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by Colleen McCullough

  No one asked to speak ahead of Marius.

  “If Nola has imprisoned its Roman and Latin citizens under circumstances of privation, then there can be no doubt of it—Nola is in revolt against Rome. Consider for a moment: in June of last year the Senate delegated two of its praetors to enquire into what our esteemed consular Quintus Lutatius called ‘the Italian question.’ Nearly three months ago the praetor Quintus Servilius was murdered in Asculum Picentum, along with every Roman citizen in the town. Nearly two months ago the praetor Servius Sulpicius was captured and imprisoned in Nola, along with every Roman citizen in the town.

  “Two praetors, one north and one south, and two atrocious incidents, one north and one south. The whole of Italy—even in its most backward parts!—knows and understands the significance, the importance, of the Roman praetor. Yet, Conscript Fathers, in the one case, murder was done. In the other case, a long-term detention was enforced. That we do not know the ultimate outcome of Servius Sulpicius’s detention is purely due to the lucky circumstance of his escaping. However, it would appear to me that Servius Sulpicius too would have died. Two praetors of Rome, each with a proconsular imperium! Attacked, it would seem, without fear of reprisal. And what does that tell me? Just one thing, my fellow senators! It tells me that Asculum Picentum and Nola were emboldened to do what they did feeling secure against reprisals! In other words, both Asculum Picentum and Nola are expecting a state of war to exist between Rome and their parts of Italy before Rome can retaliate.”

  The House was sitting up straight now, and hanging on Marius’s every word. Pausing, he looked from one face to another, searching for particular men; Lucius Cornelius Sulla, for instance, whose eyes were glistening; and Quintus Lutatius Catulus Caesar, whose face registered a curious awe.

  “I have been guilty of the same crime as the rest of you, Conscript Fathers. After Marcus Livius Drusus died I had no one to tell me there would be war. I began to think him wrong. When nothing more transpired after the march of the Marsian Silo upon Rome, I too began to deem it yet one more trick to gain the citizenship. When the Marsian delegate gave our Princeps Senatus a declaration of war, I dismissed it because it came from only one Italian nation, though eight nations were represented in the delegation. And—I admit it freely!—I could not believe in my heart that any Italian nation in this day and age would actually go to war against us.”

  He paced up the floor until he stood in front of the closed doors, where he could see the entire House. “What Servius Sulpicius has told us today changes everything, and sheds new light upon the events at Asculum Picentum as well. Asculum is a town of the Picentes. Nola is a town of the Campanian Samnites. Neither is a Roman or a Latin colony. I think we must now assume that the Marsi, the Picentes, and the Samnites are leagued together against Rome. It may be that all eight nations who sent us that deputation some time ago are party to this league. It may be, I think, that in giving our Leader of the House a formal declaration of war, the Marsi were warning us of that event. Whereas the other seven nations did not care enough about us to warn us. Marcus Livius Drusus said time and time again that the Italian Allies were on the brink of war. I now believe him— except that I think the Italian Allies have stepped over the brink.”

  “You do genuinely believe a state of war exists?” asked Ahenobarbus Pontifex Maximus.

  “I do, Gnaeus Domitius.”

  “Continue, Gaius Marius,” said Scaurus. “I would like to hear you out before I speak.”

  “I have little else to say, Marcus Aemilius. Except that we must mobilize, and very quickly. That we must endeavor to find out the extent of the league against us. That we must move whatever troops we have under arms to protect our roads and our access to Campania. That we must discover how the Latins feel about us, and how our colony towns in hostile regions are going to fare if war does commence. As you know, I have huge lands in Etruria, as does Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius, and some others among the various Caecilii. Quintus Servilius Caepio has equally large amounts of land in Umbria. And Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo and Quintus Pompeius Rufus dominate northern Picenum. For that reason, I think we might hold Etruria, Umbria, and northern Picenum in our camp—if we move immediately to negotiate with their local leaders. In the matter of northern Picenum, however, their local leaders are sitting here in the House today.”

  Marius inclined his head toward Scaurus Princeps Senatus. “It goes without saying that I personally am Rome’s to command.”

