NickTheGreek
08-18-2008, 22:08
https://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s78/Frodge_2007/Chronicle%20of%20the%20roman%20empire/faction_banner_16rom.jpg
Here follows an account of the history of the roman republic and its early imperial form finishing in the year 14 as laid down first by the monk Romanus of Neapolis and later his brother Theodosius Osparas who was warden of Thessalonica and finally his two sons Demetrius and Nicephorus. Begun in the year 486 it was finally finished in 499.
The First Volume as penned by Romanus of Neapolis
The Unification of Italy
It has been said that the empire of Rome is done. That Odoacer and his creatures have ended it in the west. If such a statement is true then I feel compelled not to let the glorious history of the roman republic and the empire it spawned slide into obscurity.
Oh I do not aspire to the heights of such men as Polybius and Herodotus and Xenophon but, like I said, I feel absolutely compelled. Here then is my History.
I begin then in the winter of 271 BC, an age ago to be sure. With the death of Dentatvs, who was Primus Inter Pares of the senate, a new man has risen to a position of senatorial dominance in the SPQR. A man named Blaiso, a coward by all accounts who sat in the provincial capital of Arretium and let other more worthy men fight for him. Such a man was Consul Scipio. A warrior of fearsome skill and a shrewd politician who had, the previous summer, captured the Epirote city of Taras. Ending the dominion of Phyrros in Italia. At the turn of the year Scipio moved to assault the city of Rhegium.
https://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s78/Frodge_2007/Chronicle%20of%20the%20roman%20empire/map270bc-summer.jpg
Europe and Central Asia in the year 270 BC. You can see Calabria clearly marked in red, to denote its new status as a roman province. Other markings of note include the Greek recapture of Corinth, Parthia’s conquest of Samarkand and the Galatians swearing fealty to the King of Pontus.
The Battle for Rhegium
The Assault on Rhegium began on the morning of the 12th of September 270 BC. It was a decisive victory for the forces of the republic over men who had once sworn fealty to Rome. Taking their lead from the Mamertines the forces of Avlvs Decivs Ivbelivs had declared the city and its province of Brettia independent from the republic. Few accounts of the battle survive; the best that can be found is attributed to one Marcus Crassus, a soldier in Scipio’s army at the time. Here is his account of the roman capture of the city.
I was summoned to the general’s tent sometime before dawn. He was sitting at his desk, looking with dreary eyes at the map of the city of Rhegium that had been laid out before him. It didn’t take a genius to work out that the general was ill at ease or that he was distracted.
Finally he looked to me with a weak smile and said, “The senate will not wait, I’ve told them a hundred times that the men in this city are not barbarians or Greeks, they are Romans. And, traitors or not they will fight like men.”
I did not know what to say so I stood in what I hope was dignified silence. The general sighed again.
“It’s Blasio’s fault you know, he hates me because, although modesty almost forbids me to say it, I command the respect and loyalty of this army. He does not. I have been ordered to attack Marcus, and to take the city before nightfall. If I do not I am to return to Rome to resign my consulship.”
“The men are ready; we march at your command general. For Rome sir!”
The general looked distant, “Yes…for Rome. Very well form up the men Marcus, we go to battle once again.”
The forces of the republic far outnumbered the forces of Leukanoi traitors. Ivbelivs had no more than four hundred trained soldiers under his command but he had armed the city’s remaining populace, and forced them to fight us.
https://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s78/Frodge_2007/Chronicle%20of%20the%20roman%20empire/OutsetofforcesatthesiegeofRhegiumin.jpg
That the dog had forced innocents to fight us shocked the men, but I knew they would give no quarter to traitors once the time came. If a man did not run from the forces of the republic he was a traitor, it was as simple as that.
The plan was to attack the enemy from two places at once, a plan that had worked wonderfully well at the capture of Taras, the previous year. So in addition to breaking the north gate we destroyed a section of wall to the left of it and came through that breach as well. The enemy Hastati didn’t know what hit them.
https://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s78/Frodge_2007/Chronicle%20of%20the%20roman%20empire/flankattack2.jpg
https://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s78/Frodge_2007/Chronicle%20of%20the%20roman%20empire/flankattack.jpg
With the stratagem prosecuted successfully enemy casualties began to mount. In the end they couldn’t take the strain and began to rout. Chasing the dogs down a side street towards the town centre we cut down a great many. Including local Greek archers and slingers. The townsfolk pressed into service.
