Rome Must Fall

"Did anyone take it privately?" Maximus interjected.

Frontinus hesitated for a moment, and the military judge Sidonius next to him immediately said coldly: "Yes, there are three people in total, belonging to the same team, who have been captured. I am going to punish everyone with a stick during dinner to alert everyone." Army! Moreover, the captain of the team has poor leadership. It is recommended that he be reprimanded and dismissed from his position as captain!”

"Okay, I'll do as you say." Maximus nodded approvingly, and then looked at Frontinus with a serious look: "Since we have formulated military laws, we must strictly implement them. Don't be afraid of soldiers Complain, even if they want to leave, I will not stop them. Eliminating these weak-willed people will only make our team more united and more disciplined. And we have no shortage of soldiers now. I don’t know how many people outside are willing to join us. Team slaves and commoners!”

"The leader is right. Soldiers in our army come from all over the Mediterranean. Once these guys who violate military discipline are given a little indulgence, the army may fall into chaos."

Quintus reminded with a serious face: "Look at Spartacus. Originally, his troops had good military discipline. Then when the southerners came, he allowed them to build their own army and agreed to let them follow his troops. As a result, these southerners had no military discipline and looted everywhere. As a result, they led the soldiers of Spartacus's army to ruin. As a result, he is now completely unable to control his army. I think he will have more troubles in the future. …”

Maximus felt the same, but Frontinus didn't want to listen to Quintus's noise and said quickly: "In addition to the seized materials, we also captured more than 600 slaves from the houses of these rich people, and also There are more than 100 family members of these rich people, mainly women and children. I wonder what you will do with them, leader?"

Maximus thought for a moment, then turned around and shouted: "Volenus! Volanus! Volanus!!..."

"Chief, what's the matter?" Maximus' army administrator, who was looking through Sarapia town documents, stood up in a hurry and turned over the wooden chair behind him.

"What is it that makes you so fascinated?" Maximus asked curiously.

"Chief, I'm looking at the records of trade taxes collected by Sarapia in the past two years." Volenus raised a stack of papyrus in his hand and said excitedly: "Don't look at the city of Sarapia. , but its trade tax last year collected nearly two thousand gold ores (the most valuable Roman currency, cast in gold). This is not the main thing. What is more important is that there is a weapons workshop in the city of Sarapia! !”

As soon as these words came out, everyone present was moved.

Maximus asked eagerly: "Are you sure it's a weapons workshop and not a blacksmith?"

There will be a blacksmith shop in any town, which can be used for blacksmithing and making farm tools, but it is difficult to independently manufacture a complete set of weapons and equipment. The weapons workshop is a factory specializing in manufacturing weapons and equipment, and the scale is generally not too small.

"It's either a blacksmith or a weapons workshop!" Voronus said with certainty. At the same time, he handed over the papyrus in his hand, pointed to a line in it, and said: "Chief, look, this one is called Eraqus. The weapons workshop sold 100 pieces of square shields and daggers, as well as 30 sets of legion armors to the military port of Brindisi in the south last year... and this weapons workshop also smelted iron ore..."

"Erakus?..." Maximus felt that the name was somewhat familiar, and then recalled: "Isn't this man the great nobleman of Sarapia? It is said that his family was one of the founders of the city. , now has a close relationship with the city of Rome. Based on what we learned in advance, we have put him at the top of the list of dignitaries who must be executed. I wonder what his current situation is like? "

This was obviously a question to Frontinus, and Frontinus immediately gave the answer: "He has been killed. It was during the attack on his house that the soldiers suffered the greatest casualties."

"Since he is dead, let's take this weapons workshop and the people in it into our possession..." Maximus said while carefully looking at the tax collection records about this weapons workshop in his hand, and suddenly His eyes narrowed: "It is recorded here that this weapons workshop imported iron ore from Noricum... Is this Noricum located north of the Italian province and west of Pannonia?"

Regarding Maximus's question, those present looked at me and you, unable to answer.

"The leader is right, this Noricum is in the place you mentioned." A voice came from outside the door, and then Capito walked in: "This area is controlled by the Noricum tribe. It is rich in iron ore, and the quality of its iron ore is much better than that in Italy. Many years ago, the Roman Senate reached a friendly agreement with the Noriki people, and the iron ore produced there was not used except for their own use. It must be delivered to Rome for purchase..."

Capito said seriously: "Since the people of other Italian city-states became Roman citizens more than ten years ago, of course they also have the right to purchase Noricum iron ore and transport the iron ore from the Noricum mountainous area to The city of Aquileia was then shipped here via the Adriatic Sea, where it was smelted into iron ingots, made into weapons, and then sold to Brindisi for distribution to Roman soldiers who were about to go out to fight...

This trade route provides convenient transportation and saves costs. It must be said that the owner of this weapons workshop is very visionary. If he is given a few more years to develop, he will definitely become a big businessman specializing in supplying weapons to the Roman legions. "

"No matter how good his vision is, it's useless. In the end, it's all ours." Quintus couldn't help but interjected.

Maximus coughed lightly and asked, "Are the Noriki allies with Rome?"

Capito thought for a while and replied: "The two sides only have a friendly relationship, but it is not an alliance, because of the painful memories of the past, the Romans were not interested in the places north of the Alps, and the Noriki were on the north side of the mountains. It is a powerful tribe and does not need to ask Rome for help.”

Now the Romans are full of fear of the Gaulish barbarians, but in the future the Gauls will be afraid of the Romans... By the way, in which year did Julius Caesar become the governor of Gaul? ...Maximus was thinking about it when he heard Quintus say: "Chief, even ordinary Romans like us don't know about the Noriki, but you actually know about it, it's really amazing!"

