Dear Brother,

I write to you from Pella the capital of Macedonia. The place where Megas Alexandros was born and started to conquer the world. I wonder if part of what I feel right now was part of what Alexandros felt when he started his conquest. I am not claiming that a mere Primus Pilus in the roman army could compare him self to Megas Alexandros but I just feel eager to explore the eastern side of our sea. I have never been that far eastwards. Certainly, as Primus Pilus the commanding centurion of the first cohort and the senior centurion of the entire second legion I’ve seen my share of wars. But they were always in the west. It would be intriguing brother to go east and see those ravish kings with their emeralds, pearls and gold. One can’t help think about his share of the bounty.

Anyway, I have finally found the answer to that question you always asked me in your letters. I admit it took me sometime to figure it out but I finally know the answer. The question was “why is it that I continue to serve in the army”, the answer my brother is quite simple. There is nothing else fit for me to do. I’ve been fighting in the 2nd for 20 years now. I have to admit that I was very lucky to serve under the command of some of Rome’s most esteemed generals. But after 20 years of training, fighting, marching, digging, bullying and killing I can’t simply roll up my kit turn and settle to farm for the rest of my life. I can’t do it or I won’t do it. I’d rather die in battle then spend the remaining days of my life getting soaked like a country bumpkin. As it happens “simple life” like you call it doesn’t cut it for me. I was born a warrior and I shall die a warrior. I hope that was an adequate answer.

But enough philosophy, I’ve been reading too much lately I am beginning to think there are reasons for everything. I think I’m growing a brain in side that thick skull of mine, you don’t become a Primus Pilus if you’re dumb now!!! Back to what’s important. As you know the senate has endowed a special command on Consular Servivs Metilivs Asina to deal with the run-away Macedonian king once and for all. So where is the run-away king I hear you ask, reports are coming that he has established himself a nice kingdom in Asia Minor other reports say that he has setup himself in a village near the Euxinus sea. But does that matter? Well the answer is yes and no.

But first let me tell you a small story about how our esteemed Consular Servivs got his special commission. As you know the three most influential families in Rome are the Scipio’s, Asina’s, Cotta’s and Blasio’s. The Scipio’and Blasio’s have long perished. However, the Scipio’s adopted a Libanivs a long time ago; of course, the Libanivs were a bunch of Patricivs nothings before being adopted but ever since their star has been rising. When word arrived that the Macedonians have regrouped after being thrown out of Greece some years ago our Princips Senatus decided to go on a field visit to Byzantion our closest border with Bythnia and our passage to Asia Minor. His mission was to find the truth about these Macedonian insurrections and to deal with them peacefully and diplomatically. I don’t know what happened in Byzantion but it must have been terrible. Our Princips Senatus returned to Rome full of fear and advised that senate to take action and take it quickly for the Macedonian threat was real and perilous. After a few sessions, Domitivs Ligvstinivs Libanivs Consular and nephew of the great Decimvs Cordivs Libanivs took the floor and started advocating the job to his great uncle. But there was a problem. Decimvs has been in Rome for almost two years but has been rarely seen in the forum or attending the senates meetings. Consular Servivs, being a great military man himself, always regarded Decimvs as his adversary and made sure to track Decimvs every move. It struck him as unusal for a great general like Decimvs, who was awarded with an infantry commander of genius award to hide from the public eye. So Servivs turned to ask his beloved brother Nvmerivs (a close friend of Decimvs, both were of similar age) about the well being of the great Decimvs. Naturally, Nvmerivs didn’t want to disclose any information but under the persistent nagging of his older brother Nvmerivs gave in and admitted that Decimvs health has been frail. After promising not to disclose this information to any one Servivs left his brothers companionship to find the companionship of the Malchvs cousins. Servivs promised the Malchvs a legatus position in his Asia Minor campaign if only the cousins agreed to spread the tale about Decimvs health to the senate backbenchers and some of the ever strong Cotta Consular’s. So in the next meeting Domitivs delivered a very long speech about how his great uncle Decimvs risked his life in Gaul and Germania for the sake of the republic, Domitivs asked the senate to commission the eradication of Macedonia to his uncle. Domitivs asked for division and a few minutes later a stunned Domitivs watched the entire senate opposing his commission. No one doubted Decimvs military ability but what Domitivs didn’t know was that every single senator was now aware of Decimvs health condition.