The Will of the Senate - First Consul reports

[Mount Suribachi]

I have received word from Numerius Aureolus that the conquest of Debeltos has been completed and the kingdom of Macedon is no more - although he disobeyed my orders to wipe out the civilian population as a final punishment for this war that Macedon started. Such insolence will not be forgotten. 873 enemy soldiers were killed in 3 separate battles, for the loss of 80 Romans. He confirms King Argeos as amongst the dead.

In accordance with the wishes of the Senate, I sent a diplomat to Seleucid territory to try and use Debeltos as a bargaining chip in exchange for an alliance. I needn't have bothered. They weren't even prepared to accept the city, unsacked no-less, in exchange for nothing, gratis. They accused Rome of all kind of deceit and chicanery. Clearly they judge us by their own low standards. So be it. I shall now try to offer it to the Ptolomites - assuming they don't declare war on us first.

I forgot to mention in my earlier report that the Carthaginians have landed a praetorian sized force on Melite. They have not besieged the capital as yet. I have loaded the reinforcements bound for Sicily by road onto the western fleet which was fortunately close by. This fleet is now off the eastern Sicilian coast where they will pick up some more troops before landing on Melite next season.

I have ordered Titus Vatinus northwest to take Orduba from the Thracians and thus complete our advance to the Danube. I await his report.

http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pbm/257spring3.zip

[Mount Suribachi]

South of the Thracian town of Oduba, Titus Vatinius and his 607 men corner a force of 250 Thracians. For the loss of 51 Romans they kill 162 enemy, the survivors fleeing back to Oduba. But there is to be no escape for these Barbarians as the town is taken. Scyles, heir to the Thracian throne is amongst the hundred-odd dead. 56 Roman soldiers are lost.




Summer 257 BC

The season begins with some shocking news! Our "esteemed" diplomat Sextus Antio decides that he would rather work for the Thracians!! No doubt his decision was helped by the fat purse of gold he received from them. He has disgraced his family and all of Rome by his treachery, and I see little need for a trial for this traitor. I recommend that if Sextus enjoys life, he should sleep with one eye open from now on.



There is happier gossip amongst the Patrician families with the addition of little Caius to the Coruncanii family and the marriage of Cornelois Saturninus

Unrest is spreading throughout the Greek cities - due to the strain that our many wars are putting on our armies and economy, we are unable to pay for improvements or bigger garrisons to keep these cities stable. None have rebelled as yet, but we must keep a close eye on them.

Gaius Rutlius arrives on Melite with 607 men, to relieve the hard-pressed garrison of 161 auxilia. They are faced by 697 Carthaginians, led by Amikas Samnites. We lose many men, 480, but 547 of the invaders are killed, the rest try to go to escape, but Melite is small and there is no-where for them to hide. Melite is safe, for now.

There is more good news from our scribes as I end this spell of my co-consulship and hand over to my esteemed first Consul.

[Death the destroyer of worlds]

13. Summer 257 BC

I, praetor Lucius Aemilius and the Field Army II arrive at Acquileia and liberate the town from the Thracian invaders.


Impressed with their resistance, I offered the survivors that had gathered in the village square a chance to surrender, but they boldy refused and were slain. They were buried with honour.



Next I pursued the remaining Thracian forces in Illyria and cuaght up with them in the deep dark woods of Illyria.


It turned out that they outnumbered us and outclassed us and it became a difficult battle where we lost many men, but eventually triumphed.


Our navy tried to prevent Carthagian fleet from landing more troops on Melite, but we were defeated by the more experienced Carthagians.



Servius Aemilius takes command a a new legion and takes ship for Melite, but I worry that he may not arrive in time to save tribune Gaius Rutilius, who is defending the island.
Quintus Naevius is assigned the Legio II Sabina Quintia banner and he and Augustus Verginius set up a fort outside Gergovia. Marcellus Aemilius sets up a fort outside Comata.

