Manifest Destiny: A Massalian AAR

[Megas Methuselah]

Prologue

Pyrrhos' death at Argos was, both for his family and the Epirote people as a whole, unfortunate. The subsequent civil strife was disastrous as the Molossian royal family was hunted down like dogs by the Chaonian aristocracy in a violent bid for power. Pyrrhos' last surviving son, Ptolemaios, was the only royal left, fleeing to Syracuse with the last remnants of the family. The Chaonian dominion was short-lived, however; with the newly-formed republican Epirote League brought to its knees by the Aetolian League and the Makedonians, Epirus as a sovoreign state ceased to exist. By that point, though, the fate of Epirus was severed from the old Molossian royal family.

For Ptolemaios knew that his beautiful home was forever barred from him. With the Hellenistic world locked in conflict from Syracuse to Baktria, Ptolemaios became merely another war refugee and, like the Phocians before him during the time of the Persian Wars, he elected to flee to the very edge of the Hellenistic world: Massalia. His wife was horrified at the decision, as was his daughter, sister-in-law, and niece. They had already escaped from Epirus with enough wealth to live rather comfortably in Syracuse, after all. But Ptolemaios knew this polis was far too much under the sway of the tyrant Hiero to allow him the satisfaction in achieving his ambitions. No, Syracuse was not enough.

But at the frontier-lands in Massalia, where life was rough and short, land sold cheaply and soldiers were in high demand. As a wealthy strategos, Ptolemaios rose quickly within the Massalian hierarchy; a true son of Pyrrhus, Ptolemaios' adventuring spirit showed no hesitation in leading a coup to overthrow the Massalian Senate and Directory of Fifteen. By the time he was 40 years old, Ptolemaios was firmly entrenced on the throne of Massalia. He was a prince happily accepted by the common Massalian citizens as a military victor and Hellenic hero, having brought back the island of Corsica and its ancient Hellenic colonies to liberty and an "alliance" with Massalia. His victories against the Carthaginians on land and sea were celebrated amongst the citizens throughout the city, and served to attract the remaining Molossos aristocrats seeking refuge from the disasters in Epirus. One of the most significant of them was a noble Molossian named Galaithos, who had served under Ptolemaios in the navy battles against Carthage. His loyalty during the coup's upheaval was instrumental in its success.





As Basileus of Massalia, Ptolemaios was concerned with the state's security. To ensure the loyalty of the newly-liberated Greek poleis, rather than annex them as Massalian possessions, he accepted the city-states into the so-called Massalian League. Although it kept the Hellenes content, it was a clever ruse; this "federation" of Hellenic colonies and poleis was strongly dominated by Massalia itself. Like the Delian League of past years, this was no league of equality, but something close to an empire.

Theoretically, Ptolemaios' position as basileus was supported by the Senate and the Directory of Fifteen, but in practice, everything depended on the military and his popularity amongst the people. Ptolemaios knew this, and he was not blind, for he could see the embittered glances of the senators and directors. For his family's survival in the long-term, he arranged his daughter's marriage to the son of one of Massalia's three executive directors. A young boy at the time of the marriage, Dorieus was a loyal, intelligent, and popular Massalian Hellen. He would one day inherit his father's position in the senate, and was the key to Ptolemaios' plan in further cementing the monarchy in Massalia's aristocratic republican politics. This political marriage, meant to tie the Senate to its new overlords, would serve as the base for Ptolemaios future plans: the acceptance of aristocratic Hellenes into the highest ruling class.





With Massalia and its sister-colonies firmly held within Ptolemaios' fist, the Hellenistic world may begin seeing some change. What Megas Alexandros had done with the east, Ptolemaios Aiakides may well do with the west. This is his dream, after all. But together with the many Hellenistic monarchs of his age, be it his blood relative Ptolemy Philadelphos, Kassandros, Pharnakes, or even Hiero, one must not forget that Ptolemaios is getting old. People will always dream, but they will not always live.

Nevertheless, the Aiakide name refuses to die. In spite of the suffering and casualties, Ptolemaios did indeed escape from Epirus, and his wife gave birth to a fine son. One day, perhaps he will outshadow his father as Alexandros outshadowed Phillip.










NOTE: Well, here's the new prologue. Too bad I lost my first savegame, but this one is good enough. Be on the watch for the first chapter!

