Chapter 112: The Commander of the Eastern Expedition 2
Chapter 112: The Commander of the Eastern Expedition 2
As soon as the Senate gave its approval, the legions began to be formed in earnest.
Two of the three legions that had returned from Egypt left for Syria first.
The 12th Legion, which was practically Marcus’s personal army, headed to Bithynia separately.
They needed to test the new equipment and train with the weapons.
Then, a large-scale recruitment of legionaries to join the eastern expedition was carried out in central and southern Italy.
It was impossible to form nine legions, excluding the three that had already been formed, in Asia Manor alone.
Surprisingly, the applicants gathered quickly.
The news of victories from Gaul that came day after day had aroused the blood of the Roman men to the limit.
All over Italy, there were men who wanted to prove their bravery and seize glory.
Moreover, the eastern expedition was not regarded as a place where they could only gain military merit like Gaul.
It was seen as an opportunity to get a share of the spoils along with a generous retirement bonus.
The images of Pompey’s triumph were still vivid in the minds of the Romans.
The spectacle of gold, silver, jewels, and various artworks lined up endlessly was not something they could easily forget.
Moreover, Pompey’s legionaries had received the right to lease public lands first along with their retirement bonus.
At that time, the boys who were too young to apply for the army were bitter about it.
The young men who had not participated in the eastern expedition vowed that they would never miss it again if they had another chance.
Thanks to this atmosphere, the formation of the legions was completed faster than expected.
Crassus led five newly formed legions across Syria first to perform his duty as governor of Asia Manor.
Marcus planned to cross over to Syria after he had completely settled the situation.
His family could not hide their regret when they heard that he had to leave home for a long time again.
“So you have to stay in Asia Manor for at least five years?”
“Yes. Probably.”
“The children will miss you a lot. Especially Sophia, she doesn’t want to leave your side these days.”
Julia held Marcus’s hand and was silent for a moment.
In fact, it seemed like she was the most disappointed person, not the children.
She had not been married for long when he participated in the pirate suppression and the eastern expedition and had been away for several years.
He had only been with her for a few years after he came back, and then he went to Gaul and did not come back for more than two years.
And now he was saying that he could not come back for at least five years because he was going to the east.
Marcus was aware that he was not a very commendable husband.
He felt sorry for his twins who were growing up fast.
He also felt sorry for not being able to see their growth with his own eyes.
Danae expressed her regret openly on behalf of Julia who only suffered silently.
“Honestly, five years is too long. If it’s at least five years, it could be longer. When you come back, your son and daughter will be almost 10 years old…”
“So I thought about it a little. Both my father and I are away from home for too long, so I fully understand how anxious you are. So how about we all move to Antioch and live there?”
“Can we do that?”
“Wouldn’t we be a hindrance if we followed you?”
Julia’s face brightened up with hope as she heard his proposal.
Danae also shone her eyes and asked him back.
Seeing such a positive reaction, Marcus nodded his head immediately.
“Of course. Antioch is one of the greatest cities in the east, rivaling Alexandria. There is also a governor’s residence there, so there won’t be any inconvenience in living there. And I’ll be able to see you more often than in Rome.”
“Then let’s do that. I can take care of the children’s education with a tutor.”
Julia made her decision without a second’s hesitation.
Rome without Marcus had no meaning for her.
She had not seen Caesar, who had been a good conversation partner, since he went to Gaul.
The promotion of silk clothes had been so successful that she did not need to intervene anymore.
All she did now was hang out with some noble ladies and nod along to their stories.
If she was going to spend her time like this, it would be much more constructive to refresh her mind and body in the east.
She could educate her children just as well in Antioch as in Rome, so there was no reason to stay in Rome.
Julia’s decision to go with Marcus also meant that the whole Crassus family would move.
Arsinoe, who had been listening to the couple’s conversation from the side, suddenly interrupted.
“I want to go to Antioch too!”
“Isn’t that too much of a hassle? If you wish, I can arrange for you to stay in Rome comfortably.”
“I’ve seen enough of Rome, so I want to see Antioch too. Learning Latin and Roman culture from Julia is the most effective way, so there’s no need to insist on staying in Rome.”
It was natural for Arsinoe to follow him, since Marcus was more than 90 percent of the reason she came to Rome.
Cleopatra also had a hard time deciding, as everyone around her was going to Antioch.
Considering her purpose of coming to Rome, she needed to stay here and interact with various nobles.
But she also wanted to go with them to Antioch.
Marcus noticed the hesitation on Cleopatra’s face and gently comforted her.
“You don’t have to come with us. I’ll take Berenice and Bolmo with me to Antioch, but you can do as you please. If you want to stay in Rome, Cicero will act as your guardian even without me.”
“…I think I should go too.”
Marcus tilted his head slightly, as he had expected her to stay in Rome.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. I’ve thought about it from various perspectives and made this decision. I’ll stay in Antioch for a while and study too.”
