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Draco Rexus said:
Wait, is that an angry mob I hear gathering in the distance?
I’ll bring the pitchforks!
 
Draco Rexus said:
Wait, is that an angry mob I hear gathering in the distance?

*rabblerabblerabblerabblerabble* Did I hear someone say "mob"? :D

I worry about how the Illyrian campaign will fare given the difficult terrain and the proximity to the Eastern Empire. I also wonder about Remus delegating so much authority to his wife. Perhaps no harm will come of it but still...
 
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August 493

There was some speculation that the city would be abandoned outright, such was its decrepit condition. A walled camp, observers titled it, and there was little to remind anyone of the old third century capital. No signs existed anymore that emperors had passed through the city, had even lived there from Diocletian onward. It was a city that had fallen from its past greatness, had forgotten about its cultural, economic, and religious triumphs. Few of the inhabitants, almost all soldiers, could identify who Ambrose had been. It was likely to become another victim of the convulsions of the past centuries, another great city left to rot in order to save others.

This was what the city fathers of Placentia pleaded for when they sent a delegation to Rome to treat with the Imperator, Remus Macrinus. Though still the vital crossroads of the Via Postumia and Via Aemilia, many of the old families in Placentia still resented the upstart Mediolanum, which had housed emperors from 293 to 402. Placentia had seen its share of wear and damage from the many armies, which had passed through on campaign in the past years: Romans, Italians, Ostrogoths, Huns, etc. Much worked was needed to return this settlement to its former shape. To spend vast sums on the restoration of both Placentia and Mediolanum was a cost the imperial government could ill afford, they argued. It was better to let Mediolanum die and maintain a proper city at Placentia, which was better suited to being the hub of northern Italia.

The audience, however, did not progress well from the start. Impatient to embark on his northern campaign, Remus had little time for the haggling and minor rivalries of civilians, particularly when greater issues were at stake. For the Placentia fathers, there were already ominous signs prior to the first conversation. Both Remus and the Magister Militum, Claudius, had a sentimental attachment to Mediolanum, having achieved the final victory over Romulus at that very location. Claudius himself had invested much manpower in the revitalization of the city walls and fortifications. In point of fact, Mediolanum in 493 was a far more heavily fortified settlement than Placentia. The location was a crossroads of its own. The Via Aemilia had been extended beyond Placentia to Mediolanum at some point after its initial construction. Here the Via Gallica came west from Verona, funneling traffic northward into Rhaetia. For Remus’ fledgling empire, communication with Gaul was paramount, this being the main axis of imperial control. In Rhaetia itself, the new Dux Lugdunensis, Aurelinus, had extended a garrison out to Brigantium on the Lacus Brigantinus, the terminus of the Via Gallica. Mediolanum was therefore in an ideal spot to link Italia and Gaul.

Recent moves only added to this dim impression. When the Prefect Regulus had sponsored the rebuilding of the imperial mint in Rome, Remus insisted that a second mint be revived at Mediolanum, one of the original locations. The same held true for the resurgence of the imperial fabricae in Cisalpine Gaul. Certainly every northern settlement benefited from this economic boom, including Verona, Tridentum, Bononia, as well as Placentia itself. Yet imperial preference fell heavily on Mediolanum, which was soon to boast, by some estimates, forty percent of the northern armaments industry.

After a brief pair of audiences, in which the Imperator seemed uninterested in Placentia’s woes, the emperor departed unannounced for Mediolanum and the coming campaign against the Goths. This left Regulus to handle their affairs. Though he was far less beholden to one city versus another and more open to financial persuasion, he chose to retain Remus’ line and did nothing. While the emperor remained in Italia, he reasoned, it was foolish to obstruct his wishes. And it wasn’t merely the emperor’s wishes. The unexpected spring departure of the Augusta, Hesta Procovinii, for Mediolanum caused many tongues to wag. Some wondered if the motivations were simply romantic, the Augusta missing her husband. Others wondered if she wanted distance from the Roman court. And a third camp, though they kept their wry observations confined to private discussion, viewed Mediolanum as an open slate for her ambitions, an empty table on which to build.