[V.T. Marvin]

Great start!
The Vortigern incident is really a great luck, looking forward how it will come out. In my campaigns bribed/adopted FMs never had any children, but maybe that was just bad luck on my part. I am curious how your celto-molossian dynasty would fare.
BTW it might be nice to change your faction color a bit - there is lot of green shades in that area!
Anyway, good lucj with your campaign and story - I will be following it!

[WinsingtonIII]

I like it! Did you change the edu at all to gain more access to Celtic troops?

I didn't realize bribed generals could end up marrying into the family like that either.

[Megas Methuselah]

Thanks for the comments, guys! This kind of support is always essential for an AAR.

The Vortigern incident is really a great luck, looking forward how it will come out. In my campaigns bribed/adopted FMs never had any children, but maybe that was just bad luck on my part. I am curious how your celto-molossian dynasty would fare.

Bribed FM's (or, in this case, married ones) can have children. It's more difficult for some reason than normal family members, but with proper fertility traits and ancillaries, it will happen. The primary problem will be with the missing surname of Vortigern's children, but I've got plans.

I like it! Did you change the edu at all to gain more access to Celtic troops?

Yeah, I have, actually, for a few units.

I didn't realize bribed generals could end up marrying into the family like that either.

It was because there was no space for him to be adopted into the family. Alexandros was my only male family member, but he had four children, so he couldn't adopt. Out of those four children, only one was an adult, and that was his eldest daughter. She was the only way Vortigern could get into the family. The RTW engine can be bizarre in the greatest ways sometimes.

[Subotan]

Nice title.

[Teucer]

If I'm remembering correctly, the kids of bribed FMs are given a random surname. If this is true, you should be able to easily fake a continuation of the FM's name. Simply go to the 'names.txt' file within the 'text' folder in your EB directory, then search for the random name assigned to the kids and replace the non-bracketed text with the surname of the original FM. As long as you don't touch any of the bracketed text, I'm certain it will be save game compatible.

Of course, if it turns out I'm wrong and the kids oif bribed FMs DON'T get assigned any surname, then all bets are off.

[Teucer]

...And I was right about the bribed FMs and their sons. Here's a fellow I bribed in a Ptolemy campaign, and his strangely named heir...

[Megas Methuselah]

Due to a series of unfortunate events with my installation of EB, this savegame is no longer compatible and CTD's with my current version.

Luckily, though, I didn't get too far in, and I've already started over. When I have some free time, I'll edit the prologue suitably for my current campaign, and give you guys the first chapter!

[johnhughthom]

That is karma getting you back for stealing my AAR idea, I have been planning a Massalian one for a while (I've done everything else).

Seriously though why did you use Epiros? I have played a few Massalian migration campaigns, but used KH. Do Epiros have better recruitment opportunities in the area, I guess they would be a better choice if conquering Italy is on your radar. Well good luck with the retry.

[Megas Methuselah]

Actually, I have an EB Massalian AAR from 2007 (or 2008? I forget) that is in this forum. That old savegame is lost now, but this is just as fun. As for the KH, I feel their current existence is essential to the campaign.

[Megas Methuselah]

I. Conflict and Unrest

By all the Gods above, the Second Carthaginian War is almost over. Although Ptolemaios Aiakides and Galaithos Orestes Molosos rampaged across Italy with the rag-tag armies of Massalia, and brought the Carthaginian allies at Rome to their knees, the Senate at Carthage has already voted to fight on. The Tyrrhenians and the Kelts of the Po River Basin have been garrisoned with Massalian troops and brought under martial law. The war has been costly for all sides thus far, and Massalia itself had seen Roman troops parading along the Rhone river, encamping outside its walls in a bold attempt to storm the city. Although they were driven back across the Alps, Ptolemaios had seen enough. Having organized whatever soldiers and militia he could out of his Hellenic, Keltic, and Iberian subjects, the old Molossian king marched across the Alps and took to the offensive.

Liguria was the start of this bloody business. Both the Romans and the Carthaginians were continuously horrified at the prospect of further Massalian expansion. After all, the Massalian Senate and Directory of Fifteen, led by their Molossian basileus, had already taken significant ground in Iberia and Corsica during the First Carthaginian War. The expansion into the land of the Ligurians, old allies of Massalia, was seen as dangerous. Although the Carthaginian attack by land in Iberia was easily repulsed, their Roman allies were much more of a challenge. Moreover, the Massalians had been spending so much money on the army, that the Massalian navy had been left on its own with skeleton crews.

