PUBLICA INFERIOR: A Republic of Etruria AAR

King50000 said:

Which patch are you using btw, 2.3.2 or 2.2?

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2.3.2. Though I really wish they'd get around to releasing the new patch already! Alliance chains are doing my nut.

Wave said:

I found out a way to do this a lot more easierly
Just place the cursor on the date in game and it shows you BC year in a box, no more mathematics

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This wasn't common knowledge?

Thanks though. I use it in my geeky AAR system of hand-writing the date in AVC and BC on a piece of paper with any events that occur for that year. As i say, all very geeky but its a good way of keeping track of the little details


On a wider note, apologies to everyone for the delay with the latest chapter. I've been really busy these past couple of days but I'll get round to it eventually. Stay tuned!

No - sorry to anyone who has been following this. I've been doing some freelance work in London while I crash on various friend's couches. Its left me pretty tired but mainly I just haven't had the time to finish the next chapter as comprehensively as I'd like. I've written part of it, and as soon as I get some proper free time I will get around to uploading it.

Hope you guys are all good and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

Hello everyone,

Firstly I’d like to apologise for leaving this story unfinished for so long. My free time dried up half way through writing it and I just never seemed to have the space to complete it. I always did mean to finish it at some point, though perhaps not after quite so long

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I’ve come back to it after all these years and I’m finally getting around to continuing it. I imagine that many of the people who were reading it at the time might have drifted away from the forum since then, but if there’s anyone still around who enjoyed reading the first chapters, hopefully it’ll be interesting to catch up because there’s a lot left to write about!

I’ve kept to the principal of playing fairly, no reloads etc but even so, there’s a lot of action to come that - in game terms - was pretty awesome. I just hope my writing is up to the scratch of narrating it all!

I’ve already written the next couple of chapters - I’ll upload the next one in a day or two. In the meantime, anyone interested in this AAR or AAR’s in general should re-read the earlier instalments, there’s a lot of stuff connected to previous events and characters that will show up in the next chapters.

Take care and watch this space!

December, 288 BC.

Two years have passed since the end of the First Italian War, where the Republic of Etruria led it’s fledging alliance to war against the might of Rome, and emerged victorious.

Barely 10 years ago, Etruria was on the brink of annihilation during the Great Crisis. Now, having conquered the rich province of Umbria and its major capital city of Perugia, the Republic stands as the dominant power in northern Italy. It has been a truly remarkable turnaround.

Rome and its former ally, the Kingdom of Picentis, still exist as city-states but their power has been broken forever. Picentis has been subjugated and forced to pay tribute to Etruria, while Rome itself had never recovered from the barbarian Sack of 307BC and now cowers in the shadow of Etruscan domination.

But deep in the beating political heart of the Republic, an ominous series of events is about to occur which will come to overshadow Etruria’s involvement in the most epic and ferocious conflict the Mediterranean world had ever seen.
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REWINDING - BACK TO JANUARY 289 BC.

The consular elections that took place in the immediate aftermath of the Italian War would once again highlight the dangerous rifts emerging within the Senate House - divisions which had emerged during the height of the Great Crisis.

The outgoing Consul Vitellius, who had led Etruria into the Italian War, was an avowed member of Mars Imperito - the faction of Senators who believed that the future of the Republic lay in a policy of aggressive expansion. Other senior Mars Imperito supporters include Proconsul Martialis, the shrewd and influential statesman who had rejuvenated the economy in the aftermath of the Great Crisis and forged lasting ties with the Republic’s Greek neighbours. Mamercus Ulpius Nasica is another rising star in the faction, albeit merely the protégée of the faction’s de-facto leader, the great General Mercator Audax. Mercator led the Republic’s troops against the odds in casting out the barbarian hordes during the Great Crisis, and has since won glory in conquering the city of Perugia.