14. Autumn 257 BC

A Gaul spy is found in Massilia and in Jenuensis, but they both manage to escape our clutches.

Marliana is born, the daughter of Flavius Placuvius and his wife Placida.

The kingdom of Bactria declares war on the kingdom of Parthia
The Greek cities and the kingdom of Pontus (OCC: which was destroyed ages ago, but this is an example of horrible diplomacy AI. Often, when a faction refuse peace it is because you are still at war with an ally of theirs you have destroyed ages ago) cancel their alliance with the kingdom of Parthia.

Corinth and Elis finished construction of sewers, greatly to their citizens relief. Philipii finished construction of roads. Larissa, Ratiaria and Acquileia finished construction of a shrine to Mars. Thessalonica and Oduba finished construction of a shrine to Jupiter. Byzalora finished construction of a shrine to Saturnus. Comata finished construction of an occupation.

Roma and Corfinium recruit a cohort of italian swordsmen. Arretium recruits a cohort of principii. Arminium recruits a cohort of italian spearmen. Paestum recruits a cohort of funditori. Debeltos recruits a diplomat. Patavium recruits a gallic warband. Syracuse and Tarentum finish construction of a Corvus Quinquereme. Athens finishes construction of a superior light aphract.

As we rush together enough forces near Oduba to face the Thracian offensive, not all units manage to escape interception by the Thracian crown prince Arapeithes the Bloody-Handed in time and some of our troops are intercepted and destroyed.



In a friendly gesture, the Iberians make a financial deal with us, which is profitable in two ways. For one, we make a profit, and secondly, the Iberians will probably not attack us the next four seasons as then they would lose our tributes.


Near Oduba, the Thracians threw everything they had at us. They had amassed a consular army sized force, led by the crown prince of Thrace, Arapeithes the Bloody-Handed, as skilled a general as myself, praetor Lucius Aemilius.
One of our legion-sized forces, without a commander, was besieged in a fort by Arapeithes the Bloody-Handed south of Oduba. I arrived with all the troops I could scrounge together, also a legion-sized force, to relieve the siege. I was accompanied by legate Titus Vatinius and tribune Gnaeus Hordeonius.


After a desperate battle we manage to come of victorious, but we lose almost a legion worth of troops.


Praetor Tiberius Coruncanius and his Field Army I attack a Thracian army that had invaded our land by way of the territory of their allies, the Ptolemaic empire. He reported that the deployed numbers were 545 friendly, 581 enemy. Kills were 471, casualties 65. Ironically, the most casualties were suffered by our Thracian mercenaries. The Thracian army deployed in two waves, with the second wave covering the retreat of the first. As a result, 110 Thracians escaped back to Thrace.

Faced by another Carthagian invasion, tribune Gaius Rutilius attacks the invaders on the beaches and manages to come of victorious.



After the battle, I spend a fortune on mercenaries to reinforce him as help will not arrive for two seasons at least.

Tribune Numerius Aureolus and his Legio V Alaudae abandon Debeltos and march toward the Greek city of Byzantium.

15. Winter 257 BC

After the last soldiers have departed, riots break out in Debeltos.


Vibius Dornna marries Gratitdia, the daughter of Valerius Paulus.


Luvavum finished construction of an occupation. Sparta finished construction of sewers. Thessalonica finished construction of a shrine to Ceres. Kydonia finished construction of a minor temple to Jupiter. Philipii finished construction of a shrine to Jupiter.

Capua and Ancona recruit a cohort of Triarii. Arminium and Corfinium recruit a cohort of Italian swordsmen. Paestum recruits a cohort of hastati. Lilybaeum recruits a cohort of Libyan spearmen. Gergovia recruits a spy. Athens finishes construction of a superior light aphract.

After long and tense negotiations we manage to convince the Germans to ally themselves with us, and even to declare war on Thrace in exchange for military access.



After defeating the Carthegians three times in a row, tribune Gaius Rutilius is faced with unsurmountable odds and in a defiant attack he and his army perish. The town of Melite is burned to the ground to deny the Cartheginians the spoils of war.

