Rise of the Ancient Empire (Imperial Rivalries Mod)

[blklizard]

Chapter 7

The Carthaginian king, Gisco, decided that his nation needed to head in a different direction. The colonies were costing his nation a fortune and these expenses were cutting into his military spending. While he wasn't expecting the largest army in the known world, Gisco firmly believed that a stronger military was necessary to at least protect his nation's territory. The repeated cut in military spending saw the Carthaginian army consisting of only four thousand infantry.

With the numerous island holdings, Carthage also required a navy to protect them against aggressors. Ships didn't cost as much as soldiers but they were still additional expense that the growing nation couldn't handle. Additionally, the recently dissolved alliance with Phoenicia had Gisco worried because, with Mauritania ruled over by the Phoenician king as well, Carthage would be involved in a war with multiple fronts.

Mauritanian forces could strike in North Africa while the Phoenician forces could launch amphibious attacks at any of the Carthage islands with those part of Sicily being the most vulnerable. Therefore, Gisco looked at the state of his nation and found the area he could make changes to. Currently, his government was promoting National Conscripts which was encouraging more people to join the military.

Without much of a military, National Conscripts was definitely poorly utilized. Thus, Gisco decided to change his nation's approach to focus more on making ducats. The more ducats his nation produced without high inflation threatening to cripple Carthage, the more he could put into military spending resulting in a large army and navy to protect the nation's territory in times of wars, particularly ones where other nations were the aggressors.

A National Bank was formed in Carthage with it being one of the first in the known world. The system utilized by the bank was much simpler back then but it was certainly paying off quickly. More ducats were making it to the Carthaginian treasury while inflation was completely under control. Gisco could finally afford a large standing army but he had to keep the maintenance low until more ducats were in the treasury.

Meanwhile, a terrible epidemic was spreading in Greece which had the Carthaginians worried. It was true that Greece was fairly far from North Africa but the Carthaginian merchants were traveling back and forth bringing more trade income for the nation. This happened to be Typhus epidemic which, at the time, had no cure. The doctors at the time could only watch as their patients slowly die from the disease with sixty percent of the people in a village wiped out.

Modern historians used what little written records they had to determine this disease. They compared the symptoms mentioned by the doctors to those of Typhus and found a close match. Without actual samples to determine the actual bacteria involved in this epidemic, no historian could be a hundred percent positive this was indeed Typhus but this disease was the widely accepted one at the time that hit the Greek state of Thessaly unless proven otherwise.

Thessaly was one of the growing Greek states at the time only second to Athens in land and military strength. The Greek state's growth came to a grinding halt the moment the Typhus epidemic descended onto Thessaly like a storm. No city, town or village was spared from the terrible disease bringing about very difficult times for the local population. Sadly, the epidemic wasn't contained as it began to spread to nearby Greek states sparing no one.

The two vassals of Carthage, Ellis and Sparta, both reported the disease occurring in their territory. This was especially worrying as Carthage enjoyed several small trade routes with those Greek states so the merchants returning from Greece could easily bring back the disease. Gisco wasn't about to let the Typhus epidemic spread to Carthage so he took some drastic measures to contain the situation.

All merchants were forbidden to go to foreign lands and those returning were forced to detour to Sicily. Gisco couldn't exactly abandon his people but he wasn't letting the disease reach North Africa. Sicily had to be the unfortunate location where potential Typhus victims were quarantined until the epidemic ended. Luckily for Gisco, there weren't any actual cases of Typhus throughout Carthage which meant he was credited for containing the situation despite what little he did.

Once the Typhus epidemic settled down, Gisco felt more relieved and returned to spending time with his family. His son was indeed growing up to be a promising young man who definitely had what it took to be an excellent ruler. Hannibal might not lack the finesse when it came to approaching situations diplomatically but his grasp at administrative and military matters was truly astonishing.

Gisco was discussing with his son regarding the future of the known world when they arrived at the topic of the biggest threat to Carthage. The Carthaginian king had a servant bring the map of the known world to him so his son could pick out the most dangerous nation that existed. Hannibal told his father that he actually had a dream which had shown him the most threatening nation to Carthage.

Hannibal claimed the gods were speaking to him to not underestimate this enemy. When Gisco asked him what this nation is, the Carthaginian king watched as his son pointed to the Italian Peninsula. He had expected a nation like the Etruscan or Magna Graecia but, instead, his son pointed to the nation of Rome. He scoffed at the idea that a nation like Rome could ever threaten Carthage, now or in the future.

