In recent years, the relationship between the Samnites and the Kingdom of Daonia has gradually deteriorated. The constant incursions of the Cautin people into the Campania region and the relentless encroachment of the Hirpini on Abellinum have alerted Polet, the great chieftain of Potentia. However, in the past decade, the people of Potentia have become increasingly wealthy due to the safety of their surroundings. The younger tribesmen have never experienced war, and even the older generation has become rusty in their combat skills. Therefore, he made an unexpected decision to invite military instructors from the Daonian Ministry of Military Affairs to be stationed in Potentia for a long period to train the young tribesmen of Potentia.
Therefore, the Ministry of Military Affairs has accurate data on Potentia's war potential.
Several rotating chairmen exchanged glances and immediately reached a consensus. After all, they could achieve their goals by utilizing unexpected assistance and without expending much of the kingdom's strength, so why wouldn't they be happy to do so? As for whether Potentia would agree, they didn't even consider it, because the relationship between the two sides was too close, and according to the agreement, it was Potentia's obligation.
Therefore, Vespas asked directly, "After Potentia is required to participate in the war, to which army will their assembled troops belong?"
Although Potentia is a free city of the Kingdom of Daonia, it is still semi-independent. According to Daonian law, the Potentian army does not have the right to independently carry out military operations and must be incorporated into the Daonian army, commanded by Daonian generals. This is to ensure the safety of Daonian territory and prevent unexpected events from occurring.
"The army assembled by Potentia will be handed over to Zantiparis, the commander of the Lucanian reserve legion," Hilos replied.
Hearing that the commander was Zantiparis, Vespas breathed a sigh of relief. Based on his understanding of the Daonian generals, the old general Zantiparis was steady and wouldn't recklessly fight the Samnites without considering casualties. Although Potentia had not been fully incorporated into the Kingdom of Daonia, Vespas had already regarded it as part of the Lucanian region in his heart, and of course, he did not want to see heavy casualties among the tribesmen there.
"At the beginning of the Senate meeting tomorrow, we will first submit this issue. Once the resolution is passed, we will immediately send a messenger to Potentia to notify Polet!" Cornelius said solemnly, "The senators all hope to pacify the Samnites as soon as possible and restore peace to Daonia's northern border!"
"Thank you, Your Excellencies! We will do our best!" Hilos also solemnly responded.
Vespas originally wanted to ask about the Ministry of Military Affairs' general plan for the Samnites, but the words came to his lips and then he swallowed them back. After all, King Davos had made the rule long ago that the Senate should not interfere with the affairs of the Ministry of Military Affairs, and he did not want to violate this taboo.
After Hilos and the others separated from the rotating chairmen, their expressions seemed a little relaxed.
Filicius said with slight excitement, "As long as the Senate's resolution is passed tomorrow, and Potentia sends troops, we can solve the Samnite problem!"
"Yes, the Samnites' surprise attack on the Campania League and Abellinum's active request to join the kingdom have come together, giving us the opportunity to attack! As long as the Potentian army marches north to join forces with the Abellinum people, we can launch an attack on the Samnite mountains, which are short of troops. At the same time, Alexis can lead troops to attack from the east... With the cooperation of both sides, we can completely control the trend of the war with the Desert People!" The usually steady Capus also showed joy at this time.
"The Hirpini have fought with Potentia many times in the past. Will allowing the Potentian army to enter Abellinum cause dissatisfaction and conflict between the two sides?" Alpunus reminded.
"That shouldn't happen," Filicius explained with relative certainty. "Since the Southern Italian War, Potentia hasn't fought the Samnites for more than ten years. I don't know if the Potentian people have forgotten their previous hatred, but according to the information obtained from His Majesty's intelligence department over the years, Potentia and Abellinum often have trade exchanges, and the tribesmen of both sides can enter each other's territory relatively freely... Therefore, the Potentian army's entry into Abellinum shouldn't cause too much reaction. Besides, you have to trust Zantiparis; with his ability, he will coordinate the relationship between the two sides."
The other three nodded in agreement. They were all survivors of the expedition to Persia and knew Zantiparis's abilities very well.
