Chapter 166: The Spice War 3
Chapter 166: The Spice War 3
The Roman army, completely fired up, advanced without hesitation and crushed the allied forces.
Spartacus had already reached the enemy’s heart.
Asad, the commander-in-chief, barely escaped death after being noticed by Spartacus.
Spartacus recognized him as the commander at a glance and approached him without fear.
If it weren’t for the soldiers who formed a human shield around him, Asad would have been dead by now.
Instead, the warriors who bravely blocked his way lost their lives in vain.
Slash! Splurt!
Every time a chilling sound was heard, the limbs and heads of his subordinates flew in the air.
Asad couldn’t bear to watch this any longer.
The cavalry of the Kingdom of Himyar was also on the verge of annihilation.
Only the troops of Hadhramaut, who had attacked the Kingdom of Nabatea, were still in a decent shape, but if the center was broken, they would naturally be isolated and doomed.
“Hu, retreat! Retreat! All troops retreat!”
He realized too late that death was imminent and quickly mounted his horse and fled without looking back.
The soldiers who had completely lost their morale also ran away in fear.
The rear units, who were still keeping their distance from the enemy, threw away their shields and weapons and ran with all their might to escape as soon as possible.
On the other hand, the front-line soldiers had no such option.
They could only look at their retreating allies with resentful eyes.
They tried to run away belatedly, but they were already prey for the Roman army.
Those who threw away their weapons and lay flat on the ground were captured as prisoners, but those who were late to realize the situation were mercilessly slaughtered.
The coastal plain, which they looked up at from the sky, was soon covered with crimson flowers.
It was a stain made by the blood of the allied soldiers scattered around.
Spartacus didn’t bother to chase after those who had lost their will to fight.
He shook off the blood on his sword and slowly returned to his camp.
The soldiers parted to his left and right and cheered him on.
“Spartacus!”
“Roma Invicta!”
The Roman army, who had won the victory, knew well who was the hero of this battle.
Marcus also proudly took off his helmet and saluted Spartacus, who was walking towards him.
An overwhelming victory, a moment when a great gladiator-turned-soldier became the strongest legionnaire.
However, the legionnaire himself gave a snort at the centurions who arrived late while gasping for breath.
“Tsk tsk, I trained you so hard and you still fell behind. I guess you need more training.”
“No, legionnaire… Honestly, how can we follow you?”
“It was honestly scary to follow you. You just ran into tens of thousands of enemies…”
“That’s why I adjusted my speed so that you could catch up with me. If you had joined me on time, we wouldn’t have missed the enemy’s commander-in-chief.”
“…That’s why other legionnaires do command.”
The centurions shook their heads with a tired expression.
Marcus intervened in the conversation before a long lecture ensued.
“Let’s enjoy the mood for now. We won a great victory. At least you were able to follow him because you went through the harsh training of the 12th Legion. It would have been impossible for any other legion.”
“That’s because they are my personally trained soldiers.”
Spartacus answered with pride and the centurions scratched their heads awkwardly.
Meanwhile, Shakilavil approached Marcus’ side and congratulated him with a still shaky face.
“I congratulate you on your great victory, governor. I was amazed to see the power of the Roman army that I had only heard of in rumors.”
“You did well too. Thanks to Nabatea’s army holding on firmly, our left and right wings were able to break through the enemy easily. I won’t forget your contribution in this war.”
Marcus lifted him up appropriately and his face brightened up.
“It’s nothing compared to what you did. This victory is entirely due to your command and Spartacus’ legionnaire’s amazing strength.”
Shakilavil was convinced that his choice to surrender to Rome was not wrong.
What if he had succumbed to the agitation of the warmongers and confronted Rome?
His soldiers would have been in no different situation than those of the allied forces lying on the plain.
There were many complaints when Malik I returned from the meeting for the first time.
They said he had signed a treaty with too harsh conditions.
Shakilavil, who had advocated for peace, also had some doubts.
But he was sure after seeing this battle.
He must never be hostile to Rome.
‘I have to report this as soon as I return to my country. If the warmongers are still not sober, I have to crush them with the help of Rome.’
He thought that Marcus was an ideal leader to serve.
He trampled on his enemies mercilessly, but he was generous to his followers.
He even praised Nabatea’s army, who did nothing, and promised them a huge booty.
‘In order to survive, Nabatea had no choice but to side with Rome. No, to be more precise, to pledge loyalty to Governor Marcus.’