Bitterly opposing them is the faction known as Pax Etruria, which strives for cautious isolationism and a lasting peace whereby the Republic can safely expand by colonising the Cisalpine provinces to the north. At their head is the formidable Proconsul Valens, well admired by the Etruscan masses for ending the unpopular Second Samnite War (albeit on soft terms). Valens’s right hand man and close political ally is Proconsul Gracchus, who as Consul during 297-295BC had managed to stave off the interests of the warmongers and keep the Republic at peace during his time in office. A recent addition to the Pax Etruria ranks is former General Octavius, who had been in command of the army during the outset of the First Italian War, only to be ousted by Mercator when the latter ascended to the Consulship back in 303 BC. Octavius had been left in the political wilderness following Mercator’s rise to prominence and has thrown his lot in with Pax Etruria in the hope of gaining a new command.




In the weeks following the end of the war, new consular elections are held to decide the Republic’s leader for the next 2 years. Following a heated election campaign, Valens’s influence with the masses enables his cousin and fellow Pax Etruria candidate Sextus Fulvius Valens to win by a narrow margin, promising an era of peace and consolidation following the recent war. No sooner has Sextus been elected than the hawks of Mars Imperito begin clamouring in the Senate for further conquests, arguing that their enemies are on their knees and should be annexed completely before they have a chance to rebuild, but Sextus is determined to maintain the peace.


Sextus becomes the Republic's consul under a mandate of keeping the peace...

...but immediately faces opposition from the insatiable hawks within the Senate House.


Sextus’s position is not just based on dogged ideology – it is with good reason, considering the worrying developments occurring in the region. In the north, the Republic’s newly colonised regions of Liguria and Bononia were still in their relative infancy and consequently were vulnerable to the barbarian warbands that habitually crossed the Alps to try their hand at raiding and pillaging. Mercator was busy in the region during this time, patrolling with the Auxilia to keep the newly colonised regions secure.


Mercator Audax defeats the latest barbarian incursion from the north.


The outlook in the wider region was even more foreboding. In the aftermath of the Italian War and the downfall of Rome, foreign powers had begun to take a greater interest in Italian political affairs. In the east, a complex web of alliances had formed between Greek powers in the eastern Mediterranean, known as the Alexandrian League. The League was formed by the likes of Macedon, Crete, Thracia and Rhodes but was largely dominated by the Diadochi powerhouse of Egypt. This network of Greek states was undoubtedly powerful yet was also extremely volatile and unstable, being wracked by internal disputes and sporadic conflicts with other Diadochi successor states. The cities of Magna Graecia on the southern tip of Italy had been members of the League for some time, but already were suffering from the constant calls to arms and prolonged campaigning. In 288 BC a revolution broke out in the capital of Tarentum that was eventually put down after some years of bitter fighting.




Against this backdrop, a climate of suspicion and tension fell over the region, resulting in an arms race between the remaining states in the south of Italy. The old Etruscan allies, the Samnites and Lucani, began to inflate their armies to record levels – armies that had once been 9,000 strong were practically doubled within a year, mainly by conscripting untrained and poorly equipped recruits. The Auxilia Etruria maintained a smaller number of well-trained heavy infantry, but was still expanded to 12,000 men during Sextus’s tenure in response to the tension that was overshadowing the region.


The Auxilia Etruria becomes expanded to 12,000 men. This is a lower figure compared to some of it's neighbours but what it lacks in numbers it makes up for with it's well drilled heavy infantry and archers.


It was not just the Italian states that were re-arming. Since the onset of the Second Samnite War 20 years previously, Carthage - the great power of the western Mediterranean - had been slowly consolidating its hold on the African mainland. It had emerged victorious after a lengthy war with Numidia, annexing territory and subjugating them to vassal status. It had also forged ties with the southern tribes of the Garamantes and expanded its colonies in Spain. With its home territories secured and a powerful navy at its back; Carthage began to look to the east. The island of Sicily, where Carthage owned the western half, had long been at peace. However, at this time the Greek city state of Syracuse, which owned the eastern half of the island, petitioned the Alexandrian League for member status. This caused alarm in Carthage, which was already surrounded by League members such as Massilia in the north and Egypt in the east, and soon they too joined the arms race.


Carthage dominates the western Mediterranean but has become hemmed in by the new Alexandrian League members, Massilia and Syracusae [yellow border added between Etruria and the Samnites since both territories shown in blue].