Thus, the Carthaginians had been able to use their superior naval power to blockage Massalian trade and make coastal raids, whilst the Romans fought viciously with the Massalians over Liguria.

But their death cries were not going unnoticed. The Makedonian basileus and pharoah in Aigyptus, Philadelphos Ptolemaios, was concerned over the the rising might of its western neighbour, Carthage. Making an alliance with Ptolemaios Aiakides, his blood relative through the Molossian's mother, Philadelphus sent military ships and funds to continue the bloody war.





Moreover, as a lasting promise of his loyalty to his Molossian relatives in Massalia, Philadelphos Ptolemaios sent his grand-son, Pauron Ptolemaios, to marry into the Molossian royal house and serve the polis of Massalia. This was a great honour, for such a powerful empire to give up a young prince to the royal house of a rather obscure collection of Hellenic colonies on the western fringes of the known world. But Philadelphos, a wise old man, saw the benefits of a close ally against Carthage, and so saw this as a win-win situation.





With the Ptolemaic aid, Ptolemaios Aiakides withdrew to Massalia to begin the levying of a new army. Galaithos Orestes Molosos finished the breaking of Roman power, and reduced them to a client state. And to punish the Po River Kelts for interfering in the war as Roman mercenaries, he gathered his remaining men and went north to break the whelps to the will of Massalia. His crack force included a core of Keltic veterans of the Roman campaign, supported by a large contingent of loyal Lugian volounteers and Italic auxiliaries. Since the founding of Massalia, the Lugians have always been close friends. Indeed, many Lugians inhabit Massalia, and Massalia's founder, Protis of Phocea, married a local Lugian woman.





By the 352nd year after the founding of Massalia (248 BC), Ptolemaios Aiakides took his nephew, Pauron Ptolemaios, and conquered the Balearic Islands. Carthage was slowly losing ground. However, the Molossian king felt this blow was not enough to convince the Carthaginians into peace, and it was not. Bringing in levies from Iberia's native tribes to supplement the army's core of experienced Kelto-Hellenic and Keltic troops, Ptolemaios and Pauron boarded Massalia's new navy, and headed to one of Carthage's most heavily defended and treasured colonies...





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The Aiakides Family Tree, in the 352nd year after the founding of the city:





Note: I apologize for skipping over the battles and so forth, but the AAR is now caught up to the campaign. I will take Ptolemaios Aiakides and Pauron Ptolemaios on a bloody adventure, and soon come back to visit you with another, even better, chapter.

Btw, in case you're wondering, I bribed the young royal Makedon Ptolemaic into my faction. He ended up marrying into the family because there was no space for adoption. And yes, the Epeirote royal house was related to the Ptolemaic royal house. During his stay in Egypt as a young man, Pyrrhos charmed the queen of Egypt (I think it was Berenice), who gave him her daughter (Antigone) as a bride. Thus, the Epeirote royals in my game are related to that old pharoah, Ptolemy II Philadelphus; even though Antigone was the daughter of Berenice from a previous marriage, Antigone was still Philadelphus' half-sister through Berenice their mother, which means Philadelphos is thus related to Ptolemaois Aiakides, who is Antigone's son. I suppose you could say Philadelphos Ptolemaios is Ptolemaios Aiakides' half-uncle, whilst Pauron Ptolemaios is both Philadelphos Ptolemaios' grandson and Ptolemaios Aiakides' newphew-in-law or something. But whatever, introducing the incestuous Ptolemies back into the family is neat and exciting!

[Hannibal Khan the Great]

Btw, in case you're wondering, I bribed the young royal Makedon Ptolemaic into my faction. He ended up marrying into the family because there was no space for adoption. And yes, the Epeirote royal house was related to the Ptolemaic royal house. During his stay in Egypt as a young man, Pyrrhos charmed the queen of Egypt (I think it was Berenice), who gave him her daughter (Antigone) as a bride. Thus, the Epeirote royals in my game are related to that old pharoah, Ptolemy II Philadelphus; even though Antigone was the daughter of Berenice from a previous marriage, Antigone was still Philadelphus' half-sister through Berenice their mother, which means Philadelphos is thus related to Ptolemaois Aiakides, who is Antigone's son. I suppose you could say Philadelphos Ptolemaios is Ptolemaios Aiakides' half-uncle, whilst Pauron Ptolemaios is both Philadelphos Ptolemaios' grandson and Ptolemaios Aiakides' newphew-in-law or something. But whatever, introducing the incestuous Ptolemies back into the family is neat and exciting!