Rome was rather insignificant at the time due to her being one of the smaller nations. Even the other small nation, Umbrians, was larger than Rome and boasted a larger military. Gisco looked to his son expected to see him admitting this was merely a small joke. Yet, the serious expression on Hannibal's face convinced the Carthaginian king that his son believed exactly what he just said.

A month later, Gisco learned that his son's belief wasn't so farfetched after all. The nation of Rome somehow taken out the more powerful Umbrians and fully annexed the nation expanding her influence greatly. Gisco could see how this small nation might be a threat in the future but, with the current military strength of Carthage and the protection offered by the Etruscan to Rome, Carthage couldn't do anything to stop her rise in power.

 

[Michaelangelo]

Sounds like Phoenica has some issues, declaring war on nations it can barely even reach and breaking alliances haphazardly.

Crush Rome before it lays eggs!

 

[blklizard]

Sounds like Phoenica has some issues, declaring war on nations it can barely even reach and breaking alliances haphazardly.

Crush Rome before it lays eggs!

We'll deal with Phoenicia one day. As for Rome, I just lack the men to launch an amphibious attack on the Italian peninsula.

Chapter 8

Gisco made preparations for the inevitable war with Phoenicia. Reports reached him that the Phoenicians were gathering their forces on Sicily which was rather suspicious. Of course, there was a greater threat with the Mauritanians who were on North Africa with Carthage. If Carthage hoped to be victorious, a decisive blow to be dealt to Mauritania. First, the defenses along the border with the nation must be strengthened.

The Carthaginian king had no illusion his forces couldn't defend the entire border Carthage shared with Mauritania. The army required for this task was so large that he couldn't even field an army a tenth of that size. Therefore, he must strengthen the forts at the various provinces so the sieges would last longer. Gisco needed the sieges to last indefinitely so his forces could actually make advances on Mauritanian territory.

The first province to have its defenses bolstered was Bone. This province was chosen amongst the top Carthaginian officials but its importance was regarded as roughly the same as the other provinces. The Mauritanian forces could strike at any province but, with every province strengthened, that would be another hindrance for the enemy. Gisco just feared his enemy would target the capital which wasn't too far from the border itself.

With the current state of the nation, Gisco didn't think it wise to show aggression. While having the initiation was a good thing, his side just wasn't geared for war just yet. There were many factors he needed to worry about before Carthage was ready to take on her rivals in both a land and naval setting. Until then, there were many odds going against the nation so, unwilling to take unnecessary risks, Gisco ordered his men to remain on the defensive.

Ordering his men to remain on the defensive didn't mean Gisco was content with the current state of affairs. He had to prepare for war eventually so, with his nation being in a surprisingly good state, he looked to fill the coffers. The treasury wasn't exactly in a great shape and Carthage would need lots of ducats to fund her future campaigns. Under the suggestion of the advisers, Gisco understood that his nation must remain in a passive stance for quite awhile.

There was quite a large sum saved up already but, for possible crisis and the campaigns, the advisers estimated the nation needed more than three times that amount. The suggestion was rather ambitious and would definitely take many years but no one could deny the benefits they would reap if they stuck to the plan. With no large investments at the time, Carthage had little distracting her from this enormous goal.

As more ducats were saved up, the Carthaginian army and naval were also slowly expanded. Carthage was no longer as frail as it was in the past which suited Gisco just fine. He wanted his nation to be strong even when his son took the throne. He felt he and Hannibal would bring Carthage to incredible greatness that historians would remember them for their feats. Accomplishing these feats weren't going to be easy but they would do the nearly impossible.

The strength of Carthage was slowly recognized by the numerous nations including the nation of Phoenicia. Apparently, the nation was struggling to keep the people of Messina in control as they constantly rebelled against Phoenician control. The numerous rebellions were revealing the weakness of Phoenicia which, while appearing strong, was actually quite frail and more vulnerable than what most believed.

Gisco recognized this weakness and no longer feared Phoenicia as he firmly believed Mauritania was the true threat to the stability of Carthage. If the North African nation was defeated, he didn't think there was an actual threat to his nation. Therefore, he rejected the offer for another alliance from Phoenicia as he viewed the offer as a confirmation of the nation's weakness. The only diplomacy he intended on having with the nation would be war.

The Carthaginian king was still patiently waiting for his nation to stockpile the ducats needed for a serious campaign when he learned that someone was challenging his rule. It certainly amused him that, despite making Carthage stronger with each passing day, there would be someone challenging his legitimacy on the throne. This wasn't exactly the first few months of his reign when there were uncertainty.

What surprised him was that this pretender somehow managed to muster two thousand men to rise up against him. He wasn't exactly terrified of the numbers but the support of this pretender far exceeded his estimation of a few hundred. Seeing no point in leading his forces or even assigning one of his top generals, Gisco sent eleven thousand professional soldiers to eliminate this minor inconvenience.