[Death the destroyer of worlds]

16. Spring 256 BC

Our neighbours, the Iberians, destroy their erstwhile allies, the Gauls. Our nation finally has revenge for the sack of Roma so long ago.


The riots in Debeltos continue. Anarchy rules the streets of Melite and the Carthagians are unsure of whether they want to bother to take such a looted place, and stay out of town.



Disastrous news reaches us. The Ptolemaic empire has declared war, which not only means we are now completely outnumbered and outclassed at sea, but even worse, we lose the profitable trade with them, which means a ghastly drop in our revenue.

Our German allies, who are losing the war with Iberia, negotiate a ceasefire with the kingdom of Thrace.

Tarentum finished construction of a shrine to Saturnus. Massilia finished construction of a practice range.

Roma recruits a cohort of funditores. Arretium recruits a cohort of triarii. Arminium recruits a cohort of Italian spearmen. Corfinium recruits a cohort of Italian swordsmen. Paestum recruits a cohort of velites. Corinth and Athens finish construction of a superior light aphract.

We are still searching for the diplomat traitor, Sextius Antio, but he has managed to elude us. He cannot run forever. To keep in practice, we order the death of a Thracian diplomat.


As Athens has become a vitally strategic city, I install tribune Secundus Salvidienus there as governor.
Tribune Quintus Libo recieves his chirurgeon and departs from Oduba to Luvavum to take command on a legion.
Tribune Flavius Pacuvius is on his way to Cispine Gaul.
Legate Titus Vatinius has taken up governorship of Segestica, which has been infiltrated by enemy agents and is about to revolt.
Tribune Cornelius Saturninus takes up command of the Legio I Italia Victrix at the river crossing of Oduba.

The assault on Eastern Greece begins. Praetor Tiberius Coruncanius and his Field Army I storm the city of Tylis and defeat the powerful army of the Ptolemaic empire.



Tribune Numerius Aureolus and the Legio V Alaudae cause the Fall of Byzantium. The Greek Cities are now reduced to the Greek City.


On the northern front, tribune Cornelius Saturnius and the Legio I Italia Victrix destroy a Thracian army that was threathening the river crossing near Oduba. He becomes the talk of the local population.


Our battle fleet has regrouped and is closing in on the Cartheginian Fleets near Melite.

Legate Publius Pansa takes over command as he stands ready to complete the Eastern Greece Blitzkrieg by capturing the last Ptolemaic town in Eastern Greece, Maronia.

[Mount Suribachi]

Spring 256 continued

I stand outside the city of Maronia with the 649 men of Legio IV. The city is defended by 242 Ptolomites. They all die as I take the city for the loss of 69 men - not one of whom is a Roman. 2 of my Velites were badly wounded, but my Chirugeon assures me that they will make a full recovery. I enslave the population and build a Minor Shrine to Saturn with the proceeds to celebrate the victory. Just outside the city is another 300 odd army of Ptolomites, I move to attack them, but they withdraw across the Sea Of Marmara, thus freeing the continent from Egyptian troops.

Off the coast of Athens, Admiral Amulius with his 3 ships sinks a Ptolomite ship threatening the harbour. In retaliation they send a mighty Heptare, which was blockading Chalkidawhich our intrepid Admiral also sinks! A Heroic Victory! They send another 2 ships which also end up at the bottom of the sea. Another Heptare is sent, and now down to only 2 badly damaged and under-crewed ships, brave Amulius is lost at sea with all hands. The war on the Ocean will be a costly war of attrition I fear. Fighting one major maritime power would be hard, fighting two is a frightening thought.


**********************************************************

[Death the destroyer of worlds]

17. Summer 256 BC (continued)

Just as I thought I could relax at my villa for five minutes and take care of family business I am rudely disturbed by a messenger bearing the dreadful news of the destruction of the Legio IV Firma and the death of my co-consul Publius Pansa. More horrid news than this is scarcely imaginable. Only an attack by Iberia can top this off, then we will be at war with everyone !
Seeing my co-consuls keep coming to a dreadful end I decide to continue as dictator untill the end of my term.

