamented and despaired at their encroaching fates. But just as the sun past its zenith, a Watchmen from one of the north towers shouted, "The Roman Legion has arrived!" The people cheered and danced in the streets with a renewed since of hope and salvation.

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Hippostratos of Berytus had been laying siege to Myra for almost 4 years! His men wanted to sack the city and move on, but Hippostratos knew how tough the Roman Soldiers could be. He also knew that they could be defeated as was done in Egypt over 50 years ago, so he waited until the right moment. It seemingly came that morning when the Roman garrison in Myra, over 1000 men, sallied against him. The Roman governor, Marcellus Longinus, fought bravely, but he was an armature commander and Hippostratos' forces quickly overwhelmed and utterly destroyed the Roman Garrison.


The Seleucids raised a cheer for their victory, but Hippostratos knew that there was still a Roman Legion around. The fight was not yet over. He formed his men up in battle formation and waited. Today, he felt he would deal a crippling blow to the mighty Roman Army!

------------

Quintis Laetus marched his X Gemina Equestris legion at a quick pace towards the Walls of Myra. He received word only late that morning that Governor Longinus was going to sally out against the Seleucid besiegers. Longinus had been pleading for months for Quintis to coordinate an attack on the enemy, but Quintis told him to stay defensive and not do anything without his approval. Longinus's eagerness must finally have gotten the better of him. Quintis immediately got his legion together and on the march after hearing of Longinus's attack. He hoped that the Auxilia troops would be able to hold out long enough for the X legion to come to their aid.

The X Legion made it to Myra in only a couple of hours, just as the sun reached its highpoint. They rounded the corner to the east side of the city to behold a gruesome sight. There laid the corpses of the entire garrison, slaughtered to a man!

Quintus' jaw dropped in shock. "Those monster!" he thought to himself. He rode out in front of his troops. "Those Seleucid bastards have killed your comrades! They have killed the Roman Governor! It falls to us to avenge our brothers and protect the good people of Myra! Fill your hearts with rage, then bath your blades in Seleucid blood, and show those inbred curs the full measure of Rome's wrath!" The troops let out a roar of rage and bloodlust as they marched to meet the enemy troopers.


The two armies lined up just yards from one another and stared coldly across the small deadly space between them. It was the Seleucids who charged first.

Their raging elephant monsters led the headlong charge into the roman line, but the Legionaries let loose a torrent of pilas at the beasts.

The missiles bounced off the elephant’s armor, and the Roman ranks braced in horror as the giants ploughed into them. Despite the rampaging beasts trampling into their lines, the Romans held fast.

They cut and sliced at the elephant’s legs and underbellies, finally taking many of them down.

The beasts were soon disheartened and charged into the Seleucid ranks, causing much havoc on them.

The battle lines became scattered and intertwined. Fighting was ferocious on both sides.


The Seleucids fought with the encouragement of their victory over the Roman garrison, while the Romans fought to avenge their slain brethren.

Neither side relented nor gave an inch of ground. This was a fight to the death!

Losses became extreme and the dead piled as high as a man! But the Seleucids were soon getting the worst of the fighting.

It became clear that the fight was lost for them so the very few survivors broke and fled.

Hippostratos, upon seeing the loss of the battle and the destruction of his army, charged his bodyguard into that of Quintis's.

The two cavalry groups fought just as ferociously as their soldiers had been doing, but the Romans got the upper hand and killed all of their enemy. Hippostratos fought on like a hero of old, but spear and sword pierced his armor and drained his lifeblood.

With his last ounce of strength, he clutched Quintis and said, "My Countrymen will return and finish what I have started here!"

Quintis stared down at the dieing man and replied, "And my Roman Brothers will ensure they suffer the same fate as yours!" With that, Quintis plunged his sword into Hippostratos' chest, throwing the man backwards off his horse and onto the ground, dead.

Evening approached, and Quintis gathered up his surviving troops. That morning, he marched ahead of over 1500 men. Now he looked over less than 500! The fields before Myra were littered with over 4000 dead and dieing! Quintis gathered the wounded men and found that only less that 200 men survived from the Auxilia garrison.


He instantly granted citizenship to all those that did not yet have it to honor their courage and sacrifice. Quintis was nearly heartbroken. His legion would have to withdraw, leaving Myra unprotected. The Myrians cheered as the legion marched through the streets, causing Quintis only more heartache. After all the effort that went into defending the city, the Army might well abandon it to its fate before the Seleucids, meaning that the thousands of Romans that died protecting it may well have died in vain.


Heracleia, 550AuC;

Luca and the VII Gemina Felix battled for the city. There were few defenders to fight, but they were being stubborn. With all the losses the Legion had suffered over the months, it made things more difficult then was necessary. “Cut them down!” Luca shouted as he fought along side his men. The Legionaries were becoming use to him fighting in the ranks with them. They were even coming to admire him for it.

Most felt that there were better commanders than Luca, but there were worse too. The Legion was use to him and his command style and was even growing some respect for him.

The last of the Pontic defenders fell.

Luca took his helmet off and took a breath. ‘How does he have the stamina for fighting like this?’ some of the men thought. ‘The man is 54 years old!’ It was becoming another point of respect for the men. ‘Warrior Grandpa’ they called him with affection. A rider came into the city later in the day and handed Luca a message. The men could tell it was not good news. Luca owned very few personal affects in the camp, so when he was seen taking everything he owned and packing it on his horse, they knew.

Kaeso came to see Luca off. “Has it finally happened?” he asked.

“It said nothing in the summons, but I expect that is why I was sent for. At least he has the guts to do it face to face. Get the legion ready to march. If more than a week passes, take the legion to Pergamum and do what you need to do to get it back to combat status.” Luca mounted his horse. “I know you and I have had our differences, but I would like to thank you for everything you have done for me and for the Legion. I think you will go far in your career!”

“That means a lot, Legate.” Kaeso said humbly. He couldn’t find anything else to say. He stood back from the horse and saluted. “Safe journey, Commander!”

Luca returned the salute with kindness and rode towards the gates. Perhaps as little as a few months ago, the Legionaries would have thought little of his departure. But now, they looked at their commander exit the gates with heavy hearts.


Ancyra, newly conquered territory;

Asinius had grown old in the past six months.

It wasn't just his graying hair or his wrinkling skin, but his heart and soul that was showing age. The Pontic Expedition had ground to a halt, and now he found himself in a difficult dilemma in Asia Minor.

Of the three legions there, two were, for all intents and purposes, out of action. Of the two legions Asinius had in reserve, one was tied up in a conflict across the Mare Nostrum...

and the other was stuck defending against the Dacian uprising.

In Thacia, the XI Claudia was laying siege to Odessus along with the former garrison of the city.

Placus Maxentius of the IV Scythia sent a letter asking whether he should stay to fight the Dacians or should he go to Asia Minor. Quintis Lentius of the X Gemina Equestis was withdrawing what was left of his legion from Myra back to Pergamum, leaving Myra open to assault by the Seleucids.

If Asinius switched the VII Claudia on the Danude frontier with the poor X Gemina, and brought the IV Scythia over to Asia Minor, he would only have one combat operational legion to fight the Dacians should they choose to invade and break the siege at Odessus. If he got no more additional troops to assist in Asia Minor, the Seleucids would likely blow through Myra and most of the southern Roman holdings in the region leading to a humiliating Roman evacuation back to Greece and Thrace. If he abandoned the Pontic Invasion, the Pontics might rebuild their forces and counter-attack, taking back all their lost territories or worse.

But the thing that bothered Asinius the most was the plight of the VII Gemina Felix, namely its commander. Asinius stared at the letter he had received from Nero, reading it again and again;

Dux Stolo,
I regret to inform you that, because of the present condition of my Legion, I will be unable to continue with the advance to Sinope. I will take the city of Heracleia within the month, and hope that this action will be of some consolation to you.

I wish to stress that I cannot advance not out of fear or negligence of my duties or orders, but because my forces are in a state of combat ineffectiveness, and would be a hindrance rather than an asset to the operation.

Your loyal servant,
Luca Caesennius, Legate, Legion VII Gemina Felix.

All of Asinius' rage and frustration was now focused entirely on the Luca, and he waited impatiently for his arrival. But it was not Luca who appeared at his door.

"You summoned me, Dux?" asked Herennius Silanus, commander of the Auxilia corps.

"Yes, I did. Please sit." Asinius pulled out a map of the region. "We are in a precarious situation, Herennius. My III Legion is the only legion left able to carry out operations in the region. The Senate does not seem to be in any hurry to send reinforcements anytime soon, and I can only go after one enemy at a time."

"I take it you plan on going after the Seleucids?"

"They are a bigger threat then the Pontics at the moment. But if I leave the Pontics to their own designs, they will surely rebuild their armies. Your Auxilias are the only other forces left at my disposal."

"Perhaps, but they could never withstand frontline combat for long."

"Well, I may have a solution to both our problems." Asinius pointed to a spot on the map.

"Cheronesus, across the Mare Pontus next to our allies, the Bospherans. It’s a small outpost for the Pontics, but it brings them much wealth. If our forces took it and gave it back to the Bospherans, it would show our goodwill towards them, especially after we recently signed a military alliance with them.
They have wanted to take it back for some time, but are at peace with the Pontics, and don't want to fight on another front right now."

"That’s generous of us, Dux."

"Indeed. Should you complete that task, you will have the Northern fleet at your disposal and are ordered to raid the Pontic coastal cities until the army is ready to renew its attack on them."

"You’re turning my men into Pirates?"

"Would they have any objections to that?"

"On the contrary, they might just like the idea."

"Well good. A warning though, do not engage any large Pontic forces! You are to keep their forces away from our border here, not to try to destroy their army."

"Yes, Dux."

Just then, Luca walked into the office. "If you would excuse me, Herennius, I must speak to Legate Caesennius in private."

Herennius stood, saluted and took his leave. He could sense the tension between the two men about to erupt. Asinius stared at Luca with heartless intensity. Luca stood before him rigid. "Sit." Asinius ordered coldly. Luca did so. Asinius continued to stare and said nothing.

Luca finally spoke first; "You wished to see me, Dux?"

After a beat, Asinius pushed a scroll in front of Luca. "I would like you to sign this."

Luca glanced at it, then looked at it again more closely. "What is this?"

"These are your papers requesting early retirement."

"I have no intention of retiring!" Luca was becoming angry.

"If you do not sign these papers, I will be forced to relieve you of your command and send you back to Rome under guard for trial."

"On what charges?!"

"How about disobeying a direct order from a superior officer!" Asinius, too, was becoming upset. "And Insubordination!"

"These are outrageous accusations, and no Roman court would ever uphold them! You have no proof to such allegations!"

Asinius slammed Luca's letter down in the desk. "This is all the proof I need! I gave you orders to advance your Legion to Sinope! It is clear from this letter that you have no intention of carrying out my orders!"

"I stated my reasoning quite clearly as to why I can not carry out such orders! It would be the doom of my entire legion!"

"Your legion was doomed the second you took command of it! Your blatant disregard for your men's safety has left the best legion in the army in shambles! If I were to leave YOU in command, it would be condemning them to their deaths!"

"Do not lecture me about mismanagement of command! It is under YOUR leadership that has thrown this entire region into turmoil!"

"This is a favor to you, Legate! It is your only opportunity to return to you political friends with some semblance of ‘honor’! Perhaps you would like the definition of a word so unfamiliar to you?!"

"You have wanted to get rid of me since the second I took command of my Legion! But you don't have the guts to remove me with any legitimacy! You now resort to underhanded tricks like a Carthaginian Cur!!"

"That is enough!! This is your last chance! Sign or I will have the guards place you in shackles! Which will it be?"

Luca shook with rage and debated weather to draw his sword and hack the Dux to death. In the end, he reached for the quill and scribbled his name on the scroll, thus ending his short military career. As he walked to the door to leave, he stopped and turned one last time to Asinius. "I will return this 'favor' to you in full one day, proconsul, I promise you!" With that, Luca left Asia Minor, never to return.





Not all that much to tell. I finally invaded carthage with four legions. Thats about the only action going on other than in asia minor. Gaul has been
behaving itself, though I am at war with them. Iberians have only one settlement left which I am harrassing with assasins. They wouldn't hold long if I finally decided to finish them. Germania is being very quiet. That worries me.

In other parts of the world, Parthia is a protectrate(sp?) of the big grey monster. Armenia is allied with Pontus which worries me as I invade further into Pontic territory. THe Bosphorans are my only ally on the map. They have been doing a kick arse job defending themselves! I haven't even sent any direct help and the held off a combined Pontic/Armenian invasion. They went right to the brink but fought their way back again and are doing fine now. Dacia is still fighting for survival. They beat the Germans out of their last territory which surprised me.

Sarmatia has been quiet too. I don't even know if they are at war with anyone. I think maybe Armenia but that might be over now. The poor ptoleys are not doing well. The Seleucids have pushed them to their last settlement on the mainland. They still have Cyprus. The Seleucids are only at war with me and Ptolemiacs, so thats why I am having so much trouble with them.



Chersonesus, 551AuC;

500 hand-picked Auxilias stood in perfectly squared ranks befitting the Romans, and stared across the city center at 500 Bosphoran Hoplites of equal perfection. They started marching towards each other in two solid and unified masses, with every foot striking the ground at the exact same time and every arm swing precisely measured. They marched to within 10 feet of each other and stopped with a solid clump of heels.

Herennius stood on the steps of the governor's palace staring down the gap between the two armies at the Bosphoran king himself, who stood at the other end.

Drums and trumpets sounded in a fanfare signaling the two men to begin marching toward each other. They approached, being careful not to move too fast or slow so as to meet exactly in the center of the formations. The Auxilias and the Hoplites drew swords and raised them in salute of the King and the Prefect as they met one another precisely in the center.

