The Mad Tycoon of Rome

< 204. The Beginning of the War >

Titus Artius Labienus was Caesar’s chief lieutenant and an excellent commander who had performed brilliantly since the beginning of the Gallic War.

Caesar did not hide his trust in Labienus in his memoirs, and he had entrusted him with the rear several times.

However, his family, which originated from Pompey and the Optimates, was clearly a client of Pompey.

Perhaps that was why, in the original history, he sided with Pompey instead of Caesar when the civil war broke out and met his end.

It is still unclear why he betrayed Caesar, and historians have not been able to give a definitive answer.

But now, the relationship between the two men was different from history.

With Pompey’s death, Labienus switched to Caesar’s client and was promised a bright future.

He was given the task of stabilizing the Gallic provinces on behalf of Caesar, which showed how much he was trusted.

Labienus had never disappointed Caesar’s expectations so far.

That was why Caesar could leave his position with ease.

After the civil war with Sextus ended, Caesar was busy with various aftermaths as he traveled back and forth between Hispania and Massilia.

He needed to inspect the newly acquired mining rights in Hispania and restore Massilia, which had been absurdly occupied.

When Labienus arrived in Germania, the Slavs had been driven back across the Elbe River.

According to the reports, everything went smoothly.

It was impossible to cover the entire defense line of the Elbe River with only three legions, but it was not a big problem even if they allowed some crossings.

The Slavic tribes that crossed the river were either slaughtered by the overwhelming power of the Roman army or fled back to the other side of the river.

There was even a case where one legion pushed back 20,000 Slavs.

Labienus wondered if the soldiers’ confidence was a bit excessive, but he did not think he had to restrain them.

He had a reason for that. He had never experienced any hardship against the barbarians in his eight years of military service.

Gaul, Britannia, Germania, and even the Slavic tribes he fought this time.

None of them could match the Roman army.

Especially among the legions stationed in Germania, this tendency was more pronounced.

They had no choice but to be so confident because they had not suffered any damage no matter how much they fought with the barbarians crossing the river.

The Roman army’s proud cavalry imposed one-sided losses on the Gallic or Germanic cavalry.

And even in infantry combat, thanks to lorica segmentata, it was meaningless to count casualties.

It was so much so that one officer who had been transferred because of the civil war with Sextus joked like this.

“This is really nerve-wracking. This is the first time I’m going to fight in eight years of military service.”

The soldiers and even his fellow officers laughed uproariously at this remark.

In such a situation, it was unfortunate for the Roman army that Hunnic army of 200,000 cavalry pushed into Germania.

It was almost impossible for the Roman army of only three legions to fight against 200,000 cavalry head-on.

The best choice was to deter them from crossing the river while requesting reinforcements from Caesar in the meantime.

But Bayatur Supreme Senior Warrior, the leader of Huns, had been watching the Roman army’s response for a long time and devised a plan.

He pushed back the Slavs to observe how the Roman army reacted and devise a strategy.

The Roman army did not have enough numbers to monitor the entire Elbe River, so they prioritized monitoring areas that were easy to cross.

So Bayatur split his troops and deliberately stationed tens of thousands of cavalry in areas where the Roman army was watching.

The Roman army naturally went into emergency mode when they saw tens of thousands of cavalry.

They gathered soldiers from other places where they were monitoring and deterred them from crossing the river.

Of course, Labienus also received news of Hunnic cavalry’s appearance.

But Bayatur secretly crossed the river with cavalry he had hidden in areas where surveillance was relatively weak while they were distracted by cavalry in front of them.

The Roman border guards who were distracted by cavalry in front of them were attacked from behind by cavalry who came down unexpectedly and were annihilated without any resistance.

Bayatur crossed the river leisurely and split his 200,000 cavalry into four groups.

“Burn and plunder everything you see. And don’t attack recklessly if there are Roman soldiers entrenched in their camps. We’re aiming for the Roman soldiers wandering outside and the villages of the Germanic tribes.”

“We obey the command of Supreme Senior Warrior!”

The main force led by Bayatur and the units led by three other tribal chiefs ran rampant in Germania, committing a massacre.

The fact that the Romans had cleared a lot of forests to open up Germania made the Huns’ movement more smooth.