To show my displeasure to the Seleucid king, I order the assasination of one of his diplomats.


As the battle fleet led by admiral Appius arrives at Melite, where the citizens have rebelled and barricaded themselves in town, the enemy fleets have fled and left the Carthagian army stranded. The Carthagians are shipping another powerful army to invade Sardinia, and we go off in hot pursuit, but they manage to outrun us.


After making a detailed study of the situation I come to the conclusion that we are not able to stop the Seleucid invasion as they outnumber us too greatly and their forces are too concentrated.
On the other hand, I refuse to abandon Byzantium as a large amount of money has been invested into it already to develop it as a naval base. If we manage to hang on to it for long enough we will be able to produce warships on site and block further Seleucid reinforcements by blocking the Bosporus with warships. Consequently, I order tribune Numerius Aureolus and the Legio V Alaudae to hold Byzantium at all costs and I will try to stay out of the way of the Seleucid armies while my fleets and armies gather for a decisive counterattack. Reinforcements are immediately marched to the coast from Roma to board ships to take them to Greece. Intense diplomatic negotiations with all our neighbours meet with no succes whatsoever.

Tribune Manius Aemilius arrives to join praetor Tiberius Coruncanius and delivers his chirurgeon. Together with the Field Army I they pursue a Thracian army, but the savages flee over our borders.

Tribune Cornelius Saturnius and the Legio I Italia Victrix cross the river in an aggressive attack and destroy a small Thracian army.


It is my intention to send them southeast towards eastern Greece to help against the Seleucid empire, who are massing to cross the Bosporus.

It seems riots have occured in Segestica and a temple is damaged. I order legate Titus Vatinius to take more measures to stop them, but I am pessimistic. There must be a dozen spies in the town stirring up trouble.

Tribune Quintus Libo organizes his new legion and leaves Luvavum to look for Thracians that have been skulking in the woods to the north.
I, Lucius Aemilius, depart to the south with Ganeus Hordeonius to pick up the reinforcements to take to Oduba. Every battered unit in the area is gathering there to defend the Danube so that tribune Cornelius Saturnius and the Legio I Italia Victrix can march to the south.
Tribune Flavius Pacuvius is on his way to Comata to take over command of the Legio III Sicilia Aemilia.

Italian auxilia troops are shipped to Greece from Tarentum to replace the veteran and expensive mercenary troops that garrison the Greek cities. These mercenaries will be send to the front.

[Death the destroyer of worlds]

18. Autumn 256 BC

The Greek city and the kingdom of Thrace sign an alliance.
The Greek city and the Seleucid empire sign a ceasefire.

Ocelina is born, the daughter of Numerius Aureolus and his wife Lucilla.

Salona finished construction of paved roads. Delmatia finished construction of a Roman Auxilia I building. Kydonia finished construction of a minor temple to Mars. Gergovia finished construction of an occupation. Debeltos finished construction of a shrine to Jupiter.

Roma recruits a squadron of equites. Arretium recruits a cohort of Triarii. Arminium recruits a cohort of Italian swordsmen. Corfinium recruits a cohort of Italian spearmen. Paestum recruits a cohort of principi. Corinth and Athens both finish construction of a superior light aphract.

In spite of our dramatic setbacks, we are still the strongest faction. The continuous warfare is putting a dent in our population growth however, especially of the small troop producing cities. We need more slaves.

The Cartheginians land in Sardinia, but do not attack Caralis yet. Their battle fleet vanishes in the Mediterranean. Alerted by our spy in Carthage, Decius Curtius, we are aware of massive (and I mean REALLY massive) troop movements to the west of the city of Carthage. He spies another army that has just boarded a small fleet. Our battle fleet, commanded by admiral Appius, moves in and attacks.




