Sulla has been doing well in Greece. From What I am getting in my reread and remembering Sulla is fighting the main army and Marius has been fighting smaller armies. Mithridites did not expect a second front to be open up because of the civil war that appears to be going on. While Sulla and Marius hate each other they seem to be staying away from each other and beating Mithridites forces.
Res Publica: A Quest of Ancient Rome
- Thread starter Telamon
- Start date
- Original Historic
KnightofTempest
The Man who would be King
- Location
- Chicago
That makes sense then, however if both Generals are fighting Mithradates, who's dealing with Tigranes?
bookwyrm
Doom of Public Libraries
- Location
- Wichita, Kansas
Similar to OTL the anti-Roman coalition of Mithridates is receding from its high-water mark, and the heartland of Greece, Athens herself, have been laid bare to feed Sulla's dogs while Marius has just finished devouring Sardis and most of the lowlands of southwestern Anatolia. Fresh levies of the Scythian, Armenian, and Parthian cavalry, while literally priceless to compared to the Roman equivalents as Julius Caesar showed when he took from Mithridates' son all his Cappadocian horseflesh as his loot, is not as well suited as the now lost Greek Poleis for repulsing Roman sieges. I mean don't get me wrong they can absolutely make our lives miserable in their own way, but they can't man fortifications and hold ground quite like heavy infantry.
But apart from all that, the real prediction on Pontic vs Roman battles I'm putting everything on is that the last climax will force us to strap the week-old dead corpse of Marius onto his horse and have his ghost lead us into battle.
But apart from all that, the real prediction on Pontic vs Roman battles I'm putting everything on is that the last climax will force us to strap the week-old dead corpse of Marius onto his horse and have his ghost lead us into battle.
Well, populist leaders do have a strong tendency not to be anywhere near as noble as they try to make their causes sound...and they don't have anywhere near as much control as they pretend to.
The voice of the mob is fickle and bloodthirsty.
Well, "victor". Sulla wanted to get to Rome stat and quickly made peace with Mithradites to end the war. On the battlefield, Mithradites was losing in all three of his wars, his only hope was Roman infighting.
- Location
- Europe
Still, we should team up with Caesar and kick Pompey's ass.
IIRC, Tigranes didn't get involved until Lucullus went east for the OTL Third Mithridatic War. Right now he should be fighting the Parthians to recover lost Armenian territory I think.
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Marius I believe has also been fighting some of Tigranes forces, he has been fighting everything here for a year in Southern Asia.. But the alliance between Mithridites and Tigranes is in its first year going by OTL. Which will be different since Marius just retook the cities they both wanted. This will lead to some interesting developments.
Edit wait is Tigranes even allied in this time line. Because Tigranes would have a huge opportunity to attack Mithridites make cause with Rome to get plenty of land that is not just been sacked.
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I am pretty sure Tigranes' military involvement at this point is "Oh yeah, I'll totally get around to sending troops any day now".
- Location
- United Kingdom
While Tigranes was allied with Mithradites by marriage with his daughter he wasn't particularly involved in the First Mithridatic War, and wasn't at any point directly involved in it iirc. While Mithridates was working to drive the Romans out of Asia Minor Tigranes was solidifying his hold on, and expanding in, the east. Right now he should be at war with the Parthians...
bookwyrm
Doom of Public Libraries
- Location
- Wichita, Kansas
Tigranes is a canny operator, but Mithridates is just plain ruthless enough to discard the "pan-Hellenic resistance" card whenever something better comes along and would be absolutely willing to agree to hand over a bunch more of Greek cities in the Levant and Anatolia (hell through in Cypress!) in exchange for Tigranes wading in. Of course Mithridates probably plans on some day eventually betraying Tigranes to take them all back, and Tigranes knows this, but such an offer is unlikely to even be on the table with the wolfish Romans who one and all prefer a dozen different client kings to one regional ally. And whether or not Tigranes can keep his annexations, he sure can profit from them and build up Armenia at their expense... and at the woe of any future Roman incursions.
]
Last we knew Ceaser sister is still single and so while the threads prefer Waifu is Cicero, I think we should marry Ceaser sister.
Last we knew Ceaser sister is still single and so while the threads prefer Waifu is Cicero, I think we should marry Ceaser sister.
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Canon Omake: A Patrician And A Plebian
- Location
- Somewhere
I feel that Cassianus doesn't really have much characterization, understandable as we have just met him a few turns ago, so here's my attempt at it.
