Chapter 91: The Son of Vulcanus
The region that Rome called Gaul was vast.
Even excluding the northern part of Italy, known as Gallia Cisalpina, it encompassed the entire area of modern France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and parts of Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Germany west of the Rhine.
This immense land was naturally home to many tribes and people.
An exact estimate is impossible, but most scholars agree that there were more than five or six million inhabitants.
There were large tribes with over a hundred thousand members, such as the Haedui and the Nervii, scattered throughout Gaul, and if the smaller tribes were included, there were nearly a hundred tribes in various places.
The Romans divided the tribes living in Gaul into three categories.
The first was Gallia Comata, meaning “long-haired Gauls”, the second was Aquitani, and the third was Belgae.
During the Republic era, most of Gaul was uncultivated land, with more forests and marshes than farmland.
But as befitting a region that would later become Europe’s largest grain producer, it had a mild climate and abundant water sources, making it a good place for people to live.
On the other hand, Germania, located east of Gaul, had an unfavorable climate and terrain, making it difficult to obtain food easily.
Therefore, whenever they lacked food, the Germans frequently crossed the Rhine and plundered Gaul.
If the Gallic tribes had united as one, they would not have been easily overrun by the Germans, but Gaul never had such unity.
Rather, they tended to attack other tribes suffering from the Germans and expand their own power.
And the other Gallic tribes that lost in the power struggle appealed to the Germans for help and sought to regain their territory.
In this situation, the Germans were able to expand their influence in eastern Gaul without any hindrance.
Especially Ariovistus, who received the title of friend of Rome from Caesar, became stronger day by day.
Originally, the title of friend of Rome meant “you are under Rome’s control, so don’t behave recklessly”.
But Ariovistus took this title as a recognition of his power by Rome.
With no fear, he continued to attack the Gauls, and eventually the Gallic peoples who could not bear it began to flee westward.
Even the Sequani tribe that had initially invited him was overwhelmed by his momentum and became subordinate to him.
The Helvetii tribe that lived in present-day Switzerland was no different.
Their territory was originally surrounded by the Alps and Roman provinces, making it difficult to expand their territory.
When they faced a powerful branch of the Germans, the Suebi tribe, they found it hard to even maintain their existing territory.
Finally, they decided to invade Brittany in western Gaul and take over that area.
Of course, this area was not ownerless. The Santones and Pictones tribes had been living there for a long time.
But the Helvetii did not care and diligently prepared for invasion.
To strengthen their resolve, they burned down all 12 cities and 400 villages where they had originally lived.
Finally, they finished their preparations and started their migration by gathering some minor tribes nearby.
The total number of people including non-combatants was over 350 thousand.
The number of warriors who could fight exceeded 90 thousand.
When Caesar and Marcus arrived at the scene after receiving this news, the Helvetii had already reached near the Roman province.
But Marcus knew this situation would happen and had already finished assembling his legion.
Caesar thought this was not enough and immediately gave an order.
“We need to form two more legions urgently. As soon as they are formed, order them to come up north.”
“Do we need permission from the Senate?”
“In case of emergency, a commander can decide on his own and get permission later. This is one of those urgent situations.”
Caesar did not wait for the new legions to be formed and headed for the Rhone valley with four legions already prepared.
Marcus followed behind him with one legion he had formed with his own money.
The Helvetii were confused when they saw 30 thousand Roman soldiers in total with five legions.
They outnumbered them by three times in terms of combatants only, but their opponents were regular Roman legions.
They could not predict how much damage they would suffer if they faced them directly.
And their goal was not to fight with Rome but to migrate to western Gaul.
They became desperate and sent an envoy to Caesar first to request mediation.
“Our goal is simply to migrate eastward to avoid the Suebi tribe. O merciful governor of Rome, we will never cause any trouble. Please allow us to pass through your province. We will return south after passing through here.”
