A Bigger Role for the Roman Rebels?
From time to time there has been a lot of talk about the role of the Roman Rebel Faction as one of the four non-playable Factions. Here is one possible way how to develop those Roman Rebels. When they have only 2 settlements in Italy and Sicily (Croton and Messana), they are usually one of the first Factions to be destroyed in the game. If we created something like “Italo-Illyrian Rebels”, then this solution with 4 starting settlements would surely give them longer time to survive in the early game. We could think about them as a loose anti-Roman coalition that includes e.g. Italic mercenaries, Illyrian pirates and other local groups who had the conflict of interests with the Roman Republic on land and on sea.
Here is a little background information for the bigger role of the Roman Rebels under the working title “Italo-Illyrian Rebels”.
- Messana was ruled by Mamertines (“sons of Mars”), Italic mercenaries. In 288 BCE they seized the city by treachery, killing all the men and taking the women as their wives. The city became a base from which they ravaged the countryside, leading to a conflict with the expanding regional empire of Syracuse. For quite a long time Carthage assisted the Mamertines because of a long-standing conflict with Syracuse over dominance in Sicily and they became pirates on land and on sea. In 275 BCE, another group of Campanian soldiers, deserters from a Roman army, captured Rhegium on the other side of the Strait. It took a couple of years before the Romans had restored order in the "toe" of Italy. Finally in 265 BCE when the Mamertines were loosing their power game between Carthage and Syracuse they appealed to Rome for a help.
- Croton was one of the most flourishing cities of Magna Graecia; at the times of Pyrrhos of Epeiros (280-275 BCE) it was still a considerable city, with twelve miles of walls. Their neighbours Bruttians were an ancient Italic people who inhabited the southern extremity of Italy. The Bruttians were mentioned as sending auxiliaries to the army of Pyrrhus and they were among the first to declare in favour of the Carthaginian general Hannibal after the Battle of Cannae 216 BCE. Besides Hannibal made Croton his winter quarters for three years; it was not recaptured until 205 or 204 BCE.
- Aemona (northern Illyria); region includes Histrians as Italic-like northern Illyrians (aka Venetic Illyrian tribe). The Romans described the Histrians as a fierce tribe of pirates, protected by the difficult navigation of their rocky coasts. The Romans to conduct their first campaign against them as early as 221 BCE, after they had conquered the north of Italy and the territory of the Veneti who became faithful Roman allies. To strengthen their defences the Romans created the military settlement of Aquileia in 181 BCE, and the Histrians were finally beaten in 181-177 BCE. This region includes also other Illyrian tribes like Liburnians who were renowned seafarers, notorious for their raids in the Adriatic Sea, which they conducted in their swift galleys. Besides there was a mixed Celtic-Illyrian culture in the northern part of the region.
- Salona (central Illyria) was a stronghold and a harbour of the Illyrian Dalmati which quite early came into the sphere of influence of the Greeks on the Adriatic. It was well known for piratical activities. In the Illyrian Wars of 229-228 BCE and 220-219 BCE, Rome overran the Illyrian settlements in the Neretva river valley and suppressed the piracy that had made the Adriatic unsafe for Italian commerce. The Romans were often faced by rebellions of various Illyrian tribes even after 168 BCE when the province of Illyricum was formed. However the majority of sailors in the Roman military navy originated from that area.
In this scenario the Independent Greek States would have these regions nearby the Roman Rebels: Syracuse (Sicily), Tarentum (Magna Graecia), Epidamnos (a new Greek settlement in southern Illyria; modern Durrës), and Ambracia (as the capital of Epeiros).
Furthermore there were some Illyrian tribes in south-eastern Italy, the Messapians of Apulia. In the fourth century BCE, invading Celts forced the Illyrians southward from the northern Adriatic coast, and over several centuries a mixed Celtic-Illyrian culture arose in Illyricum, producing wheel turned pottery, jewellery, and iron tools. So the Illyrian armies could be a combination of Illyrian and Celtic units in the northern and inland regions, and Illyrian and Greek units in the southern and coastal regions. Besides the Illyrian part of the Rebel Faction should have some naval units to fight for the domination of the Adriatic Sea and practice piracy.
When the original Rebel Faction with 4 settlements is destroyed in Italy and Illyria, those later Roman revolts should naturally include only Roman units. So instead of removing those Roman Rebels we could give them a little bit longer lifetime and the other Factions (e.g. Macedonians and Thracians) could negotiate with them just like they do with the Eastern Kingdoms.
How do you feel about this idea for the extended version of the Roman Rebels? Could it work with a loyalty activated? Would this be historically plausible scenario if even it might support the gameplay? And how would it affect to the general balance of power in the game?
Luc.
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I want to see nuisance and tough to beat romans rebel if they will be around.
Originally Posted by Barend