In our zealous pursuit of the enemy the viper Ivbelivs launched a counter attack and held us in the side street. One regiment however cannot stem a whole army and after a good while the enemy was broken and Ivbelivs was killed in the confusion.
https://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s78/Frodge_2007/Chronicle%20of%20the%20roman%20empire/deathofaviper.jpg
With their leader, and instigator of the rebellion, dead many man lost heart and fled to the town centre, but the republican juggernaut was unstoppable and victory came swiftly after that.
https://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s78/Frodge_2007/Chronicle%20of%20the%20roman%20empire/RomaVictrix.jpg
The general himself led the final charge into the square. Afterwards he came to me, still in his blood stained armour and said “I guess I will not have to resign after all.” And he smiled.
So the battle of Rhegium was a success for the roman republic. Scipio was ordered to return with his army to Rome in order to refit and reinforce before the army was dispatched to the north to prosecute a campaign in the Po Valley. Whether Lvcivs Cornelivs Scipio was to command was another matter entirely.
Scipio arrived in Rome at the head of his remaining soldiers in the winter of 269 BC, where he was greeted by Sextvs Cornelivs Cicero, the praetorian of the city of Rome and therefore one of the foremost citizens of the republic. The two men who had never met eyed each other wearily by all accounts as Cicero had risen to his position through adoption into the family of Blaiso, indeed their first meeting was interrupted by the arrival of Cnaevs Cornelivs Blaiso at the gates of Rome. A member of Scipio’s guards recorded the encounter in his journal.
We had been riding for weeks and the sight of the walls of Rome caused my heart to soar. I had been born in the city like many others and relished this period of down time to see loved ones again.
We were met at the gate by a tall man dressed in the manner of a senator but with the bearing of a soldier. The scars on this man’s face gave weight to my beliefs that this was no mere envoy of the senate.
“Hail and well met Consul Scipio.” Said the man, “I am Sextvs Cicero and on behalf of the senate and people of Rome I bid you welcome to the city.”
“Cicero? I’ve herd your name mentioned. Tell me are you the Cicero who is the named praetorian of Rome?”
“I am he, sir, will you follow me please I am tasked by the senate to show you to your quarters.”
Despite the man’s curt manner he seemed polite and respectful enough to me, although it was only later that I was told he was a member of Blaiso’s supporters. And that was how he rose to his lofty position. He did however seem to have a reasonable head on his shoulders and seemed like a man who could be reasoned with.
The general and Cicero talked as we made our way to the new proconsular palace that was being built. To my, somewhat inexperienced, eye the two men seemed to be getting on well. This changed when a great commotion was raised at our rear and who should come riding up the street but Cnaevs Blaiso. Now I’m not a man to take other people’s opinions and make them my own but I really disliked the man. He looked down on everyone with a contemptuous sneer. He made to insult the general, and to veil that insult behind a greeting but Scipio spoke first.
“My dear Blaiso. What a pleasure it is to see you here. I didn’t think I’d ever see you again, what with you spending all your time in Arretium and myself spending all my time warring for the republic.”
“Quite Scipio, but I confess I didn’t want to miss the debate tomorrow.”
“Debate you say, what debate?”
“Why, the debate as to who will take overall command of the northern campaign of course. Come now don’t tell me you didn’t know.”
Colour drained from the general’s face as he replied, “No, I didn’t.”
“Well now you do.” The words left Blaiso’s mouth with a sneer “I’ll see you tomorrow Scipio, and you Cicero.”
I know the general expected command was his for the taking, so naturally this came as a surprise for him. He did not say a word for the rest of the journey. Making instead non committal grunts and gestures.
The entry continues for several pages but this is the most relevant section I feel. It underlines the extreme dislike; one could even say hatred, between members of Blaiso’s family and friends and the supporters of Scipio. And through the introduction of Cicero it shows us a character whose allegiances are ultimately undecided.
The full retraining and reinforcement of the army took some months. More than enough time to debate the issue of leadership. The matter was finally settled in the summer of 268 BC and at the insistence of Senator Cotta Consul Scipio kept his command.
With the army of the republic behind him Scipio left Rome in late summer and arrived to besiege the city of Segesta in Liguria two months later, a city which his spies had infiltrated and thusly the city could be attacked from any angle at any time.