They saluted each other and Herennius took out a scroll. "On behalf of the Eastern Auxilia Army, the Proconsul and Dux of all Eastern Roman Territories, and the Senate and People of Rome, I hereby relinquish sovereignty of the city of Chersonesus to the King and good people of the Cimmarion Bosphoran Kingdom!" Herennius handed the Scroll to the King and both men ceremoniously walked around each other to symbolize the change of sovereignty.


The King made is way to the governor's palace, where the Roman banners were slowly being raised from the windows. The King arrived at the spot where Herennius had started from and Bosphoran banners were dropped, causing the huge crowd that had gathered to cheer wildly.


After the festivities were over, the Bosphoran king invited Herennius and his officers to dine with him. The finest, most exotic fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses and breads were laid out on the table in an exquisite array of kingly splendor that would make the most dedicated glutton question his stomach's capabilities.

"I do hope that you will pass along to your senate how very grateful I am for such a generous gift that you have delivered me and my people!" the King said to Herennius.

"I will do so as soon as we have finished gorging ourselves on this magnificent feast, your Majesty. I don't think I have ever seen such a display!" They all spoke in Greek.

The King laughed. "I always do try to put on a fine show for my most deserving guests! But tell me, did you have much trouble capturing the city? I would like to here the details. I contemplated taking the city many times, but my armies were committed to other fronts, as I am sure you have heard."

"I have heard and celebrated you exploits, but as to the assault on the city, I am afraid you would have been quite disappointed.

We took the walls with no trouble at all. I placed my archers up there to fire down on the Pontic phalanxes.

After that, I marched a few cohorts to the center where the last of the defenders made their stand and we swept them away with relative ease.


My losses were light thankfully."

"Well, I am glad to hear that, though it is disappointing to see the Pontics put up such a weak fight. I remember when they first invaded my country when I was a young Prince. We lost many men to them, but they were worthy advisories if nothing else."

"My countrymen have given them a real beating over the past few years, but at a heavy price. Believe me, your Highness, they have been a worthy advisory indeed!"

The king nodded. "Now your men out there, they are not the famous Roman Legionaries, correct?"

"Yes, your highness. They are Auxilias, made up of men who are not citizens within the Empire. They may not have the fame of the Legions, but I assure you, they are capable soldiers."

"No doubt. They are smart and able looking men, and I am glad to have them here." There was a pause as everyone focused on their meals. "I was privileged enough to see your legions in action when I was a young man," the King finally spoke. "Your army had just taken Byzantium, and I was sent as an envoy to sign a naval support pack with your commander, Augustus Maxentius when the Pontics sent a massive force to retake the city. Augustus invited me to accompany him on his march to meet them in battle with his Gemina Felix Legion. He was outnumbered two to one and still took the ground! I was in awe at such discipline and skill of the Legion and such mastery of commandership displayed by Augustus. I have always strived to be as good as that man. I mourned his passing with great sadness!"

"I think all of Rome did so as well. He did great things for the Empire and there are many men who owe him their status and careers to him, myself included."

"I hope his example will see me through my country's new set of problems. The barbarian Germans have a massive force migrating in our lands,

and the Armenians are always a threat."

"All Romans look upon our Bosphoran allies with great admiration, and we have every confidence that you shall weather this tide. And, should you need any assistance, send me a note and I will be more than happy to fight along side your men, sire."

The King bowed in thanks for the offer and encouragement. The dinner came to a close and everyone began to take their leave. "Where are you off to next, my dear Prefect?" asked the King as Herennius stood to return to his men.

"We are to set sail within two days to raid the Pontic coast. Hopefully it will distract them long enough for the Legions to regroup."

"Well, I will ask the gods to bless your mission. Safe journey, my friend, and take out some of those Pontic bastards in my honor if it is of no trouble to you."

"I will dedicate a whole mound of their dead in your honor, your majesty!"

The King laughed and the two men parted ways. Herennius returned to his men to get them ready for the long voyage ahead.

My armies are divided into 3 types:


-Assault Legions; These are the legions that go campaigning and do all the empire building for me. They are made up of the 'Imperial' style legions(with the square shields and segmented armor) and commanded by two family members of the family tree.

One commander is a 'Tribune' who is generally yound and fresh out of school. Tribunes if they are lucky will take command of a legion, generally a different one than the legion they started out in, if an opening should appear.

The other commander is the Legate who actually commands the legion. He often starts as a Tribune, though not always. There is a list of seniority of Legates with the highest up becoming Dux of a region or campaign force.


-Occupation Legions; These legions protect the borders of the Empire and act as an active reserve for the Assault Legions. They are made up of 'Augustan'
style legions(with the half rounded shields) and commanded by a recruited commander, not of the family tree.

Their primary function is to prevent invasions into Roman territory and support the Assault Legions on campaign, providing a force to pacify newly conquered lands and keep the enemy from retaking it.


-Auxilia Legions; These aren't usually set up like legions except when following Assault legions on campaign. There main duty is to protect the 'supply train,' (the extra cohorts and support units to replenish losses for the Legions) provide cities with garrisons, and keep Roman territory clear of rebels.

They generally work in units of four under a governor of a city, but on campaign will be made up like a legion under command of a family member of the familly tree. The campaign commander is usually an older family member who has been overlooked by the military, and the auxilia is their last chance for any kind of military glory.

They rarely get special missions like the one Herennius is on, though it happens when I need a job done without committing a legion.



Ancyra, III Italica's headquarters;

A knock came at Asinius' door. "Enter," he said as he loomed over a pile of scrolls. Nero came in and saw his commander burying himself in paperwork. 'Wouldn't have it any other way,' he thought, reflecting on just how well he knew Asinius. He had been the Tribune of the III for almost 10 years now under Asinius's leadership. The familiarity forced a smile to form at the corner of Nero's mouth, but he quickly returned his composure as he stepped up to the desk.

"You called for me, Dux?"

Asinius looked up and scanned Nero for a moment. He leaned his elbows on the desk and said, "There appears to be a lull in the Pontic War at the moment, so I have decided to march the III to Side and kick the Seleucids out of Asia Minor."

Nero smiled. "I will ready my cavalry.” He turned to leave when Asinius said, "You’re not coming with us." Nero stared at Asinius looking to see if this was some sort of joke. Asinius plopped down a scroll in front of Nero.

"I have a shortage of commanders at the moment to meet my military needs, so I have decided to promote you to Legate and give you command of the VII Gemina Felix."

Nero was dumbstruck. "I... I don't know what to say, Dux."

"Thank you is the common thing." Nero laughed, a little harder than he meant to due to all the emotion in his throat. "You deserve it, my friend! You have practically run this legion ever sense I became Proconsul. I'm just giving you the title to go with it."

"I am honored, Dux! Thank you a thousand times! I won't let you down."

"I know you won't. Now, the VII legion is in a bad way right now. Tribune Maxentius has begun to gather recruits and supplies, but you will have to work quickly to get it ready by next spring. The VII Claudia is coming in from the Danube frontier, but it will be the only legion on the Pontic station until you are ready. Once your men are in order, I will give you further orders."

"I understand, Dux."

"Good. Now go pack. You have work to do!"

Nero smiled and saluted, then ran out of the office to his quarters to pack.

-----

After a heartfelt sendoff for Nero, the III Italica set out for the Seleucid border. Asinius knew that it would be nearly impossible to attack both the Pontics and the Seleucids at the same time with his forces so depleted. He had only two operational assault legions to protect both Asia Minor and Thracia. Luckily for him, the Pontics were in just as poor a condition as the Romans were. With the near disaster at Myra, it was clear that Seleucia was the enemy to deal with first.

But Asinius knew this was virtually a suicide mission. A single legion against the entire might of the Seleucid Empire! There were four armies stationed around Tarsus alone! He tried not to dwell on those thoughts. 'First thing's first,' he thought, 'I must take Side before I can worry about their main armies.'

There was a moderate sized garrison in the enemy city made up of, more or less, quality troops.

Asinius knew he could take the city, but it was a matter of numbers. If he took too many losses, he would be hard pressed to justify an attack on the main Seleucid force. 'One thing at a time,' he told himself. He decided not to wait to besiege the city and risk the enemy bringing in reinforcements.

The artillery brought down the walls and Asinius sent four cohorts with auxilia support in to take the streets. The enemy fought valiantly at the breach, but they didn’t have the numbers to withstand the onslaught.

Once that was done, he marched to the center to finish the enemy off. Losses were manageable so far and he wished to keep it that way.

The Legionaries engaged and surrounded the last of the defenders.

Asinius watched his men do their bloody work with admiration. He was proud of his men's devotion to their duty.

Worry began to creep into his bones again. He did not want to see another legion mauled or destroyed, least of all his own.

For now, the men raised a cheer as the last defender fell.

Losses were a little higher than Asinius would have liked, but not enough to stop his campaign.


Reserves were coming and he knew he could replace the losses, at least for now. He looked out on the horizon at the gap between the sea and mountains where he would have to pass through to get to his foe. He ran through every reasoning to see if there was a way not to attack the Seleucids alone. Nothing came to mind. Speed was everything. If he waited too long, the Pontics would regroup and he would have to fight two nations at once! Unless something changed soon, he and his men would remain in mortal danger.



Pergamum, 551 AuC;

Nero and Kaeso sat in the highest balcony of the governor's palace, enjoying the governor's hospitality and luxuries while the VII Claudia, just coming from the Danube to replace the X Gemina, paraded through the main street of the city below.

They ate fruits and sweets with fine wine and exotic drinks from the region while they talked and laughed about old times. They had been friends throughout their Scriptorium years but had not seen each other for some time, despite being stationed in the same country. Kaeso was in fact two years older than Nero, but it was Nero that was picked first to serve in the legions.

They leaned over the railing and stared down at all the Pergamumian(?) Greeks below in the city center waiting for the parade to reach them.

The people of Pergamum were another city that fell to the Seleucids long ago before the Romans came. The people viewed the Romans as liberators, and the Romans treated them more as equals rather than conquered subjects. Augustus Maxentius even persuaded the Senate to grant citizenship to them in just a few years after taking the city and made it the capital of Roman Asia Minor. So now, as the Legionaries marched through the city, the citizens cheered them as their own adoptive armies.

"They seem like good, quality troops," Kaeso commented as the column of soldiers approached. "Have you heard anything about them?"

"I know they suppressed several revolts in Macedon," Nero answered. "I think that’s why Asinius chose them over some of the other Danube legions; they're one of the few that have seen combat."

"They are going to need the experience if they hope to survive this front!"

"Eh, they'll be fine!"

"I am sure we will be," called a voice from behind them. Both men turned to see Titus Corvinius, Legate of the VII Claudia, approaching them.

Kaeso snapped to attention. Nero almost did, but then remembered he was now a Legate too.

Nero shook Titus' hand, "Legate Corvinius, we were just talking about of your men. They are quite impressive! I compliment you on them!"

Titus bowed, "Thank you. They are good boys and I am confident that they will do good service here. And may I congratulate you on your recent promotion! I'm sure it keeps you busy?"

"Ha ha, well Kaeso- that is Tribune Maxentius, has done all the hard work recruiting replacements. I just do the paperwork."

"Yes, there never seems to be an end to it, does there? Anyway, I simply wished to introduce myself and give my congratulations. I have to meet my men for the end of the ceremony below." Kaeso and Nero nodded and smiled as he turned to go, but he stopped suddenly. "Oh, did you here the news about Odessus?"

"No?"

"The XI Legion took it back again! Apparently the Dacians tried to send a relief force to break our siege,

but we beat them back and destroyed to city defenders at the same time!

Needless to say, all the rebels were executed."

"Well, that’s good news indeed! One less thing for Dux Stolo to worry about now." Titus took his leave again and Nero and Kaeso went back to the railing.

"Well that should make my brother happy," Kaeso said.

"Who is…?" Nero thought hard for a moment, "Placus Maxentius? Legate of the IV Scythia? He's your Brother?"

"That he is."

"Huh. All this time and I never made that connection. Of course there are so many Maxentius's that it's hard to keep track of them all. His Tribune is a Maxentius as well, and I think theirs one in the I Adiutrix if I remember correctly."

"Yes, but they are distant cousins to us. It's tough being the most powerful family in Rome sometimes."

Nero laughed, "Oh yea, poor you!"

As they continued to stare at the festivities below, there was some commotion down the main street. A group of cavalry came riding fast down the street, causing the Legionaries still coming into the center to run and leap out of the way.

The crowds of spectators had to part in a frenzy as well as the horsemen charged up to the steps of the palace where Titus Corvinius now stood along with the city's governor. The leader of the cavalry group, who appeared to be a high ranking Roman commander, dismounted and approached the governor. They spoke for a short while. Neither Nero nor Kaeso could hear what was being said, but it was clear that the Roman commander dominated the conversation. The conversation ended and the Commander entered the palace.

"What was that all about?" Kaeso asked.

"I have no idea!" The crowds below began to murmur the exact same question to one another. After the shock wore off the Governor, he tried to get the parade going again. Kaeso and Nero looked on until the doors flung open and two guards stepped in, standing on either side of the entrance. Kaeso and Nero came back into the room from the balcony as this same commander entered with an intimidating assortment of Retinue. Nero expected the Commander to address him, but instead the man went over to the buffet table.

Nero recognized who he was; He was Augustus Silanus, Legate of the I Adiutrix, and the most senior Legate in the Eastern Provinces.

He came from a powerful military family who were considered the rivals of the Maxentius family. In the politics of Rome, the Consul of Rome, a Maxentius, had become a near dictator, being appointed for life and undermining the power of the Senate. Augustus was a staunch supporter of the Senatorial faction and was considered the Senates' champion. Technically, The I Adiutrix was under Asinius' authority, but in reality it answered directly to the Senate, carrying out missions on its behalf.

Nero watched as Augustus loomed over the buffet table, looking for something to munch on. He was a tall, slender, and serious-looking man who moved with flowing, almost feminine movements. "You are Nero Propertius I presume?" he asked with a musical voice that bordered on comical, while piling some fruit on a plate.

