ante diem quattuordecim kalends September 487 ab Urbe Condita(15th August 266 bc)
Nation Building
As the conquest of Italy was drawing to an end the Senate took drastic measures to assimilate the Greeks and to heal the wounds of the war. After some years of peace and rebuilding the issue of Sicily was again a hot topic and most of the younger senators reasoned that the new legionary commanders needed experiance and that such a little island was humiliating Rome with its independence.
"Heres what we have done so far: While the legions have been resting the engineers and their staff have been improving the Roman road infrastructure. We have connected all the cities with roads from Rhegium to Mediolanum. We have put mile stones on every mile and have build resting places for the horses on every 20 miles, every 50 miles theres an Inn where the passengers can rest and eat. The couriers have of course priority in all of these places.
That said we already have plans to improve the countryside and infrastucture even more but those take lot of money so we have posponed them to be included in the next 5 year budget." Lars Gnaeus Tarquinius, the leading engineer finished his briefing of the Senate.
Very well, thank you. Next to speak is a joint embassy from the Northern Greek Polii. The Senate speaker annouced and nodded to the 6 men dressed in Roman togas.
"Senators, Romans, Your Honour. My name is Anaxagoras
Aristides from Massilia and I have been chosen to speak for our delegation. As you all know, according to the new treaty signed between our Cities and Rome we are to remain here for the next 15 years wich after a new delegation will replace us. Our duty is to report back to our Cities who recognise their position as Roman protectorate and to defend the autonomy given us by the treaty. We hope you understand and listen to our concerns. We respect the treaty and the Roman people and expect no less from you."
And the proconsul of the North Quintus Minucius Esquilinus will respond now. The speaker announced.
"Dear fellow Romans, honorable Greeks, Your Honour. We are happily obligated to everything that was promised in the treaty. Your soldiers will only be used to maintain security in the North. The area wich its mandate covers will be know as Provincia Proconsularis. Its inhabitants will have a special position in the Republic and will be taxed 20% less then the others. We also have plans for few new Roman colonies along the coast and inland but those will not affect the autonomy of the Greek polii. The Greek troops will be merged into a new Legion VI "proconsularis" and will have special duties to serve and protect both the Roman and Greek cities in the North.
Its first task will be to fight along with Legion II. They will pacify the coast as well as the Rhodanus river Valley. " Quintus concluded his responce to the Senate.
Crowds gather outside the Curia where the Senate is meeting the Greek Polis' delegation
Up North
The situation in the North was finally stabilising due to the treaty between the Greek Polii and the Roman Republic. But there were still some things to be done before everyone could go back to their normal life. Ihe Southern Gauls had settled between Nicaea and Massilia, this large bunch of barbarians was a direct threat to the cities so it was only matter of time before the problem had to be adressed. The new Legion IV Proconsularis along with the Legion II Italica would have a long campaign against the barbarians ahead of them, first on the coast and then in the Rhodanus Valley. Their moral was pretty high now that the long state of emergency was finally about to be over. People from the Greek polii gave snacks to their hoplites and wished them good luck and brief return. Roman military commanders were happy to see the tensions between them and the Greeks unravel in such amicable manner and were confident that the hoplites would be eager to fight off the Gauls.
Legions marching to Capua where they will be transported to Sicily
Down South
In the South the Legions had got their reinforcements and much needed rest. Their weapons had been sharpened and armour polished. The new orders were greated with great excitement and the soldiers were proud to see that the Syracuse would at last be punished for their plotting against ROme. The Legions gathered up near Capua where they would board ships to invade Sicily just West of Messana. There their commanders were given detailed instructions of battle order and some neat new weapons were revealed. The men were particularly astonished by the carroballista.
ORDERS MADE PUBLIC WHEN NEW UPDATE HAS STARTED
Two legionaries helping a footsoldier from the siege army to set up a ballista during the siege of Syracuse
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