Somebody would have a tough family reunion rollcall....

[Cute Wolf]

Great AAR Meth....

Hmm.... made me think that the best way to get someone married into your family is through sufficient "suicide" of useless male FM's

[Megas Methuselah]

Thanks, guys. Lemur banned me, so I wasn't able to update my AAR for a while; as a matter of fact, banning me seems to be one of Lemur's favourite pastimes these days...

Hmm.... made me think that the best way to get someone married into your family is through sufficient "suicide" of useless male FM's

Haha, yeah.

[Megas Methuselah]

II. The Levy of Massalia

In the 355th year since the founding of Massalia (245 BC), a Hellenistic army landed in northeastern Sicily to relieve Messene, which was besieged by a large Carthaginian army at the time. At the head of the relief force was the basileus Ptolemaios Aiakides himself. His Massalian army was something of a rag-tag force, with several of his subjects having sent troops for his Second Carthaginian War.

With funding, including a force of military ships, from his uncle, the basileus and pharoah Philadelphus II Ptolemaios of Aigyptos, Ptolemaios Aiakides quickly levied numerous militias from his Iberian vassals to supplement his small core of Kelto-Hellenic and Keltic troops. His Kelto-Hellenic hoplites, in particular, were a group of battle-hardened warriors, having seen action against the Roman Republic in the Italian theatre of the war.





With this precarious force of soldiers and militias, Ptolemaios boarded his army onto his newly-gifted fleet off the coast of the Balearic Islands and headed straight for one of Carthage's most important colonies: their holdings in Sicily. To better fund the fight against Massalia in Iberia, Carthage had been attempting to annex their enemies in Sicily, in order to better combat the Massalians through a single front. Before Ptolemaios Aiakides left Iberia and the Baleares, he made sure to leave his trusted step-son in charge of the defence of the Massalian holdings in Iberia. A son of one of Massalia's three executive directors in the Senate and Directory of Fifteen, Dorieus was an aristocratic Massalian Hellen, tied to his step-father the Molossian basileus through marriage to his daughter. To give the young Hellen a political position suitable to his new place in Massalian society, Ptolemaios Aiakides had granted him the kingship of Zakynthos, a free Hellenic polis that was supposedly a member of the Massalian League, but was really nothing more than a client state.





This promotion would ensure the loyalty of Dorieus and, by extension, would establish a more firm defence in Iberia against the Carthaginian threat.

But to the matter at hand, Ptolemaios Aiakides knew that a mortal strike at Sicily would end Carthaginian expansion in the Mediterranean Sea, and would probably bring about a bloody, yet decisive, finale to the conflict on foreign ground far from Massalian homes and civilians. His confidence in his newly-levied Iberian militias wasn't entirely high, but they stood more of a chance against the inexperienced Carthaginian troops in Sicily than the battle-hardened fighters in Iberia.

With these thoughts in mind, Ptolemaios Aiakides, together with Pauron Ptolemaios, his nephew through marriage-alliance with the Ptolemies in Aigyptos, landed in Sicily to relieve Messene. The Carthaginian armies, in reaction to this sudden appearance of a large Massalian army, withdrew into the central Sicilian hills. Grimacing at their refusal to fight against both the Massalians and Messenes together, Ptolemaios Aiakides instead advanced directly towards the Carthaginian-settled part of Sicily in the west. This action proved too much for the Carthaginian generals, who advanced to attack.





The Carthaginian force, though led by a strong and capable general in the shape of Hamalcar, was composed almost entirely of levies and home guards. A small core of Iberian mercenaries and Liby-Phoenian hoplites were supported by a mass of Liby-Phoenician levy spearmen and Phoenician militia hoplites.





Against this sort of force, Ptolemaios Aiakides knew he stood a good chance.

On relatively flat ground, the great Molossian basileus arranged his troops in a long line, with skirmishers arranged in front, cavalry on the flanks, and a few units of held in reserve.