As the magnificent ball of fire known as the sun ascended towards the heights of Mount Olympus, officially signaling the start of the day for most men, some men had been up for a while before the rise of the sun. Specifically, these men had been given the honor (Or burden, as they sometimes felt) of being in charge of nearly ten thousand men, so their work was hard, their days long, and relaxation was scarce. Still, there was relaxation and rest even with such a strenuous occupation, and in those rare moments, one was asked a peculiar question.
"Have you ever been in a fight, Atellus?"
Of all the things that one Quintus Cingulatus Atellus, tribune of the 6th legion, and current company of Scipio Cassianus, it was not about whether or not he had ever been in a fight. He had expected something much more mundane (Well, what constitutes as mundane for a Roman military officer in Asia Minor) than if he had ever crossed blades with another man before. Perhaps he was going to ask him what the Pontifex Maximus was like in person, or if he could relay the wise words of Philo of Larissa.
He was somewhat thankful that the question was not the latter, it would be quite a blow to his pride if more knew that even he could not comprehend the complex philosophical teachings of Philo of Larissa.
Now thinking the unexpected remark over, after his initial shock at such a question had been subued, he found the inquiry to be rather insulting. He was a follower of Mars Invictus, a man of the legion, an officer who had fought the Samnites, razed their cities, and killed their best. Of course he had been in a fight before!
As if reading his mind, or taking notice of the increasingly offended look he was adopting, Scipio Cassianus opted to try and clarify what he meant by "Fight". "No, my friend, I do not mean crossing blades with the barbarians in Samnium or in our current location, I mean a true fight."
"Its common belief that crossing blades with the barbarians is the most true fight of them all."
"Well common belief can kiss my fucking arse."
Again shocked, but not too much this time by the language, Atellus merely raised an eyebrow as Cassianus moved in to say his piece, "I mean a real godsdamned fight, no polite introductions, no bowing your fucking head in respect, no maneuvering, none of that patrician horseshit."
As Cassianus rambled on, Atellus was starting to understand why he didn't think honorable combat was a true fight. Keeping in mind his comrade's plebian origins, and his very privileged upbringing in comparison, what he saw as common belief may not be as common as he thought.
"When I say a fucking fight, I mean getting as close as possible to the bastard as you can. I mean, putting your fist right in the bastard's fucking face, watching him tumble, watching him fall. Seeing him get back up, looking at the blood on his face, feeling the blood on your fist, nothing is as exhilarating as that feeling."
While rather crude in description, Atellus felt he knew what that was, "You speak of a brawl." Ah, brawls, where one man engaged another with their fists, or what there might be laying around he could use as a weapon. Atellus has seen many a brawls before, mostly in the form of drunken legionaries off duty, but has never been in one himself.
"Ay, call it a brawl, call it what you will, men are never more honest than at those moments."
"Oh? How so?"
"Because, in a true fight, where all is laid bare, where passion overtakes all others, men are never more honest than at that moment of passion."
"Enlighten me, Cassianus, on why exactly passion leads to honesty."
With a light gasp of false shock, Cassianus put on a cocky smirk at what had been said and with dramatic exaggeration, spoke, "Why, this, this is greatest honor I have ever received. Rising to bear the ancient and noble name of the Scipio of the gens Cornelia, it is not such an honor in comparison. To serve under the Third Founder of Rome, he who saved Rome in her darkest hour, and whom bequeathed upon me the honor of leading the legion blessed by Mars himself, it is not such an honor as compared to this. To be asked to enlighten a patrician, me, a common plebian, that honor surpasses all."
With the way he spoke, and the way his body swayed in great dramatic fashion, Atellus thought to himself that Cassianus would have been a fine actor should he have pursued it. Yet Atellus did not voice this deadpan observation of him, lest he partake in the first brawl of his life.
"Oh, what great twists my life has been given, that my greatest honor came not from the great old wolves of Rome, but from a babe, a baby wolf who's fangs are not yet fully grown."
Atellus gritted his teeth at being called a babe, he felt frustration at being called a child, and felt anger at the hypocrisy as Cassianus was hardly a man grown himself, "Be careful of what you say, Cassianus, I shall not stand to be insulted."
Cassianus seemed more amused than frightened at the younger man's statement, "Oh, the little wolf shows me his fangs, do you think to intimidate me with such meager teeth?"
