Chapter 100: Rome and Pharaoh >
Crassus had taken measures according to Marcus’s letter and prepared to receive Auletes politely.
The Roman Senate had not yet made a clear stance, but they had decided to accept Auletes as a guest of state for now.
The lictors, who performed a similar duty to the guards in the republic, went to the Ostia port to greet Auletes.
And when Auletes entered the walls of Rome, the current praetor personally came out to meet him.
Once they decided to accept him, they had to follow the proper procedures.
This was not only for Auletes, but also for Rome’s dignity.
Of course, it was a formal welcome, so there was no grand ceremony.
Auletes was more eager to know how his fate would be decided than to attend an unwelcome reception.
In fact, his visit as a king of a country was too humble from the start.
He had escaped so poorly that he could not bring anything that would show his dignity as a pharaoh.
He had less than ten escorts.
Even a decent tribal leader from Gaul would have a more splendid procession than this.
The Senate handed him over to Crassus without showing any intention of taking responsibility.
Crassus was an excellent politician, though not as much as Marcus.
He did not show any emotion of having taken over a headache and welcomed Auletes warmly.
“You must have had a lot of trouble coming from Alexandria to here. I was very worried, but I’m glad to see you in good shape.”
Crassus greeted him kindly in Macedonian.
The pharaohs of Ptolemy were of Macedonian descent and they naturally used Macedonian instead of Egyptian.
Among the Ptolemaic dynasty, only Cleopatra could speak the local Egyptian language.
Of course, Auletes could not speak any language other than Macedonian either.
But since Crassus spoke perfect Macedonian, the two could converse without an interpreter.
“Thank you for your kind hospitality. I was impressed by Marcus Crassus when he came as an envoy last time. He was a remarkable talent. And now I see who he got it from.”
“You flatter me. I’m always grateful to the gods for giving me such a son beyond my capacity.”
“You are too modest for the head of the richest family in Rome. Your reputation is well known even in Alexandria.”
“Haha, I just got lucky and made some money and fame. Let’s go inside and talk more.”
Auletes followed Crassus into his mansion and was guided to the reception room.
The escorts were all told to wait in the courtyard and only the two entered the reception room.
Crassus had also prepared wine and food in advance and sent all the slaves outside.
He personally poured the finest Samos wine into Auletes’s cup.
“I never thought I would have the honor of hosting the great pharaoh of Egypt in my mansion.”
“Pharaoh… Does Rome still consider me as pharaoh?”
At Auletes’s sarcasm, Crassus bowed his head politely without changing his expression.
“Of course. Aren’t you a ruler recognized as a friend of Rome?”
“Then what about the traitor who took my place? Isn’t he an enemy of Rome?”
“Well, that’s… “
“Why did you annex Cyprus if you still recognize me as pharaoh? I can only interpret that as an act to shake my position.”
Auletes unconsciously hardened his expression.
He was the one who suffered in this situation, but if Rome still recognized him as pharaoh, he had to vent his dissatisfaction.
His anger was justified and logical.
Crassus scratched his chin and smiled apologetically.
“The annexation of Cyprus was not the will of the Senate. As you know, Rome is a republic. If the citizens pass a law in the assembly, even the Senate cannot overturn it. And there was a troublesome tribune who pushed for a law to annex Cyprus. We are also a bit embarrassed.”
“Are you embarrassed? From what I heard, all the wealth accumulated in Cyprus went into Rome’s treasury. It must have been like picking up money without lifting a finger for the Senate.”
“I admit that there are many people who think that way. But anyway, Cyprus was a land that became Rome’s land by the will of the previous king. It was not legally problematic to annex it. Of course, I acknowledge that we caused you a lot of trouble. The Senate entrusted me with the aftermath of this matter, so I promise you firmly. Rome will not ignore the difficulties of its friends.”
Auletes’s expression softened slightly.
Crassus, who had been given full authority by the Senate, guaranteed it, so the biggest problem was solved.
He could endure losing Cyprus as long as he could regain his throne.
As long as the Senate still sided with him, he felt more relieved.
“The rebels must know that I came to Rome. Didn’t they say they would send an envoy?”
“Yes. They should arrive next month or so.”
“They will claim that it was a legitimate transfer of power. And they will also claim that they are also from the Ptolemaic dynasty, so Rome did not break its cooperation.”
“That’s an accurate prediction. I think so too.”
Auletes felt a slight anxiety and his face hardened.
Crassus anticipated his mind and firmly nailed it down.
“Don’t worry. The Crassus family does not speak with two mouths. In fact, if my son had not been sent to Gaul, this would not have happened.”
“…It was bad timing.”
“Yes. Of course, I recently received a letter from Gaul. My son also asked me to apologize to you first. But he said that this could be an opportunity in disguise.”
“Huh… How can this be an opportunity for me when I was driven out of the pharaoh’s throne? It only makes me look ridiculous.”
Auletes retorted in a sour tone.
But Crassus still showed no sign of wavering. He told him the answer he had heard from Marcus.