Cleopatra unconsciously rationalized her decision by thinking of several reasons why she had to go to Antioch.
First of all, she was too young.
A 13-year-old girl could not do anything by herself in the Roman political scene, which was not easy.
It wouldn’t be bad to relax and focus on self-development until she gained more experience.
And the place Antioch also aroused her interest.
Syria was the most recently annexed province of Rome, except for Cyprus.
The provincial system was one of the most essential means for Rome to exercise its hegemony.
To understand the state of Rome, she needed to see how Rome actually managed its provinces.
Most importantly, Antioch was also the former capital of the Seleucid dynasty.
The fallen capital of the old rival of the Ptolemaic dynasty made Cleopatra feel various emotions.
She decided to take some time to see the city for herself and think about how to lead Egypt in the future.
When everyone agreed, Marcus was able to relax and plan for the next steps.
In fact, he had brought all his relatives to Asia Manor because he was considering what would happen after the Parthian expedition.
He did not think there would be any inconvenience in living there, since his brother Publius had already prepared everything for them.
Antioch was like Alexandria, where Greek culture was dominant, so it was not difficult for the Romans to adapt.
‘Now all that’s left is to finalize the deal with Pompey. I’ll have to find some time tomorrow or the day after and go see him.’
Marcus was about to ask Danae to write a letter to Pompey when it happened.
Spartacus came into the room and announced an unexpected visitor.
“Sir Marcus, Pompey Magnus is here.”
“What? Why?”
“He said he wanted to talk to you. If you don’t have time, he said he would come back tomorrow.”
“That’s fine. Tell him to go to the reception room. Danae, tell the servants to prepare the best wine and snacks.”
Spartacus and Danae bowed their heads and left their seats.
Marcus smiled inwardly, thinking that Pompey was not a gentleman either, and headed for the reception room.
Soon after, Pompey arrived with Spartacus’s guidance and approached him with a hearty laugh.
“Hey, the actual commander of the eastern expedition army! I’m glad I can see you before you leave.”
“I was going to visit you tomorrow or so, but I’m grateful that you came first.”
“Haha, of course I had to come. You finally got the command of the legions. I felt it from the first time I saw you, but I expected that this day would come someday. It’s just that your first opponent is Parthia, which seems a bit difficult.”
“But I think they are not unbeatable if I use all the lessons I learned from you. They are a powerful nation, but they have quite a few weaknesses.”
Pompey nodded his head as if he agreed.
Finding and exploiting the enemy’s weaknesses was of course a necessary thing.
But he also warned him not to overlook his own weaknesses as a commander who only thought about attacking the enemy.
“You should always remember that the ideas you can come up with can also come out of the enemy’s head. Especially if the general leading the Parthian army is Surena, you should never let your guard down.”
Marcus was secretly surprised.
He knew well about Surena.
He was the one who led the Battle of Carrhae, one of the worst defeats in Roman history.
Crassus and Publius would meet a miserable end at the hands of Surena, as history dictated.
Knowing this fact, Marcus had no choice but to be wary of the enemy general.
But he had never seen Pompey praise the enemy’s general so highly.
“Do you know anything about Surena?”
“I don’t know much about his personal information. But I had a chance to hear about what tactics he used in the recent civil war over the Parthian throne. It wasn’t described in detail, but I had a rough guess. He is probably a person who has a similar philosophy to mine. He thoroughly exploits the enemy’s weaknesses.”
After securing his position, he would strike a decisive blow when he was sure of his victory.
That was the type of general he was.
He focused on eliminating the weaknesses and uncertainties of his own army before leading them into battle.”
Marcus gratefully accepted Pompey’s sincere advice.
“What are some examples of uncertainties?”
“As we briefly discussed at the meeting, the disadvantages of the terrain and the supply line are some of them. Specifically, you should keep in mind that the soldiers’ stamina will be exhausted much faster than normal marches. And not only food, but also water supply should be paid special attention.
And above all, you have to consider deeply the relations with the neighboring countries and the characteristics of the region you want to conquer. If you are only immersed in battle, you might repeat the same mistake as Lucullus. Don’t ever forget that.”
“Thank you for your invaluable advice. As a descendant of Maccus who gained experience under you, I will show you a worthy performance.”
“Hahaha, good. If we ever have a triumph later, please mention my name briefly in your speech. That would be enough to satisfy me.”
“Of course I should. It’s all thanks to you that I could plan the eastern expedition in the first place. You pacified the eastern provinces. Even if I achieve a great victory, it’s ultimately a glory earned on the foundation you laid. I don’t think there’s any Roman who doesn’t know this fact.”
Pompey was greatly pleased by the answer that half flattered him and half was sincere.
He emptied his wine glass with a good mood.
As he drank enough, Pompey let out the story that had been bothering him.