Back in Etruria, Sextus’s Consulate came to a close after a largely uneventful two years – his greatest achievement being to keep the Republic at peace in the face of an increasingly determined pro-war faction. However, while Etruria had seen peace at home, the political climate in the wider Mediterranean had spiralled dangerously out of control. The Republic was beset by dangers on all sides. Its decisions over the coming years would determine the course of either its survival, or that of its destruction...

Matnjord said:

Now, this has been a completely unexpected alert, certainly not one I would have ever anticipated to see.

It's going to take me a while to work out what had happened in the previous updated, but I'm very glad to see that this is back!

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Thank you Matnjord, it's a pleasure to be able to return to this story

I will be uploading the next chapter soon. The previous Chapter 5 was really just a catch-up describing a relatively quiet 2 years following the First Italian War. I promise the next chapter will involve a lot more action!

As an advance note - I have chosen to refer to fleet numbers by an increased factor of 10. Therefore 5 ships in game terms becomes 50 ships in the narrative. This is to enhance a sense of historical realism.

Thanks everyone - next update coming soon!

January 287 BC. A tenuous state of peace encompasses the Italian peninsula. With the balance of power in the wider Mediterranean poised on a knife edge, the decisions made by the Republic of Etruria over the next few years would be critical to it’s future prospects. The Consular elections of 287 BC were therefore the fiercest that had ever been contested in Etruscan history.

With a broad divide in support between the bitterly opposing factions of Pax Etruria and Mars Imperito, the election quickly became deadlocked. For several days both factions proposed candidates that were doggedly rejected by the other. There seemed to be no end to the dispute – that was, until the surprise intervention of Mercator Audax.



The arrival of the formidable General was unannounced and entirely unexpected. Mercator had been campaigning with the Auxilia Etruria on the northern border and had not been expected to participate in the elections. However, when word reached him of the impasse in the Senate he acted impulsively, leaving the army garrisoned on the frontier and riding back to the capital with all haste. He arrived at the Senate House to find the government already in session, by now in its fourth day of negotiations to try to establish a suitable candidate. The General immediately made a startling declaration that would both defy convention and cause outrage amongst his Senatorial opponents. Mercator announced that the Republic could not be rendered leaderless at such a critical juncture – the Senate’s inability to decide a Consular successor was simply unacceptable. He declared that he was hereby enacting his titular authority as Censor to arbitrate between the various candidates.

This was certainly a troubling development as far as the Republican government was concerned. Throughout it’s democratic history, the Senate had always been able to elect a candidate from it’s own numbers to serve a two year term as Consular head of state. The mechanisms of election and the limitations of the two year term served to balance the ambitions of the various individuals and factions competing for power, thereby providing the Republic with stable long-term governance. The office of Censor was an ancient and respected position, but until now had been a purely honorific role. Mercator had been awarded the title by Proconsul Numerius back in 300 BC, in recognition for saving the Republic during the Great Crisis [see Chapter 3]. But no one had ever used its powers to influence an election in this manner. It was entirely legal – however, it severely damaged the faith that individual Senators placed in the electoral process. The boundaries of democracy had been diluted and henceforth the message had gone out: elections could be tampered with.

Furthermore, Mercator Audax may have been a hugely respected member of state but he was hardly an impartial arbitrator for an election. As the nominal head of Mars Imperito - one of the two competing factions in the Senate House - he could scarcely be expected to make an objective decision on the matter of the Consulate. It therefore came as little surprise that he proceeded to select a member of Mars Imperito for the position. His actual choice of candidate, however, was hugely surprising indeed. For Mercator declared that the Republic’s new Consul would be none other than his protégée, Mamercus Ulpius Nasica.


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Up to this point, much of Nasica’s career had existed in the shadow of his renowned patron. Now he was suddenly to be thrust into the political spotlight. It was a startling choice given his relative lack of experience. Nasica had been second in command for many of Mercator’s more famous campaigns, but had never held a full command of his own. He had also gained some involvement in the political theatre, although this was largely as a proxy for Mercator in the Senate House. It was his military involvement, however, that had proven the greater influence on his personality. Amongst close circles, Nasica had become known for his ambition, ruthlessness and determination – despite his lack of experience, he was a man that was not easily trifled with. Now his time had finally come and the fate of the Republic was in his hands, for better or worse.