“Think about it. Your weakness as a pharaoh was that you had a weak base. So the greedy ones who coveted power were always looking for a gap. And when the opportunity came, they showed their true colors. They tried to usurp the throne by putting your daughter forward.”
“Yeah. The ones I had been watching out for came to the front. They had enough power and no legitimacy, so I couldn’t touch them until now. But they became the root of this trouble.”
“You couldn’t until now. But now you have a reason.”
“…Are you going to help me wipe them all out?”
Crassus answered with a smile.
Auletes breathed deeply and stroked his chin.
If Crassus’s words were true, he could turn this crisis into an opportunity.
He had not been able to get rid of the powerful nobles of Alexandria, even though they had annoyed him.
Auletes was a king who lacked both the reason and the power to purge them.
But this time it was different. The nobles had dared to challenge his throne by using his daughter.
He had more than enough reason to purge them.
And he could solve the lack of power by borrowing Rome’s strength.
Auletes unconsciously licked his lips and leaned forward.
“But will the citizens of Alexandria welcome my return? I hate to say it myself, but they don’t like me or Rome very much.”
“Yes. I’m sorry to say this, but we can’t raise an army right away. If Egypt’s resistance is too strong, we won’t be able to avoid criticism for mobilizing legions too recklessly in Rome.”
“Then what are you going to do?”
“Just wait. The governing ability of Berenice IV, who calls herself pharaoh now, is not even worth mentioning. She was put in a position that was too much for her without any preparation. In two years, no, in one year, she will show her bottom. Then the citizens of Alexandria will naturally think that the previous ruler was much better.”
“Will it be that easy?”
Auletes knew Berenice’s ability better than anyone else.
She was his daughter, but she was a pitiful child whose head was full of vanity.
But he couldn’t be sure that she would lose the trust of the people in one or two years.
If time dragged on, he might end up with nothing.
Of course, Crassus thought the same way.
But Marcus had assured him in his letter that Berenice’s popularity would hit rock bottom within two years at most.
Crassus believed his son when he said so.
So he answered with more confidence than anyone else.
“I’m sure. You just have to endure for two years in Rome. Then you will be able to return to Alexandria with a stronger royal power than before.”
“…Can I really trust you?”
“Of course. My son will come back to Rome next winter and he will do his best to help you.”
“Good. If you help me get rid of all the traitors, I won’t forget this debt.”
Crassus politely said yes.
He clapped his hands loudly as if he had decided that all the important talks were over.
The slaves came in and served Auletes and Crassus.
Auletes felt more relaxed and savored the aroma of wine.
And he leaned his head on the chest of a female slave and closed his eyes slightly.
“I’ll stay in Rome for a while. Of course, I’ll pay you back with interest.”
A satisfactory answer came back right away.
“Of course, your majesty, the only pharaoh of Egypt.”
※※※※
While Auletes was staying leisurely in Rome, Marcus was looking down at the map of Gaul as he faced his last year in Gaul.
The map of this era only showed simple geographical features and approximate locations of each tribe.
Marcus had memorized a modern map that was hundreds of times more accurate than this.
Thanks to that, he reached a level where he could naturally correct the crude ancient map in his head.
“Anyway, I have to take care of the Belgae once.”
Marcus considered all the possible cases that could threaten the Alsace-Lorraine region he had conquered.
First, there was the possibility of the Germanic tribes crossing the Rhine again, but he didn’t have to worry about that.
The Suebi had suffered a much more devastating defeat than in the original history, so the Germans had no choice but to watch the situation for a while.
The possibility of the Sequani betraying him was also low.
He had given Roman citizenship to the influential people as a reward for their loyalty, and he had agreed to pay generously for transporting iron ore.
Above all, Gaul was now afraid of Rome’s overwhelming power.
He had defeated the Helvetii and the Suebi much more easily than in the original history.
So he could rest assured for the east and west.
The south, which was attached to the Roman province, was out of the question from the beginning. The only option left was the north.
But the Belgae tribes living in the north were a serious headache.
The Belgae, who corresponded to the modern Belgians, were the most warlike tribe in Gaul.
They were far away from the developing regions of central and southern Gaul, and they bordered the Germans on the east side of the Rhine.
Naturally, they drifted away from civilized life and made struggle for survival their daily routine.
They regarded Rome’s refusal to withdraw its legions as an intention to dominate Gaul.
Among the Gallic tribes, there were also those who worried that the pro-Roman factions would gain power if things went on like this.
There was already intelligence that they were forming a restless alliance.
‘If we leave them alone, they will surely push down to the south. Then Alsace will be the first to suffer.’
There was a limit to what could be done by strengthening the defense.
It was virtually impossible to focus on mining development while having enemies who were eagerly waiting for a chance to advance south.
Marcus decided to spend his last year in Gaul by subduing the Belgae.
He judged that this was a matter that had to be settled firmly, even if it meant twisting the course of history.
Fortunately, in the original history, Caesar faced these Belgae in the second year of the Gallic War.
It was enough to pave the way for him, rather than actively modifying history.
Having made up his mind, Marcus warned Caesar of the danger of the Belgae.
Caesar, who had similar thoughts, immediately ordered the formation of an additional legion.