"Yes, Legate."

"I have some letters here that you may be interested in." Augustus never did look up from his mission at the buffet table. It was one of his aids that handed Nero the scroll.

Nero looked at the seals on the scroll, then looked up at Augustus. "These are addressed to Dux Stolo! I can't read these."

"It is my understanding that you and the Dux have, a trust with one another? He will not mind you reading this particular scroll as it effects you as well, along with the Tribune here." Nero and Kaeso looked at one another wondering what that could mean. Nero finally broke the seal and read the contents of the scroll. His shoulders shrunk in disgust as he read on.

"What is it?" Kaeso asked. Nero handed the letter to Kaeso while glaring at Augustus.

Augustus looked up at him for the first time and smiled. "I assure you, I had nothing to do with it, my boy. It is, as all great matters in the world should be, purely political. Your Dux made some enemies!"

"By the gods!" Kaeso exclaimed, but not for the same reasons as Nero's disgust.

Nero took back the scroll and rolled it back up. "I have to leave for the III Italica immediately." To Kaeso, "You might want to get back to the Gemina Felix." Kaeso nodded, still in a state of bewilderment. Nero sighed. "The Dux is not going to like this!"


Titus Corvinius was more than happy to leave Pargamum and march his men to the Pontic border. Literally over night, the politics of the city turned from a gentle flow of things happening to a torrent of chaos and confusion. Legate Nero left in an erupt hurry and didn't say where he was going to. Titus had hoped to dine with his fellow commanders to get to know them and understand the situation in the region better.

Augustus Silanus, too, departed with his legion just as suddenly as they had come. Even Tribune Maxentius left in a hurry for his legion and poor Titus could never get a strait answer as to what was going on. To make matters worse, the governor of Pargamum, who he had been on the friendliest terms with to this point, all but kicked him and his legion out of the region as civilly as he could do.

Titus washed his hands of the situation. He was much happier at the head of his legion anyway. There were few surprises within the tight-knit community. He knew all his Centurions by name, as well as most of the optios and other low ranking enlisted men. Every man was capable, well trained and eager for a fight, and Asia Minor seemed to be the place for one.

The march was uneventful, but harsh on the men. They were used to the frigged cold of the Danuvius, not the searing deserts that surrounded Ankyra. It would take some time for them to get use to the new climate.

On station northeast of Ankyra, the VII Claudia settled in to the monotony of a border station. Titus dined often with the governor of the city, a skittish, but civil man, and tried to pass the time with what comfort he could.

One day, the governor came in more riled-up state than usual. "Doom, Doom, Doom!" he cried waving a piece of paper around in the air.

Titus rolled his eyes. The governor had a flare for theatrics. "Why, what ever do you mean?" he asked, humoring the man.

"We have lost a legion!" the governor moaned.

"Oh?" Titus' interest was now genuinely peaked. He took the paper from the wallowing governor and read it. Indeed, the VIII Augusta had been virtually annihilated by the Gauls.

It was shocking to be sure, but far from being the eminent destruction of the Empire.

The letter went on to ensure all citizens that there were still adequate forces to protect the Gallic border. This had a political undertone to it, as the Consul of Rome had been criticized for invading Carthage, which was nothing more than a toothless animal at the time, over Gaul, Which was considered a far greater threat. In any case, that was half a world away. Titus reassured the governor and went about his business.

The real threat to the VII Claudia was from the Seleucids at the moment. The Pontics were still regrouping from the last Roman surge and in no condition to attack. The Seleucids on the other hand had huge armies around Tarsus. Dux Stolo and the III Italica were in the area, but they could only defend the coastal pass.

That left the inland pass wide open for the Seleucids to pore through. So when the governor came to Titus on another occasion, whaling about impending doom because a Seleucid army had been spotted a few days march from the city, Titus paid a bit closer attention.

Dux Stolo promised Titus that he would see some real fighting in this region, and the Seleucids were about to deliver on it. Titus and the VII Claudia marched out to meet their first real foe in combat. Sure, the VII put down several revolts, but this was mainly done by laying siege to the rebellious cities and starving them out. Fighting in those cases were not very desperate, at least not for the Romans.


But there before them now was a national army of trained, professional soldiers. Titus couldn't help but feel slightly intimidated.

There was work to be done however, so Titus suppressed his ill-feelings and got down to business.

Skirmishers started the work with well placed volleys of javelins.

The Seleucids didn't appreciate being peppered and sent light infantry to exterminate the Roman Light Auxilas. The Auxilias were too quick for the enemy, withdrawing back to the Roman lines in good order.

With such a good start, Titus ordered the legion to advance to the Seleucid line.

The Seleucids again sent their light infantry to soften the Romans up before their phalanx line to finish them off. But the VII Claudia unleashed a devastating Pila volley that ripped right through the light infantry ranks in a horrific scene.

Angered, the Seleucid phalanx attacked and both armies clashed with slaughter in their hearts.

Titus ordered his cavalry to swing around the Seleucid line to attack from the rear.

Meanwhile, the Legionaries started flanking the Seleucid ranks and Titus could feel victory close.

He signaled the cavalry, and the Roman Horsemen charged into the enemy's rear with clashing steel and screaming horse and man.

What was left of the Seleucid army retreated back to their border.


Titus felt emboldened and proud that he and his men went toe to toe with the Seleucids and sent them racing back for home! They marched back to Ankyra singing songs of victory and Empire with cheery enthusiasm. Titus would tell the Governor that the world was indeed not doomed with the VII Claudia defending its border!



Roman/Seleucid Border, III Italica’s forward post;

Asinius stared at the letter. Nero sat nervously across from him, looking for his reaction. Asinius had yet to give one away except for the fact that his face had started to get red. He simply read the letter over and over again:

Proconsul Stolo,

"You are hereby informed that you are being charged with embezzlement of funds and supplies away from Roman Legions in the field during time of war.
As such, you are to be stripped of your title of Dux and are relieved of command of Legio III Italica. You are ordered to proceed immediately to
Pergamum where you are to stay until your case can be brought in front of a Roman court. In light of you years of service in the Army, you will
retain the title of Proconsul, but will refer all matters to the governor of Pergamum for verification and permission before any said matter can be approved.

Augustus Silanus will be named acting Dux until you case is settled. Nero Propertius shall be made Legate of III Italica and Kaeso Maxentius
is to be promoted Legate and given command of VII Gemina Felix, pending Dux Silanus' approval.

Your servant,
Luca Caesennius, Censor of Rome."

Luca Caesennius! Asinius stared at the name with disdain. He recalled the threat Luca had made the day Asinius 'retired' him. "I will return this 'favor' to you in full one day, proconsul, I promise you!" Thoughts of valiance and sorrow whirled in his head. They were broken only by Nero calling his name. "What do you think you will do, Proconsul?"

Asinius looked up. "What can I do? I will go to Pergamum until I am called to appear in Rome."

"Luca can rot in hell! He is a spiteful, little man for pulling such a stunt!"

"It matters little now. You have far bigger worries! Do you know what awaits you at Tarsus?"

"I know half the Seleucid western army is there, but my focus has been on the Pontics."

"There are over 7000 men waiting for you!

I had hoped that they would have sent some of their forces against me here so I might fight them on ground of my choosing, but they have not. They are all well entrenched around that city and you will have to go through them if you want to take it. This will probably be the toughest fight of your career!"

Nero processed this for a moment. Strictly speaking, his career as a Legate had not yet begun. He never had the chance to take the VII out on campaign and now he faced overwhelming odds to take a city that had to be taken at all cost. "Well the I Adiutrix is marching to the North Pass, so at least I won't be alone."

"Silanus may be a political nut, but he is a smart and experienced commander. Follow his orders and you might just make it through this assault. But don't get caught in the politics! I tried to keep them out of this region as Augustus Maxentius did before me, but Silanus' appointment is a move by the Senate to undermine the Consul of Rome."

"Is it because of the disaster in Gaul?"

"Partly. The Carthage Invasion has become a joke! four legions were committed and they have not met any credible resistance! The Plebs are raving as to why we committed such a large force to a crippled state when the Gauls are breaking though our border defenses. The Senate sees an opportunity to win some favor back with the people, but they need a strong political, by which I mean military, victory."

"So they want a win here."

"Exactly. The Seleucids are every bit as powerful as Rome is, and the Pontics have shown that they are a strong enemy. A hard fought win here would be a propaganda miracle! Things are going to get ugly here very quickly! But it seems that that is no longer my concern."

Nero smiled sympathetically at Asinius. "I will see to it that the III gives you the best sendoff you could hope for, General!"

The next day, Nero lived up to that promise with the III bestowing every formality and honor they could think of on their beloved commander. Nero escorted Asinius to the gates of the fort to see him off. Asinius spoke, "Thank you my friend! I will miss the third above all else, but I could not have asked for a better replacement!"

"I will take good care of them, General."

"Remember what I told you! Conserve your strength were ever you can! Take no unnecessary risks!"

"I will, don't you worry. It should be you to lead us to victory! I will miss you, General!"

"Thank you, Nero, but I will still be around. For now, good fortune and may the gods protect you." With that Asinius
left.



Cilicia 552AuC

Nero's pickets spotted the small group of horsemen several hours earlier coming out of the pass that the III had been guarding these many months. The legion was now on the move to intercept the first of the Seleucid armies on the path to Tarsus. Nero sent some cavalry to protect his rear, but figured this was not a Seleucid ambush. It was in fact a group of Roman cavalry that had come all the way from Rome with Nero's new Tribune. The horsemen rode up along the mile long column of troops until they found Nero himself at the head.


"Hail, Legate," called the Tribune, "I am Augustus Paetus, assigned to the III legion Italica as Tribune. Here are my orders."

Nero took the scroll and handed it to his aide-de-camp without looking at it. "I welcome you to the III. Your timing is good. We are within a day or two of a Seleucid army, and I will need all the help I can get right now. Tell me, have you ever seen combat?"

Paetus cleared his throat in nervousness, "No, Legate. But I am well schooled in war craft."

Nero looked at him in admiration of his ignorance. "Well, you shall find out tomorrow or the day after if any of your studies are going to come in handy!" Nero remembered the first time he was in combat. He too was well schooled in Rome with all sorts of military theory of lining up armies in pretty lines and maneuvering them around imaginary battlefields. Once he saw a real battlefield, most of that knowledge was proven useless. "I am sorry I can't give you a walk around of the Legion, but we are on business right now. You should find the captain of the cavalry. He will introduce you to your men. You are to take command of the cavalry in the upcoming fight."

Paetus' thoughts stirred with all sorts of emotion at the thought of combat so soon after his arrival. He had hoped that he could have at least settled into the rhythm of the legion for a while and trained with them before going into battle. He told Nero none of this and gave a stiff, "Yes, Legate!" before riding off to find the cavalry captain. Nero sympathized with his poor Tribune's situation, but there was little he could do about it. He had some tough fighting ahead of him.

-------------------

It was late the next day when the skirmishers at the vanguard of both armies came across one another. After some exchange of missile fire without loss, they withdrew to their respective armies to tell them of the impending battle. Both armies made camp with the intention of forming lines in the morning to decide the matter then.

Paetus was not the only one in the Roman camp not getting any sleep. Nero had been in countless battles, but never as commander of a legion! He couldn’t tell if being at the head of his old friend, the III legion, was a help or a hindrance. On one hand, he knew the men and what they were capable of. Likewise, they knew and trusted him. On the other hand, if things went poorly, would he be able to handle the death of so many he had fought with all these years? Would they forgive him for leading them to disaster?

Morning came too quickly, and nothing was decided in Nero's mind. He put his apprehension away for the moment and forced himself to focus on getting his men ready for the battle.

The Romans formed up next to the beach.

Nero ordered Paetus to take is cavalry into the woods on the left flank of the army and hide themselves until he gave the signal to attack. Paetus too had put on a stiff demeanor to hide his anxieties and focused on leading his cavalry. The Seleucids formed up on the far side of the wood on the high ground with their menacing elephants looking down on them.

Nero knew that, in a charge, they would cut his legion in half and the battle would be over before it began.

"Artillery, focus your fire on those beasts!" Nero shouted. The artillery flung its fiery payload into the Seleucid lines.

Fireballs splattered around and throughout the phalanx troops causing high casualties.


But more importantly, a few well placed shot tore into the elephants, killing some of the towering behemoths, and causing the rest to panic and flee.

The Romans cheered as the animals took flight, despite the best urgings of their riders. Nero shut his men up and ordered them to maneuver around the Seleucid left flank.

This brought the Seleucid line out of the trees and Nero now faced a little more of a 'civilized' fight.

After the archers let loose several fire volleys,

the Roman line advanced.

They launched their pila into the Phalanx and charged home!


After the lines had committed, Nero signaled for the cavalry to charge.

Minutes past with still no sign of Paetus.

The infantry casualties were mounting and Nero was becoming frustrated.

"Where is my damn cavalry?!" More agonizing minutes past and finally Nero heard his cavalry horns sound in the woods.

They charged into the Seleucid rear, cutting down the enemy troops in droves.


What little remained of the enemy army broke and fled to Tarsus.



Nero rode over to Paetus. "Did you stop and pick some wild flowers, Tribune?"

"Sorry, Legate. I am afraid I lost my way in the woods for a moment there. You will be happy to know that there is a grove of pine saplings that will think twice before messing with the Roman army again!"

Nero laughed. "Well, not bad for our first time out, eh, Paetus?"

"No, commander. Next time will be improved, though, I am sure."

Nero nodded and looked towards Tarsus. "And next time is just a few days march from here."


Author's note: I am going to call Augustus Paetus Paetus rather than Augustus. The Augusti names are stacking up in the region so I don't want too much confusion.




The Pontic army marched through the rolling hills just northwest of Sinope looking for the Roman army it knew was out there. It was hot and miserable for the troops, so they didn't question at first the trumpets and calls that they were hearing all around them.