"I think Polet will be very happy when he receives our message 'to let him attack the Samnites,'" Hilonimus said. "With his personality, he will definitely lead the army himself. To achieve this goal, he will also restrain his own tribesmen and cooperate with the Abellinum people to fight together."
Polet not only had his tribesmen accept the training of the Daonian military instructors, but he himself also personally participated in the training many times, learning the combat methods of the Daonian legions. Hilonimus, as the chief military instructor, went to Potentia several times to inspect the military training and was warmly received by Polet. The two sides formed a deep friendship.
"We don't need to worry about Abellinum and Potentia. What I'm worried about now is His Majesty!" Filicius said in a deep voice. "He has repeatedly emphasized, 'Don't lead troops into the Samnite mountains to fight,' and our plan completely violates his wishes!"
Filicius's words made the excited expressions on the faces of Hilonimus and Alpunus suddenly turn solemn. Hilos, on the other hand, looked calm. He comforted everyone, "Didn't I already say when we were discussing the plan in the Ministry of Military Affairs that His Majesty was worried that we were not familiar with the terrain of the Samnite mountains and that the Samnites were good at mountain warfare, so we would suffer a big loss if we rashly entered, so he repeatedly emphasized it, but he never said, 'Absolutely do not allow us to enter the Samnite mountains'! And now, with the help of the Abellinum people, plus the main force of the Samnites is in Campania, it is a good opportunity for us to completely solve the Samnites! I believe His Majesty will also agree when he knows!"
"Hilos, we should wait for His Majesty to receive our battle plan and make a reply before we start the attack," Filicius reminded again, still uneasy.
"It will take at least seven or eight days for the letter to be sent to Rome and then sent back, and the matter of Abellinum joining our kingdom has been going on secretly, but I think it will be difficult for the Abellinum people to keep this secret for a long time. Once the several tribal chieftains of Samnium learn about it, they will quickly withdraw the troops attacking the Campania League back to the Samnite mountains, then our efforts will be in vain! Therefore, tomorrow, after the resolution is passed, we must immediately notify Alexis to implement our plan. If His Majesty blames us in the future, I am willing to bear it alone!" Hilos said resolutely.
"This is a decision we made together after discussion. How can we let you be responsible alone!" Hilonimus immediately expressed his opposition.
"Yes, if His Majesty wants to blame, he should also blame all the chief officials of our Ministry of Military Affairs!" Filicius also immediately stated.
Alpunus was about to speak, but he caught sight of someone running over in a hurry in front of him and immediately said, "Hilos, isn't that your secretary?"
"Lord Hilos! Your Excellencies!" The officer rushed over, gave a military salute, "Lord Alexis has sent an urgent letter!"
Hilos hurriedly took the letter, opened it, and soon a smile appeared on his face.
The other three immediately cast curious glances.
Hilos looked at Filicius and the others, raised the letter in his hand, and said with excitement, "Alexis immediately wrote this letter after learning the news that 'Abellinum requested to join the Kingdom of Daonia.' He requested to reassemble the Tenth Legion and the Eleventh Legion, unite with the Abellinum people and the Potentian people, and launch attacks from the east and west at the same time, clear the obstacles, and capture Aquilonia in one fell swoop! We thought of going to the same place!"
… … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Although the Daonian Third Fleet tried its best to blockade the west coast of the Italian Peninsula, and the Sicilian Fleet also patrolled the waters west of the Strait of Messina from time to time, it was impossible to prevent the Carthaginians from obtaining information about Rome. After all, Corsica and Sardinia, which were under Carthaginian control, were across the sea from the Latinium region where Rome was located. Under the orders of the Carthaginian masters, the Phoenician city-states on the islands had to send ships again and again, risking avoiding the patrols of the Daonian warships, approaching the coast, and going to towns such as Antium and Ardea to understand the development of the Latinium war.
Then, the Carthaginian masters sent fast ships, sailing straight south from the west side of Sardinia, directly to the city of Carthage. Therefore, the Carthaginians initially knew that Daonia had sent a large army to attack the Latinium region. They were happy to see this, because Rome contained most of Daonia's forces, which would inevitably reduce the pressure on the western part of Sicily.