Quintus was praising him, but his eyes revealed curiosity and exploration, because through this period of time together, he discovered that although this young leader was only a domestic slave, his abilities and knowledge impressed him. Marvel.

Maximus smiled slightly and said casually: "My father is an Illyrian. When I was a child, I heard from him that he was born south of the Deva River, not too far from the territory of the Noriki people."

After saying that, without waiting for Quintus to ask again, he turned to look at Capito: "I originally thought you would arrive tomorrow, but I didn't expect you to come today."

"After capturing the city of Sarapia, there will inevitably be a large amount of captured materials. It is my duty to count and keep them, so I rode here first. The other personnel and baggage were led by Aconis and Cornelius. Now that the middle and lower reaches of the Orfidus River are under our control and the army of Attumus, they should arrive easily."

Although Capito was suspected of abandoning the army and not performing his leadership responsibilities, his positive attitude towards work was still good. Maximus could not blame him, so he changed the subject and asked: "I sent someone to inform Pius before. Grace, tell him to come here as soon as possible, did you see him on the way? "

"I came here with him, but after entering the city, he went straight east."

Maximus frowned: "Going east? What is he doing there?"

Capito shrugged, not knowing.

At this moment, Pigris pushed the door in and said loudly: "Chief Maximus, here I come! I just went to see the port. The port in Sarapia is much larger than that in Pompeii. Moreover, they integrated the city and the port, and the market was located in the port. I think their trade must be much more prosperous than Pompeii! "

Maximus looked at him with an excited face, and any trace of resentment in his heart disappeared.

He looked at the administrator Volenus, the warehouse manager Capito, the military officer Frontinus, the staff officer Quintus, and the military judge Sidonius beside him, and said loudly: "We have It has been discussed that Sarapia should be our foothold in southern Italy.

When we were in Pompeii, it was difficult for us to manage because there were other leaders' armies, but Sarapia belongs to us alone. We must get it done as soon as possible to better help us increase our strength! Now that you are all here, I will assign tasks to you. "

Everyone cheered up and looked at Maximus with burning eyes.

"Capito, in a moment you go to the rich area to count and receive the seized materials. Then you go to the weapons workshop and receive it. You must ensure that it can continue to operate normally!"

Capito said bluntly: "Chief, I am alone now. Can you first send a few of your attendants to be my assistants, so that I can complete the tasks you assigned as soon as possible."

To this day, the leaders of the rebel army know Maximus's followers well. Despite their young age, they are all good at writing and calculation, and they are also good at doing things.

"Okay." Maximus nodded in agreement without hesitation, then turned around and shouted: "Margus, call a few boys, follow Capito to the rich area, and follow his arrangements. However, clean up You have to keep the money that comes out as well as before.”

"Yes, leader!" Marcus immediately stamped his feet and saluted, extremely excited.

Capito had no objection to this. After all, Marcus had been in charge of the army's treasury for several months, and there had been no mistakes. Everyone recognized him.

"Volanus, take your men and rush to the rich area, investigate and register the slaves, and then distribute them, which ones should go to the warehouse, which ones should go to the kitchen, which ones should go to the engineering team... "

Maximus paused and continued: "There are also the families of the rich people mentioned by Frontinus just now. Go and check them, and then pay them some travel expenses and drive them out of the city."

After Maximus finished speaking, Volenus, Frontinus, Quintus, Capito and others all breathed a sigh of relief. They were once Roman citizens. Although they were now enemies of Rome, they still did not want to The army they belong to brutally tortures defenseless women and children.

"Frontinus, you also rush to the rich area and arrange the camping of each group as soon as possible. Oh, by the way, the baggage group may not be able to get here tonight, so today's dinner will be hosted by Volenus You two, Frontinus, are responsible for giving the soldiers as much food as possible. After all, we have won the battle and we should simply celebrate."

"Understood, leader!" the two responded in unison.

"And -" Maximus looked at Frontinus and said: "Canosa and Sarapia were captured by us one after another, and more and more people will come to seek refuge with us, but your Ministry of Military Affairs is When recruiting soldiers, be careful to recruit as many slaves and non-Italian poor as possible.

I just looked through some records of Sarapian residents preserved here. In addition to slaves, most of the laborers at the port are poor people from Illyria and Epirus who came from across the Adriatic Sea to seek a living. I think this Other towns along the coast are in the same situation as Sarapia, and you should recruit more of them. "

"The Greeks have to pay provincial taxes. Illyria and Epirus are both mountainous areas with barren land. It is normal for the people there to escape. They are fierce by nature and are indeed good soldiers." Quintus Ruo He asked thoughtfully: "But Chief, are you asking to recruit fewer southern Italians because they are more home-loving?"

Maximus did not avoid this question. He looked at Frontinus, Quintus, Capito, Sidonius and others, and said seriously: "Before, we already had some in our team. The poor people from the south have indeed shown this tendency. You have all been in the Roman army for many years, and you should be very aware of the strength of the Roman military. The reason why we can develop relatively easily now is because of the Roman army. The main force is outside Italy.

Once the Roman Senate draws these troops back and concentrates their efforts on us, I don't think our entire rebel army will be their opponent. By then we will have to leave the small south and move to other places...

But if most of the soldiers in our army are poor people in the south and they are unwilling to leave their hometowns, what should we do? Choose to stay until surrounded by the Roman army? Or should we simply abandon them and leave alone, resulting in a greatly weakened army? Or is it forcing them to go together, which will eventually lead to internal strife? ...No matter what, this is never a good thing! In this case, we should prepare in advance! "