It was hard to see for most of them the skirmishers that popped up out of the grass in front of them, barring their path of advance. All around them Roman formations appeared out of no where along the hilltops that surrounded them. Roman cavalry then charged out of the woods in a thunderous roar and Roman arrows started to rain down on them.

This sent many Pontic soldiers running to the rear from where they come from in hopes of finding safety. All they found were three Roman cohorts in the process of cutting off their retreat.

The Romans charged down on the scattered Pontic formations in a frenzy.

Small clusters of Pontics tried to form to meet the enemy, but with little success.



They were utterly destroyed in less than an hour.

Kaeso looked on as the last of the Pontics fled in disarray with his VII Gemina Felix in hot pursuit.

This was his first battle in command of the VII, and it could not have gone better. Only about 100 Roman casualties with the entire Pontic force destroyed.


Decimus Porpertius, his new Tribune, rode up to Kaeso.

Decimus was Nero's younger brother and Kaeso had known him too back in his school days in Rome. They got along well from the first and Kaeso smiled as Decimus maneuvered his horse next to his.

"Ave, Legate! Congratulations on your victory!"

"Thank you, Decimus. I hope you men faired well?"

"Very well, Legate! Two men dead, but we took over 100 of theirs, so I think that works out as even."

"Good, good. Let's clean up here and head to Sinope."

Sinope had loomed like a dark shadow in the back of Kaeso's mind. The VII legion's first attempt was a near disaster. He remembered it all too well. 2/3 of the legion died along the North Road to take Sinope, and they didn't even manage to make it past Heracleia. Kaeso was determined not to lead his men into a fresh catastrophe, but the men themselves were beginning to think they were cursed. They were now on their 4th commander in only 5 years! The first Seleucid campaign under the great Augustus Maxentius had cost them 1/2 their numbers! They felt that between that and the greater loss of the North Road Campaign, they were doomed to be destroyed outright.

Kaeso did his best to keep the morale of the men up but it was a real chore. Mixed feelings arose throughout the Legion as the walls of Sinope finally stood before them and they made their siege works. They were all happy to at last be there to take their prize, but worried at the full garrison within it. Bad memories of Nicomedia stirred up. Kaeso, however, had no intention of attacking the city before he starved out as many defenders as he could.

The days went by slowly. Mail call was about the only excitement the troops got in the monotonous siege. They celebrated the III legions victory over the Seleucids with drinking binges. Kaeso drilled them hard to keep discipline up, but with no where to go and nothing to do, it was just another overwhelming chore for him.

Kaeso finally found some quiet time to clear his thoughts on one windy winter day as the troops were given special meals as gifts from the Bosphorans across the sea. He wrote his wife, whom he had seen little of since he came to Asia Minor, though she did come to Pergamum while the VII was refitting, when Decimus came to him with tears streaming down his cheeks.

"What is it, Decimus?" Decimus tried to speak but could find no voice. He handed Kaeso a scroll and left again to wallow in grief. Kaeso opened the scroll and began to read;

To Legate Kaeso Maxentius, commander of VII Legion Gemina Felix,

'I am Augustus Paetus, Tribune and now acting Legate of what is left of the III Legion Italica. I write this to you because Nero always spoke so highly of you. I find it difficult to think of the right words to say to soften the blow of this news, so perhaps it is best to speak plainly; Events here on the Seleucid front have turned against the Roman army. Augustus Silanus was killed in action on the North Pass facing forces almost twice his number. But that is not the news I now write to you about. The fact is, the III legion went into battle against a force two and a half times our size and were soundly beaten. Nero Porpertius, your friend and my mentor, fell at the swords of the Seleucid monster!'

Kaeso seized up in shock and disbelief. He thought it must be a mistake or a sick joke. He held his head in his hands for a while as it felt as though he might loose his balance and fall off his chair. Reality struck at last and he stared at the letter in his hand, dreading to read on. He built his courage up and timidly read on;

'I felt that it was my duty as his Tribune to relay this to you in my own hand. I have made an account of the actions that took place on this front over the past month. It is perhaps as much for me as it is for you to tell this story so that we might come to terms with it all. Before I begin my account, know that Nero died with the bravery and Heroism that I have only read about in the old stories! This may not bring much comfort, but perhaps my account of his actions will show you what I mean.

'So then, where shall I begin? My account goes as follows;'



Kaeso's headache grew more brutal as he read on. He was on his third bottle of wine and did not even bother to drink from a cup anymore. Through the wine and the headache he focused as best he could on Paetus' letter;

'It was the I Adiutrix who first engaged the Seleucid forces in the North Pass. Augustus Silanus was confidant in his men as they had seen much action with him. These events I shall describe are from a letter from Quintus Maxentius, Tribune and acting Legate of the First.

The Seleucids fielded many elephant beasts along with their hordes of pikemen. The First was out numbered and, in many ways, were inferior to the army that faced them.

Silanus was no rookie commander though.
He had faith in his legion! This comes from Quintis, who as you might have heard was no great admirer of his commander.

Silanus ordered skirmishers to engage the elephants as far away from the legion as they could.

Some of the beast turned on their Seleucid masters and rode into their own lines.

Many more of the monsters bypassed the skirmishers and attacked the First's line as the enemy pikemen engaged them.

The Legionaries had to muster up all their courage to combat the Elephants and pikemen at the same time.

A melee ensued that, as Quintis describes "would rouse and terrify the soul!"

Silanus overlooked the carnage and spotted the skirmishers being engaged by enemy cavalry.

Silanus was not one to stand idly by while there was a fight to be had. Quintus describes his action as rash, but far-be-it for me to speak ill of the dead. In any case, Silanus charged out to help the skirmishers.

Even Quintis says he fought with vigorous bravery, but in the end he was overwhelmed by the enemy cavalry and cut down.

The First fought on with Quintis now giving the orders.

He and his cavalry were probing the enemy for vulnerabilities when he spotted the enemy commander and charged him.

Liked him or not, Quintis took revenge on the Seleucid commander for killing his own!

The leaderless armies continued to hack away at each other in earnest.

The First surrounded the enemy main body and crushed it!

After all that fighting, the First had no time to rest as Seleucid reinforcements were coming into the fray.


After yet more bitter fighting, they broke the last of the Seleucids.

Their heroic victory was overshadowed by their 500 men lost in the killing fields, including their much admired commander.



Quintis, despite the death of his Legate, continued on to besiege Tarsus with the sound knowledge that the Third was still at the west pass ready to make our move.

Who could have foreseen the disaster that awaited us?'

Kaeso took another swig from his wine bottle only to find that it was empty. He looked at the long letter. Wary to read on without the firm support of alcohol, he decided that he could use a brake to search for a new bottle.


Kaeso staggered out into the camp in search of more stores of wine. It was a black night but for the orange glow of the torches and all was very quiet. The mumblings of Decimus could be heard clearly in the cool air down the road. Kaeso strained to see through the dark and only just made out Decimus' form drifting from one side of the road to the other. He could hear him shouting garbled blame at the world for his lost brother. Most of what he said was indistinguishable and intermixed with half laughs and crying. All could be described as drunken insanity and it freighted Kaeso.

Kaeso leaned against a wall and called over a sentry of the watch. "Get him to his bunk before he hurts himself." he ordered. The sentry saluted and ran over to the despairing Tribune. After Kaeso saw that Decimus was cooperating, he returned to his desk. He decided that wine would no longer help him and he needed to focus on the last part of the letter so he might find something to help is grief-stricken comrade. He found a jug of water and dumped a bit of it on his head to clear his mind. After he sobered up a little, he took a breath and forced himself to read on;

'So, it fell to us to clear out the main body of the Seleucid forces around Tarsus in order to secure the Firsts flank. The problem was the approach. There was no easy way at them. There was no way we could fight one group at a time. It was all or nothing!

Nero knew we were considerably outnumbered. He had no wish to see his legion destroyed, so he formed a plan. He would attack and assess the Seleucid's capabilities, and if they proved too overwhelming, he would withdraw from the fight and link up with the First in the north to provide mutual support.

‘All lower commanders and centurions were clear on this point should Nero fall in battle before the order was given. In fact, Nero's death was to be a clear signal to do just that. That was the plan. It was clear and sound and we all knew it. We all knew it.'

Some ink drops dotted the area immediately after this sentence indicating that Paetus stopped writing for some time, perhaps lost in thought.

The letter continued; 'It was the elephants that Nero determined were the biggest threat to us. We hired some pirate harpoon men to add some strength to our skirmisher line, which he thought would be critical in this fight. The skirmishers hid in the woods on the right flank ready to give those monsters a good freight as they advanced.

'At first, the elephants charged strait at our lines in a frontal assault. They were met by solid and accurate flaming missile fire from our archers and later a pila volley from the infantry.

The beasts fell into disorder and began goring one another before staggering back to their own lines.

'Next came an elephant charge on our right. The skirmishers waited until the right moment and leapt out of the woods to ambush them! It worked almost perfectly!

The elephants again withdrew in confusion! All the while, the Seleucid main body continued to approach, but a little too slowly.

I see it so clearly now that they were waiting for something. Perhaps if I...'

The next few lines were blacked out. Whatever Paetus wrote, he meant it not to be known.

'I never saw them coming! I was with the cavalry on the left, again hidden in the woods, when the giants plowed right through us, trampling horse and man alike. I told the cavalry to run for their lives, but only a few of my bodyguard and I survived Perhaps that might have been the ideal moment to withdraw the legion, but it was too late.

The Seleucid main body engaged just as the elephant force on our left, supported with cavalry, charged into our rear. Nero charged out to meet them.

Reserve cohorts tried to get to the left flank before the Seleucid forces, now supported with throngs of pikemen, overwhelmed us, but they could not make it in time.

'With all the confusion, no one saw Nero go down. It was his guard that was the last line of defense to protect our rear, and they all fought to the last man, Nero included!'

Tear drops dotted the last part of the paper as Kaeso read on and the words on the paper became shaky with emotion.

'The enemy cavalry tore through our archers, butchering them.

To their infinite credit, some infantry cohorts rallied and met the enemy cavalry, killing most of them, including the commander of the Seleucid forces!


This was not enough to give us any hope of victory, though. Indeed, the battle was all but lost! More elephants charged into beleaguered cohorts who had no way of defending themselves.


Our main line was crumbling. If there was any hope of victory at all, it was dashed as the aquifer was cut down and our eagle captured by the enemy!

I ordered retreat to all those units who were not already doing so. Some cohorts tried to stay in the fight to buy their brothers more time to escape. I never saw a single man from any of those units again!

'What few of us men were left in what use to be the III Italica ran as fast as our legs or horses could take us, to our infinite and everlasting disgrace!



All our dead were left to our enemy and the carrion birds. Nero lies with them. How I wish I could go back to that place and take his body back to give him the funeral a true soldier deserves. It is not a place for a man like that to be left in.

The loss I feel overwhelms me to my very core! I can only imagine it must be a thousand times greater for you and Decimus. I don't know if my words will bring you or him any comfort, but they are words that must be written, if only for my sake.

I morn for your loss and pray that you might forgive me one day. I know I could never forgive myself.

'Augustus Paetus, Tribune and acting Legate, Legio III Italica.'

Kaeso rolled the scrolls back up and waited for what thoughts might come to him. For a long while nothing came to him and he only was aware of the morning camp routines beginning as the sun threatened to rise. Slowly thoughts drifted in to his head. He thought about blaming Paetus for Nero's death, but then decided it was not in the least anything he did, and wholly forgave him. He thought of breaking the siege of Sinope and marching south to take some revenge on the Seleucids. That appealed to him, but then he thought of something else.

Just then, Kaeso's assistant came in. "Good morning, Legate!" he said in a cheery tone.

"Get some paper and a pen!" Kaeso barked with fear-inducing force. His assistant dropped his cheer and grabbed the asked for items.

"To whom shall I make this out to, Legate?" he asked.

"I have an old friend in Rome who has the power to decide the fate of our empire, one way or another!"



All across the Empire, most of the once mighty and feared Roman Legions were either completely on the defensive or in full retreat or redeployment.

The year was quickly becoming one of the bloodiest years in Rome's history! One legion had been destroyed and two more badly mauled. The campaign to take Tarsus in Asia Minor was an utter failure. The Gallic border was about to be overrun. The Carthaginian campaign was becoming the butt of many jokes in the bathhouses.

Neither the winter sandstorms in the east nor the snow flurries in the west brought any relief to the beleaguered troops. The I Adiutrix had to retreat from the siege of Tarsus due to overwhelming enemy forces. The Seleucids chased them through the plains and into the mountains where they made a stand.


The First was able to beat back a Seleucid army, causing the other forces to stop their pursuit long enough for the legion to make a getaway.



The VII Gemina Filex was attacked by a Pontic force, who was emboldened by the recent successes of the Seleucids.


Kaeso, in a show of a growing brilliant military mind, soundly defeated them with minor losses and was planning on taking Sinope on the first clear day that presented itself.




Despite this bright spot in the region, the new found boldness of their enemy was unnerving.



Rome, 553AuC;

Luca Caesarinnus had returned to Rome, after being forced to retire, to a hero's welcome, much to his surprise.

What had become known as the North Road Campaign had made Luca something of a hero in the Imperial capital. The senate soon after appointed him to the post of Censor, and Luca immediately set out to undermined Asinius, his old Dux and rival. Corruption charges seemed to be the easiest to prove. Embezzlement of goods and moneys was common practice among Roman generals. Luca himself had even done it, but strictly speaking, it was an illegal practice so Luca could fulfill his threat to Asinius the last time they spoke to each other.

Life was good for Luca. He had a prominent position in the Roman government, he was a war hero and he was on the verge of taking down his greatest rivals. He basked in these facts in his private bathhouse with some of Rome's most beautiful and prominent young women when a century of Praetorian Guards burst in.