However, a few days later, the news that "Rome was captured" shocked the Carthaginian senators. According to the information they had learned, Rome was a large city. Although its main force was not in the city, it was so easily captured by the Daonians, which showed the strength of the Daonian military.
After another period of time, when the news that "Ostia was burned, the Roman army disintegrated, and the remnants were shrinking in southwestern Latinium" reached the city of Carthage, the entire Carthaginian aristocratic class was shaken. Rome was a powerful city-state in central Italy (precisely because of this, Carthage chose to ally with it). In such a short period of time, it was defeated by the Daonian army and had no power to fight back, even to the point of lingering on its last breath...
The terrifying power of the Daonian army finally made them realize that once Rome was completely destroyed, DaConia would be able to free up its hands and concentrate all its efforts on Carthage!
And now the Senate was still embroiled in arguments, wasting precious time!
So they gathered and strongly appealed to the Senate: they should immediately dispatch a large army to land in Sicily, defeat the Daonian army, and completely occupy the entire Sicily while the main force of DaConia was still in Latium, thereby gaining an advantage in the entire war.
Amidst the fervent public sentiment, Hanno no longer dared to obstruct, and the Senate finally made the decision to "expeditiously conscript no less than 60,000 troops in Carthage and its surrounding areas, to be led by Mago, the military commander of Carthage."
Far away in the southern Iberian Peninsula, Mago also realized the urgency of the war and was accelerating the recruitment and formation of new troops.
...
In fact, Tapirus did not need to urge the Volscians and Hernicians; as soon as the Roman army left the Trerus River Valley, they had already begun to take action.
The Hernician tribes who had previously fled into the mountains gathered and began to attack the Roman soldiers occupying their territory, focusing their attacks on the city of Ferentinum.
This former central town of the Hernicians, built in the mountains, had caused great difficulties for the Romans in their siege.
Camillus, in order to quickly end the war with the Hernicians, had to draw a large number of young and strong citizens from Rome and its allies, which led to the weakening of defenses in Rome and its surrounding areas.
It was this opportune moment that Davos seized, ultimately leading to the reversal of the entire situation in the Latium region.
The army led by Camillus retreated in a hurry, but considering the difficulty of capturing Ferentinum and the importance of its location, 2,000 Roman soldiers were left to garrison it.
However, due to multiple fierce Roman assaults on the city previously, its walls were riddled with ruins.
The Roman soldiers left behind had not yet had time to repair them when the Hernician attacks arrived.
They often used the cover of mountains and trees at night and in the early morning to approach the city walls, even quietly sneaking into the city to launch sudden attacks.
Once the Romans assembled their troops to fight them head-on, they would immediately flee the city.
The Roman army, unaccustomed to mountain warfare, would then suffer ambushes from the Hernicians if they pursued them.
After suffering several losses, the Romans could only hold their ground within the city, while the Hernician attacks showed no signs of abating.
Although each attack caused minor casualties to the Romans, it put great psychological pressure on the Roman soldiers, preventing them from getting adequate rest.
After the Roman defenders continuously defended, the Hernicians shifted their focus of attack to the Roman supply convoys transporting materials to Ferentinum.
Since the main Roman force had already withdrawn from the area, there were not many troops left, and not enough soldiers to guard the convoys.
As a result, the supply convoys were repeatedly subjected to targeted attacks by the Hernicians and were unable to reach Ferentinum.
With dwindling food supplies, no replenishment of weapons, and constant attacks from the Hernicians, the Roman defenders, who received no reinforcements, lost confidence in holding their ground.
On the very day the main Roman army was forced to disband, the Roman defenders also chose to evacuate Ferentinum.
Only after beginning their retreat did the Roman soldiers realize that not only was Ferentinum under attack by the Hernicians, but other occupied Hernician towns were also experiencing varying degrees of assault.
Especially vulnerable were the small military camps built along the river, which, due to their limited manpower and weak defenses, became prime targets for the Hernicians.
The Roman army, during their retreat, had already seen several burnt-down military camps, and other surviving camps and garrisons from nearby towns joined the retreating forces.
The army continued to retreat northward, finally falling back to the city of Signia, near the Latin ally Tolerium, abandoning most of the hard-won Hernician territory.