"However small they may be, fangs are still fangs, they draw blood as well as any weapon."
"It may spill my blood, true, but shall it kill me? Here I stand before you." He said, raising himself to full height, "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken, the heir to the great name of Scipio Africanus and co-head of the 6th Legion Blessed by Mars, lead under the Third Founder of Rome. I, naught but a common plebian have risen high, many men, far better men than you, have attempted to drag me down and not one has succeeded."
"Ay, many men have tried, but I am not just any man." He said, rising to his full height as a challenge to Cassianus, "I am Quintus Cingulatus Atellus, heir to the great Cingulatii, slayer of the Samnites, and your fellow head of the 6th Legion." As he spoke, he came closer to Cassianus, "As I said before, I shall say it again." By now, they were staring at each other, face to face, daring the other to blink "I shall not stand to be insulted, plebian."
At being called plebian, and in such a tone that it seemed to contain venom, instead of lashing out and subjecting Atellus to his first real brawl as the man was half expecting, he was instead given the great sound of laughter.
"Ah, Atellus, you are much more than I could have ever imagined." He said in between his laughter, and Atellus felt himself confused at the turn of event, "Explain yourself Cassianus, what is it you find so amusing." Atellus demanded his fellow co-commander.
"Oh Atellus, it is the most amusing of things, and such a rare thing." By now, Cassianus had tamed his laughter and looked straight at Atellus with a face full of amusement while he was given a face full of confusion, "I have made you answer your question without you knowing."
"When I goaded you, Atellus, what did you feel?"
At that, he was starting to understand his actions, his odd theatrics, and his attempts at mockery "Frustrated, angered, passionate, honest." He spoke laconically.
"And there you see it, the honesty of it all. It draws our innermost instincts, our deep sated ambitions, who we truly are, as you have shown."
"What I truly am? What I have shown? Well, Cassianus, I have seen what you truly are, as you have shown me."
"Oh, and what is that Atellus?"
"I have seen a man full of pride. A man proud of how much he has done by his own hands, and his alone." Atellus stated, and looking at him directly, he did not seem to object at the analysis, "You are a proud man, and more than that, I can see that you are an ambitious man."
"An ambitious man am I?"
"Do you deny that you are, in fact, ambitious?" He questioned him, and was given a shake of the head, "No, I am, in fact, an ambitious man." He seemed to have said in silence.
"Oh, but where shall this ambition of yours lead you? You have risen high, it is true, none may deny that, but so did Icarus. As you have, Icarus was overcome with joy at leaving his old lot in life, to finally leave behind all that held him back, to spread his newly given wings and give flight. And fly he did, higher, ever so higher, until finally, the sun extinguished his wings. Tell me Cassianus, what makes you believe that you shall not fly into the sun as poor Icarus once did?"
"Because." Cassianus stated with all the confidence in the world, "I am not Icarus, I am Cassianus."
"Have you ever been in a fight, Atellus?"
Of all the things that one Quintus Cingulatus Atellus, tribune of the 6th legion, and current company of Scipio Cassianus, it was not about whether or not he had ever been in a fight. He had expected something much more mundane (Well, what constitutes as mundane for a Roman military officer in Asia Minor) than if he had ever crossed blades with another man before. Perhaps he was going to ask him what the Pontifex Maximus was like in person, or if he could relay the wise words of Philo of Larissa.
He was somewhat thankful that the question was not the latter, it would be quite a blow to his pride if more knew that even he could not comprehend the complex philosophical teachings of Philo of Larissa.
Now thinking the unexpected remark over, after his initial shock at such a question had been subued, he found the inquiry to be rather insulting. He was a follower of Mars Invictus, a man of the legion, an officer who had fought the Samnites, razed their cities, and killed their best. Of course he had been in a fight before!
As if reading his mind, or taking notice of the increasingly offended look he was adopting, Scipio Cassianus opted to try and clarify what he meant by "Fight". "No, my friend, I do not mean crossing blades with the barbarians in Samnium or in our current location, I mean a true fight."
"Its common belief that crossing blades with the barbarians is the most true fight of them all."
"Well common belief can kiss my fucking arse."
Again shocked, but not too much this time by the language, Atellus merely raised an eyebrow as Cassianus moved in to say his piece, "I mean a real godsdamned fight, no polite introductions, no bowing your fucking head in respect, no maneuvering, none of that patrician horseshit."