Nothing was left where they passed.

They took food, killed men, raped women and then took their lives.

Labienus, who received this report in his camp, was confused.

He couldn’t understand how so many cavalry suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

He sent a report to Caesar first, but it was too urgent to wait for a reply.

The sound of horse hooves did not stop for days and nights because of the reports coming from all over Germania.

“Enemy cavalry have been spotted near the Nord Forest. Three villages were burned and hundreds of Germanic people were killed.”

“We received a request for help from the Cereski tribe. Twelve villages were plundered by enemy cavalry and all the villagers were killed.”

“The Marsi tribe, which had gathered warriors to fight against the enemy, was annihilated.”

One report after another flew in, and none of them were positive news.

As time passed, Labienus’s anxiety grew.

The biggest problem was that even though the situation was going like this, he could not figure out the exact size of the enemy.

From the reports and messages that had come up so far, the enemy seemed to be operating at least four separate units.

And judging by their speed of movement, they were all cavalry.

They crushed the resisting Germanic tribes too easily.

He had to assume that each unit had at least 10,000 or more.

Then it would be at least 50,000 or more. Maybe even over 100,000.

It was dizzying to think that 100,000 were all cavalry.

No matter how strong the Roman army was, if they fought head-on with that many cavalry, they would suffer serious damage.

Labienus buried his head in reports that poured in like a flood.

“Has Caesar’s order arrived yet?”

“It will take a few more days at best. Lieutenant, don’t you think we should do something on our own without the Imperator’s order?”

“But we only have three legions here. The enemy has at least 50,000 cavalry, if not more.”

“But they’re not all together, are they?”

“That’s true…”

While Lavinus was hesitating, a messenger rushed in and reported urgently.

“One of the enemy’s cavalry units has approached nearby. It seems they are targeting the chief of the Cerusci tribe. We have received a request for help from the Cerusci tribe.”

The Cerusci tribe was one of the most warlike and powerful among the Germanic tribes that cooperated with Rome.

If they were wiped out, it would be a significant burden for Rome as well.

“Wouldn’t it be better to retreat the chief to our side and fortify ourselves in the camp?”

“I already told them that, but they were in a state of rage after losing many of their tribesmen. They said they wouldn’t calm down unless they tore the invaders to pieces…”

“This is crazy.”

He couldn’t say he didn’t understand.

The barbarians who invaded from the east seemed to have some grudge against them, killing anyone they saw.

The Germanic tribes realized how mild Rome was as a ruler.

In just a few days, tens of thousands of Germanic people were slaughtered for no reason.

It was not strange that the warriors who lost their families and relatives burned with vengeance.

Moreover, Rome could not just watch as the natives of the conquered regions were massacred by the invaders.

This was not only a matter of prestige, but also of trust as a conqueror.

If they failed to protect the subjugated people from external invasions, not only Germany, but also the security of other provinces could be shaken.

This could also cause considerable political pressure on Caesar.

The legionnaires who had a strong loyalty to Caesar could not let such a situation happen.

“If we just stay here and defend, we won’t be able to avoid criticism for watching the tragedy of Germany. Don’t you think we should at least catch one of the enemy’s cavalry units that approached nearby?”

“I agree with the 13th legionnaire’s opinion. The soldiers are also quite dissatisfied with not fighting with the barbarians. We need to have a battle here at least once.”

Lavinus cautiously raised an objection.

“But going out without waiting for Caesar’s order…”

“Originally, legionnaires have the authority to make their own judgments according to the situation on the field. Besides, you are not here as a proxy for Imperator. It’s a matter of your permission, Lavinus.”

All the commanders in the barracks focused their eyes on Lavinus.

He felt too heavy to make a decision.

He wanted to wait until Caesar’s reply came.

But how could he take responsibility if the Germanic tribes were slaughtered in the meantime?

As the other legionnaires said, if he pretended to fight at least once, he might get away with it even if something went wrong.

After hesitating for a long time, he finally nodded slowly.

“I see. Let’s try to repel the enemy cavalry nearby for now.”

“Wow!”

As soon as Lavinus finished speaking, cheers erupted in the barracks.