...
The Volscians, however, had begun to gather warriors after the Daonian army attacked Rome and the Roman troops stationed in the southwest went to their aid, intending to reclaim the territories occupied by the Romans.
But unlike the Hernicians, Rome had colonized three former Volscian towns—Antium, Satricum, and Velitrae—and their surrounding territories.
The Roman citizens, who had just become new residents, naturally resisted with all their might.
The Volscians, whose strength had been severely weakened by numerous wars, could only muster a little over 6,000 warriors and lacked siege weapons.
Several attacks on Antium were repulsed, and they were unable to reclaim their towns.
Upon learning that the Roman army had once again stationed troops in Satricum, they had no choice but to retreat disgruntled.
Therefore, when the Volscian high command met with Tapirus, they all requested strong support from their ally, DaConia.
Tapirus promised them: as long as the Volscians fully cooperated according to the plan of His Majesty King Davos, DaConia would definitely help the Volscians reclaim all their territories.
Thus, the Volscians followed Tapirus's advice and changed their attack strategy.
They no longer launched frontal assaults on the territories of Antium and Satricum but withdrew their main force from Astura, which was very close to Antium, to Setia, awaiting an opportune moment.
...
Gabii, one of the most important Latin city-states in the eastern Latium region, was located about 30 miles southeast of Rome, not far from the west bank of the Anio River, a tributary of the Tiber.
Decades ago, it had become an ally of Rome and had never betrayed it, but this time its loyalty to Rome was put to the test.
Publius, as an envoy of DaConia, came to Gabii, hoping that it would break away from Rome's Latin League and ally with the Kingdom of DaConia.
The Gabii Senate debated the matter for a day, ultimately rejecting DaConia's request because the way DaConia dealt with Roman nobles caused concern among the Gabii nobles.
They also expelled Publius from the city and sent messengers to the west to seek help from Camillus.
Indeed, the next day, DaConia's large army appeared before Gabii.
Plintorls was still the commander, and his forces still included the Second Legion, the Sixth Legion, four battalions of the Lucanian Reserve Legion, the Roman Reserve Battalion, the First Cavalry Legion, and a 500-strong engineering team, totaling over 30,000 men.
The people of Gabii closed all four gates, and all able-bodied citizens in the city donned armor and spears, climbed the city walls, and prepared to resist the Daonian siege.
However, Plintorls did not immediately order an attack but instead commanded his soldiers to begin building a camp.
...
The next morning, the 12,000 Roman soldiers led by Camillus, having received the news, hastily arrived at Tusculum.
Tusculum, located north of Lake Albano, on the edge of Mount Tusculum, about 40 miles directly south of Rome, had become the most important large city in central Latium since the destruction of Alba Longa by Rome.
Most of the Latin city-states and tribes in eastern, central, and western Latium, due to the principle of mutual dependence, also responded to Camillus's call and sent troops to gather at Tusculum, thus increasing Camillus's forces to 21,000 men.
In the Roman camp outside Tusculum, Roman generals were gathered in the main tent, discussing the current military situation and the upcoming military plan.
At this moment, the Roman dictator Camillus looked different from his spirited appearance when he captured Ferentinum.
His face was sallow, his skin sagged, and his entire body slumped against a wooden chair, with a servant standing on each side of the chair, ready to support him at any time.
He closed his eyes, listening to the report on the enemy situation: "For the past few days, the Daonian army has been building a camp and has not attacked Gabii, but they have been constantly bombarding Gabii's walls with ballistas... The people of Gabii have once again sent messengers to us for help..."
"Dictator, the Daonian army has not attacked the city for several days but has been building a camp, and the camp is being built on the west side of Gabii, which is clearly to defend against us," Mechius said in a deep voice.
"Our entry into Tusculum with such a large force could not be hidden from the DaConians; it's normal for them to be prepared.
According to the scout's report, there are tens of thousands of Daonian troops outside Gabii, and we must also note that there are still Daonian troops inside Rome—"
Before Licinius could finish speaking, Quintus angrily shouted, "Are we not going to attack, or even retreat, just because the DaConians are numerous and because they are not attacking the city?!