“Well… You know that the place you are going to already has an owner, right? Did the Santones or Pictones tribes beg you to come and live with them?”
“No, but…”
“Then you are planning to attack them and take their land.”
“Isn’t it natural for tribes to fight each other? Rome has not been actively involved in these issues so far, as far as we know.”
“That would be true for ordinary fights. But it’s a different story if you try to drive out the original inhabitants and take their place. If the tribes that are driven out by you are pushed to other places, there will naturally be chaos there, and this chain could spread throughout Gaul.”
The envoy’s face darkened. If they could not pass through the Roman province, they had no choice but to block their way westward.
It was a short distance, but this route had the strongest tribes in Gaul, the Haedui and the Sequani.
“Is your answer a refusal, Governor?”
“Normally, it would be, but I’ll consider your plight this time. However, even as a governor, I can’t make such a grave decision on my own. I’ll hold a meeting to decide, so come back in two weeks.”
“Thank you. We’ll leave with hope for a positive answer.”
As the Helvetii envoy left the camp, Marcus, who had been watching from the side, chuckled and asked.
“Shall I order the army to build a fortress?”
“As expected, you’re quick to understand. It saves me the trouble of explaining, which is very convenient.”
Caesar had no intention of holding a meeting.
No sane person would allow an immigrant tribe’s army to roam their territory.
The meeting was nothing but an excuse to buy time to prepare for the Helvetii invasion.
Marcus, who accurately read Caesar’s mind, immediately suggested a course of action.
“I’ll order them to build ramparts along the river and dig trenches. As soon as the two additional legions arrive, we’ll put them to work as well.”
“Do you intend to command them yourself? You could leave it to another legionnaire.”
“There are some veteran centurions who don’t trust a young legionnaire like me. I need to earn their trust as soon as possible. At least, I want to make sure that the 12th legion is loyal to me.”
Caesar nodded in understanding of Marcus’s intention.
If the commander fails to gain the trust of his subordinates, the outcome of the war is obvious.
If the centurions don’t trust the legionnaire, it could cause confusion in the organic command system that is the pride of the Roman army.
“That must never happen in Caesar’s legions. I’ll give you time, so take charge of your legion firmly. If you fail to gain the trust of your subordinates by the time the battle begins, I’ll have no choice but to appoint the first centurion of the first cohort of the 12th legion as the temporary legionnaire.”
“I understand. Then I’ll take my leave.”
With Caesar’s permission, Marcus began to act.
He delivered Caesar’s order to start the construction to the other legionnaires and summoned his entire legion.
Marcus was confident that he had a lot of popularity among the ordinary soldiers.
He had passed many policies for the citizens so far and had participated in the pirate extermination and the pacification of the East.
There was also Spartacus’s popularity, who followed Marcus as the second centurion of the first cohort.
Most of the new recruits grew up watching Spartacus’s legendary matches.
For them, Spartacus was an object of admiration and aspiration and a living idol.
No Roman didn’t know that Spartacus was a warrior of the Crassus family.
The soldiers who admired Spartacus naturally liked his master Marcus as well.
But it was a little different for the centurions who had served in the army for a long time.
They acknowledged Spartacus’s merit.
He had made a great contribution by killing enemy generals during the slave revolt and had received a civic crown in the East.
No one disparaged his achievements.
But they were uneasy about Marcus, who was still young and green, commanding a legion.
Of course, there was no fool who openly showed such feelings in front of Marcus.
He was a representative of Optimates and a successor of one of Rome’s richest families.
They tried their best to curry favor with him rather than ignore him.
But Marcus, who was good at reading and detecting emotions, knew right away that most centurions didn’t trust him.
On the battlefield, one decision of a commander could save or kill countless soldiers.
It wasn’t unreasonable to think that it would be better to do it themselves rather than follow an unreliable legionnaire’s orders.
In fact, most centurions showed polite but indifferent attitudes when they responded to Marcus’s summons.