The officers who had been suppressed without fighting felt relieved.

“Let’s show those savage barbarians who we are. To be honest, have they ever fought a real fight in front of us?”

“This time it might be a real battle. Don’t be careless.”

“Yes! Hahaha!”

Confidence from their achievements that never suffered in battle.

They all had matching smiles on their faces.

But a day later, after Lavinus left with all his troops, a messenger arrived late at the camp with Caesar’s reply.

The order he carried said this:

Evacuate all the nearby tribes to the nearest Roman camp, and do not engage in frontal combat with the enemy until the main force arrives. Strengthen your defense.

Caesar, who remembered Marcus’ warning, made the best decision, but unfortunately his order failed to fulfill its duty by a day’s difference.

※※※

The Roman army confidently marched out and met with the Cerusci tribe and faced the Hunnic cavalry that had approached close by.

According to the report from the scouts sent out earlier, the size of the enemy’s cavalry unit was at least 30,000 or more.

The enemy’s troop size was larger than expected, but no one in the Roman army flinched.

They had already fought with Gallic and Germanic cavalry many times before.

And none of them could challenge the Roman army.

Even if they had many numbers, barbarians were just barbarians after all.

Moreover, when combined with the Germanic warriors who gathered around the Cerusci tribe, the Roman army was not outnumbered either.

Lavinus felt uneasy when he heard that the enemy’s cavalry was using something like stirrups.

“Did the technology leak? Or did they develop it on their own?”

In fact, the Huns had been using stirrups long before Rome, and Marcus’ introduction was rather ahead of the original history, but Lavinus had no way of knowing that.

Of course, the stirrups that the Huns were currently using were improved by Bayatur after seeing the Roman army’s stirrups.

Strictly speaking, the idea that technology had leaked was not wrong either.

He was also bothered by the fact that the enemy’s cavalrymen were holding bows without hesitation, unlike Gallic and Germanic ones.

He wanted to launch a reconnaissance first with a bad feeling, but the Cerusci tribe’s warriors who had gone mad at the sight of the enemy ran forward as soon as they saw the Hunnic cavalry.

And surprisingly, the Hunnic cavalry began to retreat under the attack of the Roman army and the Germanic cavalry.

“So barbarians are barbarians after all, no matter how many they are.”

The Roman army gained confidence and began to chase the fleeing Hunnic army.

Lavinus couldn’t shake off his fear of an ambush, but there was no such thing.

But the problem was not an ambush or anything like that.

When they reached the open plain that was not so common in Germany, the Roman army faced a huge number of cavalry units coming from afar.

The enemy’s number was not just 40,000 or so.

Even excluding the 40,000 that the Roman army had chased, there were more than that on each side, looking down on the Roman army.

“What is this… Did we fall for a trap?”

“When we received the report last time, they were clearly in the north. How did they…”

Unlike the legionnaires who were pale, Lavinus calmly assessed the situation.

The enemy did not simply lure the Roman army out.

Their approach to the camp in the first place was a planned action.

The main force that had been plundering and killing in the north deliberately separated from the detachment and lured the Roman army out of the camp.

Lavinus saw in his eyes the enemy commander who was looking down at the Roman army with a careless look from afar.

He was surely the leader of the enemy, judging by how he was fawning over the captain of the detachment that lured out the Roman army.

He had a strange skin color and clothing that he had never seen before, but he didn’t look very old.

And just like Lavinus, Bayatur also looked at the reactions of the Roman commanders.

He could see the movements of the Roman army clearly because the position where the Hunnic cavalry was stationed was slightly higher.

“Well done, Kublai. It was a perfect lure.”

“It’s too much praise. I just did as Lord Taecheonwoo ordered.”

“Right, how was their bow performance?”

“As you expected. There was not much difference from ours.”

Kublai was one of the four Senior Warriors that Bayatur trusted the most.

He was second to none in archery among all the Huns.

There was no doubt in his eyes.

Bayatur smiled faintly and nodded.

“As expected, the armies of the North and East are not using the same equipment. I was wondering why the information I heard from the Germanic bastards was slightly different from what I knew.”

The composite bow that the Huns restored from Rome was almost similar to the bow that Marcus used in the Parthian War, but it was not exactly the same performance.