Hmm! Licinius, are you afraid?!
You shouldn't be here; you should surrender to the DaConians like those Roman commoners—"
"Enough, Quintus, watch your words! The Dictator has repeatedly reminded us that we are currently in a difficult situation and must unite closely to defeat the DaConians and reclaim Rome!" Aulus reminded loudly.
Quintus snorted, glaring at Licinius, but said nothing more.
Licinius simply turned his back and looked out of the tent.
At this moment, Camillus opened his eyes, and compared to his weak voice, his eyes appeared much more spirited: "How is the matter of sending someone to inform the Roman troops remaining in Signia to come and meet us here proceeding?"
"...They are already on their way," Lucius said tremblingly.
The withdrawal of the Roman soldiers remaining in Signia meant that all the fruits of their previous conquest of the Hernicians had come to naught, and all the generals present looked dejected upon hearing this.
Camillus's indifferent expression didn't change. He turned his head and asked, "Titus, what's your opinion on the current war situation?"
"Dictator," Titus said with a solemn expression. He looked at the others, hesitated, and then said, "I think... this might be a conspiracy by the Daonians!"
As soon as these words came out, the other generals were surprised, but Camillus's expression remained unchanged.
Titus explained with a worried expression: "Before, we sent reinforcements at the repeated pleas of the messengers from Gabii. Now that the troops of the Latin allies have gathered here, the Daonians have not launched a large-scale attack on Gabii at all. Instead, they are building and fortifying their camps, looking more like they are waiting for us to attack.
If the Daonians do not attack Gabii, it is likely to cause a long stalemate, and the situation will be unfavorable to us because the allied soldiers will be dissatisfied with us. If we choose to attack directly, the Daonians only need to defend their camp to put us at a disadvantage. Don't forget the painful lessons we learned from attacking Ostia! But if we retreat like this, we will lose our prestige among the Latin allies..."
"But... even if we initially knew this was a trick by the Daonians, we had to send reinforcements! Who told us that we are the leader of the Latin League? According to the alliance treaty, we have the responsibility to protect the security of their territories. Under the current predicament, we cannot lose the trust of these allies..."
Camillus sighed. The wooden expression on his face prevented the generals from seeing the fluctuations in his heart: Since the Daonians launched a large-scale attack on the Latium region, his army has been in a passive position, step by step under control. In fact, without even engaging in a head-on battle with the Dionysian army, he has already fallen into today's predicament. That Dionysian king is truly a terrifying person!
"Since the Daonians want us to take the initiative to attack, then we will attack, but with reservations..." Camillus finally said.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
"Your Majesty, the Roman army has moved out!"
"Quick! Immediately notify Amyntas, Olives, Lydes, and Kuchius, gather their legions, and await my orders, ready to attack at any time!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
"Also, immediately send messengers to Prinist and Signia!"
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
"Generals,
the Roman army has left Tustron and is rushing towards us."
Printhols's words brought joy to the faces of several legion commanders.
"This big fish has finally taken the bait. Our hard work these past few days has not been in vain!" Trolas said excitedly.
"This time, we must return the frustration of being forced to retreat in Ostia!" Matonis was filled with heroic spirit.
"It would be best if we could completely leave the Roman army here. The subsequent battles would be easier!" Epitinis, the temporary commander of the reserve brigade, had a bigger appetite and thought further.
"Centurion Sextus, do you have any suggestions?" Printhols looked at the only silent general in the tent.
Although Sextus was called a centurion, the number of Roman reservists composed of Roman civilians had exceeded 6,000. Sextus was performing the duties of a legion commander with the title of centurion. However, the Roman reservists were only a temporary formation and would be abolished after the war. Although Davos already had the idea of building a legion in Rome, Sextus would not be able to serve as a legion commander at that time, not even a legion centurion. After all, he did not understand the Dionysian military system and tactics and needed to be reforged before the soldiers would be convinced.
"I have no opinion. Please give the order, commander!" Sextus said in a deep voice.
Crotocatax, who was standing aside, looked at this Roman who was only a few years older than him. He could understand Sextus's feelings at this moment, but just as his father had told him: Only by letting these Romans participate in more battles could they sever their ties to the past.