The defeated enemy fleet, with nowhere to run, is stranded on the rocky coast and all remaining ships are sunk with all hands. In addition to their ships, the Cartheginians lose 720 hoplites. A great victory for our navy !

In the Aegean sea, a small battle fleet is ready to advance on the Bosporus. Reinforcements are also on the way. The Ptolemaic empire bars our way.



The ships of the defeated enemy fleet are so badly damaged they sink after the battle. Our small fleet moves on toward the Bosporus, which is guarded by a powerful Ptolemaic Heptares.

Tribune Flavius Pacuvius arrives at Comata and takes over command of the Legio III Sicilia Aemilia. Tribune Marcellus Aemilius departs for Roma, with the new standard of the Consular Army, the banner of the Legio II Sabina Quintia, which is transferred to him by tribune Quintus Naevius, who is himself transferred to take command of the Cispine Gaul Legion.
After a careful study of the candidates for this position, I nominate Manius Coruncanius to take temporary command of the Consular Army, which has finished its training and is ready to depart for Sicily. Unencumbered by troops, Marcellus Aemilius will easily overtake him before he arrives and take over command.
I send my faithful battle partner, tribune Gnaeus Hordeonius, who has meanwhile been entrusted with the banner of the Legio VI Phoenix, to meet up with the hodgepodge of reinforcements near Patavium and to lead them toward Oduba with all haste. I, praetor Lucius Aemilius, move on ahead so that tribune Cornelius Saturnius and the Legio I Italia Victrix can depart for Greece this season. This risky move will leave the troops around Oduba without a commander for one season.

Tribune Quintus Libo builds a watch tower at the river crossing north of Luvavum and, meeting no resistance, crosses the river and begins the march on the Thracian held town of Viberi. My intent is to capture it and to give this region back to its rightful owners, our allies the Germans.

The Seleucid empire has moved large forces into our territory. The Greeks have marched out of their last city, Nicomedia, with the clear intent to attack Byzantium. This is the final straw. I order tribune Numerius Aureolus and the Legio V Alaudae to depart Byzantium and to defeat and enslave the Greeks. Afterwards we will raze the Greek city to the ground and abandon it. With any luck, a rebel army will arise to provide us with a free defensive force to our south.
Our forces clash outside Nicomedia and the Greek King sallies forth from the city in support, but flees back to the city when he sees that we are winning the battle. The Legio V Alaudae achieved a heroic victory, killing 479 for the cost of 82.


The second battle was over the city itself, between 478 Romans and 131 Greeks. We lost 23, killing all our enemies and the Greek king, and achieving a clear victory.

Tribune Numerius Aureolus enslaved the town as ordered, bringing us 5345 slaves and 1029 denarii. He then destroyed every building in the settlement, bringing us a further 9129 denarii. The legion departs the ruined city to march back to Byzantium and tribune Numerius Aureolus moves on ahead to keep the recently conquered city in line. He is joined by the cavalry from Debeltos. His account of this campaign can be read here.

This means the end for the Greek Cities. Their nation has been destroyed. This avenges the Roman losses suffered by the legendary consul Quintus and the Legio IV Gallica at the defeat at Appolonia.

The Seleucid empire has sent a powerful army northward and I order praetor Tiberius Coruncanius and the Field Army I to abandon Tylis and to march towards Ratiaria, where they will meet up with tribune Cornelius Saturnius and the Legio I Italia Victrix. Then they will turn around and go on the offensive, while our small fleet hopefully blocks Seleucid reinforcements from crossing the Bosporus. He hires some mercenaries on the way.


Legate Titus Vatinius hires yet more mercenaries to enforce order in Segestica. Next season should see order restored hopefully, so he can engage the rebels to the south of town, which I suspect have a large role to play in these disturbances.

As winter sets in, Tribune Quintus Libo and his German Legion are attacked by a large force of Thracians, that have been hiding in the woods.