"How dare...!" Luca started but was interrupted by the Praetorian commander.

"Legate Caesarinnus, The Consul of Rome wishes to see you."

"What, right now?"

The Praetorians were not known for their patience or understanding, so characteristically the Commander of the Guard barked, "Legate, if you are not dressed and ready in three minutes, we will bag you and drag you to the Consul, either way is fine with me!" with that, two guards were placed at the doorway to prevent Luca's escape and the rest waited outside. Luca decided to get dressed.

Luca was escorted through the streets to the consul's palace. At the palace, the Praetorians left him with the palace guards, who escorted him through a maze of hallways and atriums. They came at last to a dark small room with several large caldrons emitting some sort of vapor that was harsh on Luca's nostrils. In one dark corner was a large bed draped with curtain and in the other corner was a desk with two empty chairs and one occupied by a pale, sickly, hunched, ghost of a man who led the whole of the Roman World.

"General Caesarnnius, please sit," said the consul in a crackly, strained voice. Luca did so.

"Your Praetorians seem like they could use a little restraint, your Consulship," Luca commented.

"My Praetorians do exactly as I tell them, Legate." The consul responded sternly.

Luca, now embarrassed, decided to move on to business matters. "You summoned me, Consul?"

"Have you been keeping up with current events around the empire?" The Consul asked.

Luca shifted in his chair, "Mainly with local events, but I get letters from some old colleges from Asia Minor that keep me appraised of what goes on there."

"How would you assess the present situation?"

Luca thought very carefully. He had learned much about speaking to his superiors since leaving the East. "I would say that things are worrisome and could easily turn for the worst, though are not completely ill-reparable."

The Consul smiled, "Well put, Censor! That is how I feel also, though things are perhaps a bit graver than that. The Gauls are as strong as they have been in 50 years! One more ill fortune and our western frontiers may collapse. The East is no better. Our reverse at Tarsus has left us with a fragile defensive line to protect our conquered territory."

"As I understand it, the Seleucids too, took a beating from us?"

"The enemy force defending the city is indeed battered, but my spies report that there is a large army near Antioch moving towards Tarsus that could overwhelm any one of our legions!"

"It is a most worrisome state of affairs, but, forgive me, what does this have to do with me, Consul? I am no longer in the army."

"It is you, good Luca, that may very well hold the fate of the Empire in your hands!" Luca was shocked at such a statement and looked to the Consul to explain further. The Consul weakly rose from his chair and walked over to one of the steaming caldrons. He poured some liquid into it which made it steam more profusely and stared at the mist for a moment before finally continuing on. "Tell me, how does the case with Dux Stolo go?"

Luca again was at a loss for the meaning of the question. His brain strained to make a connection, but still coming to no conclusion he said slowly, "It is pending still. I have my evidence against him, but the courts, as you know, are quite backed up."

The Consul looked at Luca with a furled brow. He knew that with a word Luca could have the case heard within the day. Luca was merely savoring the agony Asinius must be going through waiting for something to happen. He sat again and looked at Luca with a more pleasant expression. "I know you are a man of the Senatorial faction, and as such, opposed to my power. I know that many of my actions have been to undermine the power of the Senate. But I tell you now that I fear for our country! The events that will transpire in the next few years will define my Consulship! I would rather be known as a statesmen and conqueror of barbarian lands than the man who brought Rome to its decline. This is where you come in."

Luca listen very closely now as the Consul continued, "As I am sure you know, Legate Silanus was killed last year along with his would-be successor, Legate Propertius. The most senior commander is now Legate Maxentius on the VII Gemina Felix, who, though proving himself to be a capable commander, is far to inexperienced to lead all our Eastern armies..."

Something clicked in Lucas mind. He came to a horrible realization and interrupted the Consul, "No, your Consulship! If you are about to ask me what I think your going to, than I cannot accommodate you!"

"Cannot or will not?"

"You do not know what that man did to me! All my life I wanted to lead men into battle! I waited over 50 years before I got my chance! Asinius Stolo took that all away from me! If you have ever had a dream taken away from you, you would know what kind of pain he has inflicted on me! Now you ask me to drop the charges I have brought up on him?! You ask me to deny myself of my revenge, so rightfully deserved?! How could I?"

The Consul remained calm and understanding, "Luca, I sympathize with you, please know that. If there is anyone so deserving of vengeance it is you, and perhaps the gods will accommodate you one day. But I too have a dream. I dream they our country will rule the world one day! I believe it is men like you and me who will be the caretakers of that dream to see it is fulfilled. But if you were to stand in the way of the Roman Dream, would not Rome have the right to exact its revenge on you?

"You have the ear of the Senate. You have the fate of Asinius in your palm. I have 3 legions returning from Africa. If I must divide them between Asia and Gaul, we will surely loose on both fronts. But if Asinius, the most veteran commander in the east, were allowed to rally his forces and stem the Seleucid and Pontic tides, those legions would be free to attack Gaul and victory would be within our grasp!"

Luca was red-faced with anger and self pity. The Consul could tell that his words did not persuade so he pulled out a letter. "This is from Kaeso Maxentius, your old Tribune. If I have not persuaded you here, than please read his letter before you make your final decision. The Carthaginian legions will rally in Sicilia in 10 days. I must send them my orders in five days as to where they are to sail from there. You have that long to make your choice.

Please understand, Legate, that I am not against you. But you must decide what is more important to you; your vengeance, or your country? My slaves will take you home on my personal carriage. Good luck to you and us all!"

With that, Luca stood and bowed to the Consul, than turned and left for home with much on his mind.


Censor Luca Caesarnnius,

I write to you because you know what the situation here in this land is better then any man in Rome. You have seen the blood spilt here. You have observed the resolve of our enemies. You have known the men who have died in this place. I tell you now that I knew a man better then any other I have known in all my life that will sleep in this land for all eternity!

I say these things because our situation is now more desperate than any we knew while you commanded this legion in the darkest days on the North Road. We only barely survived this last winter, and I fear that we will not survive the next if you do not here what I have to say now. You will not like it, but please, I beg you to indulge your loyal Tribune.

I now find myself as acting Dux of the meager forces in Asia Minor. Just last year, I was a new Legate, and the year before nothing but a humble Tribune under your patronage. I have learned enough to know I have no right to the title which I now hold. All the men who were worthy to hold it are now dead. So then, there is but one man in the entire East who now must command this land if it is to be saved; Asinius Stolo.

Because you alone hold the fate of Asinius in your hands, so too do you hold the fate of all Sons of Mars who now struggle to survive in Asia. I know, better than most, how much General Stolo has wronged you. There is no man who deserves vengeance more than you, but there is more at stake here. If we lose here, I fear that the future of our Empire is in danger.

I beg of you my old general to release Asinius from his exile. If you cannot do it for Rome or for yourself, then do it for your old legion and for me. I have faith that you will make the hard choice as when you chose to scale the walls of Nicomedia. I disagreed with you then, but you knew better. So now, know that it is I who know the best course of action here and give Asinius back his command. If you do so, I will personally forever be in your debt for all my life, for it will allow me a full life to live.

I remain you humble and ever loyal Tribune,

Kaeso Maxentius, Legate, Legio VII Gemina Felix.

-------------------------------

Pergamum, 553AuC;

Asinius Stolo had not been seen in public since he heard of the death of Nero. His aids rarely had contact with him and most business that was done with him was by slipping letters and papers under the door of his room and waiting for a paper in reply to be slipped back out again. His aide-de-camp thumbed through a stack of papers and picked out what would be worth the General's time. He slipped the small pile under the door and walked away to conduct his business.

On the other side of the door, Asinius flipped through the pile until he came to one in particular. He opened it with his dagger and read the brief note;

Dux Asinius Stolo,

In the interests of the Empire, all charges brought against you are hereby dropped. You may resume you duties as Proconsul and Dux as before. This is not over between you and me.

Luca Caesarnnius, Censor of Rome.

Asinius burst out of the door and looked down the hall where his aid was walking down. "Corinius!"

The aid turned to see who had called him. It took a second for him to realize it was Asinius. "General, is something..."

"Get everybody ready! We ride out this afternoon!"

"What is going on, Dux?"

"Retribution, my man! We have a total war to wage!"

-------------------

Outskirts of Byzantium;

Placus Maxentius had sat on the Dacian frontier, what little remained of it, for the past two years while receiving all the reports of Roman setbacks in Asia Minor. After the defeat of the III Italica, he sent a formal letter to Rome asking for his IV Scythia to be allowed to cross the Bosphorus and reinforce the other legions there. When no reply came, he decided to break his orders and march his men to Byzantium to find ships and cross the sea himself.

It was now evening on the fourth day of the march and he was about to stop and set camp for the night.

Byzantium itself was within view and would only take a few hours more to reach, but the men were tired after marching 25 miles a day since they started!

A rider from the city galloped with all possible speed towards the legion. Placus trotted out to meet him. The rider saluted and said, "General Maxentius, I have a message for you from Dux Stolo..."

"'Dux' Stolo?!"

"Yes, Legate. He has been reinstated to his former post. He wishes for you to make your way into Asia Minor as quickly as you can, and to meet with him in Ancyra in a week's time for a meeting of all Legates in the region."

"Very good! Tell me, where is the Roman fleet?"

"The Dux has dispatched it this morning. It will be here tonight. This message was carried on an advance ship."

"Tell the governor that my legion will be there tonight and the Admiral that we will depart in the morning!" With that, the messenger saluted and rode back to the city. Placus rode back to his men and shouted in a booming voice, "Come on, boys! We got a few more miles in us tonight!"

----------------------------------------------

Sinope;

The morning had been a good one for Kaeso.


He stormed the gate of Sinope with his cavalry and charged on the city center.

After a heated engagement with the enemy defenders,

he was now in control of the city which he had been fighting to get to for the past six years.


He had Decimus take care of looting duties while he found a quiet corner of the palace to reflect and rest a bit. A messenger came in just as Kaeso was nodding off. The messenger, seeing he had disturbed him, approached Kaeso cautiously.

"Legate," he saluted, "I would not have disturbed you, but the messenger that came said it was urgent." He handed Kaeso a letter from Asinius.

'To Kaeso Maxentius,
You are hereby relieved of your duties as acting Dux.'

"Thank the gods!" Kaeso said with a smile. As he read on, the messenger backed out quietly, trying to reach the door. "Wait," said Kaeso. The messenger froze thinking this was the end of him. "Find my Tribune and tell him to take care of things with the legion. I am leaving in the morning for Ancyra."

"Yes, Legate!" the messenger said with great relief. He was about to close the door behind him when Kaeso spoke again;

"Also, short of the Pontic army attack the walls or the pits of Hades opening up to swallow us whole, I do not wish to be disturbed again tonight."

"Yes, Legate." With that he shut the door.





Outskirts of Ancyra, 553AuC;

Placus was the last to arrive at the villa.

Kaeso greeted him warmly.

"Brother, Welcome to Ancyra! How was the road in?"

"Long and too hot, but a nice change from the Dacian wastelands I have been staring at for the past few years. I take it I am the last to arrive?"

"Yes, except for the man himself. Dux Stolo appears to be late for his own party, but I'll introduce you to the others: This is Legate Titus Corvinius of the VII Claudia."

"Greetings, Legate," said Placus, "I have heard you are getting a little more than you bargained for out here?"

"That’s what a legion is for. It beats rotting away on the German frontier."

I'd imagine so."

Kaeso continued, "And this is Quintis Maxentius, I believe our second cousin?"

"Something like that," said Quintis with a smile.

"How is the first holding up?"

"It's beat up, but we are still in this fight. Reinforcements are on the way so we will be back to full strength by the end of the year."

"Glad to hear."

Titus and Quintis returned to the conversation they were having before Placus arrived, so Kaeso and Placus talked quietly between themselves.

"So how is the family?" asked Kaeso.

"Well. The new baby is as strong as an ox!"

"Ha, ha, good! Congratulations to you, brother."

"Thank you. It was some poor timing getting sent here though. I had to leave my family in Byzantium."

"It's for the better I am sure, given the present state of things."

"How are things here anyway? I mean currently?"

"Well, it's... "

Just then, Asinius came in the door and all the legates snapped to attention.

"As you were, my friends." Everyone sat and Asinius gathered his thoughts for a moment. The Legates looked him over and noticed that he looked 10 years younger. Being back in command revived his spirits to soaring heights.

"As you are all aware," he started,
"We have had a rough time all around the empire. I hate to be the barer of even more ill news, but I have received word that we have lost another legion in Gaul! The I Italica."


A murmur of shock went around the table. "Only the III Gallica and what is left of the I Germanica are all that stand in the way of the Gallic onslaught. On the bright side, three legions from the Carthaginian front are just a few months away from reaching Massilia, if our forces can hold out that long.

"On to local matters, first of all, congratulations, Kaeso, on taking Sinope. It is a well deserved victory!"

"Thank you, Dux."

"Now, on to the Tarsus problem;

both our forces and theirs are in a poor state and we are in a race to see who can mass more forces the fastest. The only legion strong enough for any attack right now is the VII Claudia. How is your legion's situation, Titus?"

"I wouldn't want to go into that valley alone, Dux, but if they attack us, I think we can hold our own."

"And how is the Adiutrix, Quintis?"

"It's in pretty bad shape, but we have good fortifications to make the Seleucids think twice before attacking us."

"Good. Placus, I hear you are having supply troubles?"

"Yes, Dux. I am working on establishing a route from Southern Greece through Helicarnisus, but some unrest in the city is making things slow."

"Move them along as best you can. We can't make any real progress until you are up and ready. Kaeso, get yourself some replacements and then make your way to Mazaka.

I am recalling the Axillias from across the sea, so you will have a little support for once.

"I am ordering the III Italica to be rebuilt. Tribune Paetus and the remnant of the III is in Myra awaiting recruits. I have also ordered a new legion razed in the region, the XXII. By the time Tarsus is taken, I hope to have 4 assault and 2 occupation legions ready to strike into the heart of Pontus, finally ending one of our wars at least.