The fact that Scipio had been granted command of the army again incensed Blaiso who, above all else desired power over the republic. In the same manner as his father.
Here follows an account of the history of the roman republic and its early imperial form finishing in the year 14 as laid down first by the monk Romanus of Neapolis and later his brother Theodosius Osparas who was warden of Thessalonica and finally his two sons Demetrius and Nicephorus. Begun in the year 486 it was finally finished in 499.
The First Volume as penned by Romanus of Neapolis
The Unification of Italy
It has been said that the empire of Rome is done. That Odoacer and his creatures have ended it in the west. If such a statement is true then I feel compelled not to let the glorious history of the roman republic and the empire it spawned slide into obscurity.
Oh I do not aspire to the heights of such men as Polybius and Herodotus and Xenophon but, like I said, I feel absolutely compelled. Here then is my History.
I begin then in the winter of 271 BC, an age ago to be sure. With the death of Dentatvs, who was Primus Inter Pares of the senate, a new man has risen to a position of senatorial dominance in the SPQR. A man named Blaiso, a coward by all accounts who sat in the provincial capital of Arretium and let other more worthy men fight for him. Such a man was Consul Scipio. A warrior of fearsome skill and a shrewd politician who had, the previous summer, captured the Epirote city of Taras. Ending the dominion of Phyrros in Italia. At the turn of the year Scipio moved to assault the city of Rhegium.
https://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s78/Frodge_2007/Chronicle%20of%20the%20roman%20empire/map270bc-summer.jpg
Europe and Central Asia in the year 270 BC. You can see Calabria clearly marked in red, to denote its new status as a roman province. Other markings of note include the Greek recapture of Corinth, Parthia’s conquest of Samarkand and the Galatians swearing fealty to the King of Pontus.
The Battle for Rhegium
The Assault on Rhegium began on the morning of the 12th of September 270 BC. It was a decisive victory for the forces of the republic over men who had once sworn fealty to Rome. Taking their lead from the Mamertines the forces of Avlvs Decivs Ivbelivs had declared the city and its province of Brettia independent from the republic. Few accounts of the battle survive; the best that can be found is attributed to one Marcus Crassus, a soldier in Scipio’s army at the time. Here is his account of the roman capture of the city.
I was summoned to the general’s tent sometime before dawn. He was sitting at his desk, looking with dreary eyes at the map of the city of Rhegium that had been laid out before him. It didn’t take a genius to work out that the general was ill at ease or that he was distracted.
Finally he looked to me with a weak smile and said, “The senate will not wait, I’ve told them a hundred times that the men in this city are not barbarians or Greeks, they are Romans. And, traitors or not they will fight like men.”
I did not know what to say so I stood in what I hope was dignified silence. The general sighed again.
“It’s Blasio’s fault you know, he hates me because, although modesty almost forbids me to say it, I command the respect and loyalty of this army. He does not. I have been ordered to attack Marcus, and to take the city before nightfall. If I do not I am to return to Rome to resign my consulship.”
“The men are ready; we march at your command general. For Rome sir!”
The general looked distant, “Yes…for Rome. Very well form up the men Marcus, we go to battle once again.”
The forces of the republic far outnumbered the forces of Leukanoi traitors. Ivbelivs had no more than four hundred trained soldiers under his command but he had armed the city’s remaining populace, and forced them to fight us.
https://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s78/Frodge_2007/Chronicle%20of%20the%20roman%20empire/OutsetofforcesatthesiegeofRhegiumin.jpg
That the dog had forced innocents to fight us shocked the men, but I knew they would give no quarter to traitors once the time came. If a man did not run from the forces of the republic he was a traitor, it was as simple as that.
The plan was to attack the enemy from two places at once, a plan that had worked wonderfully well at the capture of Taras, the previous year. So in addition to breaking the north gate we destroyed a section of wall to the left of it and came through that breach as well. The enemy Hastati didn’t know what hit them.
https://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s78/Frodge_2007/Chronicle%20of%20the%20roman%20empire/flankattack2.jpg
https://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s78/Frodge_2007/Chronicle%20of%20the%20roman%20empire/flankattack.jpg
With the stratagem prosecuted successfully enemy casualties began to mount. In the end they couldn’t take the strain and began to rout. Chasing the dogs down a side street towards the town centre we cut down a great many. Including local Greek archers and slingers. The townsfolk pressed into service.