Inevitably, the pronouncement of Nasica as Consul was met with outrage by the supporters of Pax Etruria, who cried fraud and demanded a re-election based on more democratic grounds. However, the powers of the Censor were legally ratified within the constitution and practically speaking there was little that the likes of Senators Valens and Gracchus could do to challenge the decision. Senator Gracchus in particular derided Nasica as being nothing more than a puppet for General Mercator. Nasica, for his part, did little to dispel these accusations when, in his first act as Consul, he declared that a grand Triumph would be held in the streets of the capital in honour of the great General’s continuing service to the Republic.



But Nasica was finally emerging from Mercator’s shadow, and his own leadership skills were about to be put to the test in spectacular fashion.
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The first 6 months of Nasica’s Consulship were deceptively calm and largely uneventful. The former Roman territory of Sabini in central Italy, conquered by Etruria during the First Italian War, became successfully integrated into the Etruscan cultural style.




As spring turned to summer, the new Consul faced his first crisis when a serious drought struck much of northern Italy. The lack of water caused disease to spread like wildfire amongst the poor and rich alike. Nasica encouraged the Senate to invest large sums of money in sanitary measures to mitigate the problem, which undoubtedly saved many lives. Sadly, one life that could not be saved was that of Proconsul Vitellius, who caught a terrible fever and died within weeks of the outbreak. Vitellius had been one of the foremost statesmen of the Republic having overseen two Consulships, both at critical junctions in the Republic’s history. His first had overseen a term of peace, which ended at the onset of the Great Crisis, following which he became a prominent supporter of the pro-war faction, Mars Imperito. When he ascended the Consulship for the second time, he used his significant influence in the senate to pass the declaration of war that started the First Italian War, which ended in Etruscan supremacy over northern Italy. He had enjoyed a glorious career and his death would be mourned throughout the Republic.



Tragedy strikes as Proconsul Vitellius, a great servant of the Republic, passes away through sickness.


Yet despite this tragedy, it was events overseas that would soon demand the sole focus of Nasica’s administration. Tension between mighty Carthage and its tiny Sicilian neighbour, Syracuse, had been building up over the course of the year. Carthage had become increasingly concerned about Syracuse’s recent pledge of allegiance to the pan-Greek Alexandrian League. Syracuse, meanwhile, had become emboldened by their new allies and began to covetously eye the western half of Sicily. Trouble on the border between the two states continued to escalate throughout the early months of 287 BC until, on 15th July, Carthage issued a pre-emptive declaration of war.




If Carthage had hoped that distractions overseas would prevent other Alexandrian League members from siding with Syracuse, they would soon be dismayed. Within weeks, the battle lines had been drawn as Macedon, Crete, Thracia, Rhodes, Magna Graecia and most significantly Egypt declared their support for their Greek brethren and joined the war against Carthage. In response, Carthage called upon its vassals and allies within the African interior, Numidia and Garamantes. The grand scale of the combatants would promise to make this a truly epic and terrible conflict.

The First Punic War had now begun.
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STRATEGIC SITUATION: JULY 287 BC

The two sides looked evenly matched going into the war. Egypt and Carthage were both colossal superpowers, dominating the east and western Mediterranean respectively. Carthage had taken the initiative and the course of the war would likely be dictated by the willingness of Syracuse’s allies to dispatch troops far to the west. If the Alexandrian League failed to respond in full force then Syracuse looked isolated and doomed.

For the time being, the Republic of Etruria and its Italian allies looked on from the sidelines, overawed by the epic scale of the conflict that was developing before them.


Diplomatic view of the two sides, showing the enormity of the conflict.


