Roma Victor! (A Romani Chronicle)

This thread is intended to be an ongoing historical chronicle of my own Romani campaign due to some praise from a few folks via email and on the forums for my rather interesting and descriptive posts in regards to my EB empire (found at twcenter). Maps of each section will come later so as I can give a visual portion to it for folks to track the expansion of the empire from beginning to end. Some of the events here are embellished from their original happening to give it a little more entertainment value. Enjoy!


Romani Expansion, the first Epeiros War

272 BC saw the ambition of the Romani come to fruition with their build up of armed forces and their strike outwards to the north and south on the Italian peninsula. The first conquest that the Romani sought after was the Epeiros town and region of Taras, an act that would put the Romani into a long and drug out war in the Greek states.

Although Epeiros has been on a war of aggression against it's neighbors and had come to the peninsula in search of conquest, they responded in kind as though it had lost home ground. They immediately ordered a naval blockade of most of the ports along the Romani coast on the eastern Italian coast, putting a damper on trade with the eastern world and the rest of the Mediterranean. The Romani navy at the time wasn't all to strong, but it had a strong ground presence at it's disposal. In a radical move on the part of the Senate, they recalled their armies from the north where they were campaigning to claim parts of Gaul to head across the Adriatic Sea to strike the Epeiros lands. The intended target, was Ambrakia.

The first conquest on Greek soil turned out to be an easy one, the city holding a garrison of few soldiers. No more than a few months went by before the captain of the forces present surrendered the city to Tiberius Flaccus, the general tasked with the invasion of Epeiros.

Tiberius was from the Plebeian class of citizenry, making opportunities for him within the Romani culture harder to acquire. Having been commissioned by the Emperor himself however after having proven himself a capable commander after several battles in Gaul, Tiberius was placed in charge of the campaign taking place in the north. Settlements fell one after the other for several years before the Epeiros conflict began, giving him a cushion of command experience and an education of how to setup a lasting presence in conquered territories. Naturally when Epeiros provoked Rome, the Senate chose Tiberius to head the invasion forces.

Within three months before the winter, Epeiros sent it's own armies against Tiberius' position at Ambrakia. While an outstanding general, Tiberius didn't have much experience in defending a position so much as sieging it. He did manage to take this knowledge and use it to his advantage. His force consisted mostly of Principe Manipule and Triarii, veterans of the campaign in Gaul. Seeing the need for archers to mount a defense, Tiberius hired and conscripted men in the surrounding area.

For the next two years, Tiberius managed to keep Ambrakia for the Romani against several incursions by armies of Eperios. Many of his original landing force however were dead, and supplies were dwindling fast. In a desperate move, Tiberius decided to attack. In early morning before the sun rose, Tiberius ordered his troops to exit from a lesser gate and form rank on the southern flank of the Eperios position. Some of his forces were found to be out of position when the sun came up, but the gamble worked. Now in a mad scramble to form up his own men, the Epeiros position fell into chaos. Taking advantage of the chaos, Tiberius ordered the charge. Over two-thousand men were felled on the Epeiros to Tiberius' losses of only one-hundred seventy some.

With the Epeiros forces beaten for the time being, Tiberius weighed his options. While he had won a major victory in Greece, his force was now hardly enough to continue it's march further into Epeiros territory. He ordered his men onto ships and sailed for Rome, leaving Ambrakia to fall back into the hands of the Epeiros. Before he had left though, he had left a parchment in the governing office of the city, stating simply that he would return.


Securing the Homefront, tensions over Sicily

During Tiberius' campaign in Greece from 269 to 265 BC, Rome had interests close to home to take care of to ensure that they would become a dominant power in the Mediterranean. To the West of Taras was Sicily, an island that would become a subject of much political tension between Rome and the mighty power across the sea, Carthage.

Although a treaty had been signed decades earlier, the Senate found itself more concerned with having a presence such as Carthage so close to Rome. While peace had been established, it had become more and more uneasy to keep. Rome had just secured Rhegion from it's rebel elements that it had sent years prior, but was facing incursion from other elements from across the Messana Straight. This was tolerated for only so long before the Senate commanded it's troops to take Messana and claim it for the fledling empire. Carthage contested this action, stating that it was in direct violation of the previously signed agreement between them. The reasons for the transgression across the straight was explained, but Carthage refused to accept it as appropriate and gave Rome an ultimatum to withdraw or face the possibility of war with Carthage. Rome flatly refused, instead bolstering the area with more troops.

