The baggage train was still making its way through Carthage’s western gate. Andragathius Flavius gazed at it absent mindedly.

“Emperor?”

Andragathius blinked and turned to look at the man who was holding the document, awaiting his seal. Whenever he heard that word, he had to resist the urge to kneel.

“How long will this take to get to Massilia?” he asked the clerk.

“Two months, more or less, sire. The Eastern naval forces are too strong for the fleet to take a direct route. They will have to seek the protection of harbors in Sicily and up the Italian peninsula.”

Andragathius nodded and pressed the Imperial signet into the seal. The clerk bowed and walked off towards the docks.

The Emperor of Rome gazed back at the flowing stream of men and materials of war, but his thoughts were elsewhere. Emperor. Augustus. Divine. He was only a man and he knew it. What had he done to distinguish himself above all others? He was a good Christian and had been loyal to the Empire, but other than that he was merely a common man. Emperor Spurius Cipius had given him the benefit of the doubt, had allowed him the opportunity to prove his worth, but Andragathius knew that deep down Augustus Cipius had always thought of him as a “Flavian.” If he was, it was in name only. He bore the nomina and was the great grandson of Emperor Valentinianus, but his branch of the family tree had achieved little. Neither his parents nor his siblings had ever accomplished anything remarkable. They had all predeceased him as well, leaving Andragathius alone, isolated from the Imperial dynasty. Yes, his nomina was Flavius, but he was not a Flavian.



“And that, Andragathius, is why you will be a good Emperor.” He remembered a Senator saying those words to him when he had been called to Massilia for the ceremony indoctrinating him as heir to the Empire.

Augustus Andragathius Flavius knew there was wisdom in those words. For all the wealth and power that came with the position, the Emperor was simply the foremost servant of the realm. So, he would serve, and he would do his best. He would make up for his own shortcoming and lack of knowledge by utilizing the advice of the Imperial retinue. They were good men who knew how to handle to mechanisms of Roman governance.

“Listen to your advisors and do your best to help Rome,” the Senator had told him. So he had done and so he would continue to do. No sooner had word arrived that Spruius Cipius had died than he had been forced to lead an army into battle. He had waged war before, but he had no particular talent for it. He had listened to his military advisors, as in previous battles, and they had prevailed. They were good men and they knew how to conduct the affairs of war, as well as peace.

He glanced back in the direction of the docks, but the clerk was lost in the sea of people that was Carthage. Such a simple document, but hopefully an important one. He would continue the campaign in Africa, but the rest of the Empire still had to be governed. Spurius Cipius had done much to secure the provinces and to improve the lives of all Romans. Andragathius would continue his holy work. The document laid out the broad objectives of Imperial governance, as agreed upon by the Imperial council, with the details to be handled as the local officials though best.

First, the Slavs had to be dealt with. Their emissaries claimed they were merely travellers with no hostile intentions, but they were no different than the other hordes who had killed countless Romans and ravaged a dozen provinces. Eventually they would turn hostile and have to be confronted. An army had to be assembled to confront them, but that would take time. Anthemius Senecio was ordered to take his newly trained elite cohorts east towards Pannonia, where locally raised forces would join him. In the mean time, assassins would be employed to quietly eliminate the more aggressive Slavic leaders. Andragathius did not like this last method, but he knew that the lives of a few pagan warlords were a small price to pay for saving countless innocent Christians. Hopefully the assassins could stave off war until Senecio was prepared.

Second, the wealth of the Empire would be directed towards the restoration of the Border Legions, which had proved so effective at their prime 300 years ago. The Empire would be divided up into four regions. Each region would have one full strength Legion of Rome’s finest soldiers, supported by the best Auxiliaries, and supplied with the finest weapons and armor. These Legions would in turn support individual border forts that protected all avenues into the Empire. Each border fort would be manned by a single cohort of frontier troops. The forts themselves would not be designed to hold the enemy, but merely to delay them at the choke point long enough for the Legion to arrive and deal with them. In this way, the entire Empire could be guarded at all times. From west to east, Legio I Italica would be responsible for the Gallic territories, Legio II Italica would be responsible for holding the Alpine passes, Legio VI Claudia Pia Fidelis would guard the Pannonian borders, and Legio V Claudia Pia Fidelis would watch the Danube crossings in Moesia. This system would take time to create and it would cost vast sums to implement and support, but it would more than pay for itself in the long run by securing for the Empire. Nevermore would an eastern horde ravage Roman lands.

Third, the foothold in Asia would be secured and expanded. Once stable and prosperous territories were added to Roman rule, the reunification of the Empire would be assured. This would be the most difficult task, with the might of the Eastern armies to contend with.

Finally, Africa would be retaken. Andragathius had been ordered on a campaign to restore the African provinces to Imperial control before Spurius Cipius had died. It was a mission that was to the benefit of the Empire, promising to restore glory to Rome civilization and to secure the Mediterranean for trade fleets. Tingi in particular was of critical importance. The wealth generated from new trade with Africa and shorter sailing routes would greatly benefit every province. Andragathius saw no reason to abandon these plans simply because he was now the supreme ruler; he had ordered the march to continue as planned and would see it through personally. When the west was secured, then he would march back east towards Egypt and open a second front against the false Empire.

The rear guard was now passing through the gates; it was time to go. Augustus Andragathius Flavius walked over to his mount, held by one of the Imperial bodyguards. He nodded to his men and mounted. As the group began to move, the most powerful man in the world prayed in silence.