‘This is why there is such an exclusive culture in the army… Tsk.’
As Marcus shook his head slightly, Lucius, the first centurion of the first cohort and senior officer of the legion approached him.
Usually, this position was taken by someone who had the best ability among all centurions.
This position couldn’t be decided by a legionnaire or commander alone but required consent from other centurions.
He was a leader who was trusted by everyone in the legion and had authority to participate in strategy meetings with legionnaires and commanders.
In other words, he was someone Marcus had to win over first if he wanted to gain trust from his legion.
“Legionnaire sir, why did you summon only us? I heard that other legions have already started working on defense.”
“Good question. Before we go into battle officially, there are some things I want to say and show you.”
The soldiers’ faces were filled with curiosity.
The centurions’ expressions were slightly annoyed.
They could predict that there would be a long and tedious speech typical of commanders who had been in politics for a long time.
Marcus smiled brightly at the centurions who seemed to have such thoughts.
“As you may know, Caesar, the supreme commander, has given me the discretion to command the 12th legion as I please. You must already know that your salaries come from my pocket, right? So let me tell you in advance that I never treat soldiers who have done well stingily. I promise you a solid reward and a differentiated treatment from other legions depending on your performance.”
As Marcus, the richest man in Rome, promised a sure reward, the soldiers’ mouths naturally curled up.
The centurions’ reactions weren’t bad either. Who would complain about getting more money?
Marcus looked around the faces of the soldiers who brightened up and continued.
“Performance is important, but I believe everyone agrees that surviving the war is more important. I can’t stand to see the soldiers who follow me lose their lives in vain. So I’m going to use the discretion given to me to dramatically increase your chances of survival. I guarantee you’ll soon thank Jupiter for being assigned to my legion.”
One of the centurions raised his hand and asked.
“Does that mean our legion will be stationed in the rear?”
Marcus was Caesar’s son-in-law and a key figure of the aristocratic faction, so he wouldn’t be sent to a dangerous battlefield.
Then it was likely that his legion would also stay behind.
Most soldiers understood Marcus’s words that way.
“That’s a reasonable inference, but no. How can you trust and follow a legionnaire who only hides behind on the battlefield?”
“Then how do you plan to increase our survival rate?”
“Showing is better than telling a hundred times, so I’ll let you see for yourself. Spartacus, bring it over.”
At Marcus’s signal, Spartacus came forward with a few thick steel plates.
The soldiers and centurions looked at the unfamiliar steel plates with interest.
“This is the secret weapon that can dramatically increase your chances of survival. You can attach it to your armor like this to protect your shoulders and chest.”
Marcus drove a cross-shaped stake into the ground and put on a lorica hamata, the traditional armor of the Roman army. Then he tied steel plate armor over the chest and shoulder areas with leather straps.
Marcus planned to test the quality of the steel he had made through this expedition.
But he still couldn’t present a full plate armor, so he came up with this workaround.
The appearance of steel plate armor over the usual lorica hamata looked quite similar to lorica segmentata, the armor of the Roman army in the imperial era.
Of course, there was a huge difference in defense between the plate armor made with ancient ironmaking technology and this one.
Marcus tapped on the plate armor over his armor and explained in a confident tone.
“It looks sturdy at a glance, doesn’t it? But it’s stronger than you can imagine. To put it simply, you don’t have to worry about enemy attacks on the parts protected by this plate armor.”
There was almost no chance of being attacked on the arms due to the use of large shields by the Roman army.
The parts that were most hit by the Roman army were the shoulders that were exposed when attacking, the face, and the chest, which had the largest area on the body.
If they could protect these places perfectly, they would reduce their chances of falling on the battlefield by more than 90%.
Marcus pointed out one of the centurions who always showed distrust towards him.
“You there, your name is Rabius, right? Show us an example yourself.”
“Me? What should I do?”
“Just use your weapon with all your strength and hit that armor. If you can pierce it, I’ll give you 100 denarii as a prize.”