The Senate, conscious of Rome’s public opinion, did not oppose this time either.
Caesar, who now commanded nine legions, began to act as soon as his troops were ready.
This time, even the pro-Roman Gallic tribes volunteered to take charge of the reinforcements and supplies.
They thought it was better to maintain their relationship with Rome than to oppose it.
Caesar, who gathered a total of 60,000 soldiers including Gallic mercenaries, entered the territory of the Belgae without hesitation.
His speed, which always moved half a beat faster than his opponent’s expectations, was his greatest weapon.
The Remi tribe, one of the Belgae tribes living in the upper reaches of the Aisne River, fell into a great turmoil.
The Roman army had reached their doorstep before the Belgic alliance army had even assembled.
The Remi tribe, which had been skeptical of the alliance from the beginning, sent an envoy to the Roman army without hesitation.
“We have no intention of fighting against Rome. We will supply you with food and give you detailed information about the Belgic tribes. Please spare us.”
There was no reason to refuse this offer, which demanded everything they could offer themselves.
Caesar promised Roman citizenship to the influential people of the Remi tribe and welcomed their surrender.
With the information provided by the Remi tribe, he was able to find out everything about the enemy’s numbers and types of troops, as well as which regions they belonged to.
Marcus suggested another quick attack to Caesar.
He intended to strike first and weaken the alliance before they united as one.
Even without the Remi tribe, the Belgic alliance had gathered nearly 290,000 troops from twelve tribes.
If they fully assembled as one, even the brave Roman army would have to suffer considerable damage.
Moreover, when a huge number of people gather together, morale rises by itself.
He never wanted to give his enemies a chance to gain momentum. That was Caesar’s principle.
He accepted Marcus’s suggestion and advanced into enemy territory first.
The Belgic tribes, who had been stabbed in their weak spot again, hastily summoned their army and confronted the Roman army.
It was a force that had been scraped together half-heartedly, but their number still exceeded 200,000.
They agreed to punish the traitor Remi tribe first before facing Rome.
The Belgae were warlike but not stupid. They knew that solidarity among tribes was the most important factor when dealing with Rome.
Leaving behind the traitor Remi tribe would be a serious obstacle for the cohesion of the tribal alliance.
However, Marcus already knew that the Belgic alliance would attack the Remi tribe’s town.
He had prepared the Roman legion in advance to reinforce the Remi tribe’s warriors and to fortify the rampart.
They also dug a ditch behind it.
On top of that, archers equipped with composite bows guarded it tightly.
The Belgic alliance, who tried to attack the Remi tribe’s town belatedly, suffered losses and retreated.
They could have captured the city if they had fought with all their might, but they had no confidence to fight the Roman army right after that.
After a brief confusion, they decided to unite their opinions and strike Rome first.
Of course, Caesar had no intention of fighting against more than 200,000 troops head-on.
There was a wide swamp and a river between the Roman army and the Belgic alliance, and Caesar made full use of this terrain.
No matter how many Belgae there were, it was impossible to cross the swamp and the river and charge into the Roman camp.
That was not a battle, but a suicide attempt.
Marcus suggested that they wait patiently in the camp and wear out the Belgic alliance.
“They hastily gathered their army and came to the battlefield, so their supply lines are not stable. It takes a huge amount of food to feed more than 200,000 troops, but most of the tribes are far away from their territories. On the other hand, we have already stockpiled enough food. Time is absolutely on our side.”
“I agree with you.”
Caesar adopted Marcus’s strategy and pulled out his cavalry to attack the territory of the Belgic alliance.
The command of the cavalry was entrusted to Antony again.
He led the Roman archers and Gallic cavalry and ravaged the territory of the Belgic tribes.
The defenders who came to protect their territory were harassed by the swarm tactics of the Roman archers.
In this situation, the Belgic alliance had no choice but to retreat.
They thought it was pointless to confront the Roman army while their territory was being plundered and their food was scarce.
And their movements were reported to the Roman camp one after another.
Marcus, who was gathering information in the barracks of the Twelfth Legion, jumped up from his seat when he heard the news he had been waiting for.
‘It’s finally here!’
He didn’t care much about the intelligence that the Belgic alliance army was restless. He had expected that anyway.
What he had been looking forward to was the equipment for the final experiment that he had requested from Rome.
It took time to prepare, so he came first with the legion in a hurry, but he managed to make it in time.
His heart pounded fiercely.
It felt completely different from when he introduced the new armor made of steel plates.
This was the culmination of his efforts that he had spent an enormous amount of time on since the slave rebellion.
No one else in the other legions, not even Caesar, knew what the goods that arrived at the Twelfth Legion were.
He only reported that there was a new weapon to experiment with in battle.
Caesar, who had already seen the new armor and gladius, assumed it would be something like that.
Marcus looked at the cart that was brought under heavy guard with a pleased smile.
The shining steel inside it was like a revelation promising absolute victory.
He gave an order to Spartacus, who had finished checking the cart.
“Gather all the centurions and decurions of the Twelfth Legion. Right now.”
<100. Rome and Pharaoh> End
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