The governor of Rome was originally a position with a fixed term, but Shakilavil was sure that Marcus would not let go of his power in the East even if he returned to Rome.
So he needed to make a good impression on him from now on.
He bowed politely as if he were facing a king and asked.
“Do you estimate that the enemies have suffered nearly half of their losses in this battle? Do you plan to continue attacking and end the war?”
“No. They must have realized by now that they have no chance of winning in a frontal battle. They will lock their doors and hold out in a siege, but if we attack recklessly, we might suffer as well.”
“I heard that the Roman army is also skilled in siege warfare.”
“Of course, I don’t think they can withstand our siege just by hiding in the city. But a cornered rat can sometimes bite a cat. I don’t want to take unnecessary damage.”
No matter how badly the allied forces were defeated, they still had at least 30,000 soldiers left.
It required a lot of preparation to attack a city defended by 30,000 soldiers.
And siege warfare was different from field battles. Even if they were armed with superior armor and weapons, it was almost impossible to capture the city without any casualties.
At that moment, Surenas, who had been studying the map carefully, suggested a strategy.
“There is a huge dam near Marib, the capital of the Kingdom of Saba. Without this dam, Marib would not be able to get the water needed to maintain the city. If we destroy the dam and build a camp near the water source and wait, we can easily disable the enemies.”
“It’s an effective strategy, but we can’t do that. If we break the dam, Marib will lose its value. It might cause fear among the local people, but it will also plant deep hatred. We should avoid any factors that could harm our future rule.”
“I overlooked that point.”
“But it could be used as an effective pressure tactic. It was a good idea.”
Shakilavil asked Marcus again.
“If you plan to avoid frontal battles and pressure the enemy… do you intend to end the war diplomatically?”
“You’re quick-witted.”
“But will the allied forces surrender easily? We might have annihilated them on the plain, but didn’t nearly half of their soldiers survive? As you said earlier, they might try to hold out in the city until the weather gets hotter.”
“Do you know what’s the best way to break up an alliance?”
Shakilavil thought carefully and gave an answer.
“I guess it’s to induce internal division.”
“That’s right. All we need is one of them to break away from the alliance. Then the alliance will collapse on its own. To do that, we need to send an envoy and offer them a bait…”
“I’ll go!”
Shakilavil stepped forward without hesitation.
“It would be easier if you, as Nabatea’s commander, went personally, but would you do that? It could be dangerous if things go wrong.”
“Of course.”
Shakilavil nodded firmly with a determined expression.
He couldn’t deny that he was nervous.
There was a possibility that the allied forces cornered in a desperate situation would resist to the end and cut off the envoy’s neck.
But if he did well here, he could make a strong impression on Marcus.
Shakilavil decided to take a gamble for Nabatea and his future.
Marcus smiled faintly and gestured for him to come closer.
“I appreciate your determination and entrust you with this important task. I promise you a reward worthy of your success if you do your best.”
※※※
The shocking defeat on the coastal plain spread quickly throughout the alliance.
The details were passed on through the mouths of the soldiers who barely escaped with their lives.
As a result, the rough outline of the battle was widely known throughout the Kingdom of Saba in just three days.
The story of how nearly half of their 80,000 soldiers died without putting up a proper resistance.
The fact that the Roman armor and weapons were incomparable to those of the allied forces.
And that there was a monster in the Roman army who broke through tens of thousands of enemies alone and grabbed their commander by his collar.
All kinds of information spread uncontrollably.
But the allied forces had not given up all hope yet.
They might have been annihilated on the plain, but thanks to Asad’s quick decision, they were able to save half of their soldiers.
“If we fortify our defense and hold out until the weather gets hotter, the Roman army, who are not used to the heat, will inevitably reach their physical limit. We may have lost the battle, but we will win the war. So everyone, keep your spirits up and unite your strength until the end.”
Shakilavil arrived as an envoy when Asad was strengthening the alliance’s cohesion.
The allied forces were surprised that Nabatea’s commander came as an envoy himself.
And at the same time, they were sure.
The fact that Rome had supported Nabatea with troops was just an excuse.
The actual military command was in the hands of Rome, not Nabatea.
Shakilavil’s purpose was obvious.
He came to persuade them to surrender.
The allied forces knew the surrender terms that Rome offered to those who lost the war.
It was a tempting offer for the local nobility, who retained their privileges.
Except for paying the war indemnity, there was no burden for the privileged class other than the royal family.