While the opposing armies were still mustering in their respective domains, Consul Nasica issued his first major directive in response to these increasingly worrying events. The Republic was to construct a new ocean-going fleet – a relatively small enterprise at a total of 50 ships, but a significant development considering that this would represent Etruria’s first meaningful naval presence since it’s Golden Age hundreds of years previously. Work commenced on ship production with immediate effect. In the face of this potential crisis, Nasica was beginning to display strong leadership qualities, galvanising the Republic on all levels and improving internal stability.


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AUGUST 287 - APRIL 286 BC: THE ALEXANDRIAN OVERTURE

For almost a year following the Carthaginian declaration of war, both Punic and Greek sides had been cautiously mustering their forces but neither had made any significant moves against the other. During the initial year of conflict, only the island of Sicily saw any actual fighting. Carthage, however, had clearly underestimated the resolve of Syracuse. The Syracusian army proved a match for the Carthaginian garrisons of Panormus and Agrigentum, but was not of sufficient strength to launch a counterattack of it’s own. No other Greek assistance had yet been forthcoming, resulting in a stalemate across Sicily with neither side gaining the upper hand.

Things were to change, and then to escalate rapidly going into the new year. In the early months of 286 BC, the Alexandrian League called Massilia into the conflict. Some weeks later a Massilian delegation arrived at the Etruscan Senate House bearing a remarkable offer, signed by all the Greek states in the Alexandrian League. Massilia was calling upon the terms of its alliance with Etruria, and requesting that it too joined the war against Carthage. But this was no ordinary call to arms – the signatories of the Alexandrian League were offering Etruria de-facto leadership of the entire war negotiations.




This was a staggering offer considering that Etruria was, at best, a modest regional power. However, victory in the Italian War had cemented Etruscan hegemony over north Italy, as well as its influence over the other Italian states – the Samnites and the Lucani. The Greeks knew that by offering the Etruscans leadership in the conflict, they would yolk the strength of the entire Italian Peninsula. With the nation states of Italy on their side, the Alexandrian League members could find the balance of power tipped in their favour.

Unsurprisingly, the Etruscan Senate was split down the middle when deciding how to respond. Pax Etruria supporters clamoured for a swift refusal, pointing out that Carthage was a superpower right on the Republic’s doorstep with bases in nearby Corsica and Sardinia, and a powerful fleet with which to project it’s forces across to Italy should the Republic incur it’s wrath. They also pointed to the derisory lack of support received from Massilia during the Italian War, when Etruria had called it to war by the same treaty. Why, they asked, should Etruria stand by them in return?

But the chance for Etruria to ascend the world stage and take it’s place at the head of such a broad and mighty coalition proved too tempting for the ambitious Consul Nasica and his supporters in Mars Imperito. With the fleet already under construction, the northern borders seemingly stable and with Carthage already facing a torrent of enemies across the Mediterranean, they felt that now was the time for the Republic to take new strides forward and perhaps even reclaim the island of Corsica, which had once been under Etruscan government during the Golden Age but had long since been lost. With the prospect of untold glories yet to come, Consul Nasica blithely rejected all dissent and proceeded to accept Massilia’s call to arms. He also sent word to those stalwart Etruscan allies, the Samnites and the Lucani, who once again stood by their Etruscan brothers by joining the war against Carthage.


The Republic of Etruria assumes the mantle of leadership in the Punic War...


...joined by it's allies, the Samnites and Lucani.


The Republic of Etruria now found itself at the head of the greatest war the Mediterranean had ever seen.
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MAY – DECEMBER 286 BC: THE WAR ESCALATES

The singular Etruscan objective in the war was the re-conquest of Corsica.

Consul Nasica’s first step was to placate his opponents in the Senate House, who were furious at his obstinate drive towards what they saw as a totally reckless war. To mollify them he moved to install the Pax Etruria supporter and former General, Octavius, as a second Censor alongside Mercator Audax. This would balance out Mercator’s statutory powers and assure Pax Etruria supporters that future elections would not be decided by arbitrary Censorship.




With his opponents at home pacified for the time being, Nasica was free to focus on events overseas, where the conflict was rapidly escalating. Egypt had finally begun to launch a land campaign that was pressing westwards towards Carthaginian territory in Africa. The allied armies of the Samnites, the Lucani and Magna Graecia had already mobilised and were advancing towards the tip of Italy, in readiness of crossing over to Sicily.