“Really? You’ll give me 100 denarii just for breaking that armor?”
“Of course.”
Rabius didn’t hesitate and drew his weapon. No matter how strong the armor was, it would be pierced if he put his weight on it and swung his weapon with full force.
He thought he had made an easy 100 denarii and charged forward.
He put all his weight on his favorite gladius and struck with all his might.
Clang!
“Ouch!”
He lost his balance and staggered with a dull pain in his wrist. He couldn’t believe it.
The other soldiers and centurions who watched this scene also opened their mouths wide.
Sometimes they couldn’t cut through lorica hamata with a sword.
But they never saw a sword bounce off like this.
Rabius’s beloved gladius was broken as if it had hit a huge rock.
On the other hand, the armor he hit was intact without even a scratch.
“What, what is this…”
“Are you giving up on 100 denarii?”
Rabius shook his head vigorously and pulled out a javelin.
He threw it hard after running with full force. The javelin hit the chest of the plate armor precisely.
Clang!
This time too, a sharp metallic sound echoed and the javelin bounced off helplessly.
The steel plate on the chest was not scratched at all.
Instead, only the blade part of the javelin that flew away was shattered.
Rabius opened his mouth wide with a haunted expression.
“How is this possible? What did you make that armor out of…”
“Do you believe me now? Well, if anyone else can break that armor, I’ll keep my promise and give them a reward. Any volunteers?”
As soon as Marcus finished speaking, the soldiers raised their hands.
“I’ll do it!”
“Me too!”
“Please give me a chance!”
Many soldiers had tried to pierce the iron plate, but none of them succeeded.
Marcus brought a new type of gladius made of steel.
He had considered using a longer spatha at first, but he decided that changing to an unfamiliar weapon without proper training was too risky.
Marcus detached the iron plate armor and slashed the lorica hamata, the chainmail armor that the Roman soldiers usually wore, with the new gladius.
With a crisp sound, the chains of the lorica hamata were torn apart like strings.
It was a phenomenon caused by the significant difference in the basic strength of iron and steel.
The expressions of the soldiers and the centurions who witnessed this amazing sight changed completely from before.
Especially the faces of the centurions who had been to the battlefield several times were filled with horror and shock.
Marcus, who enjoyed the soldiers’ reactions with satisfaction, closed the distance between him and them by one step.
“Now, do you believe what I said?”
Lucius, who recovered from the shock first, stuttered and opened his mouth.
“Sir, legion commander. Do you mean that we can wear that armor in this campaign?”
“Of course. Why else would I show you this demonstration? I haven’t secured enough quantity to supply to the entire legion, but I plan to provide new armor and weapons to all the soldiers who are deployed in the front line.”
A murmur spread among the soldiers who were lined up.
Especially the legionaries who stood in the front line cheered and clapped openly.
“Hooray for Marcus, the legion commander!”
“The son of Vulcan!”
The Romans thought that armor that could not be broken by swords or spears was a weapon that only appeared in myths they heard when they were young.
But such a weapon appeared in reality, and they thought they could wear it, so they couldn’t help but get excited.
In the eyes of the soldiers, Marcus looked like a descendant of Vulcan, the god of fire and metalworking who made weapons for the gods.
The most competent commander on the battlefield is someone who can reliably take responsibility for the lives of his soldiers.
And Marcus presented that means in a concrete form in front of his legionaries.
There was no more convincing evidence than armor that could prevent them from dying even if they were stabbed by a sword.
Not only ordinary soldiers, but even centurions put away their doubts about Marcus.
There was no way that someone who had prepared so thoroughly would drive his legion into a dead end.
Marcus succeeded in winning over the hearts of his legion in just one day out of the two weeks that Caesar had given him.
A satisfied smile appeared on his face as he listened to the enthusiastic cheers of his spirited soldiers.
<End of Chapter 91. The Son of Vulcan>
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