The pretender by the name of Mago was apparently an indecisive man who had yet to rebel when the Carthaginian army arrived in the province of Gabes. Mago only led his forces when the eleven thousand Carthaginian soldiers surrounded him but, by then, his fate was sealed. The rebels were slaughtered to the last man and the pretender was captured only to be executed later that day.

During the slow process of filling the coffers, Gisco was told that his nation needed monetary reforms. Such reforms could destabilize the nation but benefits would be acquired in the long term. The Carthaginian king didn't like the idea of instability but, with a strong army and much ducats in the treasury, he felt he could easily deal with any problems that might arise from the reforms.

The reforms temporarily destabilized Carthage but the impact was very minimal. In a matter of a few months, the nation had fully recovered and the effects were almost nonexistent. To many, the reforms almost never happened. Because Carthage stabilized so quickly, she soon built up the amount to make both Gisco and his subjects very proud. Carthage had finally built up a large sum of ducats and a campaign was no longer a distant dream.

As defenses were built in Bougie, Gisco decided to start a campaign in Sicily. He wished to unite the island under Carthage rule and no one was going to stand in his way. Sicily was split between Carthage, Phoenicia and Syracuse with Carthage and Syracuse controlling the most provinces. Thus, it made sense to vassalize Syracuse so Carthage would have nearly full control of Sicily. Then, she could take on Phoenicia to complete her conquest of Sicily.

 

[Michaelangelo]

Phoenica wants to be friends again? Make up your mind. You definitely need to smack them around.

 

[blklizard]

Phoenica wants to be friends again? Make up your mind. You definitely need to smack them around.

I'd be sure to pass the message to the Carthaginian king.

Chapter 9

A new general was recruited for the campaign in Sicily. The general went by the name of Hasdrubal and he quickly arrived in Sicily to lead his forces into battle. He was leading twelve thousand soldiers personally while another twelve thousand soldiers were reinforcing him. The war in Sicily was about to break out and Carthage looked to be a step closer to controlling all of Sicily for herself.

Syracuse was not without her allies as the Italian Peninsula was filled with those who had interests of Carthage not expanding her influences in the region. The Etruscans and Magna Grecia were two Italian nations that were likely to participate in the war if Carthage showed aggression. There were even rumors that Rome might participate in this particular war which was slightly worrying for the Carthaginian king since such a scenario would see Carthage basically at war with the entire peninsula.

The targeted nation was also allied with Cyprus which could prove to be an issue on the water. Still, Carthage was not about to be fazed by the potential enemies she could make in this campaign when her navy was one of the strongest in the known world. If she could maintain a naval dominance, then the Italian nations, no matter how many soldiers they could muster, couldn't threaten Carthage in any way.

War was soon declared on Syracuse with Hasdrubal leading his brave men into battle to engage the Syracuse army. Once that army was crushed, there shouldn't be anymore fierce resistance as long as the Italian nations couldn't cross the strait into Sicily. In response to the aggression, Etruscans responded at once and became the war leader on the other side. The Carthaginian king knew that, at this point, it was too late to look back.

With the entry of the Etruscans, Carthage had a numerical disadvantage in the war but her navy was certainly superior to what the enemy could muster. While some ships were assigned to blockade the strait, the bulk of the Carthaginian fleet was sent to hunt enemy ships that could be transporting troops to Carthaginian territory. If all of the enemy ships were sunk, then Carthage would have free reign in the campaign.

Magna Grecia joined shortly after Etruscan and, while they bolstered the land forces of the enemy, their ships weren't enough to even the odds. Still with a distinctive advantage in naval forces, Carthaginian soldiers easily defeated the isolated Syracuse soldiers and began laying siege to their provinces. Syracuse becoming a Carthaginian vassal was going to be reality eventually and Hasdrubal merely did what he could to speed up the process.

A lone Magna Grecia ship attempted to sneak soldiers to Sicily but she was quickly intercepted and sunk. The Etruscans attempted the same but their ships were forced back into port shortly after. The Carthaginian fleet wasn't about to give its counterparts a chance to land significant forces on Sicily. The second engagement between the Carthaginian and Etruscan fleets saw an Etruscan ship captured bolstering the Carthaginian fleet slightly.

Following a game of cat and mouse, the Carthaginian fleet succeeded in sinking the Etruscan fleet and capturing another ship. This was a devastating blow for the Etruscans when their coalition was already at a disadvantage regarding their fleets. The crushing victory gave Gisco confidence to expand his nation by colonizing another province in Iberia. With enemy ships largely sunk, there was little chance they could attack the colonies.