"If there are no questions, then return to your legions and lets start reminding those bastard Seleucids why they fear the Roman Army!"

Asinius left just as quickly as he came and the legates stood to say there goodbyes.

"Take care of yourself out there, little brother," Placus said to Kaeso.

"Always! Let's show our enemies how the Maxentius' brothers fight!"


North Valley pass, winter, 553Auc;

The VII Claudia waited for weeks for the IV Scythia to come up. Then it waited months. There had been almost no word from anywhere in Asia Minor for some time, and Titus Corvinius was beginning to feel isolated and alone.

Every morning, the legion was roused, took its morning meal, marched a mile and a half to its defensive position and formed in battle order to wait for the Seleucids.

There they waited all day, telling the same old stories to one another and then telling them again. When the Seleucids didn’t come, the legion march a male and a half back to camp for evening meal and bedded down for the night only to do the same thing the next day.

One day, while they sat under a sun that no longer offered much heat through the cold that now drifted down off the mountains, a dust cloud appeared at the far end of the valley. Everyone knew it was the Seleucids finally coming to counter attack. The day after, the cloud came closer and the men's spirits rose with anticipation. Still the next day they could smell the enemy army on the wind and by days end the Seleucid camp was in view.

Titus scouted the enemy that night and found that the enemy brought elephants along with them; the same beasts who took part in the destruction of the III Italica.

Morning came again, and Titus knew that a battle awaited him before nightfall. His troops were displaying what he could only describe as a somber cheeriness as they marched through that now all-too-familiar mile and a half to their defensive positions.

It was mid-afternoon before the Seleucids finally were in attack formation.

Though still daylight, the sun dipped below the western mountains, filling the valley with soft shadows. It might have been a pretty sight to the casual observer, but the armies who now filled the land had only thoughts of death and glory on their minds.

The Seleucids came at the Roman line in a full frontal assault. This struck Titus as odd as there was more than enough room for maneuvers for a competent commander to execute. Needless to say, the lead ranks of the Seleucid line were decimated!


The biggest worry on Titus' mind was those forsaken elephants. He poured as many missiles as he had into the animals.

The beasts that didn't fall soon turned on their masters and ripped gaps in the enemy line.

With the elephants taken down, the Seleucids had no real flanking force left to them.

They did their best to ware down the Roman line, but it was a futile task with so many Roman reserves.

Titus didn’t want to wait for it to get to that point, so he sent the cavalry around to the rear of the Seleucid line and charged.


It took very little persuasion to convince the survivors to run back to Tarsus.


Titus was very confused. This was a relatively small Seleucid force that was sent against him, considering how many he knew were marching up from Antioch. They made a futile frontal attack on an entrenched Roman legion as though it was the desperate final act of a near defeated enemy.

Titus could not rap his head around it. He called up some scouts into his tent after the battle. "Ride out and find Dux Stolo. This whole situation does not sit right with me, and I want answers!" The scouts acknowledged and left to find Asinius.



Just two days later, the scout returned with the general in trail. He explained that he happened upon the Dux just a day out from camp and that Asinius was in fact on his way to the Claudia when the scout found him.

Titus greeted Asinius and showed him into his command tent, offering some wine and refreshments.

"It would appear you wish to speak to me?" Asinius commented to Titus.

"Yes, Dux. I was surprised to find you so close."

"I have been traveling from legion to legion just to show the troops I am back in business."

"Of course. If I might beg of you to direct the conversation to more official matters..."

"Yes please. Go right ahead. It is why I am here."

Titus sat down and took a sip of wine to gather his thoughts. "We have been a little isolated here for the past few months. The IV has not yet come up, and we just had an under-strength Seleucid army attack us several days ago. I found that a bit odd considering all their forces you said were en rout to Tarsus. I sent for word from our spies in the area and they say Tarsus has only a moderate garrison protecting it. I was curious what you might make of all this?

Asinius reflected for a moment. "Well, Legate, I must admit to you that there are great things in motion right now which you are in the middle of. That is part of why I am here now. I have a task for you." Titus looked at Asinius with great interest as he went on. "I want you to take your legion to Tarsus, defeat the forces there and take the city."

Titus waited for a further explanation, but when none came he said, "Just like that? You want to send me on a suicide mission?"

"The forces around Tarsus, as you said, are weak. You should be able to contend with them."

"It is not Tarsus I am worried about, Dux. It is those 5000 troops at Antioch that will swoop down upon us like the fires of Hades that concerns me."

I would not think too much about that. Perhaps they won't come at all?" Asinius was a bad liar at times.

"Tarsus is the Seleucid's last stronghold in Asia Minor! They have lost as many troops defending it as we have! No, Dux, they will respond to an attack there!" Titus was becoming aggravated. It was clear Asinius had something planned and that he had no intention of sharing it with him.

Asinius saw that Titus was catching on and became forceful, "Titus, you are too smart for your own good! You have your instructions. Now, either you're going to carry them out or I am going to have to find your replacement, which will it be?"

"That is not necessary, Dux. If my men are to be slaughtered, the least I could do is be there with them. If you will excuse me, I have preparations to make!" Titus stood to see the General out.

Asinius got the hint and rose slowly. "Titus, just remember that I don't give an order like this without great consideration. Just remember that." With that, Asinius left.

-----------------------

Titus made preparations for his attack on Tarsus.

The best he could figure, the attack on him in the North Pass was to make him think the Seleucids were weaker than they were and sucker him into an attack. There the city garrison would ware down his forces and, once the city was taken, the Seleucids would overwhelm the battle weary legion.

It seemed like that was the case as the VII found the majority of enemy units outside the city without any fortifications set up. They were simply waiting for him. Titus faced a fight against battle-hardened troops who had defeated 2 Roman legions already! As he made his way towards the main enemy army, he learned that a smaller force from the city was shadowing him.

He might have to divide his forces to combat both groups which would surely be the end of him and his men. 'I must keep my forces together at all cost!' Titus thought to himself. Both enemy armies were marching to meet the VII and time was running short for Titus to act. He ordered a countermarch to the rear of all the infantry while the archers and cavalry screened his rear.

"Sound the charge!" he ordered his trumpeter.

"You want a full scale attack on that small force, Legate?"

"Damn you, I don't want you questioning orders, just carry them out!"

With a look of disapproval, the Trumpeter sounded the charge and the Legionaries were unleashed onto the small Seleucid force, overwhelming them in moments.

Titus stopped the advance and ordered yet another countermarch to the rear to meet the main enemy army, which was now barring down on the archers and cavalry.

The Legionaries again rushed in to reform a new line. They arrived just in the nick of time to form up and a moment later, the Seleucids launch a furious attack!


The battle lines battered each other, but the Roman line would not budge or be tempted into getting tangled up in the pike forest in front of them. They kept their shields together and held until the right moment.

The real fight took place on the flanks. The Seleucid deployed their elephants on the right. Titus ordered Skirmishers to hold them off. The skirmishers launched their volleys of javelins into the elephants and routed them before they ever came into the fight.

On the left, swordsmen tried to flank the roman line, but Titus had his reserves defending his flanks. The reserve cohorts were able to mass as the enemy came up and protect the valuable flanks.

The Roman cavalry helped out and routed the swordsmen, securing the left.

The right too had a stroke of good luck. The enemy elephants charged out of control into the rear of the flanker forces there, routing the right flank of the Seleucids as well!


That left only the pikemen to deal with.

Again the roman cavalry swung around to the enemy rear and charged the Seleucid lines.

They broke off and charged again and again until the hardy pikemen began to waver and rout on parts of the line.

This left gaps for the Roman troops to get through and outflank the enemy.

The pikemen fought hard, but Titus wanted this battle over with. He ordered all reserves forward and pressed the attack with full fury!

The Seleucids could not withstand such a determined attack and were soon all slaughtered.

It was beyond belief for a moment that the VII Claudia, an occupation legion destined to a dull life on a forsaken frontier, have now taken the most defended city in the east from forces that routed 2 of Rome's best legions. It was only after this fact finally sunk in that the men gave a heartfelt cheer for their commander and themselves!

Titus was not convinced. It was just a little too easy. He ordered the troops to rally and gather the dead and wounded before taking their prize.



---------------------------------

The people of Tarsus were not treated kindly by the Romans. Fires and screaming raged on through the nights.

Titus took little notice of any of it. He was waiting. Lookouts were posted in the east pass for the attack he knew was coming.

It was only a few week when the reports of Seleucid armies marching on the city came in. The city was under siege just a few days later with the VII trapped inside. Titus spent much of his time on the walls cursing Asinius' name.

A month went by. Something was on the air. It was carried on the wind and sent chills down the Seleucid's spines while filling the Romans with courage and defiance. It was just a feeling at first, but then the dust clouds could be seen in the west and north.

As Titus looked at them, everything became clear in his mind. He was not a sacrifice but the bait to a Roman trap! Asinius never intended to leave Titus to the slaughter. He felt a release of all the feelings that had been piling up inside of him the past few months as three Roman legions came poring out of the mountains. He knew then that the time had come for the Roman Empire to get some payback on their Seleucid foes!




The Roman legions in Asia Minor were tired. They hated the city of Tarsus. It stirred nothing but bad memories of all the blood that was spilt to take it. They finally saw the end in sight to kick the Seleucids out of the peninsula once and for all. The only thing left was the final battle to destroy the last Seleucid army in the region. This task fell to the IV Scythia while the other legions supported.

Aenesidemos of Sidon headed this last army and knew he was the last major Seleucid army between Tarsus and Antioch. He was an old war horse of a general, respected by Greek and Roman alike. He had fought the Ptolemiecs, Pontics, Pergamums and Romans all his life, and now he knew this would be his last battle. His aim was to defeat one of the Roman legions and slip his men across the River to the safety of Antioch, where they would defend the city against Roman assaults. If he succeeded, he would retire and live the rest of his days in the arms of his beloved wife. If he failed... well, he wished not to think of it.

He did not wallow in the thought of eminent defeat, however. In truth, he thought he had a reasonable chance at victory. He had seen first hand that Roman legions were mortal, and that he had more experience as a commander than the Romans, with better quality troops. But, half his army consisted of light troops and he had few veteran units, with less men all together than the Romans.

With all this pressing on his mind, he sat down to write to his wife for a while. He lost all track of time and reality as he inked in the letters on the papyrus. It was his aid that finally came in to give him the news that the Romans had been spotted. Aenesidemos stuffed the letter in his breast plate and got his men ready to move out.

------------------------------------------

Aenesidemos hid his men in the woods.

The Romans had to send scouts out to find the Seleucids, which took them most of the morning.

When Placus Maxentius finally had the fix on his enemy, he formed his men and moved in.

A hail of arrows screamed out of the woods and into the Roman lines. Placus sent in his archers to return fire, but they could not see their targets, and were firing blind.


Aenesidemos had given up the high ground in favor of the concealment of the woods. He hoped that the Placus would get sucked into them causing his forces to get disorganized. Then Aenesidemos would strike and destroy the Romans in detail.

He sent some of his light troops to try to coax the Romans into the woods.

Placus would not budge and ordered his men to stand fast. More light units were sent in, but the Romans would not advance until they could do it as one body. Aenesidemos could tell Placus was no fool.

He decided not to sacrifice any more of his men to a useless cause. When the Romans were satisfied that the Seleucids were not coming again, they marched into the woods.

After a bitter pila volley, the Romans charged the Seleucid line.


This was the queue for Lentius and the Roman cavalry to make for the Seleucid rear and wreak havoc.

Aenesidemos knew the Roman cavalry was out hiding in the woods and kept his own cavalry in reserve. Now that the Romans were making their move, he sent his men to counter the Roman horsemen. It was bitter, confused fighting.


As many men were knocked off their mounts by unseen branches as by enemy weapons! In the end, the Seleucid raider cavalry was no match for the heavy Roman horsemen.

With the flank open, Placus sent in the skirmishers to batter the elephants that had yet to enter the fight.

They did their job a little too well.

The behemoths charged strait into the fighting, trampling both Roman and Seleucid alike!


They caused such and uproar that both sides stopped fighting each other and worked at taking down the frantic animals.
At one point, Placus had to flee in the wake of the charging elephants through the Roman rear.

The last of the beasts were cut down and the dazed armies went back to the task of killing each other.

Aenesidemos could tell that his men were getting the worst of the fighting. He charged in to inspire his men.

He fought like a hero of Homer, slashing and stabbing through formations of Romans.

The Roman infantry grabbed and stabbed at him, but it seemed like the Greek general was unstoppable! A group of Romans formed together and cornered the general. As a team, they finally brought Aenesidemos off his horse and killed him.


What was left of the Seleucid army surrendered or fled when they saw their beloved general fall. There was no more fight left in them.


------------------------------

Placus walked the field to oversee the care of his wounded. He came to the spot where Aenesidemos had fallen, which was surrounded by the path of Roman soldiers he had cut down. He was about to move on when he saw a piece of papyrus sticking out of the Greek general's breastplate. Placus took it out and read a bit of it. It was a love letter to his wife, full of loving praise and apologies for being away from her for so long. It moved Placus deeply.

Lentius rode up and saw his Legate in a troubled state. "Is everything alright, Commander?"

"Yes. I was just taken with this letter I found on our rival's leader here." Placus handed the letter up to his Tribune.

Lentius skimmed it over and a thought occurred to him; "Is the battle for Tarsus really over?"

"I think it might be, at least for us anyway. The Seleucids may make another attempt or two on it, but they will never reach its ramparts again. But the war with Seleucia will plague the Legions for many years to come!"

"But not for us?"

"No. We are destined for the Pontic frontier. Tarsus is only a bad memory now for us."

