As he was hesitating, Maximus spoke again, "I have already looked into this: there are only two permanent legions in this Northern Italy province of Rome, used to guard against the northern Barbarians. Previously, the governor here led these two legions south in an attempt to assist their Governor in exterminating us, only to be surrounded and annihilated by us on the Sarabian Way..."
This means that there are no regular Roman troops left in the Northern Italy province, and in such a short time, they couldn’t possibly rebuild those two legions. What remains on this plain are merely the City Guards of each town. We are well aware of the combat effectiveness of these City Guards, and as long as we march swiftly enough, the governor here will have no time to gather these City Guards together..."
As Maximus spoke, he smiled, "The current situation is extremely favorable to us. In such circumstances, Torquato, don’t you have the confidence to lead those Gaul brothers home by yourself?"
Torquato felt that the smile on Maximus’s face was silent sarcasm, and a surge of hot blood rose straight to his head. He shouted, "Maximus, even if I, Torquato, do not accompany you, I can still bring all the brothers back to Gaul!"
"In that case, we shall part ways here." Maximus immediately continued, speaking quickly: "After all, we have been comrades in battle. I will gift you ten Carriages, filled with bread and smoked meat, along with tents needed for camping..."
As he spoke, the Supply Camp brought over the Carriages directly.
At this point, Torquato fully understood that Maximus was well-prepared. Despite being angry, the inherent pride of the Gauls prevented him from behaving pettily. He spat a thick glob of saliva on the ground with a "pah" and turned his horse’s head back the way he came.
Not long after, he led his disorganized group of over 2,000 Soldiers past Maximus, holding his head high and without giving him another glance.
"Leader, it seems he resents you greatly," Quintus whispered.
"So what? We won’t meet again anyway." Maximus replied indifferently, speaking softly: "Let’s camp here for a day first. Based on their previous acts, Torquato and his men will surely plunder along the way, attracting the attention of the Roman Army. At that time, we’ll march faster and cross the Po River."
The atmosphere in the Roman Senate was heavy. The Elders were not exchanging casual conversations as usual but were sitting with serious expressions, eagerly waiting for the meeting to begin swiftly.
Once all the Elders were present, Chief Elder Catullus stood up and walked towards the center of the hall.
Facing the numerous Elders, he said gravely: "My colleagues, I’m sure you’re all aware by now that the news from Pisenum reports another defeat for Crodianus. Not only have his forces suffered heavy losses, but two Northern Italy Legions have also been lost...
As of now, the two Governors’ campaigns against the rebel army can be described as complete failures! What should Rome do next? I hope after our discussions today, we can come up with a reasonable solution to the current predicament."
Catullus’ words were like pouring water into a soon-to-boil pot of oil, and the hall instantly erupted.
"Crodianus is utterly incompetent and should be held accountable!"
"The same goes for Publilius! They both commanded eight well-trained Legions and had so many Citizen Soldiers from various towns, yet they were defeated by a group of starving slaves—this is a disgrace to Rome!"
"It’s not only a disgrace to the Romans but also to us Elders! Now there’s widespread public discussion throughout the city, questioning why such fools were elected as Governors!"
"Quiet! Quiet!..." Catullus waved repeatedly. Though elderly, his voice was quite loud, and coupled with his high prestige, the Elders quickly ceased their bickering.
Catullus frowned as he criticized, "You are the elite of Rome, not foolish peddlers! How dare you quarrel like shrews in this sacred place! Have you forgotten the order of the Senate? From now on, if anyone shouts carelessly, I’ll have them expelled!"
He swept the hall with a stern gaze. Only when everyone was completely silent did he continue: "Now, according to the protocol of the meeting, everyone should present their suggestions."
The first to stand was Ketegus, who was seated second from the left in the first row. Bowing slightly, he spoke: "Colleagues, Rome has transformed from a small City State in Italy to a mighty country controlling the entire Mediterranean. In these hundreds of years, countless wars have occurred; we’ve achieved many glorious victories but also faced many defeats. Have the losing Governors and Elders ever been severely punished? We all know that hasn’t happened!
Rome has never demanded that defeated generals accept punishment, so today we shouldn’t start such a precedent. Otherwise, we will be remembered by future generations, and that would be the true disgrace!"
Whispered conversations arose in the hall, but no one voiced objections.
Changing his tone, Ketegus continued: "We must be cautious! News of the army’s defeat will soon spread throughout Rome, and the citizens may gather outside to protest at any moment! We must take measures to calm the public’s anger before things escalate.
Although we will not punish Crodianus and Publilius, their continual failures have put Rome in peril, indicating their lack of military talent. Therefore, I propose — revoke their military command and appoint someone with stronger military capabilities as Commander to swiftly eliminate the rebel army, restoring peace to Italy!"
"I agree with Ketegus’s proposal to revoke the military command of Crodianus and Publilius!"
"This order should have been issued long ago!"
"They must also return to Rome immediately, so we no longer bear the shame of defeat!"
The Elders almost unanimously supported Ketegus’ suggestion, reflecting the severe impact Rome’s military defeat had on them.
"The proposal to revoke the military command of Crodianus and Publilius is approved!" Catullus confirmed, then asked, "So who will serve as the new Commander, to organize the army and eliminate the rebel forces? If anyone has a suitable candidate, feel free to recommend them, or self-nominate."
Following Catullus’s remark, the Senate fell into a poignant silence. The Elders exchanged glances, most appearing cautious, some even shrinking back.
Though they outwardly expressed contempt for the rebel army, over a year of relentless suppression attempts had left the Roman Army continually defeated, with one Legal Officer dead, one fled, two Governors ruined, over 100,000 troops and eleven Legions failed... This was no mere suppression; it was a massive-scale war! And the enemy was extremely powerful. Without strong military capabilities, better not get involved, or one could easily end up in ruins, just like Crodianus and Publilius.
With a sharp understanding of themselves, the Roman Elders remained silent in their seats. In contrast, Catullus, standing at the center of the hall, grew anxious: "What, none of us dares to lead troops into battle?! Do we need to recall Pompey from Spain and Lucullus from Little Asia?"
After Catullus’s words, finally, someone stood up. It was Little Sulla, the nephew of the late Dictator Sulla.