While Syracuse was steadily occupied by Carthaginian forces, Carthaginian soldiers began landing onto the main Italian Peninsula where they daringly laid siege to Etruscan provinces. Magna Grecian forces were waiting patiently at the border but they feared a direct engagement with the enemy. As a result, Carthaginian forces had free reign over the region for the time being while Etruscan officials were negotiating with Romans to gain military access.

The Etruscans tried again to sneak soldiers but their ship was intercepted. However, the coalition wasn't the only problem Carthage faced as rebels in Tangier rose up in hopes of breaking free from Carthage. Soldiers were assembled to deal with this threat and the rebels were dispatched with haste. These soldiers were definitely needed at the front lines where the Etruscan main army could appear at a moments notice.

Syracuse was soon completely occupied and she was forced to convert to Mesopotamic while becoming a vassal of the mighty Carthage which had handle the coalition at hand rather well. Carthaginian ships continued patrolling the southern coast of the Italian Peninsula and sunk any enemy ships that foolishly thought they could get through this blockade at hand. Meanwhile, progress were made on the peninsula with nearly all Etruscan provinces east of Rome occupied.

The Carthaginian general soon grew bold and engaged the Magna Grecian army waiting within Magna Grecian territory. The engagement was very one-sided result in the routing of this army. The routed soldiers were chased down and slaughtered allowing Carthaginian soldiers to lay siege of Magna Grecian territory. The war was definitely shifting in favor of Carthage as the Etruscans had yet to negotiate the military access they desperately needed from Rome.

However, the Etruscans finally got the military access and it was rumored that their fourteen thousand army began marching for Southern Italy. Hasdrubal attempted to land forces in Northern Italy but his soldiers were quickly repelled convincing the general that a direct attack there was suicidal. Therefore, he maintain his focus in the south while he informed the king back home of the potential stalemate the two nations could be in.

Gisco recognized what the general was saying and, while his side still had the upper hand, he sent a peace offer to potentially end the war. The Etruscans, after the long and unfavorable war, agreed to the peace deal with them converting to Mesopotamic and paying a relatively large sum in ducats to Carthage. The change of religion would, as Gisco anticipated, one day destabilize Etruscan.

With the war concluded, Gisco organized a large feast to celebrate the special occasion. For too longer, many nations believed that Carthage was a weak nation that could only maintain dominance in North Africa. This war was an indication of the rising nation as she could handle basically all of the Italian Peninsula. Still, fortifications were built throughout Carthage to prepare for the war against Phoenicia.

 

[Michaelangelo]

Looks like the enemy go trounced. It would have been funny if they marched all the way through Greece, the Holy Land, and North Africa to reach you. I've seen the AI do silly stuff like that.

 

[blklizard]

Looks like the enemy go trounced. It would have been funny if they marched all the way through Greece, the Holy Land, and North Africa to reach you. I've seen the AI do silly stuff like that.

There's some uncolonized land between Egypt and Carthage so I don't know if they will travel there or not.

Chapter 10

Another matter Gisco must deal with was Corsica which had people following a heretical faith. He couldn't allow the heretics to following their faith with impunity so he sent a missionary to covert the local populace. To make sure everything went according to plan, more soldiers were stationed there to put down any unrest. Any heretics killed in the process could potentially speed up the conversion process since there would be fewer to oppose the change.

Hasdrubal was sent with the soldiers to Corsica but, during one of his patrolling rounds, he was ambushed and mortally wounded. The rebels were captured and, after some grueling interrogations, the rebel leaders were uncovered. These rebel leaders were arrested and executed in public where the soldiers showed the consequences of those not converting. In the next few days, the conversion went a lot smoother seeing the entire province following the true faith that month.

Few months later, Gisco fell very ill and couldn't even get out of bed. The Carthaginian king knew his time on Earth was nearly up and spoke with his son privately in his room. No one except Hannibal knew what was spoken that day but, when the heir exited, there was a grim expression on his face. Few more days passed before Gisco succumbed to his illness. Hannibal become the new king of Carthage and, under him, the nation would be entering a new era.

Hannibal's rise saw a pretender rebelling against him but the pretender's forces were quashed with ease. Shortly afterwards, Carthaginian forces were sent to Sicily to aid the Syracuse forces against rebel problems of their own. The gesture made the Syracuse people trust Carthaginians more resulting in a much smoother integration of Syracuse into Carthage. Nearly all of Sicily had became a part of Carthage.

As soon as Syracuse was integrated into Carthage, missionaries were sent to convert the local populace which was still following a faith considered heretical in Carthage. Once again, Carthaginian soldiers were stationed at the various provinces to quickly react to rebellions. There was one instance of religious zealots uprising but they were quickly dispatched. The provinces were soon converted returning peace to Sicily.

