Chapter 159: For Rome
< 159. For Rome >
A week had passed since the Servian Wall was demolished and the renovation ceremony was held.
The festive atmosphere that had filled Rome was gradually returning to normal.
But that did not mean that everything was exactly the same as before.
A large-scale construction project had begun in the place where the Servian Wall had been.
The shops that had closed due to the commotion had also resumed their normal business.
The citizens were simple, but not stupid.
They knew well that Rome’s atmosphere was similar to before, but also distinctly different.
It was not just because of the massive construction work going on everywhere.
The minutes of the Senate meetings published in the Acta Diurna showed how Rome’s politics were changing.
First of all, the pointless and wasteful arguments had decreased significantly.
Since the conflict between the aristocrats and the populists had intensified, more than half of the words written in the Acta Diurna were nothing but unproductive quarrels.
When the politicians fought every day, the people naturally felt disillusioned.
In fact, it was not only the Senate that was like that.
Even the tribunes who were responsible for the assembly of the people were no different from the Senate.
The tribunes, who were completely divided into aristocrats and populists, fought in the same pattern every time the assembly was held.
All these absurd acts disappeared cleanly after the Triumvirate intervened.
It was not just the violent brawls that disappeared.
The bad habit of abusing the veto for ridiculous reasons also vanished without a trace.
The reason was simple.
It was because the veto that was used for unreasonable reasons was invalidated by the Triumvirate.
This did not apply only to one side, either aristocrats or populists.
The veto that was abused simply to hinder the other side was now meaningless for both sides.
After everyone recognized this, the assembly and the Senate became noticeably peaceful.
Even if they expressed their opposition to the other side’s policy, they followed it with more logical reasons.
As Rome quickly stabilized in this way, the Triumvirate was preparing for the next step.
It was about the remaining term of their governorship.
Caesar and Marcus had left their legions in their provinces as they were.
They still had some time left to maintain their imperium.
And unlike Pompey, they were not in a situation where they could completely empty their provinces.
Pompey had made Hispania, North Africa, and Greece his clients for more than 10 years already.
He did not have to go there as a governor himself, because all the governors there were practically his subordinates.
He had left Sextus in charge of Cusae and Axum, so there was no problem there either.
On the other hand, Marcus and Caesar had not yet established such a level of domination as Pompey.
“I guess I’ll have to go back at some point.”
Caesar’s heavy voice echoed in the meeting room.
“We’ve firmly planted our influence in Rome, so I think it’s time to return. Marcus, don’t you want to go back to the East?”
“I do. I’ve been waiting for a good opportunity.”
“Good. I knew you would do that since you didn’t bring everyone from the East this time.”
Marcus had not brought anyone else except Julia and his children this time.
Even Arsinoe and Cleopatra had stayed in Antioch.
It was because of Danae, who was about to give birth.
She could not ride a rocking ship for a long time when she was full-term pregnant.
So he had left Danae and some people to take care of her in the East.
“I don’t think I can stay in Rome for long anyway. Julia keeps nagging me to go back.”
“Julia? Why?”
“She gets along well with Danae. She says it’s a huge wound for a woman not to be by her side when her child is born. She scolds me every day.”
Caesar smirked, remembering how he had been in faraway Greece when Julia was born.
“…Well, that’s true. But Julia is too soft-hearted. Usually women don’t care so much about their husband’s concubines. And you seem to love her quite a lot too, considering you’re going all the way back to Antioch.”
He did not go back to Antioch just because of Danae, of course.
There were still many problems left in the East.
He could not leave his seat until he finished them all.
If the East became unstable, it would be tantamount to shaking his power.
And that was no different for Caesar, who based his power on Gaul and Britannia.
He wiped out his smile from his face and spoke in a serious tone.
“Then we’ll leave Magnus in charge of Rome while we’re away, as usual.”
“My father will also return to Rome. He will be able to perform the role of a deputy well even without me. Don’t you have anyone to appoint as your deputy, Caesar?”
“I’m planning to leave Curio in Rome for now. But he’s not ready to take my place yet. So I’m thinking of trying out the equestrian system you mentioned last time, but only in northern Italy.”
Marcus nodded after thinking for a moment.
“That sounds good. If we only set one route and operate it as a trial, the cost won’t be too high.”
“Right. If we run the relay as you suggested, I can get reports from Rome in two days at best, or four days at worst. Then I can respond adequately to any important matters that require my opinion.”
“The fact that Caesar in the north can participate in the state affairs will be a great propaganda in itself. Magnus, do you have any objections to the current policy?”
Marcus asked Pompey, who had been listening to the conversation so far.
Pompey slowly shook his head.
He looked somewhat tired, whether it was his mood or not.
“Why would I have any objections? You two are much better than me in this field, so I’ll try to follow your proposals as much as possible.”
“Thank you for your trust. But you look a bit exhausted today. Did something happen?”
“Nothing special. I just spent a lot of nerves preparing for the inauguration ceremony, and maybe I was too tired from holding such a lavish event. I’m not as young as I used to be, so I don’t recover from fatigue as quickly.”