Prior to her arrival, the city still retained the flavor of an armed camp, with massive walls, enclosing an area containing only four significant structures overlooking vast fields of tents. Out of force of habit, most of the units had constructed the usual legionary camps within the very walls. The new permanent structures, some in the process of construction, included the Praetoria, a semi-permanent encampment for the city’s main garrison. Mirroring this was the Custodium, a fort for the imperial bodyguards, similar to the Praetoria in size and scope, and present because the emperor was in residence. Though most of these elite soldiers would follow the Imperator on campaign, a recent innovation, detachments would remain in major cities, such as Rome, Ravenna, and Mediolanum. There was also the Ambrosian Basilica, an expansive new church that reflected Macrinus’ careful politicking with certain clerical factions. And most notably was the imperator’s headquarters, the optimistically titled Domus Procovinii, which was emerging from humble beginnings.

This small palace was simply an austere residence, originally built as a military headquarters and soon converted, with one vast residential wing connected to a rounded camera for receptions and briefings. In time this building would grow far more expansive, Mediolanum’s first palace. One of Hesta’s first projects was the raising of a small hill to look out over the flat landscape of the city. Packed tight with a mixture of sand and gravel, the ground was wetted and then the process was repeated until a respectable height was achieved. The terrain was then heavily planted with trees and grass for stability, giving the flat city its only hill of any real proportion. It was evident that even as the Domus Procovinii was developed, a more expansive plan was contemplated for the makeshift rise taking shape next to it.

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Later sketch of a portion of the Domus Procovinii

A final piece of the rebuilding puzzle was the shaping of Mediolanum’s internal roads. Remus Macrinus had directed this project from the laying out of the first camps, ensuring that the main avenues running through the city were resurfaced and in many cases, widened. This was primarily for the transit of armies though this would have a secondary benefit for trade. Under Hesta’s influence, the course of the Via Gallica, running westward into the city and then turning north to Rhaetia, was slightly modified to run close to the Domus Procovinii, while the Via Aemilia would intersect this road, hugging close to the “imperial hill”. In effect, this would pin the geographical center of gravity at the imperial palace.

* * *

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“Ite, missa est,” the priest pronounced, bringing the service to a close. It was the third one held in the new church, and it was evident that the clergy were rapidly adapting to the conditions. The Ambrosian Basilica was still very much under construction, and thus far only the bare stone floor had been laid down, and only in the nave were the first hints of solid walls beginning to rise. The importation of fine marble was behind schedule owing to competition with imperial needs for civil buildings, and in foul weather, elaborate tents were needed to protect the work and allow the first modest functions to be held in the basilica. There was none of the finery of churches in other grand cities, and the sense of grandeur and majesty was likely a few years off. Yet the humility of their surroundings in some ways inspired the priests and in certain circles, it was remarked that these early services were very heartfelt.

Genucius stood with the rest of the crowd and waited for the Bishop to process out through the tented nave, followed by the concelebrating priests and then the deacons. Once this was concluded, the public respectfully watched the Imperator’s secular procession. It was the only occasion where one could observe armed men in a holy place, a sore dispute between emperor and bishop, which thus far, was resolved in the imperial favor. Happy with the infusion of coin for his new church, the Bishop was making less fuss over the Custodiae. Eventually the imperial court would have special facilities overlooking the nave, granting a certain privacy and distance. Until then, the Imperator and Augusta would take honored seats in the front.

Emerging into the warm outside air, Genucius observed the shadow cast by the sun, still low in the eastern sky. He stepped away from the church and greeted a few acquaintances, smiles to his friends, and nods to his enemies. There were far more nods. He observed a brown-robed figure glancing at him appraisingly and at first, wasn’t sure what gesture the man merited. ”Ah yes,” he said mildly, approaching the man, ”the Imperator’s priest.”. Neither an enemy or a friend, he decided, which warranted further investigation.

”You do me too much honor,” the clergyman said, with a slight bow.

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”Truly I wonder,” Genucius replied. The Archdeacon, Caelius Laurentius, was well known to be in the emperor’s favor, causing a bit of resentment in church circles and even more in the civil world. For his part, Genucius didn’t move anymore in the more prestigious arena of the imperial court, and was content to dismiss the gossip. Yet the clergyman’s clear interest in him stirred notice of its own. What would anyone want with a broken Senator?

