Chapter 70: The One Who Receives the Grace of God
Chapter 70: The One Who Receives the Grace of God
Pompey was furious when he received the Senate's proposal. He tore up the letter on the spot.
“How dare these old foxes treat me, Pompey, like this?”
Suddenly, Marcus's advice from the previous year flashed through his mind. Marcus had repeatedly warned him to secure some promises before disbanding his army.
But Pompey had ignored that advice.
It seemed absurd to think about it now. He had no right to be angry.
Disbanding the army was a sacred duty for a Roman commander, and it was not just the commander's responsibility. When a commander proved his selflessness by disbanding his army, the Senate was expected to acknowledge his achievements with proper honors and rewards.
Without mutual trust, who would willingly disband their army according to the law?
Pompey had expected the Senate to act rationally after he disbanded his army. He never imagined they would act so dismissively.
“They must have thought I couldn’t do anything after disbanding my army. I’ll show them how foolish they are.”
Pompey still had a chance to turn the situation around. His triumph was scheduled for eight months later. It was impossible to keep a great general, about to hold a triumph, from addressing the citizens for that long. So the Senate reluctantly allowed him to speak to the people.
The date was set for a few days later, and the Flaminian Circus outside the city walls was chosen as the venue.
He didn’t need to see it to know the crowd would be large. Pompey planned to denounce the Senate’s shamelessness and assert his claims.
He could have given up his triumph to run for consulship, putting the Senate in a difficult position, but he couldn’t do that. For a Roman, a triumph was the greatest honor and could not be sacrificed. This was especially true for Pompey, who had already celebrated two triumphs.
This time, his triumph was planned to be held on his birthday and at the most splendid scale in Roman history. It was an honor that no one in history had ever enjoyed. He couldn’t bring himself to forgo it.
Pompey could run for consulship next year, but not for a triumph. Rome had already conquered all the known civilized lands, with only the barbarians in the north and the Parthian Empire in the east remaining unconquered. Pompey might never have another opportunity to achieve such a feat.
Thus, for Pompey, giving up his triumph was not an option.
As he worked on drafting his speech, his aide Bilophus asked anxiously, “Sir Magnus, don’t you think we should consult Marcus?”
“Marcus? Why?”
“I believe it would be better to get his advice on this political matter. We are soldiers by nature, and we may not provide effective guidance.”
“No need for that. It’s not my style to cling to him after ignoring his advice so blatantly. I’m Pompey Magnus. I can handle this. I’ll ask him what to do next if necessary.”
Bilophus still looked worried, but Pompey’s determination was firm.
It turned out exactly as Marcus had predicted. Pompey’s speech was a complete failure.
Pompey was skilled at commanding legions but not at speaking to the masses. Despite his thorough preparation, his speech backfired.
The key to addressing the masses was clarity. He needed to avoid complex explanations and focus on delivering the main points.
But Pompey, confident in his achievements, presented a complicated critique of the Senate. The citizens were not interested in the details of the eastern province reorganization plan or land distribution.
Pompey’s speech, filled with vague and rambling self-praise, failed to resonate with the ordinary citizens.
The senators left with sneers on their faces, clearly satisfied with their actions. They proceeded with their plan: postponing the provincial reorganization and land distribution indefinitely.
Rejecting these proposals outright might have provoked Pompey to assert his power, but the Senate was not naive. With numerous complex reform bills piled up, they prioritized these over Pompey’s demands. What could he do about it?
Furious, Pompey retreated to his villa to await his triumph.
If 62 BC could be described as a year of "turmoil," then 61 BC symbolized "rigidity" for Rome. The Senate’s inactivity drove Pompey mad, while fundamental issues remained unresolved. Time seemed to drift aimlessly, like the Tiber River flowing past Rome without care.
Despite Rome’s stagnation, the lives of its citizens continued. Marcus understood that this seemingly idle period was crucial. It was not merely a calm before the storm; it was the last opportunity to consolidate his position before a turbulent era began.
He needed to be well-prepared to avoid being swept away by the changing times. More importantly, Marcus was determined to not just adapt but to take initiative and act.
To achieve this, he needed to assess his resources more critically than ever. He summoned his confidants one by one to review their reports.
“Septimus, how is the relocation of the production facilities progressing?”
“Most of the military facilities with established mass production systems have been moved east, as you ordered.”