Rome's gamble won. While Carthage did officially close relations with Rome at the time, they didn't send any troops to Sicily and Rome eventually annexed the territory that belonged to Carthage. A few years later, both Sardinian islands were given to Rome by Carthage as part of a new peace and trade agreement between the two powers.


War of the Greek States

It didn't take lond for Tiberius to replenish his army, with approval from the Senate, to launch another invasion of Epeiros. Three years later, Tiberius came back with twice as many men, landing once again at Ambrakia. Once settled after having taken the settlement, a rather surprised Makedonian diplomat arrived. Expecting to find Epeiros in command of the city, he had come with a message from his king in regards to a peace agreement between the two powers. After having a chat with the diplomat, Tiberius had discovered the new Epeiros king had claimed victory over Rome three years prior and had turned his forces to the south and east towards Makedonia. Suffering heavy losses in both people and land, Makedonia was finally willing to surrender itself to the will of the Epeiros king.

Tiberius sent the diplomat back with the following message:

"Don't cower before them any longer, Rome has come. I am Tiberius Flaccus, and I shall extend you my aid."

That same month, the diplomat returned with a document for Tiberius to sign to make an alliance between Rome and Makadonia official. The document was sent to the Senate for signing, where Tiberius was proclaimed as an Imperator and was given full support if the Senate to make whatever decisions need be made in Greece, essentially proclaiming him as the presiding ruler over all of Greece. While Makedonia never found out that little fact, they did agree to allow Tiberius to be the commander of the forces in the field for the Makedonian forces as well as the Romani forces.

With their newfound allies, Tiberius' and Makedonian forces proceeded on a vicious campaign through Eperios territory. Many cities fell and they managed to corner the Epeiros king in Pella, found about halfway between Byzantion and Ambrakia. The Makedonian and Romani forces sieged the city for two and a half years before the king made a desperate attempt to defend the city. Once the battle was over, the Epeiros king was brought before Tiberius and the Makedonian generals. The Makedonian's demanded his head, but Tiberius urged them that a peace settlement would be a better arrangement. They didn't listen and ended up having the king beheaded and his body drug behind a chariot from Pella to Chalkis. Peace remained elusive as the king's heir took up the throne and maintained a stance of aggression against the Roman and Makedonian forces.

Meanwhile in the south, the Koinon Hellenon had been quietly standing by and watching the unfolding conflict between the Epeiros and the allied forces of the Romani and Makedonians. They had their own ambitions and made a move that would be the final piece in place Greece into total war. Armies from Spartae moved north and captured Chalkis, bringing terror to Makedonian's by enslaving or slaughtering most of it's population. Makedonia enlisted the help of Tiberius to turn southward and take on the Koinon. Reluctantly, Tiberius agreed to the request and proceeded to lead his forces to conquer Korinthos, Athenai, and Spartae. With Koinon now defeated and driven off of the Greek peninsula and the Epeiros beaten off to languish further to the east, Tiberius and the Romani forces retreated back to their holdings in Greece. Tiberius later returned to Rome to be celebrated as a Triumphator and made ruler over the now Romani held provinces in Greece in 231 BC. Tiberius later passed away peacefully in his sleep a couple years later at the age of sixty-seven.


Gaul, Battle at Viennos

During Rome's battles in Greece and it's involvement with the Greek States, the Senate recognized it's need to continue it's expansion into Gaul. With it's best general at the time, Tiberius Flaccus, sent to campaign against Epeiros, there was no immediate commander for the Romani forces in the north that hadn't been sent to Greece. It was actually the son of the Scipio family, a prominent family within the Romani power strucutre, that stepped forward to claim responsibility over the forces of the north. Sextus Scipio.

Sextus was born to one of the more influential Senators in Rome, giving him an inside for his later ambition to become one of Rome's greatest generals. At the age of eighteen, Sextus was given the opportunity to head to Gaul to make a name for himself. Confidence at first was scarce since the Romani soldiers weren't keen on having a young and inexperienced boy in command of them, but that soon wore off after Sextus' march on Viennos.

Most of the band that was south of Gual was already in Romani control, leaving a few scattered settlements of the Averni Celts remained. The largest of these was Viennos, south of Bibracte. Sextus decided to start his road to fame there by capturing the settlement for Rome and putting another nail in the coffin for the Averni.

While the Averni were never considered to be a serious threat to Romani lands and provinces, many of the Romanized and allied settlements in this area had their farmlands and trade routes disrupted from time to time. It remained a point of controversy in the Senate whether or not wiping out the Averni at Viennos was necessary years later.