”I see your perception remains as keen as ever,” Laurentius said humbly, beckoning to the open street. ”Walk with me, it’s a fine day and I have need of your ear.” Intrigued, Genucius agreed and the pair began walking southwest along the beginnings of a grand avenue, the freshly laid stone still blanketed with a fine dust from recent construction. The basilica was located not too far from Genucius’ temporary quarters, which made for a short walk. It was indeed a good day with the heat still muted by a morning chill.

”So what brings you to Mediolanum, Archdeacon? Does Gelasius worry that Litta has the Imperator’s ear?” The budding rivalry between Rome and Mediolanum was mirror the civil rivalry in the theological realm. Even without any actions on his part, Mediolanum’s Bishop would incur resentment from Rome merely by virtue of the Imperator’s residence. That he encountered the emperor more than the Bishop of Rome was danger enough.

”I am sure the Pope appreciates the strides made in this broken city to assure the continuity of faith,” Laurentius replied cautiously.

”Jealous, you mean,” the Senator remarked wryly. ”Jealous of Litta’s pretty new church.” Looking for a reaction in his companion, he found none. The man was difficult to provoke.

He clutched the folds of his tunica as they stepped over a mound of dirt lying next to the new roadway. The Via Ambrosia was a small city road, which circled the northwestern portion of the city, connecting the Via Gallica to the spur road that led west from the imperial palace to the western gates. It was a wide avenue, with freshly laid stone and ridges of disturbed earth still visible on either side. It was a road that, for the moment, had very little astride it. Genucius observed the tents of one of the army camps, amused at the intersection of city life and the military in such a short distance. The fine road was a contrast to the empty fields surrounding it. Few buildings lined it, though that would not last forever.

”I leave such thoughts to the bishops themselves. They are mere rumors.” In such a short rise to influence, Laurentius was fast adding the smoothness of court to his famed humility. He was known was refraining from political infighting even as he could flatter with the best of the Senate. Even in his appearance and gait, Genucius could see the truth of this. His face was thin, the results of self-denial of the court’s finer foods and long walks. He kept his hair trimmed longer than usual and slightly unkempt, though not too much, lest he give the appearance of a hermit. It was the right combination of humility and charisma, which unnerved many.

”Naturally I could ask the same question to you.”, Laurentius continued, turning the tables. ”What brings a noted Senator from the capital to this distant place?”

”Hardly distant,” Genucius answered. ”Let’s simply say that my presence in the Senate is scarcely noted as much as it once was. And no one seems to mind. Fortune favored a different master,” he concluded, again regretting his choice of emperor. If Remus had cast his eyes on the throne long ago, the decision would have been different. Or so he told himself.

”There is only one true Master, of course,” Laurentius chided, but didn’t add to his cryptic remark until they were passing close to what would be considered the city heart. Here, where the Via Ambrosia struck the spur road – as yet untitled – the new roadway doubled in width as it ventured back to the imperial palace and the Augusta’s budding hillside.

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”It was nobility, in your own fashion, that preserved your life, Senator, a quality aspired to by many of my own colleagues. Yet I sense, and this is by no means a condemnation, a certain self-interest in your arrival. You remain the only Senator in Mediolanum, though I’m told another is considering a similar move. I believe it’s a safe guess what you are after?”

Genucius paused, became annoyed at the man’s probing. ”You are not as good at hiding your cleverness as you wish, Laurentius. It is a quality admired in Senators, perhaps, but not in priests. Take care, and explain yourself.”

”Certainly, Senator,” Laurentius said easily. ”The emperor comes and you follow. It is becoming well known how little the Imperator cares for attending Senatorial sessions. Sure, he values their counsel, yet the long speeches and loud harangues can be dull for someone used to the adventure of battle.”

”Spare me your exaggerations, priest, and get to the point!”

”Your pardon. Everyone knows Regulus is the Imperator’s man in the Senate. He and the Magister Officiorum hold sway in Rome. One wonders if you’re of the impression that a new city means a new…arrangement?”