“Then we should end today’s meeting as soon as possible. It’s decided that Caesar and I will go back and forth, so let’s set the specific action plan and disband.”
“Then let me speak first.”
Caesar raised his hand and looked at Marcus and Pompey alternately.
Then he cut to the chase without beating around the bush.
“Actually, I’m not just planning to stabilize Britannia and Gaul. I’m thinking of crossing the Rhine and making the Elbe River the territory of Rome as well. It will take a year to conquer and another year to stabilize, even if I go quickly. So I need at least two years. No, considering that Germany is covered with forests, it might be more realistic to take three years.”
“You want to advance to the Elbe River? Does that mean you’re going to attack Germany?”
“Yes, Magnus. I want to expand Rome’s border from the Rhine River to the Elbe River.”
Pompey looked puzzled.
He asked Marcus, who didn’t show much reaction.
“Did you know about Caesar’s plan?”
“I didn’t hear it beforehand. But I thought it was possible.”
“I don’t understand why you want to take such a land.”
From Pompey’s point of view, Germany was not a good place to go on an expedition.
Although they were both barbarians, Germans and Gauls had different temperaments.
Gauls, who had been in contact with Rome for a long time and traded with them, were easy to civilize.
Britannia was also similar to Gauls in terms of temperament up to the south and central regions.
The barbarians of Caledonia who resisted Rome until the end were thoroughly crushed by Caesar in battle, so they were not a big problem.
But Germans were almost like the tribes of Caledonia in their whole nation.
They rejected Rome’s civilization and believed that such a life would make them weak.
“If we leave Germany alone, it will surely threaten Rome’s security in the future. Now that Gaul is completely pacified, we need to weaken the power of Germanic tribes appropriately.”
“I can understand that. But then you could just cross the Rhine and sweep away the nearby tribes.”
“Of course, that’s also a reasonable suggestion. But I think this is the best opportunity to attack Germany. If not now, Rome will never have a chance to expand its border to the Elbe River again.”
Pompey tilted his head after hearing Caesar’s explanation.
“What do you mean by saying this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? Why?”
“First of all, it’s about whether we can carry out a stable expedition or not. Gaul has become completely Rome’s territory, and Rome’s political situation is also unprecedentedly stabilized. If we go on an expedition now, I can focus solely on conquering Germany in front of me.”
“Well… That’s true, but…”
“And the most important thing is the level of soldiers who fight in war. The legions I lead are at their peak in terms of experience and skill. In terms of individual skills alone, I’m proud to say that they are higher than any legion in Rome’s history.”
Neither Pompey nor Marcus could argue with that.
If they considered the quality of weapons as well, Marcus’ legion would be better, but it was undeniable that Caesar’s legionaries were the best in terms of pure personal skills.
Most of Pompey’s legionaries were newly organized soldiers for expeditions.
Marcus’ legion was also mostly composed of those who were formed for the Parthian War.
They had successfully performed the war, but they didn’t have many rotations.
On the other hand, Caesar’s legionaries had been stationed in Gaul and Britannia for almost seven years, fighting fierce battles every year.
They had countless large-scale battles that they couldn’t count with both hands.
At this point, they were practically war machines that were used to fighting barbarians.
Caesar didn’t hide his pride in his skilled soldiers under his command, and showed it openly.
“I will never have a chance to lead such battle-hardened legionaries to fight against Germans again. There is no battlefield left around Rome that can accumulate that much experience.”
“I see what you’re trying to say. But Germany won’t be as easy to Romanize as Gaul. How are you going to civilize them?”
“I don’t think it’s possible in a short time either. And I’m not in a hurry. I’ll first show them the overwhelming superiority of our military power, and make them enjoy the benefits of civilization. I have to make them so addicted that they can’t go back to their previous uncomfortable lives.”
“I agree with Caesar’s opinion. Even if we fail to occupy the Elbe River basin, it won’t cause much damage to Rome. I think it’s meaningful just to show Rome’s power to Germany.”
“If that’s what you two think, I won’t say anything else.”
Now that Pompey agreed, no one could oppose the German expedition.
Caesar thanked Marcus with a wink.
Marcus shrugged as if to tell him not to worry.
He had a guess as to why Caesar wanted to attack Germany.
In fact, Caesar in the original history also had a desire to conquer Germany.
But he had to give up the German campaign because of the dense forests and warlike nature of the Germans, and the civil war that broke out in Rome.
In that sense, it was true that this was the best time to go on a German expedition, as Caesar said.
‘Of course, his main motive must have been to make up for his lack of military achievements.’
He didn’t say it out loud, but Caesar was the one who was falling behind in terms of power among the three.
Gaul and Britannia were lands with great potential, but they were still undeveloped wildernesses.
In contrast, Pompey had the rich Greek world and the mines of Hispania in his hands.
The Axum dynasty he had just acquired was also a region that showed excellent productivity based on abundant rainfall.
There was a clear difference compared to the areas Caesar ruled.
And as for Marcus, it was meaningless to compare.