  Scaurus rose to his feet. “I agree absolutely with everything Gaius Marius has said, Conscript Fathers. We cannot afford to waste time. And though I am aware that this is the month of February, I move that the fasces be taken off the junior consul and given to the senior consul. It is the senior consul who must lead us in all matters as serious as this.”

  Rutilius Lupus sat up indignantly, but his popularity within the House was small; though he insisted upon a formal division, it went against him by a large majority. He was forced, fuming, to yield the place of first prominence to Lucius Julius Caesar, the senior consul. Lupus’s friend Caepio was present, but his two other friends Philippus and Quintus Varius were not.

  A delighted Lucius Julius Caesar soon demonstrated that the trust of the Leader of the House was not misplaced; within the space of that same day, the major decisions were taken. Both the consuls would take the field, leaving the urban praetor, Lucius Cornelius Cinna, to govern Rome. The provinces were got out of the way first, as this new crisis could not but alter the dispositions made earlier. As already arranged, Sentius would stay in Macedonia, and the Spanish governors too remained undisturbed. Lucius Lucilius would go to govern Asia Province. But, to give King Mithridates no opportunities while Rome was embroiled in a domestic furor, Publius Servilius Vatia was now sent to Cilicia to make sure that part of Anatolia stayed quiet. And—most important of all—the consular Gaius Coelius Caldus was given a special governorship, Gaul-across-the-Alps and Italian Gaul combined.

  “For it is clear,” said Lucius Julius Caesar, “that if Italy is in revolt, we will not find sufficient fresh troops among those in the peninsula who remain faithful to us. Italian Gaul has many Latin and a few Roman colonies. Gaius Coelius will quarter himself in Italian Gaul and recruit and train soldiers for us.”

  “If I might suggest,” rumbled Gaius Marius, “I would like to see the quaestor Quintus Sertorius go with Gaius Coelius. His duties are fiscal this year, and he is not yet a member of the Senate. But, as I’m sure all of us present here know, Quintus Sertorius is a true Military Man. Let him have his experience of the fiscus in as military a fashion as he can.”

  “Agreed,” said Lucius Caesar instantly.

  There were of course enormous financial problems to struggle with. The Treasury was solvent and had resources beyond normal demand to hand, but—

  “If this war is wider than we currently think, or more protracted than we currently think, we will need more money than we have,” said Lucius Caesar. “I would rather we acted now than later. I suggest that we reimpose direct taxation upon all Roman citizens and holders of the Latin Rights.”

  That, of course, provoked furious opposition from many quarters of the House, but Antonius Orator delivered a very fine speech, as did Scaurus Princeps Senatus, and in the end the measure was agreed to. The tributum had never been levied constantly, only in times of need; after the conquest of Perseus of Macedonia by the great Aemilius Paullus, it had been abolished and replaced by a tributum levied upon non-Romans.

  “If we are required to keep more than six legions in the field, our foreign income will not be enough,” said the chief tribune of the Treasury. “The entire burden of arming them, feeding them, paying them, and keeping them in the field will now fall upon Rome and Rome’s Treasury.”

  “Goodbye, Italian Allies!’’ said Catulus Caesar savagely.

  “Given that we might have to keep—say, ten to fifteen legions in the field—what should the tributum be fixed at?’’ asked Lucius Caesar, disliking this
part of his command.

  The chief tribune of the Treasury and his clerical cohort went into a huddle which lasted for some time, then:

  “One percent of a man’s census worth” was the answer.

  “The Head Count get out of it as usual!” shouted Caepio.

  “The Head Count,” said Marius with heavy irony, “are likely to be doing most of the fighting, Quintus Servilius!”

  “While we are on financial matters,” said Lucius Julius Caesar, ignoring this exchange, “we had best depute some of our more senior members to look after army supplies, particularly in the matter of armor and weapons. Normally the praefectus fabrum takes care of these things, but at this moment we have no real idea of how our legions will be distributed—nor how many we’re likely to need. I think it necessary that the Senate look after army supplies, at least for the present. We have four veteran legions under arms in Capua, and two more legions being recruited and trained there. All were destined for service in the provinces, but that is now out of the question. Whatever troops the provinces have at the moment will have to suffice.”