After solidifying his control of the Carthaginian throne, Hannibal began a campaign his father wanted for a long time. War was declared on Phoenicia while she was busy with another war. Mauritania entered the war as expected but some Carthaginian forces were busy in Sicily where Phoenician forces were present. Then, soldiers were besieging both Messina and Malta while the main forces arrived in North Africa to take on the menace known as Mauritania.

The saving grace of Mauritania ruled by the Phoenicians was that she hadn't expanded at all. Carthage had grown noticeably since then so she had a significant edge in the matter if she could consolidate all her forces in North Africa. A decisive victory in Melilla was the first blow to the Mauritanians. Carthaginian forces soon scattered across Mauritanian territory while the enemy rushed to rebuild the forces she lost in the earlier engagement.

The war raged on with most battles taking place in North Africa. The Phoenicians did eventually land troops in Sicily but their attack was easily fended off by the defenders. The war lasted for more than two years before the Phoenicians decided to end the conflict on the terms of the Carthaginians. Seven Mauritanian provinces were handed over to Carthage in the process further solidifying Carthage's control of North Africa.

Hannibal wasn't content with the one war as Mauritania, even weakened, could still pose a threat in the future. During the wait before the next war, Hannibal ordered more fortifications built across Carthage in preparation of the next war. He also had to think about his reputation since he didn't want the entire known world to be against him. Four years after the last war concluded, Carthage declared a new war on Phoenicia.

This time, Phoenicia got the aid of Cyprus but the Carthaginian navy had grown since the last war thanks to a few naval engagements. More ships were captured and would be added to the Carthaginian fleet. The Cyprus fleet was sunk in the early stages of the war while Carthaginian forces tracked down the main Mauritanian army. A series of battles saw the Mauritanian army annihilated giving Carthaginian soldiers free reign in North Africa.

Rebels did use this opportunity to rise up but their rebellions were very short-lived as Carthaginian detachments were assigned to specifically deal with them. Mauritanian forces did launch cowardly surprise attacks in Iberia while they seized Carthaginian colonies but these enemies were eliminated promptly before peace and order were restored to those colonies. Hannibal ordered his fleet to remain vigilant to prevent this from happening again.

The Phoenicians were throwing everything they had at Carthage but they were just outmatched. The naval and land engagements all ended with Carthaginian victory which greatly demoralized the coalition facing Carthage. However, Carthaginian soldiers were soon launching attacks in other parts of the Mediterranean with Cyprus being the next target. In the next peace deal, eight more provinces were transferred to Carthage.

All of Sicily became a part of Carthage while Mauritania was a shadow of her former self. Bad reputation and constant rebellions meant Carthage wasn't ready for another campaign for quite awhile. Hannibal ordered his soldiers to remain vigilant while new infrastructures were built to improve the newly acquired provinces. The Carthaginian king wanted his nation to be great so he need every province to be as valuable as possible.

During the peaceful times, Hannibal learned that Rome and Phoenicia were at war for the throne of Massilia. Both nations had claim to the throne so they were fighting over who should be the proper successor. With Phoenicia distracted, this was the perfect moment to attack Mauritania. As expected, the Phoenician king dishonored his call to arms from Mauritania freeing the North African nation from the grasp of the Phoenicians.

Freedom always had a price and the Mauritanians paid for it with their blood and, eventually, land. Meanwhile, Rome was making major headway in their other war with the Etruscan as they acquired four new provinces. With that war concluded, the Romans could focus on the Phoenicians. Without the Phoenicians protecting them, the Mauritanians soon saw their nation annexed into Carthage. All of North Africa belonged to Carthage.

 

[Michaelangelo]

Was heresy even a thing back then? Most people were pagan, so in most cases they accepted that the gods of other faiths existed but theirs were just better. Unless we're talking about Christians and Jews. Now those heathens are trouble.

Looks like your position in Northwest Africa is secure now. So how does colonization work in this mod? It'd be great to spread further into Iberia to strengthen your position in the west.

 

[blklizard]

Was heresy even a thing back then? Most people were pagan, so in most cases they accepted that the gods of other faiths existed but theirs were just better. Unless we're talking about Christians and Jews. Now those heathens are trouble.

Looks like your position in Northwest Africa is secure now. So how does colonization work in this mod? It'd be great to spread further into Iberia to strengthen your position in the west.

I'm sure there are heresies. Either way, the people need to see the light.

Colonization works as normally but I get colonists very slowly. There's also the matter of colonial range.