Lentius came to a part in Aenesidemos' letter and read it aloud; "It seems our foe here has summed it up best for us; 'Yesterday, as the sun set behind the forsaken city of Tarsus, I went with my army away from it's bloodstained walls, knowing I will never set eyes upon it again (and I am happier for it!) I wonder if it was truly worth the Roman's gain, or our loss? As I looked at it, my love, all I saw was the city surrounded with 10,000 graves; the city not worth its cost; the city I Shall never see again! So now I walk to fields of hope once more, where I long to fall in your arms and find the only thing left in this troubled world worth its price 100 times over!'"

The body of Aenesidemos was buried by the Romans with full military honors with a headstone that read, "Walking in fields of hope." Placus also used the Roman spy network in Seleucia to get Aenesidemos' letter to his wife. Once all this was done, he marched his legion north to another endless war, where only fields of sorrow awaited them.



Posts: 131


554AuC,
River crossing south of Sinope;

Another blast from the catapults sent more fiery death towards the rebel band that blocked the VII Genima Felix's path.

Kaeso Maxentius waited for the sound to clear before continuing his sentence to Decimus and his aides, "So anyway, after Mazaka and Trebuzius are taken, the build up of our Asia Minor Armies will be at Sinope."

"Do you know what that means, Legate?" Decimus asked.

"The Dux did not elaborate. It might mean a combined naval and land invasion of Pontus's Northern holdings or something to that degree. The Dux told me not to worry about it at this time and focus on Mazaka."

"It seems to me..." An artillery volley launched again.

"It seems to me that the Dux might be planning an end game for Pontus."

"That does seem likely." A rider approached and handed Kaeso a letter from Asinius before leaving again. Kaeso read the letter as the artillery continued to fire volley after volley. Every time a round hit the enemy line, sending bodies and body parts flying, the legionaries gave a cheer.

One legionary smiled and padded his comrades on the back after a good hit. He turned to see if the Legate had seen it, but after seeing the look on Kaeso's face, his smile dead quickly.

A chill went coldly down his spine as he observed the color drain form his commander's complexion. The legionary had only seen that look on Kaeso once before: That night when the Pontics counter attacked Heracleia, nearly overrunning the legion. Kaeso, as Tribune, rode into the Pontics, trying to rescue the man's surrounded cohort. It was only this legionary that survived while the rest of the cohort had perished. Kaeso had walked next to him afterwards, trying to find some comforting words, but found none. Only that look hung on his head. It was the look of despair.

"What is it, Legate?" one of the aides asked, seeing the same look.

"The Germans have attacked and besieged one of our legions on the Ister Frontier.

Those German bastards parked two armies on the doorstep of our Bospheron ally's capital and told them they were with them or dead men. Bosphorus has broken its alliance with us."

"My gods!"

They all lost the ability to speak for several moments while the artillery fired away.

"How will this affect us, Legate?" asked another aide.

"For now, not at all. Our orders stand. The senate is building two new assault legions to bolster our frontier region." Kaeso's mind raced for a while as he watched the ordinance go down field. "Enough of this!" he shouted at last. "Cohorts 4, 7 and 8, get across that bridge!"

The cohorts, eager now to finish off the rebels, hastened across the bridge with Kaeso and the archers.

The enemy, now so badly battered and leaderless, thanks to a well placed round, had little fight in them left. The Rebels made one attempt to attack the Romans, but a pila and arrow volley knocked that idea out of their heads.

What few remained ran away under a heavy rain of Roman arrows.


The bridge was now secure and the VII marched across it, meeting up with Herennius Silanus and the Auxilia Corps. Together they made their way to Mazaka.



The defeat of the rebel army without Roman loss was a good start to the march, but Kaeso had seen good starts before, and knew how quickly they could go bad. With the Germans and Bosphorans now threats, the final conquest of Pontus was still very much in doubt. Kaeso did not want to take any chances with his men. He had every intention of surviving Asia Minor.


Author's note: sorry for the lack of screenshots at the end. Fraps decided to stop working half way through the battle.


Mazaka, 554AuC;

Visions of he near defeat at Nicomedia five years earlier played in Kaeso's mind. Mazaka had a good sized garrison to repel the Romans with. Though they were light troops for the most part, and could be easily brushed aside in an open field battle, they could inflict high casualties on the VII legion at bottlenecks throughout the city. The veterans of Nicomedia, who were precious few after all the fighting the legion had seen, were equally concerned with another assault on heavily defended walls.

Kaeso was not about to allow a butchers’ fest again. Though he eventually agreed with Luca about attacking Nicomedia, he still felt that the head long charge into the breaches was a waist of valiant lives. This time, things would be done with intention and cunning!

He scouted for the perfect location to hit. A tower that defended two walls that merged upon it was the first to feel the full wait of Roman artillery.

The walls themselves fell next, giving Kaeso the ability to attack from two different directions. But he did not yet attack.

The artillery continued to surgically destroy every tower that might cause unneeded loss. Still, he did not send the infantry. The archers advanced and loosed deadly volleys into the Pontic ranks.


With all the confusion now instilled into the enemy, Kaeso divided his legionaries into two groups of three cohorts each with the rest in reserve.

Once all were in position, the order to attack was given, and the cohorts pored into the city. The defenders at the breaches were quickly overrun.

The Romans cut them down with cold, calculated efficiency.

The Pontic general charged into the Roman units that cut him off from the rest of his men. But the Romans were already in place and waiting for him. He was met with a hail of Pila fire, cutting many of his men down.


Despite his bravery, he was no match for Roman discipline and training. The general and all his guard were killed for their efforts.


The Legionaries moved down the streets in close formation, covering one another from ambushes and flank attacks. The Pontic light infantry was not up to the task of holding against Roman lines. All the defenders ran away to the city center or else were killed.

The Romans reached the center, but held their attack until they were all up and concentrated. Kaeso rode in to form the final assault.

Only a unit of Phalanx infantry and a wing of dreaded Cappadocian cavalry were left to hold back the onslaught.

"Those cavalrymen are going to be a problem if I charged the infantry headlong into them," Kaeso commented to Decimus.

"Leave that to me, Legate! If you get the infantry in place, I will distract the cavalry long enough for our men to get in place."

The Pontics watched as the Romans formed up on the narrow street before the center square. They waited for the rush that was not coming. Instead, a small unit of Roman cavalry galloped into the center at full speed. They crossed in front of the Cappadocians who, unwilling to ignore such easy prey, charged after Decimus and his small guard. As the enemy cavalry gave chase, the Roman Cohorts raced in to the square. The Cappadocians stopped their chase to stop the infantry, but it was too late. The Roman line was formed and waiting for them as they clashed into their braced shield wall. The last of the Pontics did all they could, causing many casualties on the Romans, but it was a lost cause. The last Pontic fell and the city of Mazaka was Roman, acknowledged with the cheers of the VII Gemina.

After the streets were cleared and the dead were counted, Kaeso took scope of the battle. His losses were high, but manageable. His army was still intact and ready for whatever crossed their path.

He set about preparing the city to at least tolerate Roman rule before marching to Sinope to meet with the other legions for the final push to destroy the Pontics once and for all. A letter came from Luca, whom had been writing to Kaeso ever since he returned to Rome. Kaeso looked forward to them as they were full of his escapades with young noblewomen and lavish living as a war hero. Luca also usually included news of Kaeso's family, who Luca was looking after until such a time as it would be safe for them to join him in Asia Minor.

This letter, however, had none of the usual verse. Kaeso came storming out of the governor's palace and entered into the Roman garrison, where he found Decimus.

"Get the Troops ready!" Kaeso ordered. "We are leaving as soon as the baggage is packed!"

"Yes Legate!" responded Decimus, perplexed. "But, if I may, Why such urgency?"

"It appears that the new consul has made a move on the Senate. We are, in all likelihood, in a state of civil war!"


Rome, several months earlier...

The Ptolemaic diplomat spotted the grey-haired Censor of Rome and forced his way through the crowd, calling after him. Luca looked around for the one who was addressing him and fixed on the golden-robed Greco-Egyptian.

"Yes? Why do you call after me?" Luca asked curiously.

"Great Censor of Rome and hero of the much celebrated North Road campaign, I represent his most esteemed and high exaltedness, the Pharaoh, with the task of forming an alliance between your people and mine."

Luca was taken aback by this statement. In the first place, Egypt was allied to Pontus. They had broken their alliance with Rome in support of the former, which grieved the Roman people greatly, after all the money, recourses and manpower that was expended defending the Ptolomaics against the Seleucids. The Ptolomaics suffered terribly at the hands of the Seleucid armies, loosing all but a minor coastal city on the mainland in Africa. The Pharaoh now governed from the fortress island of Cypress.

In the second place, Luca was the Censor, and not a diplomat. He had little to do with such international matters. "This is quite an interesting and provocative proposal, but you should speak to a senator..."

"The illustrious Pharaoh commanded me to present these matters to you and you alone! If it is not you, than there shall be no offer from his majesty!"

Luca again was taken off guard. He tentatively took the scroll that the diplomat had offered him and said sheepishly, "I shall do what is in my power to do to make sure this is seen by the right people."

The diplomat bowed and withdrew back into the crowd.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Neither Luca nor the rest of the Roman world knew the turmoil the Ptolemaic Pharaoh had undergone to reach the decision to brake his alliance with Pontus. It was this same Pharaoh who had broken the alliance with Rome in the first place.

Long ago, when the great Augustus the Victor waged his conquests in Thrace and Western Asia Minor, the Pharaoh’s Empire was about to be overrun by the Seleucid hordes. The Seleucids approached him under the olive branch with a proposal not to attack the heartland of Egypt if the Ptolomaics sided with Pontus in the war that had just started with Rome. The Pharaoh, being young and naive, agreed to it in what turned out to be something too good to be true.

Seleucia only wanted the Ptolomaics and Romans divided so that they did not have to fight a two front war.

With the Romans fighting the Pontics, the Seleucids had time rampage through Egypt, turning the once mighty Ptolemaic Empire into an endangered Kingdom.




The Seleucids, however, did not count on loosing the battle for Asia.

The Ptolomaics held onto their last city like a wounded beast.

Luck intervened on their behalf when the Romans declared war on Seleucia, preventing them from finishing off the Pharaoh. It was the exploits of Luca and the VII Gemina that roused the hearts of the Greco-Egyptian people. They realized that it should have been Rome, their great and noble friend who defended them in their moment of tribulation, and not Pontus that they should have sided with.

The Pharaoh, however, had no hope of regaining favor with the Roman Republic. Realizing this, he decided to wait and bide his time. He had the time as the Seleucid devoted that vast majority of their armies at Tarsus, and he used it to great effect. He rebuilt his shattered army and stock piled resources for the re-conquest of his homeland, but he knew he would never succeed without Rome's help.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The death of Valerius Maxentius, the aged Consul of Rome was not a great shock to anyone. He had been dieing for years with all his illnesses. That left his son, Caius, to take the title of Consul, despite the protests of the senate.

Caius was no friend of the Senate and had often made the comment that he would disband them as soon as he had taken power.

The new Consul had 6 battle-hardened legions under his direct command, which were now fighting the Gauls. He had moved swiftly to take revenge on the Gallic hordes for the troubles they had inflicted on the defensive Roman forces of the north. He could take all of Gaul in just a couple of years, but he had other ambitions. He would take two of his legions to meet up with his Praetorians and march on Rome itself to proclaim himself Emperor!

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The Senate floor;

The Senators stared at Luca with wide-eyed bewilderment after he announced the purposed alliance with the Ptolomaics.


"Censor Caesennius," said Publius, the most powerful man in the Senate, "You must know that the Consul is now, as we speak, making preparations to march on this city and depose this Forum, do you not?"

"I do, Senator, but..."

"And you must also know the great blow to Roman pride that was dealt by the Ptolomaics when they sided with the Pontics, after all the fighting Roman armies had done on their behalf."

"Of course, Senator. If I may..."

"So how is it that you could come before this assembly with such... an insulting proposal?"

"To open up a second front in the East would be of great benefit to our legions there fighting the Pontics!"


Many senators began to laugh. "Come now, Censor! You talk as if the fighting in the East will continue!" said Senator Galerius. "You must know that the Eastern legions will be withdrawn to Thrace as soon as possible?"


Luca was about to fire back when Senator Tertius, Luca's closest ally in the Senate, spoke up; "Senators, It has been a long and trying day for all of us. Let us adjourn for the day and find a hot meal." The senators were in favor of the suggestion and begun to disperse. Tertius walked down to Luca and grabbed his shoulder, pushing him along. "Luca, my old friend, are you mad? The Senators are terrified of being murdered in their sleep by the Praetorians, and you talk of alliances with our enemies!" He snickered at the thought.

Luca was still gathering his thoughts. "I never thought we would have to abandon the Pontic front."

"Well what did you expect? The Consul has two legions and the Praetorians that march on us, with four more legions in reserve! The senate controls only two legions, both fighting the Germans! We could only bring one of them to our defense. Dux Stolo is the wild card."

"Dux Stolo is politically neutral, the coward!" Luca said more to himself.

"There is no such thing anymore. He must make a choice..." A thought suddenly came to Tertius. "Stolo has four legions at his command!"

"Yes, but why would he fight for the senate over the Consul?"

"You still want your revenge on him, as well as an alliance with the Ptolomaics?"

"Where are you going with this?"

"Stolo wants to continue his campaign with the Pontics as much as you do. With so many soldiers dead, he would want to follow through to the end of the campaign to justify their sacrifice. That is our leverage! Come with me. You have letters to write."

Author's note; I know this is really text heavy and image light, but its good stuff.


555AuC,

No legions had marched anywhere for several months. There was no march on Rome; there were no advances in Gaul or Pontus, nothing. The Roman Empire was in limbo, holding its breath to see who would make the first move.

Letters began flying from one side of the Empire to the other, trying to see which governors and Legates would remain loyal to whom. But the main concentration of pen and papyrus seemed to focus on Asinius Stolo and the Armies of the East.