In our zealous pursuit of the enemy the viper Ivbelivs launched a counter attack and held us in the side street. One regiment however cannot stem a whole army and after a good while the enemy was broken and Ivbelivs was killed in the confusion.
https://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s78/Frodge_2007/Chronicle%20of%20the%20roman%20empire/deathofaviper.jpg
With their leader, and instigator of the rebellion, dead many man lost heart and fled to the town centre, but the republican juggernaut was unstoppable and victory came swiftly after that.
https://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s78/Frodge_2007/Chronicle%20of%20the%20roman%20empire/RomaVictrix.jpg
The general himself led the final charge into the square. Afterwards he came to me, still in his blood stained armour and said “I guess I will not have to resign after all.” And he smiled.
So the battle of Rhegium was a success for the roman republic. Scipio was ordered to return with his army to Rome in order to refit and reinforce before the army was dispatched to the north to prosecute a campaign in the Po Valley. Whether Lvcivs Cornelivs Scipio was to command was another matter entirely.
Scipio arrived in Rome at the head of his remaining soldiers in the winter of 269 BC, where he was greeted by Sextvs Cornelivs Cicero, the praetorian of the city of Rome and therefore one of the foremost citizens of the republic. The two men who had never met eyed each other wearily by all accounts as Cicero had risen to his position through adoption into the family of Blaiso, indeed their first meeting was interrupted by the arrival of Cnaevs Cornelivs Blaiso at the gates of Rome. A member of Scipio’s guards recorded the encounter in his journal.
We had been riding for weeks and the sight of the walls of Rome caused my heart to soar. I had been born in the city like many others and relished this period of down time to see loved ones again.
We were met at the gate by a tall man dressed in the manner of a senator but with the bearing of a soldier. The scars on this man’s face gave weight to my beliefs that this was no mere envoy of the senate.
“Hail and well met Consul Scipio.” Said the man, “I am Sextvs Cicero and on behalf of the senate and people of Rome I bid you welcome to the city.”
“Cicero? I’ve herd your name mentioned. Tell me are you the Cicero who is the named praetorian of Rome?”
“I am he, sir, will you follow me please I am tasked by the senate to show you to your quarters.”
Despite the man’s curt manner he seemed polite and respectful enough to me, although it was only later that I was told he was a member of Blaiso’s supporters. And that was how he rose to his lofty position. He did however seem to have a reasonable head on his shoulders and seemed like a man who could be reasoned with.
The general and Cicero talked as we made our way to the new proconsular palace that was being built. To my, somewhat inexperienced, eye the two men seemed to be getting on well. This changed when a great commotion was raised at our rear and who should come riding up the street but Cnaevs Blaiso. Now I’m not a man to take other people’s opinions and make them my own but I really disliked the man. He looked down on everyone with a contemptuous sneer. He made to insult the general, and to veil that insult behind a greeting but Scipio spoke first.
“My dear Blaiso. What a pleasure it is to see you here. I didn’t think I’d ever see you again, what with you spending all your time in Arretium and myself spending all my time warring for the republic.”
“Quite Scipio, but I confess I didn’t want to miss the debate tomorrow.”
“Debate you say, what debate?”
“Why, the debate as to who will take overall command of the northern campaign of course. Come now don’t tell me you didn’t know.”
Colour drained from the general’s face as he replied, “No, I didn’t.”
“Well now you do.” The words left Blaiso’s mouth with a sneer “I’ll see you tomorrow Scipio, and you Cicero.”
I know the general expected command was his for the taking, so naturally this came as a surprise for him. He did not say a word for the rest of the journey. Making instead non committal grunts and gestures.
The entry continues for several pages but this is the most relevant section I feel. It underlines the extreme dislike; one could even say hatred, between members of Blaiso’s family and friends and the supporters of Scipio. And through the introduction of Cicero it shows us a character whose allegiances are ultimately undecided.
The full retraining and reinforcement of the army took some months. More than enough time to debate the issue of leadership. The matter was finally settled in the summer of 268 BC and at the insistence of Senator Cotta Consul Scipio kept his command.
With the army of the republic behind him Scipio left Rome in late summer and arrived to besiege the city of Segesta in Liguria two months later, a city which his spies had infiltrated and thusly the city could be attacked from any angle at any time.
The fact that Scipio had been granted command of the army again incensed Blaiso who, above all else desired power over the republic. In the same manner as his father.