  “Lucius Julius,” said Caepio, “this is absolutely ridiculous! On no more evidence than two incidents in two cities, we’re sitting here reimposing the tributum, talking about putting fifteen legions into the field, deputing senators to organize the buying of thousands upon thousands of mail-shirts and swords and all the rest, sending men to govern provinces we don’t even officially call provinces—next, you’ll be proposing to call up every male Roman or Latin citizen under thirty-five!”

  “I will indeed,” said Lucius Caesar cordially. “However, my dear Quintus Servilius, you won’t have to worry— you’re well over thirty-five.” He paused, then added, “In years, at least.”

  “It seems to me,” said Catulus Caesar haughtily, “that Quintus Servilius might—I say only, might!—have a point. Surely we should content ourselves with what men we have under the eagles at the moment, and make further preparations as we go—and as the evidence of a massive insurrection materializes—or does not.”

  “When our soldiers are needed, Quintus Lutatius, they must be fit to fight as well as outfitted to fight!’’ said Scaurus testily. “They must be already trained.” He turned his head to the man who sat on his right. “Gaius Marius, how long does it take to turn a raw recruit into a good soldier?”

  “Fit to send into battle—one hundred days. At which point no man is a good soldier, Marcus Aemilius. It takes his first battle to make that of him,” said Marius.

  “Can it be done in less than one hundred days?”

  “It can—if you have good raw material and better than average training centurions.”

  “Then we’d best find better than average training centurions,” said Scaurus grimly.

  ‘‘ I suggest we get back to the matter in hand,’’ said Lucius Caesar firmly. “We were talking about a senatorial praefectus fabrum to organize the equipping and outfitting of the legions we do not as yet possess. It would seem to me that we should nominate several names for the most senior job, then let the man elected choose his own staff—senatorial staff, I mean. I suggest we nominate only men who, for one reason or another, are not suited for the field. May I hear some names, please?”

  The job went to the son of Gaius Cassius’s senior legate, who had died at Burdigala in the German ambush—Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus. A victim of that strange disease which preyed upon children in summer, Piso had a badly wasted left leg, which negated military service. Married to the daughter of Publius Rutilius Rufus, now in exile in Smyrna, Piso was an intelligent man who had suffered greatly due to the premature death of his father, especially where money was concerned. At the news that he was to be in charge of all military purchasing, and could select his own staff, his eyes glistened. If he couldn’t do a good job for Rome and fill his own empty purse at one and the same time, then he deserved to dwindle into obscurity! But, sitting smiling quietly, he was sure that he was equal to both tasks.

  “Now we come to the commands and the dispositions,” said Lucius Caesar; he was beginning to tire, but had no intention of concluding the meeting before this last subject was aired.

  “How do we best organize ourselves?” he asked.

  By rights he should have addressed that question directly to Gaius Marius. But he was no admirer of Marius, and felt, besides, that between his stroke and his age Marius was not the man he used to be. Marius had also taken the floor first; he had had his say, surely. Lucius Caesar’s eyes roamed over the faces of the men on the tiers of either side, looking, wondering; and so, having asked how they might best organize themselves, he then put a second query too quickly on the heels of the first to permit Marius’s answering.

  “Lucius Cornelius cognominated Sulla, I would like to hear your opinion,” said the senior consul, careful to speak clearly; the urban praetor was also a Lucius Cornelius, cognominated Cinna.

  To be thus singled out startled Sulla, but he was ready to answer nonetheless. “If our enemies are the eight nations who sent that deputation to see us, then the chances are that we’ll be assailed on two fronts—from the east along the Via Salaria and the Via Valeria with its two branches—and to our south, where Samnite influence crosses all the way from the Adriatic to the Tuscan at Crater Bay. To take the south first, if the Apuli, the Lucani, and the Venusini join the Samnites, the Hirpini, and the Frentani, then the south becomes a definite and ominous theater of war by itself. We can call the second theater of war by either of two names—a northern theater, meaning territories to the north and east of Rome, or a central theater, meaning territories to the north and east of Rome. The Marsi, the Paeligni, the Marrucini, the Vestini, and the Picentes are the nations involved in this central or northern theater. You will note that for the present moment I do not bring Etruria, Umbria, or northern Picenum into the discussion.”