But Carthaginian forces had beaten them to the draw. A Carthaginian fleet of 70 ships had arrived to block the crossing at Mare Siculum. The tiny Lucani flotilla was unlucky enough to encounter the Carthaginian fleet while trying to run the blockade through the straits and was utterly destroyed. Meanwhile the resupplied Carthaginian land forces on Sicily were also making progress at long last, advancing to the second Syracusian city of Messina and laying it under siege. Carthage had taken the initiative and Sicily was finally in its grasp.




Soon, however, the League allies received better news from Africa. The Egyptian campaign had been making good progress into Carthaginian-held Tripoli. With Carthage’s primary efforts drawn to its assault on Sicily, it was relying heavily on its allies in the African interior to defend the mainland. On 7th October the main 21,000-strong Egyptian army forced the combined Carthaginian forces to battle near the coast at Macomada. The Carthaginian troops numbered 18,000 in total, with 12,000 of this number consisting of troops from its vassal, Numidia. Outnumbered, the Carthaginians are defeated but manage to retreat in good order, although from this point they can do little more than shadow the Egyptians as they work their way inexorably up the African coast.




Sensing the tide of the war beginning to turn, squadrons of Greek ships from the various states of the Alexandrian League began tearing westwards across the Mediterranean, performing hit-and-runs on Carthaginian ports and disrupting supply lines. In an effort to counter this new threat, the Carthaginian fleet blockading Sicily disperses and sets off in pursuit. This proved to be a fatal error, as with the end of the blockade the armies of Italy are able to pour across the straits of Mare Siculum into Sicily - over 50,000 men in total. They quickly overwhelm the Carthaginian forces besieging Messina before pressing on into the Carthaginian side of the island. The Lucani army, now 17,000 strong and still commanded by the redoubtable General Cicero, hero of the Italian War, is the first to arrive at the frontier city of Agrigentum. When the Samnites arrive soon after under their own legendary General Brutus, the combined armies storm the city with minimal resistance. The remaining Syracusian forces press on to Panormus on the western tip of the island and manage to capture the city. Aside from a few remaining army remnants, Carthage had now lost total control of Sicily.




During this time, Nasica and his Mars Imperito colleagues were keenly awaiting the completion of the fleet, which was expected to take no more than a few months. Meanwhile, renewed barbarian unrest on the frontier had once again forced the Auxilia north. It was hoped that the return of the army would coincide with the completion of the navy. The Republic could then finally take a more active role in the war effort.
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DECEMBER 286 BC – AUGUST 285 BC: NASICA'S SETBACK

In the meantime Carthaginian fortunes in the war would soon turn from bad to worse. Up until now, the Egyptian fleet had largely been absent from the war. In late December 286 BC, the reason became apparent. Egypt had been secretly preparing a second major army of 21,000 men, which was embarked onto the Egyptian fleet docked in Alexandria. This combined force then departed for the western Mediterranean. The Carthaginian navy was still strung out across the ocean, vainly trying to hunt down the myriad bands of allied Greek vessels, and was in no position to offer resistance. With increasing dismay, Consul Nasica watched the progress of the Egyptian fleet drive further and further north. It became apparent that their intended target was the island of Corsica – the singular Etruscan objective for the war.

On 31st December the second Egyptian army made landing without resistance on Corsica and quickly occupied the entire island. It then departed south for Sardinia, which would also soon fall to the relentless Egyptian forces. Publicly this was a great development for the allies, but privately the hawks in the Etruscan Senate were left bitterly disappointed. Their main objective for the war had rested in the hope of capturing Corsica themselves. However, a combination of renewed barbarian unrest in the north, compounded by the delays in assembling the navy, had meant this was now out of the question. With Corsica as well as Sardinia occupied, it looked as though Nasica’s objectives had failed, and that there was nothing left to do but defend the northern frontiers and await the resolution of peace.