Chapter 11

Hannibal had to stop his numerous campaigns and focus on developing his newly conquered provinces in North Africa. The merchants were also using this opportunity to demand that the government focus more on trade. They argued that Carthage could grow very powerful if she relied more heavily on trade. With a strong navy, Carthage could make it so pirates would never have a chance at attacking Carthaginian merchant ships.

The Carthaginian king could see the reasoning behind the demand and ordered new policies regarding how merchant ships would be escorted along with certain patrolling ships to maintain the shipping routes. With no campaigns expected in the immediate future, Hannibal could see Carthage thriving with the extra trade income expected to be flowing into the nation's treasury. Wars alone weren't enough to make a nation powerful.

While the nation was at peace, there were still many uprisings throughout North Africa as the people were discontent with their new government. There was even an assassination attempt which proved to be a success as Hannibal was struck down during a feast. The assassin was never caught and Carthage lost a great king. The people grieved for losing such a strong king and the government officials began a serious crackdown on anyone associated with the rebels.

While Carthage was slowly recovering from the loss of a great king, Rome was rapidly expanding her influence with new holdings in Anatolia. As predicted by Hannibal, Rome was becoming a rising power and it might soon be a rival of Carthage. With the successor to the throne still far too young, Carthage could only remain passive while Rome continued her expansion to incorporate more of the known world into her control.

Hannibal had a number of sons but many of them died early in their childhood. His son, named after his father and the successor of the throne, was only a year old when Hannibal met his demise. At least a decade would pass before Gisco II would take the throne and that was a long time. The regency council worked hard to stabilize the newly conquered regions while new colonies were set up in Iberia to further extend Carthaginian grasp in the peninsula.

The war between Rome and Phoenicia soon came to an end with Rome rising on top. Massilia would be ruled over by the Roman emperor further solidifying Roman control in the Italian region. Soon after, Boii was annexed by Rome before her rival, Etruscan, got struck by Typhus Epidemic. These could only spell more opportunities for Rome which was terrible news for Carthage.

Even after Gisco II rose to the throne, Rome continued her expansion with additional gains from Volcae. The rising power was getting a lot of attention from Carthaginian officials who feared the future conflict with this rising power. Their worries were sound when Cyprus became a vassal of Rome. It seemed as though everything was falling in favor of Rome and nothing could possibly go wrong for her.

Then, the clash between Rome and Etruscan happened with a decisive victory for Rome. Etruscan was left with only a handful of provinces while Rome had risen to be the undisputed power in the Italian Peninsula. Of course, Etruscan provinces were soon defecting to Rome as the people demanded a stronger government. The end of the Etruscan was near and the rise of the Roman Empire was truly inevitable.

Soon after, Rome attacked Illyria and took more provinces in the Italian region. The Carthaginian officials wanted action from their new king but Gisco just wasn't his father. He feared a war could result in the utter defeat of Carthage so he restrained himself from declaring war. Instead, Gisco II opted for peaceful colonial expansion in Iberia while waiting for a better chance to expand his domain.

Arverni was the next unfortunate target of Rome with more provinces ceded over. All nations in the known world were fearing Rome as no one could deny that this nation was growing exceptionally powerful. She had yet to lose a single war and Carthage, likely the only nation worthy to be her rival, had refused to show aggression. For this, many nations were condemning Carthage for her inaction.

Cyprus was then annexed by Rome expanding her influence in Anatolia. One could only wonder how much more Rome could grow before she would be stopped assuming that she could be stopped. Then, an unexpected turn of events finally brought the two nations at war with one another. This was a small mistake made by Gisco II that would see the two strongest European powers fight it out for supremacy.

Gisco II, believing that Nice was weak and vulnerable, declared war thinking he could acquire an easy vassal. What he didn't count on was the entry of Rome which also had her eyes on the small nation. Rome had apparently looked to end Carthaginian expansion in Iberia and controlling Nice could do exactly that. For the control of Iberia, Rome entered the war alongside Nice and thus began the First Punic War.

Missilia joined the war alongside Rome while Achaea joined with Nice. Carthaginian forces were quickly landed in Nice where they began besieging the two provinces Nice controlled. Meanwhile, the Carthaginian fleet was sent out to prevent the enemy from making any naval landings. If the enemy got a significant army in North Africa, then Carthage would be in an uphill battle.

Roman and Achaean soldiers were soon spotted in Sicily but their fleet suffered horrendous losses in their attempt to land forces. Carthaginian forces needed to quickly reinforce the island or the enemy could use the fortresses there to their advantage. A Carthaginian army soon landed on Sicily to engage the enemy. The Achaean army tried to fight back but they were no match for the better Carthaginian soldiers.