“By the way, when you and Crassus leave, I’ll have to take care of the Roman politics alone…”
He was confident in war, but he couldn’t adapt to politics at all.
He envied Caesar’s skill that perfectly covered both war and politics.
Marcus already guessed what Pompey was worried about and calmly waited for his next words.
“What if the Senate provokes me again or tries to pressure me with a hardline stance? Until now, I’ve been coordinating with Crassus or getting your advice, but now I can’t do that either. Even if I send a letter to Caesar, who is close by, it will take months to get an answer.”
“You don’t have to worry too much. The Senate will keep silent until the situation in the east is settled.”
“Ho ho, what makes you think that?”
“First of all, I’ll suggest that they don’t act rashly and leave. And even without my words, the aristocrats have no reason to provoke the populists. If I happen to lose to Parthia, there will be a huge backlash. They will only start acting when I bring back a victory.”
Pompey visibly relaxed and nodded his head.
“Then I just have to aim for maintaining the status quo like the aristocrats?”
“Yes. I believe that it will be easy for you if you set your mind to it. In fact, even without me and my father, the aristocrats won’t dare to touch you.”
“That’s true. The old weasels can’t have the guts to show their teeth to me. Okay, I’ll take care of Rome’s stability until you bring back results from the east. You can rest assured.”
“Yes. I’ll go without any worries.”
Marcus smiled faintly and bowed his waist.
As he said, Rome would be quiet until the situation in the east was settled.
Of course, after that, an unpredictable storm of chaos would sweep over Rome, but now it was just a distant future.
Pompey, Cicero and Cato of the aristocrats, and even Caesar in Gaul would not guess what Rome would look like in five years.
There was only one person who could vaguely imagine the uncertain future.
※※※※
Marcus finished all his work in Rome and prepared to cross over to Syria with his relatives.
It was a huge migration of the whole family.
The procession was so long that it was impossible to fit all their luggage on one ship.
Many senators of the aristocratic faction, including Cicero and Cato, followed him to the gates of Rome and saw him off.
They hoped that Marcus would do them a favor rather than being close friends.
“You have our fate in your hands. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Caesar’s momentum has far exceeded what we can handle. You must have heard the rumor that he is preparing for a British expedition? If he succeeds in that too, who can stop him? So you have to help us.”
Cicero said with a gloomy expression, holding Marcus’s hand tightly.
Cato also nodded his head vigorously and continued Cicero’s words.
“Cicero is right. You are the only one who can stop Caesar in the Senate. You can’t lose. Remember that. Your defeat will lead to the Senate’s defeat. Don’t ever lose. Remember that the future of the Senate depends on your shoulders. If you think you’re going to lose, just hand over the army. You can just package it as a local victory. I pray that you will be blessed by the great god of war, Mars.”
The sight of the aristocrats who wished for Marcus’s success was ironically like a comedy.
Marcus smiled wryly and reassured Cicero and Cato.
“Don’t worry. I’ll definitely give you a report that will satisfy you. Please wait comfortably and take care of Rome while I’m gone.”
“Leave it to me. Pompey is not a very threatening opponent politically, as long as Caesar’s breath doesn’t reach him.”
The Crassus family left for Syria with the grand cheers of the Senate.
When Marcus arrived in Antioch, he first looked around the mansion where his family would live.
Publius and Crassus, who had arrived in Syria first, had already prepared a mansion near the governor’s residence.
It was luxurious enough for the family elders and the three Egyptian princesses to live comfortably.
Now that the family’s housing problem was solved, it was time to deal with the issue of Parthia.
Sanatruces II, the eldest son of Mithridates III, who had heard the news of Marcus’s arrival, urgently requested a meeting.
Marcus agreed to have a conversation with Sanatruces II.
Crassus, the governor, was busy forming two additional legions in the region, so Marcus was acting as the de facto governor.
He received Sanatruces II in the governor’s office.
He did not bother to greet him or flatter him more than necessary.
Sanatruces was only 14 years old, but he knew his situation well.
The young prince, who did not waste time on unnecessary formalities, pleaded earnestly as soon as he faced Marcus.
“Our family needs Rome’s help. I beg you to lend me your power so that I can reclaim my rightful place.”
Marcus had already decided to use Sanatruces, but he did not reveal his intentions.
Instead, he pretended to have a negative attitude to test him.
“Hmm… Even if you have a legitimate right, didn’t your father lose in the civil war? Most of the Parthian nobles seem to support the current king.”
“The Parthian nobles are only siding with Orodes because he won. They will change their attitude and support me whenever I take the throne of Parthia. It would be more advantageous for Rome to make me king than Orodes. You can easily exert your influence on Parthia then.”
He was saying that he didn’t mind being used as a puppet as long as he could execute Orodes himself.
It was the best answer that Marcus wanted to hear.
Marcus suppressed the smile that was about to escape and nodded solemnly.
“Good. I accept your proposal.”