The regions that were responsible for Rome’s food supply at the end of the Republic were Egypt, Anatolia, and Syria.
Marcus currently had all three regions under his influence.
He also secured the fertile crescent by conquering Mesopotamia.
The area Marcus ruled could be compared to the Persian Empire at its peak.
Given this situation, it was inevitable that Caesar would try to gain more military achievements.
No matter how cooperative they were, if the power and position of the three were not equal, their relationship would eventually become strained.
Neither Marcus nor Pompey would show such signs, but Caesar’s pride wouldn’t allow him to fall behind them.
Even if they were father-in-law and son-in-law, or rather because of that, they needed a clear power relationship.
It was true that they needed to take care of Germany in the future anyway.
Marcus decided to think of it as leaving the groundwork to Caesar.
Besides, thanks to Caesar bringing up the expedition first, he could also talk about his plan more comfortably.
“Now that we’ve decided that Caesar will go on a German expedition, shall we move on to my story? I intend to annex the Nabataean kingdom into Rome’s territory.”
“The Nabataeans? You mean those people in southern Syria?”
“Yes. That’s right. Of course, I don’t mind if they surrender and come in on their own. The important thing is to completely stabilize southern Syria.”
The Nabataean kingdom was just entering a unified regime at this time, and it had only been about 10 years since it bordered Rome.
The territory of the Nabataean kingdom stretched to the northeast of the Arabian Peninsula, and they were gradually changing from nomads to settlers.
They developed agriculture through irrigation technology and were also diligent in commerce.
They had a high chance of becoming Rome’s vassal state like Egypt, even if they weren’t pressed by force.
Marcus planned to use them to get information about the southern tribes of the Arabian Peninsula.
Muhammad wouldn’t be born for another 600 years, so there was no concept of Islam in the Arab world at this time.
Pre-Islamic Arabia was a chaotic era where a few small kingdoms clashed and competed with each other.
There was no unified dynasty or anything like that, and there was no sign of such a similar state being born.
Naturally, information was scarce as well, so Marcus decided to investigate the situation in the south through Nabataea first and then establish a course of action.
Neither Caesar nor Pompey raised any objections.
With this, the treatment of desert tribes was entirely left to Marcus.
Marcus decided to end the meeting for now, thinking that they had settled on important matters.
Pompey said he had been waiting for this and went back to his mansion on a carriage with his eyes closed.
Marcus didn’t go back right away and headed to the amphitheater with Caesar.
They were scheduled to give a congratulatory speech at the final match of the gladiator league that would take place today.
The gladiator league now had almost every major city in Italy participating, so its scale was enormous.
Even though they had prepared extra seats for people who crowded into the amphitheater, they still couldn’t meet all the demand.
Caesar looked at the view of the huge Colosseum that was almost finished with construction and clicked his tongue as he rode on a chariot.
“If only that had been completed a little sooner, we could have held this final match there.”
“But as you can see, it’s almost done. We’ll definitely be able to hold games there next year.”
The Colosseum had been a topic of conversation throughout Rome for its size since it was built.
The citizens had been eagerly waiting for the games and events that would take place in this amazing building since a few years ago.
The opening ceremony and the games and events that were scheduled to be held in the Colosseum were too many to list.
Probably, the citizens of Rome next year would be completely distracted by entertainment and not pay much attention to politics.
Even if the Senate tried to do something against the Triumvirate, no one would care.
And when the interest in the new entertainment subsided a little, Marcus and Caesar would return to Rome with another great achievement.
“Thanks to that, the burden on Magnus will be greatly reduced. He looked like he shouldn’t push himself too hard for a while.”
“He had a lot of things to worry about lately. Our father also complains that it takes him weeks to recover after a few days of hard work these days.”
“Time is truly cruel. To think that the great Pompey would be unable to handle this much work and lose his stamina.”
“I think the mental satisfaction of achieving everything he wanted also affected him. Maybe he doesn’t feel motivated by anything anymore.”
When he thought about it coldly, Pompey was only in his mid-fifties.
It was hard to believe that he, who had spent half his life commanding armies, would suffer from such exhaustion from this level of work.
If it was the usual him, he wouldn’t have refused to give a speech at this occasion, no matter how tired he was.
‘I’ll have to find some work that can spark his interest later.’
As the Colosseum came into view, Marcus sorted out his thoughts and entered with Caesar.
As soon as the two of them appeared, tens of thousands of spectators rose from their seats and pounded their left chests with their right hands, shouting for them to leave the arena.
“Hail Marcus! Hail Caesar!”
“For Rome!”
Surrounded by thunderous applause, Marcus and Caesar looked at the crowd and lightly tapped their hearts with their right hands.
“For Rome.”
As Marcus’s voice echoed through the arena, the crowd’s enthusiastic reaction doubled.
The two men, who once again felt the absolute support of the citizens, sat in their seats and enjoyed the games.
The slight anxiety he had earlier was washed away by the cheers of the crowd and soon disappeared without a trace.
< 159. For Rome > End
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