Genucius assumed his practiced expression of one who has no remaining secrets save a proud bluff. ”I’m not aware of that theory, Archdeacon. Go on,” he added as a gesture with meaning.

”If you could get an audience----“

”Impossible. I’m on a list. The Prefect’s reach is far enough for Mediolanum. Why else have I sat here twiddling my thumbs?!”

”Not the Imperator, Senator. He is leaving on campaign in a matter of days. I refer to someone else…”
 
Now this is kind of intriguing. The Roman senators have always been plotting and dangerous persons I guess, and it seems like there are some around who are only waiting for the Emperor to leave on his campaign before taking action. Still with Laurentius being the emperor’s man I wonder if this might be part of a greater plan to take “care” of some troublesome parts of the Roman nobility. But that sounds more like the work of the empress than the emperor. I can think of many possibilities for the future, but I guess the best thing to do is to wait for a new update and then see.

Wonderful work Mett, I am really looking forward to read more and see what the priest and the senator are planning...
 
The picture of Placentia dying so that Mediolanum might live is a poignant and tragic one—even with Remus at the helm, the empire is still a shadow of what it once was.
 
Laurentius is plying his skills once again it seems . For a soldier-Emperor , it must be hard to keep tabs on the political pulse sometimes so I suppose we'll have to see if this bodes good or ill .
 
Excellent to find this in full swing. Well, swing, at least. ;)

Two concerns arise from the past few updates. First, as many others have noted, it is troubling that Remus is divesting himself so completely from the day-to-day running of his Empire, as well as putting so much trust in his lieutenants. I don't doubt that men like Claudius, Selenus and Viator are loyal, but Remus' inattention to the civilian side of things could allow others to combine and conspire. I think he'll be fine as long as Hesta is on his side. As long as no-one can offer her more than Remus, she'll watch his back. But if she ever were to decide that others could offer her more, Remus would be in deep trouble.

The other concern is that Remus seems to take this campaign against the Ostrogoths a bit too much for granted. Even if all goes well and the Ostrogoths go down without bleeding the Reman armies too much, it's a giant leap of faith to assume Remus will be able to start focusing his attention on Africa immediately thereafter. What about securing the newly-gained territories, what about the new barbarian neighbours that undoubtedly wait beyond the Danube, what about divvying out political favors in the new territories in such a way as to ensure a continued balance of power in Rome, with Remus firmly on top?

I guess that for Remus, becoming a bigger player (all the way from Centurio to Imperator) simply means more problems on a bigger scale. :)
 
Remus has be a least appearing to be interested in every city in the western empire. He doesn't have all that many and ones with tradition who enthusiastically support him will be worth their weight in gold. Their tax revenue will support his armies and he needs armies.

Of necessity Remus is a soldier emperor. At the age he is, he knows he will not be able to lead armies for very much longer and he has to have them performing the way he wants, equipped to order and tactically superior to any enemy. That goes for his chance to mould leaders in his image. The Goths offer the chance to blood a whole generation of middle ranking officers who will form the senior command of legions and armies in the future. He has to create the reputation of the western roman army so that potential enemies are cowed before they take up arms and aspire to serve the empire rather than destroy it.

Frankly, Remus hasn't much choice. If the east falls, he's go no-one to come to his aid and the west will fall.
 
Mettermrck, I've at last been drawn into the EU2 forums. Excellent writing so far, and I hope to stay on top of this fine epic :) .
 
I wish for an update soonish... or at the very least a sign of like from the Author :eek:o

I can give you a sign of life. :) Sorry, my wedding's creeping closer and that's really dominating everything. But I haven't abandoned the project, and even have an update half-written (tough one to finish). :) Thanks for hanging in there!
 
Lo! For after many, many months of trials and tribulations, I come back to this place, looking for old friends and old stories that captured my mind. Lo! For I am indeed not disappointed by the small, but significant progress made in the story line.

My best wishes for you, O fabled and honored writer, in your holy matrimony. May God shine His Light upon you and your bride, granting you happiness forever more.

And may your beloved understand the desperate hunger that this story awakens within our hearts, and thus allow you to produce more of this delightful narrative. May God bless you with a quick mind and fertile imagination.

I must have read too much Homer recently, pardon my verbosity.