Even though the Huns had been using composite bows from the beginning, it was impossible to produce exactly the same bows in a short time.

Still, it had no difference in range from the bow that Caesar’s army, which had a slower supply of new equipment than Marcus’ legion, used.

Marcus thought that this level of bow would be more than enough to fight against Gallic and Germanic ones.

In fact, it was not a wrong prediction.

Unless you were a god, how could you expect such a situation to unfold?

“Huhuhu, Roman bastards. You look pale. I heard you were a superpower that ruled the west, but you fell for such a simple trap. You are no match for Lord Taecheonwoo.”

A Hunnic cavalryman sneered, and other soldiers around him laughed out loud.

Bayatur walked slowly to the front of the soldier who had sneered first.

“Oh, Lord Supreme Senior Warrior.”

The cavalryman who had smiled with flattery was startled by Bayatur’s sword that swept over his head at an incredible speed and fell off his horse.

The atmosphere that had been somewhat excited quieted down in an instant.

“Listen.”

Bayatur looked down at the cavalryman who had gotten up and knelt down and said.

“The future of those who are intoxicated by the glory of victory is only death. Just like those in front of your eyes.”

The eyes of the Hunnic cavalrymen were filled with tension again.

As Bayatur said, the great war had just begun.

You can never be the last winner if you are drunk with victory before fighting.

He pulled out his curved sword with elaborate decorations and aimed at the Roman army that was forming up.

“Kublai, Otgonbayar, Batjargal. My comrades, listen.”

“Yes!”

Bayatur looked around his Senior Warriors once and smiled brightly.

“Go and kill them all.”

“We accept your command!”

The Hunnic cavalrymen who had turned their tension into fighting spirit scattered in all directions and rushed toward the Roman army.

The Roman army also launched a counterattack against the wave of Huns that swept over them.

But there was too much difference in numbers.

Especially when the Germanic warriors who fought together collapsed too easily and their formation got messed up, it became worse than fighting alone as a Roman army.

It was not just bad luck, but Bayatur had deployed his troops to make it happen like this after looking at their formation.

Lavinus realized how absurdly mistaken they had been in no time.

“This organic movement of troops, astonishing speed of convergence, they are not simple barbarians at all. We can’t stop them with just us. We have to tell Caesar about this.”

As soon as the situation tilted, Lavinus turned some of his cavalry back and ordered them to get out of the front line.

“Go! Don’t worry about anything else and go to Caesar and tell him this news. The enemy’s cavalry is over 100,000 at least and they use stirrups too. More than anything, they are not simple barbarians but ones who show systematic and strategic movements. So…”

“Yes. Please tell him that yourself, Lavinus.”

“What?”

Lavinus intended to die in this battle.

He shouldn’t have come here in the first place.

He made a wrong decision and drove his subordinates to death as a commander. He had to pay a price for that.

But his subordinates didn’t allow it.

“You are the most militarily capable person here, Lavinus. So you can make the most accurate report.”

The legionnaires knew it too.

There weren’t many who could get out of here alive.

The fatal reality that the barbarians in front of them were different from the ones they had fought so far.

He realized it too late and it came back as an irreversible fatal result.

And the one who could tell this most surely was Lavinus, who knew the whole situation before and after.

If someone had to get out, it was Lavinus.

It was a rational argument, but he couldn’t accept it.

“How can I go back after leading Caesar’s legion to the pit of defeat as the one who took charge of Caesar’s legion.”

“You have to go back. As a lieutenant of Imperator, you have to do your duty until the end. Dying here is nothing but avoiding responsibility.”

“…”

The legionnaires turned their heads without waiting for an answer.

The cavalry also surrounded Lavinus and forced him to retreat.

There was no choice.

Lavinus shed tears of blood and turned his eyes away from the soldiers who were desperately trying to maintain their formation without giving up.

It was a luxury to say sorry or survive.

Surviving and getting out of Germany was the best thing he could do for the soldiers who were about to die.

He drove his horse back and ran and ran.

Until the last cries of his subordinates who were holding back the enemy by burning their lives were buried by the waves of slaughter.

< 204. The Beginning of the Great War > End