His Kelto-Hellenic and Keltic warriors held the middle, whilst the specialized Iberian caetrati would be ready for a flanking meaneuover. These men, with their javelins and falcata swords, were a devastating force, in spite of their lack of armour.





Against this basic formation the Carthaginians steadily advanced. Their formation was just as simple; with the vast majority of combatants on both sides fresh levies of militias and conscripts, it should be no surprise that any more complicated of a formation was practically impossible.





Against the relentless advance of the Carthaginian troops, the Massalians were ordered to let loose their javelins. Skirmishers and line infantry alike gripped their ranged weapons and let loose a hail of wood and iron that served to almost break the Carthaginian charge completely.





The Carthaginians nevertheless recovered their strength, gripped their spears and shields, and charged forward in a surprising display of renewed vigour. The charge but have indeed been a terrifying prospect to the Iberian levies fighting for Massalia; nonethess, those militias must be credited for returning the charge by tossing aside their fears in screams of hate, pleas to the eternal gods, and loosened bowels.





The Iberians on the left flank managed to hold their ground well. In the center, the Kelto-Hellenic hoplites were on the offensive. These were not the kind of men to stand back and let mere Liby-Phoenician levies meakly charge at them.





When Ptolemaios Aiakides saw the Massalian line steadily holding and absorbing the Carthaginian charge, he smiled in triumph. No merchant or money-lenders were a match for some of the bravest warriors of the known world.

With a wave of his arm, the Iberian Caetrati on the right flank loose their javelins into the enemy with screams of challenge and self-encouragement.





Following this, they quickly wheeled around the enemy's flank and, with terrible cries of anger that would make even a god flinch, charged into the enemy's rear on the Massalian right flank.





Almost immediately, the terrified Carthagianian flank broke. The whelps were routed like alley dogs, men underserving to be called "men." The Caetrati lust for blood drove them after the Carthaginian cowards as if they were possessed by Deimos himself, the god of dread, so frightening were their attitudes in those terrible moments of death and destruction.





With the entire Carthaginian left flank gone, the Massalians were free to break down on the core of the Carthaginian army in the center who, as of yet, have not fled.







The brutish noises of battle could be heard from afar. Men were screaming, dying, and spilling blood. Some of the warriors say, to this day, that above the battle they could see Ares, the god of bloodlust and slaughter, snarling and embracing the killing in triumph. Whatever the case may be, Hades had welcomed many new shades by the day's end, as the whole of the Carthaginian centre was mercilessly annihilated to the last man. No quarter was given.





Ptolemaios Aiakides had won a great battle in Sicily. With the main Carthaginian force routed, his army was free to take the Carthaginian colony of Lilibeo itself.

All will be continued.

[WinsingtonIII]

Awesome!

This AAR is leading to some interesting army compositions, which makes it all the more fun to see.

[Unintended BM]

Cool AAR. Good work.

[Megas Methuselah]

Thanks, guys. The lack of comments sort of made me continue the campaign without an AAR, so if I do make another chapter, you may notice a slightly different date, haha.

[WinsingtonIII]

Thanks, guys. The lack of comments sort of made me continue the campaign without an AAR, so if I do make another chapter, you may notice a slightly different date, haha.

I think many more people are reading than commenting. I feel like that's true of almost any AAR. However, I understand that it's frustrating to put in so much work and have no one comment.

Which is why I'm commenting right now Keep it up!

[Cute Wolf]

D0nt w0rry M3th, 1'll 4lw4ys watch your 4AR, 45 that wa5 r34lly 1nt3r35tin6....

[Subotan]

I'll comment on anything you do, Meth.

[podoh]

Just caught up with this. I think it's very interesting AAR, I would like to read more.
Is there any chance you could show an expansion map in the next chapter?

[Marcus Darkstar]

I rather like this concept. be sure ill keep track of its progress if there is going to be any in the future.

[Cute Wolf]

Hope Lemur don't ban Meth again... or this AAR will be deserted..... (coughing and look to the frontroom)

[Subotan]

Doubtful, given what some of other people said in that thread

[Aper]

Please update, oh Mighty MegaMeth!

[Megas Methuselah]

I think I can safely promise a new chapter sometime within the next 5 days. Some pretty strange things have happened since the 355th year after the founding of Massalia (245 BC).