As Cassianus rambled on, Atellus was starting to understand why he didn't think honorable combat was a true fight. Keeping in mind his comrade's plebian origins, and his very privileged upbringing in comparison, what he saw as common belief may not be as common as he thought.
"When I say a fucking fight, I mean getting as close as possible to the bastard as you can. I mean, putting your fist right in the bastard's fucking face, watching him tumble, watching him fall. Seeing him get back up, looking at the blood on his face, feeling the blood on your fist, nothing is as exhilarating as that feeling."
While rather crude in description, Atellus felt he knew what that was, "You speak of a brawl." Ah, brawls, where one man engaged another with their fists, or what there might be laying around he could use as a weapon. Atellus has seen many a brawls before, mostly in the form of drunken legionaries off duty, but has never been in one himself.
"Ay, call it a brawl, call it what you will, men are never more honest than at those moments."
"Oh? How so?"
"Because, in a true fight, where all is laid bare, where passion overtakes all others, men are never more honest than at that moment of passion."
"Enlighten me, Cassianus, on why exactly passion leads to honesty."
With a light gasp of false shock, Cassianus put on a cocky smirk at what had been said and with dramatic exaggeration, spoke, "Why, this, this is greatest honor I have ever received. Rising to bear the ancient and noble name of the Scipio of the gens Cornelia, it is not such an honor in comparison. To serve under the Third Founder of Rome, he who saved Rome in her darkest hour, and whom bequeathed upon me the honor of leading the legion blessed by Mars himself, it is not such an honor as compared to this. To be asked to enlighten a patrician, me, a common plebian, that honor surpasses all."
With the way he spoke, and the way his body swayed in great dramatic fashion, Atellus thought to himself that Cassianus would have been a fine actor should he have pursued it. Yet Atellus did not voice this deadpan observation of him, lest he partake in the first brawl of his life.
"Oh, what great twists my life has been given, that my greatest honor came not from the great old wolves of Rome, but from a babe, a baby wolf who's fangs are not yet fully grown."
Atellus gritted his teeth at being called a babe, he felt frustration at being called a child, and felt anger at the hypocrisy as Cassianus was hardly a man grown himself, "Be careful of what you say, Cassianus, I shall not stand to be insulted."
Cassianus seemed more amused than frightened at the younger man's statement, "Oh, the little wolf shows me his fangs, do you think to intimidate me with such meager teeth?"
"However small they may be, fangs are still fangs, they draw blood as well as any weapon."
"It may spill my blood, true, but shall it kill me? Here I stand before you." He said, raising himself to full height, "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken, the heir to the great name of Scipio Africanus and co-head of the 6th Legion Blessed by Mars, lead under the Third Founder of Rome. I, naught but a common plebian have risen high, many men, far better men than you, have attempted to drag me down and not one has succeeded."
"Ay, many men have tried, but I am not just any man." He said, rising to his full height as a challenge to Cassianus, "I am Quintus Cingulatus Atellus, heir to the great Cingulatii, slayer of the Samnites, and your fellow head of the 6th Legion." As he spoke, he came closer to Cassianus, "As I said before, I shall say it again." By now, they were staring at each other, face to face, daring the other to blink "I shall not stand to be insulted, plebian."
At being called plebian, and in such a tone that it seemed to contain venom, instead of lashing out and subjecting Atellus to his first real brawl as the man was half expecting, he was instead given the great sound of laughter.
"Ah, Atellus, you are much more than I could have ever imagined." He said in between his laughter, and Atellus felt himself confused at the turn of event, "Explain yourself Cassianus, what is it you find so amusing." Atellus demanded his fellow co-commander.
"Oh Atellus, it is the most amusing of things, and such a rare thing." By now, Cassianus had tamed his laughter and looked straight at Atellus with a face full of amusement while he was given a face full of confusion, "I have made you answer your question without you knowing."
"When I goaded you, Atellus, what did you feel?"
At that, he was starting to understand his actions, his odd theatrics, and his attempts at mockery "Frustrated, angered, passionate, honest." He spoke laconically.
"And there you see it, the honesty of it all. It draws our innermost instincts, our deep sated ambitions, who we truly are, as you have shown."
"What I truly am? What I have shown? Well, Cassianus, I have seen what you truly are, as you have shown me."
"Oh, and what is that Atellus?"