He was the perhaps the second most powerful man in Rome with 4 legions under his direct control. However, he always held to the philosophy that he was a soldier and was to stay out of politics as much as possible, a line of thinking that he acquired under his mentor, the great Augustus Maxentius.

Now it seemed he had no choice but to throw himself right in the middle of a civil war. Would he support the senate, a body of people that had largely ignored the Eastern Legions and at one point had stripped him of his title? Would he support the Consul, a man he cared little for and who was now risking the fate of the Republic to fulfill his own ambitions? Asinius had no idea what to do.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sinope:

The VII Gemina, IV Scythia and I Adiutrix lined the city square and presented arms as the newly reformed III Italica marched through in a grand parade in their honor. Tears weld up in Asinius' eyes as he watched his old legion march by. The faces of soldiers he knew were precious few after the terrible defeat at the West Pass.

Kaeso felt a blushing discomfort come over him as he watched the III. He could feel somewhere deep down inside of him that he blamed this legion for letting down his old friend, Nero Porpertius.

Kaeso had been in battles that he should have lost, but it was his legionaries that ultimately staved off disaster for the VII. He felt the III should have stood their ground and they would have come through it with Nero alive. Kaeso tried to suppress these feelings and move on with the ceremonies.

After the parade ended, Kaeso dressed in a plain tunic and cloak and set out for a small tavern on the outskirts of town. There, his brother Placus, also dressed inconspicuously, razed his hand from a table in the corner of the dim room to catch Kaeso's attention. After they greeted each other, Kaeso sat down and poured himself a glass of wine.

"What are your intentions with this whole miserable mess the Republic is in the middle of?" Placus asked.

Kaeso took a sip of wine and answered, "Well, brother, I think at the very least you and I must be united in what ever we decide."

"Agreed. I think the biggest question before us is do we support the Dux in whatever he chooses to do or not?"

"I have fought for Stolo for almost eight years now! I have not agreed with everything he has done, but I think, at the heart, he is an honorable man. I would be inclined to support him."

Placus took a gulp of wine and considered. "Alright then, we support him."

"That then brings the question as to which side we should try to persuade him to join?"

"We are Maxentii, so by birth rite, we should be in favor of the Consul."

"But the senate has stood for most of our history. And the Consul was never meant to have such powers." Kaeso sighed, "I don't know; Maybe what the Empire needs is one strong man to lead it. So, is that Consul Caius?"

"Consul Caius is a tyrant and a scoundrel!" cried a voice from the next table. Placus and Kaeso looked to see Legate Quintis of the reformed III legion sitting there, drunk as can be. "But so too are the men of the Senate!" a dark smile crept across Quintis' face as he took another swig from his bottle.

"How did you find us?" asked Kaeso.

That bastard, piece of scum, Augustus Silanus, may he rot in Hades, used to keep tabs on me in case I did anything that he could use to get rid of me. So I started using my own people to keep tabs on him and anybody of value. Its just habit to spy on people I work with now." He laughed.

Placus was perplexed, "I thought you were for the Consul, Quintis?"

He snickered "I am! I hope the Consul slaughters the Senators! I hope the Consul gets taken down with them!"

"So who do you feel should rule the Empire?"

"Who cares? The barbarians and Greeks with overrun it soon enough!"

Kaeso jumped out of his chair and grabbed Quintis by the collar. "Listen you drunken buffoon, I haven't been rotting away in this forsaken country, away from my family, fighting Greeks and barbarians for the past decade of my life just to have them overrun Rome! Consul or Senate, at least their Roman! Show some respect for you nation! It's all we have left!"

After a moment, Kaeso let go of Quintis and looked around at all the patrons in the tavern staring at him. He looked at Placus, "I think I will take my leave, Brother. I'll see you another time. Placus nodded and Kaeso left.

Placus, too, gathered up his things in a cool, calm manner and headed for the door. He stopped in front of a stunned Quintis and said to him, "You are going to have to make a choice here in the next couple of days. Make sure you choose wisely." With that Placus left.

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Three days later;

Asinius called for all his commanders to meet with him that afternoon. He was very apprehensive about his situation. All three of his senior Legates were Maxentii and, by rite, loyal to the Consul. He had faith that Kaeso might at least be sympathetic to him. Because of this, Placus might support his younger brother in supporting him, but this was all conjecture.

Quintis was the one he couldn't gauge. For years, Quintis was under Augustus Silanus, a man who he hated and who was a devote follower of the Senate. Quintis was known to be a supporter of he Consul Faction, but would he follow orders to march against him if it came to that?

The one thing Asinius did have in his favor was that he had reached a course of action to follow, if he had his Legates' support. A week ago, he received a letter from none other than Luca Ceasennius. It struck him as odd that it would be Luca to plead the Senate's case. The two men hated each other. All the same, Asinius read the letter:

'Dux Stolo,

We are both men of great power and even greater egos. In spite of this, (or perhaps because of it,) we find our fates
Intertwined once more. We both know the situation at hand. We also both know that it is you who will set the course for
The Republic. I do not write to you to plead the case of the Senate. Instead, I thought I might purpose something
that is dear to both our hearts.

'Perhaps the only thing you and I can agree on is the necessity to see the Pontic Expedition continue on until we, you, have
achieved final victory. We have both known too many who have died in pursuit of this end. If there is a civil war, Asia
Minor will be abandoned.

'How, then, can we save the Pontic Expedition? We must prevent the civil war! How do we do that? You must submit your legions
to the prevention of any Roman army from marching upon Rome! To do this, you most place yourself and your men under my
direct control!'


The first time Asinius read that line, he laughed hysterically and through the letter away. It took him a full day to realize that there was some merit to the proposal. He decided to swallow a little bit of his own ego and retrieved the letter to hear Luca out;


'If you were to choose to side with one faction or the other, there would surely be war. However, if we were to approach this
from a strictly legal point of view, It is illegal for any Roman army to march into Italy! By placing your forces under my
command, I can claim to be enforcing the Laws of Rome. In addition to this, I have assurances from the commanders of the
two Senatorial Legions that they will support you and me in this enterprise. That is six legions in support of the law
against the Consuls six legions. The odds would be even at least.

'The out is, all the Consul has to do is repeal his statement about overthrowing the Senate and concede that it is the foreign
enemies of Rome that must be dealt with first and foremost. This will not solve the problem in the long term, but it will at
least bye us some time to secure our borders before we set about to kill our brother Romans!

'As I write, the two senate legions are marching into position above the Po river to show the Consul that this is no mere
bluff. All you are to do for now is await my word to sail or march to Rome's defense if needed. It is a great gamble,
but it is our only chance at avoiding civil war!'


Asinius relayed all this to his Legates who now joined him.

"So you see my friends what is at stake here. This is our one and only chance of staving off internal war! But, I cannot respond unless I have all three of you supporting me."

Kaeso, Placus and a sober Quintis considered for a while.

Kaeso stepped forward and said, "I won't speak for the others, but I am with you, Dux!"

Placus laughed, "My brother is too timid in speaking for me. I too am with you, Dux!"

Asinius smiled at both of them and nodded in thanks. all three now turned to Quintis, who was still deep in thought. after a long, agonizing pause, Quintis cleared his throat, "Well it is quite a gamble. You must understand my loyalty to the Consul is not easily overcome, but I must make as wise a decision as I am able. I think, with all the loss we have suffered in this country, we should do all we can to ensure that the dead haven't died for not. I, therefore, must side with you, Dux. I am with you too!"

They all padded Quintis on the shoulders. They knew it was not an easy decision for him.

"So now what, Dux," asked Kaeso?

"Now I must write to Luca and tell him we agree. After that, we wait."

I think this civil war was not some of my better writing, but I wanted to tie up some story points before I enter into the final updates

The Pontic Expedition: Mended wounds


Two months went by while the Eastern Armies waited. They were ready to go at a moments notice, but the waiting was starting to eat at the Legionaries. They had nothing to do but dwell on the prospect of killing their own brother Romans, to which they dreaded.

Asinius and the Legates were also frustrated at the lack of news. They were trying to determine if they should march to the Po River anyway, or send riders out to get news from Rome when a diplomat in golden robes entered.

He bowed before Asinius and said, "Most honored General of the Roman Armies of the East, I bring gifts from my most exalted master, the Pharaoh, to show our commitment to our two people's new alliance!"

Asinius stared at him coldly. "Is this some sort of joke?" he asked harshly.

The diplomat's proud smile died quickly. "Err... the Pharaoh only wishes to show his good will to you and your men to illustrate our loyalty to your people, and that we no longer have ties with the people of Pontus."

"Do you have any proof of this, emissary?" asked Placus.

The diplomat pulled out a scroll and handed it to Asinius, who read it. "This is the Pharaoh’s court seal." He considered for a moment. With a smile, "My good man, I believe there has been some miscommunication on my end. If you would stay with us for a short time while I get instructions from my superiors, we will provide you with all the luxury we have to offer."

The diplomat's smile returned and he bowed, "I would be honored." Asinius called for some guards to show the diplomat to his quarters. After he left, he called the Centurion of the watch. "Keep a guard on our guest always! This may be a Pontic trick." To the Legates, "I think we need to send riders to figure out what the hell is going on!"

A rider was sent to Pergamum to see if there was any word from home. In fact, the whole of the city was in a frenzy of celebration. The Rider reached the governor's palace and asked what all was going on.

"The civil war is over before it began! Censor Caesennius commanding two legions waited on the Po and sent word to the Consul that he was not to make an attempt to cross the river or the Armies of the East would come to Rome's aid. Apparently, some of the Consul's Legates were not keen on fighting their brother Romans from the start, and they felt that Gaul must be dealt with above all. When they learned the Asinius and his armies were supporting the Senate, the Consul backed down!"

"And you have not yet sent word to Asinius of all this?" the rider asked.

The governor was horrified. "By the gods, I forgot all about it!"

The rider was not pleased at this answer. "I need all correspondence you have received right now! I must get back to the army with this!"

"Of course! Right away!" he sent for his aides to get on the task. "Please give Asinius my apologies a thousand times over!"

"Your lucky Asinius is a forgiving man or you would be facing the cross!" The rider gathered all the scrolls and left the wallowing governor to suffer in his thoughts. He returned to Asinius and gave him everything.

Asinius opened Luca's letter;

'Dux Stolo,

It has worked! The Senate is saved!'

It went on to describe everything, including an alliance with Egypt. At the end, Luca added a personal note;

'I feel I must thank you for your part in this. Though I don't find our rivalry any more diminished in my heart, perhaps we can call a truce on trying to undermine each other. We have destroyed each others' careers twice and saved each others' twice. I think we are even. Let's go about ignoring each other like civilized men, shall we?

Luca Caesennius, Censor of Rome.'

Asinius smiled. "Perhaps I can learn to live with that."

That afternoon, he called in the diplomat from the Ptolemaic and graciously accepted his gifts, giving him gifts for the Pharaoh as a show of good faith. After that, he gathered his Legates. "Boys, it is time to finish what we started! By weeks end, we invade Pontus!"





A little teaser.

"Golden shores of Pontus just across the sea,
Never again will I look sweet upon thee!
A demon army tramples upon your ground;
My children weeping at the most dreaded sound!
Flee, Armies of Pontus, from your hath and home!
For now they belong to the Legions of Rome!"

This poem, written some time after the fall of Sinope, had become the dispirited anthem of the Pontic soldiers, who now lived in exile in the Armenian Mountains. It was a comforting companion in the sorrowful world of misery which they now lived in. The only native city they had left in there control was Trapezius. The Pontics knew it would be a major target for the Romans, so they invested nearly half their army to defend it. The rest were scattered along the shore to protect the city's flank from a naval invasion or in the back country with the last of the Pontic Royals.

The only hope they had left was the intervention of Armenia, their old allies. But the Armenians were wary to fight the Romans while the Seleucids loomed in the south and the horsemen tribes still roamed the north. This led Pontus to fend for themselves throughout the entire conflict.


So the Pontics waited along the shores for the inevitable invasion.


It was only a matter of time.



Two small bands sat within sight of the sea one fog filled morning. It looked much as it did the morning before and the soldiers went about their patrols as usual. Many wished that the Romans would just invade and get it over with. That morning they got their wish. In the mist appeared a fleet of Triremes cutting through the surf. Pontic horns sounded and the defenders rallied for the fight.

Kaeso and the VII Gemina jumped out of the ships with great relief. 'Foot soldiers had no place on the water' he thought. After getting the supply train ready, they started to move inland. For several hours, they met no resistance, though it felt as if the woods had eyes. Kaeso decided not to tempt the fates and moved his army in battle formation.

It proved to be a sound call.

A small band of Pontic light infantry appeared before them barring their way. Horns sounded in the trees to the right signaling another force looming down on the Romans.

Kaeso ordered an assault on the front force so he could destroy them before he got caught between two enemy forces.

The Pontics were relatively disorganized and without real commanders. Small unit actions took place along the line, which amounted to nothing more than the Pontics charging head long into a pila volley and getting decimated.

They retreated before ever making contact with the Legionaries.

To his right, Kaeso saw the other Pontic force hiding just within the tree line. They hesitated before withdrawing, leaving their embattled troops to fight alone. "You cowardly bastards!" muttered Kaeso. Once they saw there support was not coming, the front force joined the route, suffering high casualties for their wasted efforts.

"Stand down, boys! Let them run. We have plenty of fighting ahead of us."


Kaeso didn't want to risk his cavalry chasing after the enemy without his trusted Decimus to lead them.

Decimus was transferred to the I Adiutrix on Asinius' request and he had not received his replacement yet. Asinius' age was catching up with him and he needed all the help he could get to see the final battles through. Letting the enemy go, however, might prove troublesome in the future.

'No matter,' Kaeso thought. 'One thing at a time.' For now, the mammoth mountains loomed high and menacing in the distance as he marched his me towards them. The invasion had begun. The end game was on!