“They didn’t attract any attention?”
“None at all. We are just starting to establish these systems, so there is no risk of leakage.”
“Good. With Tadius in the east, there should be no problems with the preparations.”
Military power was essential, no matter how much political and economic influence Marcus had. In the original history, Crassus and his brother Publius perished in the Parthian expedition. There was no guarantee such a fate wouldn’t repeat itself.
Thus, Marcus prioritized securing reliable military resources. He focused on training heavy cavalry, mass-producing steel weapons, and improving bows using modern knowledge.
Initially, he considered developing gunpowder but realized it was impractical. Even if he could produce gunpowder, he lacked the technology to make effective firearms.
Of course, Marcus might have succeeded if he concentrated all his knowledge on developing a single firearm. However, the real challenge was what would happen after firearms were produced. Unlike steel weapons or improved bows, firearms are difficult to conceal. Additionally, Marcus was not yet old enough to hold imperium, so he risked severe consequences, including execution for treason.
He also worried about the unknown ripple effects of introducing firearms. While he might explore gunpowder in the future, it would only be when conditions were more favorable.
"For now, solid ironmaking technology is sufficient," he thought. He didn’t want to jeopardize everything by overreaching.
Marcus was confident that his current preparations were more than adequate to surpass any competition.
“Let’s conclude the military report and move on to agriculture. How have things progressed? Did you achieve good results?”
“Yes. The combination of iron farming tools and improved harnesses exceeded our expectations. Farmers are pleased with how much faster and deeper they can plow.”
“What about the four-crop rotation system? That’s crucial.”
Marcus had invested as much effort into agriculture as he had into military matters. Despite Rome’s advanced commerce, agriculture remained its economic foundation.
Rome’s agriculture relied on latifundia management, which used large numbers of slaves. This system created economic polarization: large landowners grew richer while small farmers were driven into poverty. This trend eroded Rome’s growth potential over time.
While slaves contributed little to tax revenue, a healthy economic system required many free citizens. Politicians concerned about Rome’s future attempted to reform land laws, but these laws only prevented a drastic decline in self-employed farmers rather than fundamentally increasing their productivity.
Latifundia management was unsustainable in the long term. Managing slaves indefinitely required a continuous supply, which would eventually diminish as Rome's territorial expansion reached its limit.
Marcus was not only concerned about the long-term future but also about increasing agricultural productivity to boost population growth and national power. This, in many ways, was more crucial than military technology.
Thus, Marcus had focused on agricultural knowledge, having recently shifted his interest to prenatal education and pregnancy. Initially, he believed medieval farming techniques would significantly improve productivity. However, he discovered that Roman farming methods were more advanced than early medieval practices.
This realization was a pleasant surprise, and the farmers quickly adapted to Marcus’s new methods. He had feared he would need to explain basic concepts, only to find his assumptions were mistaken.
Septimus reported the results from Marcus’s land with enthusiasm.
“The four-field system you proposed, sir, is definitely more efficient than the previous method. The fallow land has almost completely disappeared. Farmers are even wondering if you’ve earned the favor of Ceres, the goddess of the earth.”
“I’m glad it worked. Now, let’s expand the use of the four-field system. If we see consistent results, we should implement this method throughout Rome.”
“Sir, how did you come up with this method?”
“You know that fallow land is a typical part of farming. But I learned that clover and turnip can be grown on land previously used for barley or wheat. So I thought alternating these crops could eliminate the need for fallowing.”
In ancient times, with no artificial means to supply nitrogen to the soil, fallowing was a necessity rather than a choice. This was because the nutrients in the soil were depleted faster than they could be naturally replenished when crops were continuously grown.
Without fallowing, the yield of the same crop would gradually decline and eventually cease. Additional problems included pests and soil toxicity.
The ancients recognized these issues and developed various solutions. The Romans, for example, used human ashes as fertilizer, plowed the land thoroughly, and practiced crop rotation to mitigate the need for fallow periods.
However, wheat farming depleted soil nutrients significantly, and the Mediterranean climate quickly dried out the land. Even with crop rotation, some fallow land remained necessary.
The Romans employed a tripartite system, dividing the land into three parts: one for wheat, another for barley, and the third left fallow. This was more advanced than the bipartite system used until the early medieval period, which divided the land into two parts, leaving half fallow.