"I have seen a man full of pride. A man proud of how much he has done by his own hands, and his alone." Atellus stated, and looking at him directly, he did not seem to object at the analysis, "You are a proud man, and more than that, I can see that you are an ambitious man."
"An ambitious man am I?"
"Do you deny that you are, in fact, ambitious?" He questioned him, and was given a shake of the head, "No, I am, in fact, an ambitious man." He seemed to have said in silence.
"Oh, but where shall this ambition of yours lead you? You have risen high, it is true, none may deny that, but so did Icarus. As you have, Icarus was overcome with joy at leaving his old lot in life, to finally leave behind all that held him back, to spread his newly given wings and give flight. And fly he did, higher, ever so higher, until finally, the sun extinguished his wings. Tell me Cassianus, what makes you believe that you shall not fly into the sun as poor Icarus once did?"
"Because." Cassianus stated with all the confidence in the world, "I am not Icarus, I am Cassianus."
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- Location
- Europe
Poor Rufus never had a chance.
I wish we had already taken a look into possible spouses, but alas, we are married to the military lifestyle right now.
Random Member
Gardener of Human Happiness
- Location
- Behind You
The people are far greater than any god. Only the people are omnipotent on this earth.
The people made Caesar, they can unmake Caesar.
The people made Caesar, they can unmake Caesar.
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KnightofTempest
The Man who would be King
- Location
- Chicago
That was Mithradates big flaw in real life. His ruthlessness meant he became prone to betrayals and it got him assassinated in the end.
Ironically what Roman legions couldn't do, Mithradates did to himself. . .
- Location
- Texas
Scipio Cassianus is not like any men of his standing that Quintus Cingulatus Atellus has ever met. He is rude. He is brash. He is uncomfortably and brazenly crude.
He's also actually been in a fistfight before.
Gain 200 Combat XP.
(This is canon because it flies more than fairly close to my drafts/plans of Cassianus' speaking voice. If SzchezhuanSauce has been reading my notes, this is his reward.)
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Panory
The Omake Dragon
- Location
- New York
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Maybe, but can they unmake the guy fucking Caesar's sister? It's like, the perfect amount of distance to leverage our relationship while having plausible "I always hated that guy" when gets stabbed many, many times.
Roman legions weren't the one to actually kill him, but they totally could. They kicked him out of his country, after all.
Whatever the outcome of this campaign is, we would probably be in a better position to look for marriage. Well, either that or basically dead, but then marriage wouldn't really matter.
Wait, Mithridates was assassinated? I thought he committed suicide after his last defeat against Pompey?
- Location
- Europe
Do engineering and seafaring count in this instance? I haven't included them.
| Stats | Level | Current XP | Threshold | Modifier | Modifier after rank up | |
| Military | 14 | 3384 | 10000 | 2 | 4 | |
| Charisma | 11 | 4060 | 10000 | 2 | 2 | |
| Stewardship | 4 | 1200 | 4000 | -2 | 0 | |
| Intelligence | 15 | 3534 | 15000 | 4 | 4 | |
| Education | 10 | 3400 | 10000 | 2 | 2 | |
| Subterfuge | 7 | 1200 | 7000 | 0 | 1 | |
| Skills | ||||||
| Combat | 10 | 6015 | 10000 | 2 | 2 | |
| Oratory | 11 | 2326 | 10000 | 2 | 2 | |
| Command | 8 | 6177 | 8000 | 1 | 1 | |
| Engineering | 1 | 0 | 1000 | -6 | -4 | |
| Seafaring | 3 | 1143 | 3000 | -4 | -2 | |
| Logistics | 2 | 1898 | 2000 | -4 | -4 | |
| Law | 9 | 4535 | 9000 | 1 | 2 | |
| Philosophy | 5 | 374 | 5000 | 0 | 0 | |
| Administration | 5 | 4750 | 5000 | 0 | 0 | |
| Diplomacy | 10 | 1751 | 10000 | 2 | 2 | |
| Pending | ||||||
| Free XP | 4800 | |||||
| 2325 XP on Augury | ||||||
| 2000 XP on Augury, Intel Rank Up on meeting Pythia | ||||||
| Reroll on failed social interaction with a Sullan | ||||||
| Unrated | ||||||
| After post-17015223 |
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KnightofTempest
The Man who would be King
- Location
- Chicago
Assassinated after killing his son to assume control of the Bosporan Kingdom. He was in the process of raising 20,000 troops from the Bosporan Kingdom to retake Pontus at the time