Printhols coughed, then looked at the generals and said loudly, "Generals, please follow the previous deployment and meet the invading enemy!"
… … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Tustron is less than 30 miles away from Gabii, but the Roman army's marching speed was not fast. It was past noon when they approached the Dionysian camp. Then, the sound of horns and drums greatly boosted the morale of the defenders on Gabii: "The Roman reinforcements are here!!!..."
However, the Roman allied forces did not immediately launch a fierce attack on the camp. The army temporarily stopped advancing, and the soldiers began to eat their rations to replenish their previous physical exertion. Then, the soldiers began to slowly approach the camp in a loose formation.
The Roman allied soldiers walked cautiously, seemingly searching for traps on the ground. In fact, the Dionysian camp had no other defensive facilities besides trenches, watchtowers, and wooden walls.
At the rear of the army, Titus, the temporary commander-in-chief, repeatedly instructed the officer of the reconnaissance cavalry: "Tell your men to keep their eyes open. If they find anything unusual around the battlefield, report it immediately, especially in the direction of Rome!"
Half an hour later, the Roman allied soldiers approached the trenches, and the camp attack began.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … …
"Notify the troops to prepare to leave the city!" Davos, on the south wall of Rome, gave the order.
"Your Majesty, the messenger sent by Printhols just now said that the Roman offensive is not fierce and has not invested its main force in the attack. Should we wait a little longer?" Tolmid reminded.
"So much time has passed since the Romans began their attack. If we wait any longer, it will probably be the same," Davos said firmly. "Besides, they have already begun to act and may be noticed by the Romans at any time. If we miss this opportunity, the Romans will not be fooled again!"
"Understood, Your Majesty." As Tolmid responded, the three legion commanders, Amyntas, Olives, and Lizalu, had already turned and left the city.
Davos looked at the last legion commander beside him and said solemnly, "Georgis, the safety of the city is entrusted to you next. You must assist Asistes and control Rome!"
"Please rest assured, Your Majesty!" Georgis put his legs together and slammed his right fist on his left chest with a "bang."
Davos reached out and patted Georgis's shoulder hard, then turned and left the city.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
In the Roman military camp, Camillus, Lucius, and Quintus were sitting.
At this time, Quintus was complaining to Camillus: "Dictator, I really don't understand. Since you have decided to abandon Gabii and withdraw the army, why attack the enemy camp and let our precious soldiers suffer losses in vain?!"
"We need to let the allies know that the Romans have not abandoned them and will still fight for them... Although this will cost us some casualties, it is still worth it..." Camillus explained.
"In fact, we have abandoned them!" Quintus still looked dissatisfied: "When we withdraw to Satricum, Gabii will probably be captured by the Daonians soon. Won't the other Latin allies lose confidence in us?!"
Camillus was silent for a while, then said in a low voice: "...At least we have made efforts, which can give them some confidence... The Daonians are cautious in their use of troops. They always attack the towns near Rome with large forces and never disperse their forces to plunder everywhere... With our current strength, it is impossible to have too high expectations. We can only hold on to the three colonial cities of Velitrae, Satricum, and Antium to wait for the situation to change, and then unite with the Latin allies to attack the Daonians!..."
"What kind of change in the situation?" Quintus frowned.
"Yesterday, Pantheus in Antium sent someone to tell me that a Phoenician fishing boat broke through the interception of the Dionysian warships and entered the port, bringing a message: 'The Carthaginian Senate has appointed Mago as the military commander, who will lead no less than 100,000 troops to attack Sicily again!'" Camillus said, his voice unconsciously getting louder.
"100,000 troops!" Quintus was first happy when he heard this, then frowned and said angrily: "Carthage previously sent a large army to launch an attack on Sicily, but it did not put much pressure on the Daonians at all and was defeated, which led us to make a wrong judgment. The Carthaginians should bear the greatest responsibility for our current situation! Now that the Carthaginians have launched another attack, we should not rely too much on them!"
Quintus's words caused a burst of pain in Camillus's heart. He should bear the main responsibility for the initial misjudgment of the situation. Quintus was subtly expressing his dissatisfaction with him.