  Sulla drew a breath, hurried on while it all glowed like crystal in his mind. “In the south, our enemies will do their utmost to cut us off from Brundisium, Tarentum, and Rhegium. In the center or north, our enemies will attempt to cut us off from Italian Gaul, certainly along the Via Flaminia, possibly also the Via Cassia. If they should succeed, then our only access to Italian Gaul would be along the Via Aurelia and the Via Aemilia Scauri to Dertona, and thence to Placentia.”

  Lucius Caesar interrupted. “Step down to the floor, Lucius Cornelius cognominated Sulla.’’

  Down Sulla came, with a ghost of a wink for Marius; it gave him little joy to be filching this analysis from the Old Master. That he did so at all was a complicated matter—a combination of bitter resentment that Marius still had his son, umbrage that when he came back from Cilicia no one in the House including Marius had invited him to make a full report on his activities in the East, and a lightning understanding of the fact that if he spoke well at this moment, he would go very far, very fast. Too bad, Gaius Marius, he thought. I don’t want to hurt you, but I’d do it every time anyway.

  “I think,” he went on from the floor, “that we’ll need both consuls in the field, just as Lucius Julius suggested. One consul will have to go south because of Capua, which is vital to us. If we should lose Capua, then we lose our best training facilities as well as a town superbly experienced in aiding soldier-training and soldier-supplying. There will, of course, have to be a consular chief of training and recruiting in Capua itself, aside from the consul commanding in the field. Whoever the consul is to go south will have to take everything the Samnites and their allies throw at him. What the Samnites will attempt to do is to drive west through their old haunts around Acerrae and Nola toward the seaports on the south side of Crater Bay. Stabiae, Salernum, Surrentum, Pompeii, and Herculaneum. If they can capture any or all of those, then they have port facilities on the Tuscan Sea better by far than any ports on the Adriatic north of Brundisium. And they will have cut us off from the far south.”

  Sulla was not a great speaker, for his training in rhetoric had been minimal, and his career i
n the House mostly spent out of it in one war or another. But this wasn’t oratory. All this needed was good plain speaking.

  “The northern or central theater is more difficult. We must presume that all the lands between northern Picenum and Apulia including the Apennine highlands are in enemy hands. Here, the Apennines themselves are our greatest obstacle. If we are to hold on to Etruria and Umbria, then we must make a good showing against these Italian peoples from the very start of our campaign. If we do not, Etruria and Umbria will go over to the enemy, we will lose our roads and Italian Gaul. One consul will have to command in this theater.”

  “Surely we should have one overall commander,” said Scaurus.

  “We cannot, Princeps Senatus. Our own lands separate the two theaters I have described,” said Sulla firmly. “Latium is long and runs into northern Campania, which is the half of Campania we’re more likely to find loyal to us. I doubt southern Campania will be loyal if the insurgents win any battles at all, it’s too riddled with Samnites and Hirpini. Look at Nola, already. East of Latium, the Apennines are impossible, and we have the Pomptine Marshes besides. One overall commander would have to shuttle desperately between two widely separated areas of conflict, and he couldn’t do it quickly enough to keep a proper eye on both. Truly, we will be fighting on two separate fronts! If not three. The south can possibly be run as one campaign because the Apennines are at their lowest where Samnium, Apulia, and Campania join. However, in the northern or central theater it’s highly likely there will be both a northern and a central theater. Thank the Apennines for this, as they are at their highest. The lands of the Marsi, the Paeligni, and possibly the Marrucini form a separate theater from the Picentes and the Vestini. I don’t see how we can contain all the Italians by fighting purely in the center. It’s probably going to be necessary to send an army into the rebellious parts of Picenum through Umbria and northern Picenum, bringing it down on the Adriatic side of the mountains. In the meantime, we’ll have to drive east of Rome into the lands of the Marsi and Paeligni.”