But the allied forces had already resolved to fight.
The majority of them wanted to reject the offer right away.
But there were also a few who wanted to hear it out.
They reasoned that it would be easier to prepare and stall if they knew what the enemy wanted.
It was a valid argument, so the allied forces decided to pretend to consider the offer.
Asad and the commanders of the other four countries welcomed Shakilavil on behalf of the king.
It was because Shakilavil wanted to have a meeting in front of the commanders of each country.
“You must have had a hard time coming here. We are not in a position to welcome each other, so let’s get straight to the point. What do you want?”
Perhaps because of his humiliating defeat in the field, Asad’s reaction was not very pleasant.
Shakilavil did not lose his relaxed smile even at his attitude.
He spoke fluent Sabaean and revealed the demands he had received from Marcus.
“Rome and our country have only one thing to ask of you. Drop your weapons and surrender immediately. Then you will be able to keep your rights as they are now.”
“But we will have to pay indemnity, right?”
“Paying indemnity is a natural right for the winner in a war. Frankly, I think it’s much better to pay indemnity and wash your hands clean than to have your entire territory devastated. Besides, you, the influential people of your kingdoms, can also receive Roman citizenship and become Roman nobles. I think it’s a tempting offer.”
Asad and the other commanders snorted.
The commander of Kataban, who had tasted Rome’s bitterness in Hyrcania, frowned and gritted his teeth.
“What a nonsense. Come all this way and say such nonsense. We won’t stop until we avenge our fallen comrades on the plain!”
The commanders all made remarks that denounced Rome and Nabatea.
But Shakilavil’s face did not lose its relaxed light.
He had already heard from Marcus that this reaction would come.
He calmly continued his speech.
“I respect your will to resist until death. But isn’t it impossible to keep this place, Marib? If something happens to the Marib dam, it’s only a matter of time before this area is destroyed.”
“You, you bastards dare to destroy the dam…!”
“Calm down. I’m just assuming a hypothetical situation. We have no intention of doing such a barbaric thing. I just wanted to say that it would be difficult for the allied forces to defend the Kingdom of Saba. And about the offer I mentioned earlier, that’s not all.”
Shakilavil paused deliberately.
He looked around at the commanders and whispered in a low voice with a sweet temptation.
“The governor of Rome, Marcus, who holds the full authority of this war, said this. He will not ask for any indemnity from the first country that expresses its willingness to surrender.”
“······!”
A silent shock swept through the room.
Asad, who realized that this was a plan to divide them, slammed his desk with a loud noise and his face turned red with anger.
“How cunning! Do you think we will fall for such a low trick?”
“It’s not a trick. I’m just conveying what the governor said. And there’s more. You must know that Rome is run by a noble institution called the Senate. The commander of this war, Marcus, is also a member of that Senate. He promised to make the family of the first commander who surrendered a member of the Senate within 10 years.”
“······.”
The commanders’ mouths gaped open.
“Who, who would believe such an absurd promise…?”
“Parthia and Armenia also preserved their status and wealth after surrendering their nobility. You can easily find out if you look into it. He has no reason to lie.”
This condition was too powerful to imagine.
The Roman Senate was such an enormous name value.
Shakilavil didn’t even understand Marcus’s intention to open his Senate seat to foreigners.
Asad regretted accepting the envoy bitterly as he felt the atmosphere around him sway.
“That’s enough nonsense! The meeting is over!”
He forced Shakilavil out of his seat with an angry face.
As he left, he looked back and left one last word.
“I’ll wait for one day. If anyone has second thoughts, come find me.”
With that, Shakilavil disappeared from his seat.
At the same time, a heavy silence fell on the room.
Asad opened his mouth first awkwardly looking at each other’s faces.
“I don’t think there will be any traitors who will fall for such an offer. You all feel the same way as I do.”
“Of course. I’m not that stupid.”
“Ha, who would covet a seat in the Roman Senate?”
The commanders of Kataban and Hadramaut laughed as if they were ridiculous.
But at the same time, they kept glancing at each other as if they were trying to read each other’s minds.
They had agreed not to fall for the temptation, but the air around them was full of uneasy feelings.
And sure enough.
As soon as night fell, someone visited Shakilavil.
It was the commander of Kataban, who had ridiculed Rome’s offer more than anyone else in the meeting during the day.
Shakilavil looked at his face, who had secretly requested a meeting without anyone’s notice, and smiled broadly.
“Welcome. I’ve been waiting for you.”