The War of the Cities (Part III)

This was the fourth year of the civil war. It would be the last, for there is a limit to the amount of bloodshed the empire could sustain without falling down. Everybody was aware of that, and the pretenders to the throne made their plans for the final push towards victory.

An alliance between Crassus, Lucius and Titus ensured Claudius would not have the initiative. Instead, Crassus obtained the favour of Jupiter's priest (who were by then dressed in golden silk and drank expensive wines in gold cups!).


The last year's triumvirats: Crassus, Tamaris and Claudius pitched against Titus, Brutus and Lucius.

Claiming revenge, Crassus sent his assassins to hunt down Claudius' general in Mesopotamia. This could have been crippling had it happened one year before. But by then, Claudius himself was in Asia, with his fleets to protect the Pontus.


A failed attempt to harm Claudius on his way to the Imperial Throne.

Crassus's second mistake was to personnaly set his foot in Numidia. He wanted to threaten Claudius's position there, which he did. But it also openend his flank for a glaring attack by Brutus who had never given the hopes of controlling Greece.In a bold and swift maneuver, Brutus signed an alliance with the greek cities, aggravated by Crassus's debauch. He moved enough of his legions from Rome and managed to gain the upper hand. While Crassus supporters were still many, Brutus popularity ensured he gained control of the province.


Brutus's legions drive Crassus out of Greece.

This was possible because Brutus and Titus, after having struggled for the control of Rome, massing troops and influence there, finally reached an agreement. And as Brutus sent his troops east, Titus started looking to the other side of the rubicon.


Power hungry Titus and BloodThristy Brutus struggle for Rome.

Tamaris had managed to secure and develop the province of Narbonensis. With a city and all the influence she could gather, she had a stong position at the door of Rome.


The City of Massilia and the heart of Tamaris's Empire.

She had her eyes set on Egypt, and stroke a deal with Claudius. While finishing securing her position in Galatia, she also mustered troops, ready to descend over to the Nile valley and its riches. Sensing her attention was elsewhere, Titus moved and threateded Massilia.

Claudius signed again the alliance with the pirates, and his fleet then sailed forth to Egypt, sinking Lucius's galleys off the port of Alexandria.


The purple galleys and their pirate allies swoop down on their prey

Worried about the developments in Egypt, Lucius sent there a newly recruited general.

Claudius's second move was to muster troops in Asia. He bled the countryside dry, demanding all firstborns to join his legions. He then sent small vexillia to impede the movement of his ennemis. He sent them to Gallia Cisalpina to protect the mountain passes of the Pyrenaeus, to Thracia, blocking the land route to Asia, and to the Columns of Hercules, isolating Numidia from Hispania. And in the same sweeping movement, he lead personnaly his troops across the Middle East, towards the land of the Pharaohs.

Lucius's general had Alba Carta to strenghten the garrison. He emptied the Lucius's treasury and put all his will to build the mightier fleet the seas had seen so far. But it was too late. Tamaris, forsaking Narbonenis, sent her asian army down south.


The final battle for Egypt. Tamaris (green) and Claudius (purple) allied against Lucius.

Tamaris ran point. Her trained legions, with full support from Claudius, engaged the frontline of Lucius's battleline, while the galleys fought over the shores of Egypt. After two days of sweat and blood, of murder and mayhem, alea was jactaed: Lucius's general fled through the Sinai, while his fleets retreated away from the coastline.


The aftermath of the battle.

But Lucius had still a mighty army in Neapolis and his fleet was unscanthed. Claudius and Tamaris had to take action before the message of the disaster reached Lucius' hears in Syracusa. Claudius steppen in, and using the powerfull rethorics Cicero had taught him (as well as some gold from the mines of Hispania), he totally overturned Lucius's clients and won Egypt to his cause.


Claudius speaks to his legions and converts Lucius allies to his cause.

Meanwhile, Titus and Brutus defeated the garrison in Massilia, wrestling the control of the province out of Tamaris's hand. Tamaris herself had to flee from the city, disguised as a merchant, and found refuge in Hispania among the purple garrison.


The war was over. Lucius expelled the last supporters of Claudius from Syracusa, and gained a foothold in Mesopotamia while Crassus took control of Numidia. The final act would be played in Rome in the Senate. Titus obtained once again a triumph in his name. And after Tamaris had used her influence to win over her side the lasts senators of Crassus, Claudius passed a senatorial vote to give her some influence in Rome. Then came the winter and the time to elect the new emperor.