Re-unification - WRE PBM write-ups thread

[econ21]

Placus Cerealis’s story

The Abbess: We were most fortunate to have had Placus Cerealis. He was an unlikely hero, but a hero nonetheless. It was in the year of our Lord 439. With the Emperor - Placus was his brother-in-law, you know - with the Emperor determined to march south towards Egypt, that left Asia Minor exposed to an Eastern counter-attack. Placus was governor of Sinope when the inevitable happened and the enemy advanced on the city.

The Anchoress: He asked me: “Why me?” I replied “There’s no one else.”

The Abbess: It is true - there were no other generals in the region. So Placus pulled whatever garrison troops could be spared from Caesarea and reinforced the defences of Sinope. But then the enemy turned south and headed for Caesarea.

The Anchoress: A lesser man would have panicked. Placus prayed. And the Lord answered.

The Abbess: He raised two cohorts of veteranii using his own credit. And also recruited some bucellari, Bosphoran spearmen and Sarmatian horse archers. Along with hastily raised local troops, he had soon amassed an army of nearly 1000 men. Then it was time for the enemy general, Castinus Laetus, to panic. Placus’s army moved to relieve Caesarea and together with the garrison sallying forth, crushed the invaders.



In 439 AD, Placus Cearalis marches to relieve Caesarea.

The Anchoress: Even as he gave thanks for his victory, I told him the Lord had fashioned a mighty blade for him and that it would be a sin not to wield it.

The Abbess: Placus had a choice - to stay, waiting for more enemy incursions and paying a small fortune to maintain his army in the field. Or take the battle to the enemy and push east. He made the brave choice. Within two years, we were at the walls of Kotais. His defeat of an enemy relief force was perhaps his greatest moment.

The Anchoress: The wrath of God was in him that day. As his infantry fought off a flanking maneouvre by first cohorts of the false Emperor, Placus led his own bodyguard alone in pursuit of the enemy in the centre. His small band of true believers single-handedly smashed two rallying enemy cohorts and a troop of equites.



441 AD, outside Kotais - Placus's greatest victory.

The Abbess: On the flank, enemy first cohorts cut through some of our lower grade infantry. But thanks to Placus’s personal efforts in driving off the enemy centre, the first cohorts were overwhelmed. With the victory, the gates to Kotais were open to us.



443 AD, Plaucus storms Artaxarta and kills the ERE Caesar

The Anchoress: Placus was now unstoppable. He stormed Artaxarta and slew the false Caesar, Cestinus Laetus. The fallen city erupted in riots, but the fires merely fuelled Placus’s divine fury.

The Abbess: Placus hunted down another false Caesar and then marched on Phraaspa, trapping the imposter Augustus. But in his moment of triumph…

The Anchoress: The Lord called for Placus. He died fighting the false Augustus’ bodyguards in the centre of Phraaspa.



445 AD, Placus storms Phraaspa but falls to the swords of the Eastern Roman Emperor's bodyguard.



Placus’s men avenge their fallen general by slaying the enemy Emperor.

The Abbess: Phraaspa was ours - but only in name. Our army numbered only a few hundred and the people were enraged when we tore down the Temple to their false gods.

The Anchoress: But again, the Lord provided.

The Abbess: Jovanius Commodus, who had ridden all the way from Rome to bring a band of chirugeon to the Emperor, was sent to act as governor of Phraaspa. Soon under his leadership, we were able to continue the drive east. The remaining provinces of the Eastern Empire were now succumbing to a three-pronged assault. Commodus in the north, the Emperor in the centre and Olympias Flavius advancing in the south from Egypt. Our victory was inevitable.