The advancements in farming methods were largely lost after the fall of Rome.
Marcus proposed a more advanced system known as the four-field or Norfolk system. This method rotated barley, clover, wheat, and turnip every four years, eliminating the need for fallow land. The success of this system was due to the different nutrient needs of these crops.
Developed in the 16th century and widely used by the 18th century, the four-field system was a significant agricultural revolution that dramatically increased productivity in Europe.
Clover and turnip were available in Rome, making their introduction feasible. However, farmers were often resistant to new methods due to their conservative nature. Farming errors could lead to severe consequences, including starvation, making them cautious about adopting unfamiliar techniques.
To address this, Marcus decided to test the four-field system on his own estate first. He persuaded farmers to participate by offering a contract that included compensation in case of crop failure.
The experiment took time to validate, but it proved highly successful. Even Septimus, who was no longer easily impressed by Marcus’s achievements, was astonished by the results.
“Anyone who sees this method for the first time will think it’s a divine blessing. It’s no wonder that Ceres’s name is mentioned,” Septimus remarked.
“There are still challenges, particularly with fertilization methods,” Marcus responded. “This is a systemic issue I can’t fully address right now, but we should start preparing slowly.”
Septimus inquired, “As you ordered, I investigated the use of human ashes as fertilizer. Is there an issue with this practice?”
“No, human ashes can be used safely as fertilizer if they are composted and stored properly. Problems arise if they are used untreated.”
Septimus added, “I don’t fully understand the details, but I trust you have a reason for this approach.”
In this era, knowledge of intestinal parasites was limited. People consumed fermented fish sauces and used human ashes, which were often discarded in the outskirts of the city, leading to a cycle of parasites. This issue was complicated by regulations on public baths, toilets, and compost storage.
4o mini
It was challenging for Marcus, still a financial officer, to take action directly. However, he would soon become a prefect, and the day when he could initiate the sanitation project was approaching.
Marcus planned to start this project, which he had delayed for the sake of his reputation. Roman public officials served only one-year terms, so he needed to prepare all his projects in advance and be ready to implement them immediately upon taking office.
Fortunately, Rome already had a solid infrastructure for sanitation improvement, including sewers, public baths, and a general practice of using basic soap. The problem was that the system was poorly maintained due to a lack of hygiene awareness. Public baths were dirty because the water was not changed regularly, and the primitive soap was used more for washing clothes than for personal hygiene.
Marcus's goal was to enhance the existing system. Convincing citizens who did not see the need for sanitation improvements would be challenging. To address this, he needed to demonstrate the benefits of improved sanitation in a visually understandable way.
He decided to assign this task to Danae, who was skilled with numbers.
“From this year to next year, conduct a survey of the people living in Subura. A full census would be excessive, so select about a thousand people by age and gender. Track how often they get sick and how many die from illnesses over two years. Then compile some basic statistics.”
“Conducting a survey of a thousand people will be expensive,” Danae noted.
“It’s a small price to pay compared to the reputation I’ll gain,” Marcus replied.
“If we document the decrease in illness among our family members since we started focusing on hygiene, it will clearly show the impact of the sanitation project when we compare the data before and after.”
“Yes, exactly. So please start this as soon as possible.”
Danae nodded and left to hire surveyors.
Septimus also departed to look for more land to implement the four-field system.
Only Marcus and Spartacus remained in the room. Spartacus, observing Marcus’s dedication, spoke up.
“Sometimes, when I see how devoted you are to your work, I feel like you’re an apostle of God. Many of the slaves think so too, and I must admit, I understand why.”
“An apostle of God? Is that what they’re saying?” Marcus asked.
“Yes. Even someone with my limited education can see that you’re transforming this country fundamentally. You’re making changes in the military, agriculture, social system, and finance.”
“So you think I might have received a revelation from God?”
Spartacus nodded silently. In ancient and medieval times, people often associated extraordinary events with divine intervention. Marcus’s actions were beyond conventional understanding, which led to such perceptions.
‘They say Egypt and imperial Rome regarded their rulers as living gods,’ Marcus thought. Though he had no intention of being worshipped, hearing such comments from both Septimus and Spartacus made him consider how he might use similar perceptions to his advantage in governance.
Marcus did not look directly at Spartacus. His thoughts were focused on a future that was uncertain, yet full of potential.