Btw, I don't know why I'm still able to go around posting. I should be banned right now, but Tosa likes me. This forum is a benevolent dictatorship, I guess.

[Megas Methuselah]

III. A Neighbour's Blood

By the 385th after the founding of Massalia (215 BC), the Massalian League had finally risen as Pyrrhic victors, true to their basileus' Epeirote roots, from decades of bloody conflict and unrest. Following the successful conclusion of the Second Carthaginian War in the 360th year after the founding of the city (240 BC), Ptolemaios Aiakides died an old man on his deathbed without naming an heir.



Although most would accept that the basileus' eldest son, Nikanor Aiakides, should succeed his father, he was little more than a boy, inexperienced and unqualified. As a result, Galaithos Orestos Molosos, Ptolemaios' old friend and loyal strategos, rose up from his position as Satrap of Gallia on the Italian side of the Alps to march on Massalia and claim the throne for himself. With him, he had two large armies of Gauls, Gallo-Hellenes, and Lugians. Nikanor was quick to retreat to Iberia and his loyal subjects in the poleis of Emporion and Zakynthos, Hellenic members of the Massalian League, where the two basileioi Pauron Ptolemaios and Dorieus Charadros gathered together whatever troops they could muster to smash aside the rebellious Galaithos. Most of the Massalian forces were utterly destroyed in this conflict, but Nikanor, with his armies commanded by the veteran strategos, Pauron Ptolemaios, emerged as the victor and new basileus of Massalia. Almost the entire family of Galaithos Orestos Molosos was killed in the conflict, save for one of his grandsons, a child who was not yet 2 years of age.

During this internal conflict, Carthage was quick to attack and retake its possessions in Sicily. After a long and brutal war in the form of the Third Carthaginian War, Carthage was completely destroyed, its people were scattered and enslaved, and new puppet states were established in its wake. This included the Syracusans in Sicily and southern Italy, as well as the Puno-Hellenic Kingdom in North Africa, ruled by an aristocratic class of Hellenic settlers from the east, where the old Seleukid empire was recently completely overrun by nomads and barbarians.

By the end of the conflict, a strategos of the Massalian League had finally returned home to his home, the Hellenic polis of Emporion, in Iberia to enjoy nearly a decade of peace. This was Seimias Ptolemaios, the eldest son of Pauron Ptolemaios, and he had won great victories for Massalia in Africa against the Carthaginian fighters. It was a brutal war of enslavement, eradication, and displacement. Pauron Ptolemaios had finally gotten the chance to see his son and enjoy some number of years with him before dying as an old man himself, in the 395th year since the founding of Massalia (205 BC). As basileos of Emporion, Pauron left his position to his eldest son, Seimias.



Thus, by the 402nd year after the founding of Massalia (198 BC), Seimias Ptolemaios found himself not only as a popular veteran strategos, but also as the well-established basileos of Emporion. The Massalian basileos himself, Nikanor Aiakides, sent gifts and congratulations on behalf of Massalia's Senate and Directory of Fifteen. The first seven years of his reign were a peaceful and prosperous time not only for Emporion, but for the Massalian League and Empire as a whole.



He was not, however, to enjoy the fifteen years of peace his father enjoyed before his death as basileos. To the north, the massive Gallic confederacy led by the Aedui Vergobret was nearly completely overrun by an incursion of Germanic tribes in a mere matter of two years. Although Nikanor Aiakides summoned two armies to guard Massalia's northern frontier against any Germanic raids, the Satrapy of Tolosa and Polis of Emporion were quite exposed. This worried Seimias greatly, and as a direct result, he took the liberty of raising a modest militia of concerned Hellenic citizens from Emporion to better protect both Emporion itself, as well as Tolosa.



This sudden change of events excited Seimias' brother, Hagesias Ptolemaios, who returned home after serving ten years of mandatory military service in southern Iberia. Hagesias, though, had absolutely no military experience due to the fact that the last 15 years had been relatively peaceful. He was, however, very well educated from his time spent at the Massalian academy from the ages 16 to 20. It was his hope to finally see some military service, and to prove himself both to his brother and Nikanor, the Massalian basileos, after having wasted the past 10 years of his life in a squalid Iberian military encampment. At this rate, and with most important political offices taken by other aristocrats, the best that Hagesias could hope for was a position in the Massalian Senate.