Thus, Mamercus Ulpius Nasica’s Consulship came to a close as something of an anti-climax. He had succeeded in driving the construction of a new fleet, which could give the Republic’s ambitions a new dimension in years to come. However, he had involved Etruria in a huge conflict with few tangible gains to show for it. He had elevated the Republic to the world stage, but had surely incurred the wrath of Carthage in the process. As he left the Senate House as Consul for the last time, he could only wonder at what could have been.
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JANUARY – JULY 285 BC: THE EGYPTIAN DOUBLE CROSS

As the war continues overseas, on the home front the frustrated hawks of the Mars Imperito faction can only await news from the front lines.

Replacing Nasica as Consul at the end of his term is his colleague and senior Mars Imperito advocate, Tiberius Claudius Martialis. Martialis is one of the most respected statesmen in the Republic. During his first term from 299-297BC he had rebuilt the Etruscan economy in the aftermath of the Great Crisis. But given the complexities of the on-going struggle with Carthage, his main appeal is his pre-eminence with the Greek nations around the Mediterranean. In his previous spell as Consul he had singlehandedly built up relations with neighbouring Massilia [see chapter 3], setting the foundations for the Republic’s diplomatic ties to the Alexandrian League and Etruria’s rise to the nominal head of the war effort. With the conflict showing no sign of abating, it was seen as essential for Etruria to have a head of state capable of maintaining friendly relations with the allied Greek states.




Martialis’s first act upon assuming the Consular chair is to inaugurate the fledging Etrurian Navy, which has finally been assembled at Volaterrae. In a grand ceremony in the harbour, Martialis announces that a further 50 warships will begin immediate construction, to eventually bring the fleet up to a total of 100 vessels. It has been several generations since Etruscans last took to the oceans in force and there are those in the Senate who have misgivings about the capability of the new fleet, given the Republic’s relative seafaring inexperience. Consul Martialis decides to lead by example in order to encourage confidence in the initiative, henceforth declaring himself to be the fleet’s first Naval Prefect. Meanwhile. Mercator Audax still leads the Auxilia in the north, finally defeating the latest tribal incursion in early March.




Back in Africa, the situation had become critical for Carthage. It had managed to stall the Egyptian advance towards its home cities, but it was running desperately low on both funds and manpower. It had proven unable to counter the waves of Greek attacks upon its more remote outposts such as Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia and the Balearic Islands, all of which had now been occupied with no rescue in sight. Thus, in late July, a delegation was sent to the Etruscan Senate to discuss peace terms.

This was a huge moment in the Republic’s history since they were negotiating on behalf of the entire allied forces. It was also the first time that such a delegation had been sent to the Etruscan Senate, from none other than the western Mediterranean’s dominant superpower. It was an auspicious occasion and a significant mark of how far the Republic had risen in recent years. Consequently, the Carthaginian delegation was treated with great honour and dignity. The terms that Carthage provided, however, would once again put the Senate House in deadlock. Carthage was offering nothing more than a white peace, a return to the status quo before the war and the return of all Carthage’s occupied possessions.

The Senate weighed the offer carefully in the balance. The terms were undeniably outrageous considering that Carthage was clearly losing the war. However, with the Etruscan objectives foiled by the Egyptian occupation of Corsica and Sardinia, this was a unique opportunity to exit the war on better terms with Carthage, which might otherwise be more inclined to revenge itself upon the Republic in the future. Yet Consul Martialis had the final say, choosing to reject the Carthaginian terms. He would not abandon the cause of his Greek allies so easily.


Consul Martialis rejects the Carthaginian peace offer.


Having nailed the Republic’s flag to the mast, the Consul was therefore incensed when, just a few weeks later, news arrived that Egypt had made it’s own separate peace with Carthage, abandoning the alliance and leaving the remainder of the Alexandrian League to fight the war alone. Even the terms that Egypt met were trivial – Carthage would cede a small patch of territory on its mainland border with Egypt and pay a paltry sum in gold. Egypt had incurred huge losses in funds and manpower through its epic campaign against Carthage and it clearly felt it was unrealistic to extract more concessions. Nevertheless, the Etruscan Senate were furious – not only had Egypt abandoned them to the war, it had also broken the terms of it’s call to arms, in which Etruria would have the final word in peace negotiations.