The Achaean soldiers did the most logical thing by routing to where the Roman soldiers were at but the combined forces were still not enough to deal with the Carthaginian soldiers who were fighting desperately to protect their home. The enemies on Sicily were soon annihilated while further naval losses for the coalition meant they would be hard pressed to land more soldiers onto Sicily following so many of their ships sunk or captured.

Notice Rome's control in Italy, Anatolia and Cyprus. Look in the upper left corner for another surprise.

 

[Michaelangelo]

They sure expanded fast. Last time I saw a screenshot, I swear they were confined to central Italy.

Show those Roman upstarts who's boss!

 

[blklizard]

They sure expanded fast. Last time I saw a screenshot, I swear they were confined to central Italy.

Show those Roman upstarts who's boss!

Yup, Rome expands so rapidly it's terrifying.

Chapter 12

Brave Carthaginian soldiers and sailors sailed to the British Isles with a few ships failing to make the journey. Still, the regiments that made it were capable of launching a successful attack on Ireland first. The colony of Wexford was seized and the ships were docked for repairs. While the ships were repairing, the Carthaginian soldiers marched to conquer other parts of Roman Ireland to liberate the people from Roman oppression.

The colony of Armagh was next to be liberated from the Romans followed by Belfast and Londonberry. Kildare and Dublin were occupied afterwards as, apparently, there were people settled in the region before they were brutally oppressed by the Romans. The locals welcomed the Carthaginian soldiers upon learning about their arrival. The Carthaginian officers promised to free these people and provide them safety under Carthaginian rule.

More naval battles raged on in the Mediterranean with the Carthaginian navy continuing to build an edge over her enemies. A few enemy soldiers managed to land in Sicily but they were quickly eliminated before they could cause too much problems to the locals. Then, Carthaginian forces captured Cardigan across the St. George's Channel. The locals could only await the peace deal before they could truly be freed from the Romans.

In Iberia, Massilia did manage to sneak some troops to attack Carthaginian colonies but they were annihilated once a nearby Carthaginian army descended upon them. There were also Carthaginian soldiers on Cyprus where they were besieging the local towns and cities. Given the valuable location of Cyprus, the Carthaginians weren't about to let the Romans take control of such a strategic island.

The few possessions Achaea controlled in North Africa between Africa and Egypt were also quickly occupied as Carthage had no benefits of sharing a border with such a nation. Additionally, there were interests of taking Egypt for Carthage to be the undisputed ruler of Africa. As soon as Achaea African possessions were taken, Carthaginian forces landed on Anatolia where they worked to liberate the locals from the Romans.

Because the Carthaginian navy controlled the Mediterranean, the Romans were helplessly stranded on the Italian Peninsula while their other possessions were occupied. According to reliable sources, large Roman forces were said to be on the Italian Peninsula making a direct attack on them nearly suicidal. The Carthaginian king also didn't have ambitions of expanding onto the Italian Peninsula.

The first Punic War was finally coming to a close with the Carthaginian population growing rather weary of war. First, the nation of Achaea was fully annexed eliminating another competition in Greece. Nice was vassalized as planned before while Rome was forced to part with her British Isles provinces and Cyprus. The inability to make progress on the Italian Peninsula meant Carthage lacked the bargaining chips to take more.

Sadly, this is where I couldn't play any further in the game due to something really stupid. Let's just say some nations became really advanced thanks to a bug. However, I can reassure you that this AAR isn't over. There's just going to be a twist.

 

[Michaelangelo]

How did Rome even get in the British Isles?

 

[blklizard]

How did Rome even get in the British Isles?

There were nations there and they got invaded.

Chapter 13

The gate of Rome had been broken through despite the best efforts of the Roman soldiers. Facing overwhelming odds, these brave men continued to hold their ground and fought till their dying breath. One man ran deeper into the city to warn the Roman Senate of their impending doom. It was obvious that Rome was defeated and only the negotiations awaited her.

The Carthaginian general rode on his war elephant as his soldiers marched into Rome. The Second Punic War proved to be a deadly affair as they succeeded in invading the Italian Peninsula. With the city gate broken through, there was nothing standing between the Carthaginians and the Roman Senate. Their soldiers no longer charged forward knowing that the battle was won already.

The Roman civilians cowered in their homes hoping the Carthaginians could spare their lives. Yet, they were unlikely to be spared since, a month before the Carthaginians surrounded the Roman capital, the Roman Senate sent an assassin and killed the Carthaginian general at the time. They prayed the assassination would end the war but they only made the Carthaginians fiercer and more determined.