At the start of 239 BC, Sextus lead his army northwards to Viennos. The main force met with little resistance along the way, but it was enough that word got back to the Averni king. He left that same month to rally the remaining Averni populace to defend their last bastion of power in Gaul. The king managed to amass a rather impressive force of around five-thousand four-hundred men answer his call to arms.

The main Romani advance had just reached the river crossing west of Viennos, stopping to resupply before continuing on it's march to Viennos. This is where the Averni king launched his attack upon Sextus' forces, catching him by surprise. The king had four-thousand some men assemble for an advance from the west side of the river where Sextus' army had setup camp, the remainder would come from the east and cut off his escape across the bridge.

It was early day, just as the Romani force was breaking camp that over by the treeline to the west did they spot the Averni horde emerging. Immediatley, Sextus organized his defense and prepared for the coming rush of Barbarians. While he did get his forces organized, Sextus wasn't able to see the secondary force of fifteen-hundred were coming from the east on the otherside of the river. Thick forest covered most of the approach up to the bridge. The enemy managed to close within five-hundred meters before the Romani forces spotted them. In a desperate move, Sextus ordered one of his captains to take command of the forces on the west side of the river while he lead the cavalry to the otherside to stall the secondary forces while the captain organizes some men to defend the bridge. It was later revealed that the captain remarked that Sextus was either an idiot or the most courageous man he'd ever met.

The main force from the west slammed into the Romani frontline, consisting of Principe with Triarii in reserve. Although they were heavily outnumbered, the Romani were better equipped than their Averni counterparts. Wielding broad shields, a gladius, and some proper armor, the standard Principe was more than a match for any of the Averni, which most of them were armed with a spear and a shield. The ensuing fight on the western side of the bridge ended up turning to the favor of the Romani forces, but the battle wouldn't remain as such forever.

Meanwhile on the eastern side of the river, Sextus had been disrupting the Averni advance with constant charges and retreats. The gamble paid off and the main Averni force managed to be turned, allowing a defense to be organized on the western side of the bridge. With the ranks formed, Sextus recalled his cavalry back and raced back across the bridge to take command of the defense against the secondary force, which was defeated with relative ease. With the last of the Averni organized military forces now scattered, Viennos fell easily and became absorbed into the Romani empire. Sextus went on to continue Romani expansion to the west and south, eventually earning the title of Triumphator and expanding Romani borders to include Gaul and allowed Romani forces to turn their attention to Iberia in 214 BC.

Coming soon, the Second Epeiros War

I believe this is in the wrong forum. There is a whole AAR subforum.

Anyways, just stay put, and someone will move it shortly.

Firstly yes welcome to teh .Org:beam:
Second this is not the place for these types of posts, these go in teh AAR sub-forum.
Third not a bad start but plz use pics and screenshots to epic enhance ur story.

He also has the same avatar as Chirurgeon.

Yeah, welcome to the Forum :-) Nice introduction ^^

Sir, you've just entered my blacklist :evilgrin:

Maion

Good start bumblebee! And maion, I burst out laughing in the middle of my class when I read your comment. Don't mind hime bumblebee, he's just an old fool who has a fetish with really long pointy things going into other men.

bit of confusion between emperor and senate though - are you playing that your Romani faction in 272 BC have both emperor and senate? interesting twist....:s

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Vasiliyi

Good start bumblebee! And maion, I burst out laughing in the middle of my class when I read your comment. Don't mind hime bumblebee, he's just an old fool who has a fetish with really long pointy things going into other men.

---

Yeah, don't mind me I'm just a Roman-hater. Ah yes, and welcome to the forums mate:thumbsup: Here, take your first balloon :balloon3:

Maion

ahh yes.. welcome (dis)honourable foe! what may you wish to propose to us before your untimely end? =P=P=P

Thanks for the welcome and sorry for the placement, didn't realize this was actually classified as a AAR (thought that pertained to custom battles and so forth).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zooeyglass

bit of confusion between emperor and senate though - are you playing that your Romani faction in 272 BC have both emperor and senate? interesting twist....:s

---

For the purposes of this campaign yes :2thumbsup:

More to come by the weekend!

Wheres zee Hasati :(

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bumblebee

Thanks for the welcome and sorry for the placement, didn't realize this was actually classified as a AAR (thought that pertained to custom battles and so forth).

---

Well, AAR stands for After Action Report. So this basically includes all reports of custom battles, campaigns etc.

Maion

Bumblebee looks ALOT like me

It bet you're the same person. An excuse to write about the Romans and end you other AAR! :P

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by A Very Super Market

It bet you're the same person. An excuse to write about the Romans and end you other AAR! :P

---

Yeah, I agree with you :yes: :clown:

Maion

Nice start keep it ^^.