As for Massalia itself, its citizens must consider themselves lucky that their basileos ruled in a time of peace. Though a great administrator, Nikanor Aiakides was a militarily weak man, a sad fate for a grandson of Pyrrhos Aiakides himself. As a basileon himself, Seimias Ptolemaios felt that he had the authority to act of his own accord for the greater good of the Massalian League, in spite of the facts that both Emporion was subservient to Massalia's domination and he owed his position as basileon to Nikanor's own authority.

Be that as it may, the topic of the Aedui Condeferation was the prime news with the Hellenes of the Massalian League. Gergovia, just to the north of Massalia and Tolosa, had recently fallen to the Germanic invaders. The top leaders of the Aedui Confederacy were fortified in the woods just to the north of the Massalian border, attempting to command the last remnants of their confederacy. Even the Aedui Vergobret himself could barely keep his vassals in line, mostly due to the repeated attacks of the Germanic warriors on his forest fort.





When the location of the hiding Vergobret reached Seimias, he finally decided that this was enough. He saw before him the opportunity to take the whole of Germanic-controlled Gaul while it was still weak from the fighting. It was only a matter of pulling the right moves, and if done properly, one would not even require a large, Massalian-sponsored army. Not only would Seimias gain security for the Massalian League, but through the conquest of Gaul, he would gain much political power for both him and his futureless brother.

They were Makedones and Ptolemaioi after all, and Seimias felt they deserved more than the positions of a minor basileos or a position on Massalia's Senate. Through his father, Seimias could claim descent from Ptolemaios I Soter, and through his mother, Pyrrhos Aiakides. His destiny should be more than this, especially since he was the primary strategos that brought about the defeat of the hated Carthaginians in the Third Carthaginian War.

And so, Seimias gathered his small militia of Hellenic citizens from Emporion, whose loyalty were much more commendable than Gauls and Iberians, the other people residing in his small kingdom. With this, he marched north to the hidden Aedui forest fort in an attempt to shape his destiny and the destiny of Massalia itself.





Nikanor was horrified at the prospect of war, and decided to avoid letting Seimias drag him into it. This entire incident was completely wrong, after all. As a vassal of Massalia, the basileon of Emporion had no right to interfere with foreign political entities; rather, Emporion's foreign policy was decided by Massalia. And so, Nikanor decided to keep his armies on the defensive and let Seimias wear himself down in Gaul; in the meantime, he stripped Seimias of his title as basileon of Emporion and ordered him to return to Massalia's Senate with his troops.

Instead, Seimias attacked the battered remnants of the Aedui leadership's headquarters and utterly killed them all, effectively shattering the leftovers of the Aedui Confederacy into several tribal entities.



The common Hellenes amongst the Massalian League saw this not as an offensive against the Aedui, but against that of the Germans. This was what Seimias was preaching, and Hellenes were joining his private citizen army to bring about the destruction of the Germanic invaders to liberate their Aedui trading partners.

This would serve to be a rather strange sort of liberation, though. Upon the death of Vertico, the old Aedui Vergobret, Seimias Ptolemaios declared himself to be the Gobre, the high magistrate and organizer of Gaul's various tribes and kingdoms. By doing this, Seimias established himself as the man that the Gauls should look to for liberation and re-unification; in spite of this, he was a foreign Makedonian, though, and most Gallic tribes hated him for slaughtering their Vergobret. It did, however, serve to legitimize his illegal invasion in a twisted sort of way.

A strange liberation indeed, yet to his Hellenic recruits, it was the promise of security and the restoration of trade with inland Gaul.



By the 403rd year after the founding of Massalia, Seimias Ptolemaios, self-declared Gobre of Gaul, was established in a fortified encampment in Germanic territory south of Gergovia, and just to the north of the Massalian border. It was here where he truly began formulating his plans and ambitions following the abandonment of the Massalian basileos, Nikanor Aiakides.




The Known World, including the Massalian League and Empire, 403 years after the founding of Massalia (197 BC).




Author's note: Well, there's the summary of the past 45 years. Comments of all creeds and colours are welcome.

[Cute Wolf]

Where is Casse? and who are those black people in the western part of the black sea?

[Arthur, king of the Britons]

A good read, keep it up!
And yeah what faction is the grey one?