Now, the Carthaginians marched into Rome and they were ready to raze the city to the ground. The deceased general was widely loved and is death only brought rage to the Carthaginians. With Rome basically under Carthaginian occupation, her end was near. With the capture of the Roman Senate, the war would officially conclude and the peace negotiations would begin.

Remus stood outside in the streets ready to face the Carthaginians. He knew Rome was as good as dead so he intended on dying with her. The Carthaginian general, upon seeing his defiance, urged his elephant forward. Remus worked up some courage earlier but he wasn't ready for the large animal that bore down on him. He raised his arms in futility of saving himself.

Shaking horribly, Remus sat up on his bed and studied his surroundings. The dream seemed so vivid that he feared he looked into the future. He was still in his room while it was tranquil outside his window. Still covered in sweat, he walked over to his window staring down at the street. People went about their normal lives as though nothing horrible happened. Remus wondered what his dream meant.

 

[Michaelangelo]

Remus, eh? Maybe he was looking into the future if he was one of the founding brothers of Rome.

 

[blklizard]

Remus, eh? Maybe he was looking into the future if he was one of the founding brothers of Rome.

Maybe. Maybe not.

Chapter 14

Galba I Valentinian was only a young boy when he discovered a document said to be descended from Remus, one of the founders of Rome. Remus might have been defeated by his brother but the man was still widely respected by all Romans. Galba's parents were convinced that this was an omen their boy would become something great. As they hoped for, Galba eventually ascended to become an influential member in the Senate.

When he ascended to his position, Galba was already a well-learned man who was exceptionally capable in both administration and diplomacy. The young man claimed that the document he found motivated him to become this way. While he never shared the contents in the document, Galba often hinted that a catastrophe would befall Rome if actions weren't taken. The fact he discovered the document meant he was given the burden to avert this catastrophe.

 

[blklizard]

Chapter 15

Galba arrived at the meeting where the other senators were discussing amongst themselves. He chose to sit in the corner by himself while he pondered over the problem on his mind. He still recalled the time he had a dream that resulted in him uncovering the document. Since then, he studied the document day and night and hid it from everyone, including his parents. He had the contents memorized to heart and the burden of the knowledge had been with him ever since.

What startled Galba was that he had another dream the night before. He once again had a vivid experience that played out the events he must do. Once he woke up, he knew what he had to do but this was dangerous work. He firmly believed that Remus was watching over him but there was still some fear within him. What he was about to do would end the Senate as they knew it and create something greater. Only this transition could truly save Rome from the incoming disaster.

 

[Michaelangelo]

End the Senate and proclaim the Roman Empire! That always works.

 

[blklizard]

End the Senate and proclaim the Roman Empire! That always works.

When the old government doesn't work, we go with something that works.

Chapter 16

Galba impatiently sat through the discussion between the senators knowing nothing could be achieved. Here were the supposed learned men of Rome squabbling over tiny issues while the disaster was looming closer to Rome. If these men continued to be the head of Rome, then the enemies of Rome would have an easy time defeating what pitiful Roman military that existed. Galba wasn't about to let that happen.

Since learning about the mission given to him by Remus, Galba had been searching for the quickest way to take control of Rome. He preferred the method to be as swift and efficient as possible since he wished to avoid a civil war that could cripple the nation itself. By befriending the officers who had soldiers loyal to them, Galba slowly spread his influence until the small Roman military was basically under his command.

 

[blklizard]

Chapter 17

Galba excused himself claiming he needed to attend to a minor problem outside. He exited and met with the officers who were waiting patiently by the entrance. These men, upon hearing Galba summoning them, arrived promptly and had been patiently waiting for Galba's arrival. These men had heard about the ambitions of the senator and agreed wholeheartedly with the changes he wished to implement.

As officers leading the few soldiers Rome boasted, these men understood what Galba meant by the pitiful military of their nation. In a world where all their enemies were dangerous and threatening, Rome needed a larger army to protect herself. Yet, the Senate was taking no actions to address this issue. Instead, they were always arguing over minor issues like who should own a small plot of land outside the capital.

 

[blklizard]

Chapter 18

The Roman officers listened carefully to what Galba was saying and they were soon smiling upon hearing Galba's plans. These were men of action as opposed to the majority of senators who were all talk. Galba told them that they were ready to make a move to end the Republic and start a new era for the Romans. The officers were told to assemble their men in the courtyard and wait until the meeting ended.

Galba returned inside to tolerate what would be the last discussion between these senators. Starting on the next day, he would take control of Rome and a strong leader would rule over the nation. He knew it was rather premature to call his nation the Roman Empire but Galba wanted the Romans to feel proud of being a part of Rome. He wanted the name of his nation to strike fear in his enemies as reality would eventually support the title.