Chapter I:
Political Gamble
Marius was alone in the Curia that night. All the other senators had left the building earlier, after the days intense discussions about the starvation problems in the African colonies. It was, indeed a big problem. But not by far as big as the problems Rome would be facing soon. Marius knew that it was partially his fault, the fact that his beloved city would soon be engulfed in a full-scale civil war.
Marius was thinking back at the events of the last years, and could not hold back the shedding of a single tear. The Social War had been bloody, but even that he and Sulla were able to turn in their favour. Even that. But this time it was different, the events forcing Sulla to go to Greece and face King Mithridates had been complex. But now in after, in was all very simple. He could honestly say that he would not have changed anything in the complex political web he had snared for both himself and his old friend.
Mithridates was dead. And Sulla was marching for Rome. Primigenia was ready, the generals were ready. Yet, anything could go wrong. Sulla had managed to gain the loyalty of Greece, the Anatolian Provinces, Hispania and Northernmost Italy. And if that wasn't enough, he was, by Rome's allies considered the righteous ruler of Rome, and thus the allies of Rome would support him, seeing Marius' men as no more than Rebels. Italy, the Surrounding Islands and the North African provinces was what Marius had to oppose the mighty force set against him.
Scaevola walked into the Curia holding a lit candle. "What are you doing here by this time, young friend?" Marius smirked quietly at the old man, the daughter of whom he had married. "I am thinking. Thinking of the Coming conflict. Do you think we will win?" Scaevola put down the candle and sat down on the bench beside Marius and sighed. "I hope we will. Not for my own sake, of course. I have lived long enough to take pleasure just out of the excitement. But if we do not win, I believe we will all be executed." Scaevola looked down into the floor, "I hope so" he repeated in a whisper.
That night Marius slept for the first time in what seemed like months. He felt rested, and more energetic than ever before in his life. Primigenia was standing before him. 16.000 fully armed soldiers, waiting to do his bidding whatever be the cost.
"Rome is Threatened!" he roared at the soldiers, and they suddenly went silent. "Lucius Cornelius Sulla stands at our gates, and he is bashing at them. The longer we wait, the closer he gets. Shall we let him in?" There was not a single man standing on Forum Romanum who did not hear Marius' words, and all who heard it shouted a distinct 'no' that filled the streets of the city. Marius smiled.
"So let us march to the north! Let us defeat Sulla where he is vulnerable. Let us chase the beast out of Italy, and when his armies are weakened we will charge into Greece! When we are done the heads of all who opposed our Senate, our Country and our People shall hang off crosses around the Empire, statuating examples for whoever would wish to oppose the glory of Rome again!"
Offensive would really be the only way, but for some months atleast, it would come as a second priority, the agenda dominated by recruitment, and the rebuilding of an army worthy of Gaius Marius, Consulary of Rome.
Marius was alone in the Curia that night. All the other senators had left the building earlier, after the days intense discussions about the starvation problems in the African colonies. It was, indeed a big problem. But not by far as big as the problems Rome would be facing soon. Marius knew that it was partially his fault, the fact that his beloved city would soon be engulfed in a full-scale civil war.
Marius was thinking back at the events of the last years, and could not hold back the shedding of a single tear. The Social War had been bloody, but even that he and Sulla were able to turn in their favour. Even that. But this time it was different, the events forcing Sulla to go to Greece and face King Mithridates had been complex. But now in after, in was all very simple. He could honestly say that he would not have changed anything in the complex political web he had snared for both himself and his old friend.
Mithridates was dead. And Sulla was marching for Rome. Primigenia was ready, the generals were ready. Yet, anything could go wrong. Sulla had managed to gain the loyalty of Greece, the Anatolian Provinces, Hispania and Northernmost Italy. And if that wasn't enough, he was, by Rome's allies considered the righteous ruler of Rome, and thus the allies of Rome would support him, seeing Marius' men as no more than Rebels. Italy, the Surrounding Islands and the North African provinces was what Marius had to oppose the mighty force set against him.
Scaevola walked into the Curia holding a lit candle. "What are you doing here by this time, young friend?" Marius smirked quietly at the old man, the daughter of whom he had married. "I am thinking. Thinking of the Coming conflict. Do you think we will win?" Scaevola put down the candle and sat down on the bench beside Marius and sighed. "I hope we will. Not for my own sake, of course. I have lived long enough to take pleasure just out of the excitement. But if we do not win, I believe we will all be executed." Scaevola looked down into the floor, "I hope so" he repeated in a whisper.
That night Marius slept for the first time in what seemed like months. He felt rested, and more energetic than ever before in his life. Primigenia was standing before him. 16.000 fully armed soldiers, waiting to do his bidding whatever be the cost.
"Rome is Threatened!" he roared at the soldiers, and they suddenly went silent. "Lucius Cornelius Sulla stands at our gates, and he is bashing at them. The longer we wait, the closer he gets. Shall we let him in?" There was not a single man standing on Forum Romanum who did not hear Marius' words, and all who heard it shouted a distinct 'no' that filled the streets of the city. Marius smiled.
"So let us march to the north! Let us defeat Sulla where he is vulnerable. Let us chase the beast out of Italy, and when his armies are weakened we will charge into Greece! When we are done the heads of all who opposed our Senate, our Country and our People shall hang off crosses around the Empire, statuating examples for whoever would wish to oppose the glory of Rome again!"
Offensive would really be the only way, but for some months atleast, it would come as a second priority, the agenda dominated by recruitment, and the rebuilding of an army worthy of Gaius Marius, Consulary of Rome.