Despite this outrage, Consul Martialis was quick to realise the opportunities that had presented themselves. He realised that Egypt would now have to cede it’s occupations of Corsica and Sardinia. Seizing the moment, he immediately sent orders to Mercator Audax and the army in the north. A force of 5,000 men was to be detached from the Auxilia and marched south without delay.

The final chapter in the Punic War was about to begin.
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AUGUST 285 BC – JANUARY 284 BC: NASICA’S REDEMPTION

Arriving at the port of Volaterrae, the 5,000 strong expeditionary force was placed under the command of Proconsul Nasica. Against all expectations he was to gain the opportunity for redemption in leading the Republic to war. His force was embarked onto the Etrurian Navy assembled in the harbour. Nasica would have the honour of leading the first Etruscan army overseas since the Golden Age, with Consul Martialis commanding it’s first fleet expedition. This would be a climactic gambit, one that would surely backfire if Carthage managed to regroup.

The Republic’s luck holds out and on 31st August the fleet successfully makes the crossing to Corsica. With the Egyptian garrison having only departed a few days previously and Carthage yet to install a fresh one of it’s own, resistance is minimal. Nasica’s forces quickly occupy the entire island, while Allied Greek forces simultaneously retake Sardinia.




Thereafter, Consul Martialis remains cautious for several months to gauge the Carthaginian response. When none is forthcoming, he sends a delegation to the Carthaginian Senate in January 284 BC, again offering peace terms. This time Carthage accepts, it’s resources having been exhausted over the long years of conflict. The terms sent by Martialis are moderate yet hugely significant. Carthage was to permanently cede Corsica to Etruria, with Syracuse being given the city of Panormus on the western tip of Sicily.



Finally, the war was over – the Republic was victorious!
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SUMMARY – JANUARY 284 BC

The First Punic War had lasted for two and a half years. It had involved almost all the nations on the Mediterannean coast, with over 100,000 men directly involved in the fighting. It was by far the largest conflict that had ever taken place in the region, dwarfing Etruria’s previous campaigns in Italy.

Etruscan involvement had again been limited in the war. A combination of Senatorial in-fighting and barbarian distractions had meant that Etruria was only able to contribute to the war effort at the tail end of the conflict, after Egypt had seceded from the fighting. Nevertheless, the conquest of Corsica was a significant development – it was Etruria’s first campaign overseas since it’s Golden Age and brought it’s territories ever closer to those held at the height of it’s powers.

The war had also overseen the rise and redemption of Mamercus Ulpius Nasica. As Consul, Nasica had boldly led the Republic into the conflict and under his leadership it had constructed it’s first navy in several generations. He had also led its first overseas expedition and gained his first sole command in the process. Nasica had now emerged from the shadow of Mercator Audax and, along with Martialis and Mercator himself, come to form something of a triumvirate of influential statesmen at the head of Mars Imperito, the political faction that was increasingly giving way to ambitious military projects and a policy of full-on expansionism. So far this approach had proven lucrative – whether it would lead the Republic too far and into disaster remained to be seen...

alxeu said:

I'm liking this, having only barely played EU:Rome.

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Thanks! Rome is a bit old these days but is still a great game. Hopefully they will release a sequel before too long

Matnjord said:

Nice to see that Etruria, unlike Egypt, doesn't forget its allies. Since I've never played Eu:Rome it's quite nice to just sit back and enjoy the show without even thinking about analyzing your gameplay decision.

By the way, I think it might be time to update your signature Inertiatic, "struggles for survival in the shadow of mighty Rome" isn't very accurate any more

Speaking of which, when will the ephemeral city fall under the Etruscan benevolent dominion?

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Well, I figured that the Greeks had done most of the fighting and deserved more than a white peace!

As to Rome, that sir will be covered in the next chapter You're right about the signature though...that particular shadow isn't really very big any more Maybe I'll update it after the next update...

By the way - can everyone see the pictures ok? I accidentally looked at the thread when I was logged out and the pictures seemed to be hidden. When I'm logged in they appear fine though...