Lucius did not allow others to criticize his father like this and immediately said loudly: "Quintus, don't forget that you were one of the most active in supporting my father's proposal to 'concentrate our forces and quickly eliminate the Hernici in a short period of time'!... Now that the Carthaginians can attack Sicily again, isn't that good news for us?! Do you have a better way to quickly change our predicament?! Moreover, the commander of the Carthaginian army this time is Mago, who is an experienced Carthaginian general and extremely hates the Greeks. He will never show mercy to the Daonians!..."
"Alright, you two, stop arguing." Camillus waved his hand: "Quintus is right. We cannot blindly trust Carthage and must see how the battle develops..."
"Now, the enemy in Rome has come out. Our goal has been achieved, and the army should retreat back." Camillus continued calmly: "Titus knows what to do."
Suddenly, the adjutant rushed into the tent: "Dictator, messengers from Labicum report that several thousand Volsci have invaded their territory and request that we send reinforcements to drive them away!"
"How could the Volsci possibly appear there?!" Quintus and Lucius exclaimed almost in unison.
It's no wonder they were puzzled. Labicum is located not far east of Tustulum, while the Volsci are far to the southwest in the Latinum region, separated by numerous Latin city-states. How could they suddenly appear here?!
Camillus, who had been fighting in the Latinum region for decades and had completely imprinted the terrain and landforms of this area in his mind, was also deep in thought. He said somewhat uncertainly, "Prinieste? Could it be Prinieste?!..."
Hearing Camillus's words, Lucius was still somewhat unwilling to believe it, saying, "Father, that's unlikely!"
"Even our own colony can betray us, why couldn't it!" Quintus shouted angrily. "Prinieste previously launched a rebellion in alliance with the Hernici and Volsci. We executed many Prinieste people who participated in the rebellion. The Senate even proposed 'completely turning Prinieste into our colony after conquering the Volsci.' Moreover, this time, Prinieste hasn't sent any reinforcements to join us!"
"That's because Prinieste has few people. We still need it to have enough troops to defend against the Hernici in the Tolerus Valley!" Lucius retorted immediately.
"Stop arguing! The situation is urgent! Quintus, you immediately lead the troops returning from Signia and rush to Gabii to assist Titus in blocking the Volsci rushing from Labicum!" In the moment the two were arguing, Camillus's face changed, and he shouted forcefully: "Ensure that our army can retreat smoothly!... Cough, cough, cough..."
Quintus was stunned for a moment, then replied powerfully, "Yes, Dictator!"
In the instant he received the news, he was preoccupied with thinking about how the Volsci could possibly appear there, and he forgot that the reason the Volsci appeared there was very likely because they were heading for Titus's army. The Daonians wanted to encircle this Roman allied force that had gone to rescue Gabii!... Thinking of this, Quintus walked out of the tent with a look of anxiety.
Lucius saw that Camillus, lying on the wooden chair, looked even worse, his hands trembling non-stop. He hurriedly pressed down on his body and comforted him, "Father, Titus is so shrewd, he will definitely bring the troops back safely!"
"...This is a conspiracy that the Daonians planned long ago! The Volsci didn't retreat to Setia at all... They crossed the Lepini Mountains eastward... Hiding in the Tolerus Valley... Waiting for today!... We were only paying attention to the city of Rome, and we trusted our allies too much... We neglected the defense to the south... It's all my fault!"
Camillus's murmuring self-reproach made Lucius equally distressed. He didn't know how to comfort his old father, but he tightly grasped his arm to express his support and encouragement.
"Lucius... I hope Jupiter will bless us and allow us to return to Satricum safely!..." There was anticipation in Camillus's aged voice, but a few more traces of worry in his eyes: "...I hope the senators and citizens in the city of Rome can, like they did back then, steadfastly defend the Capitoline Hill!..."
......
Titus was shocked when he received the news that six or seven thousand Volscian and Hernician warriors were attacking from the south.
He didn't have time to think about why the enemy would appear there, like Camillus did, but immediately issued an order: "Mecius, immediately withdraw the troops attacking the enemy camp!"
"Pass down the order! Immediately tell our allied forces that more than 20,000 Daunian troops have left the city of Rome and are attacking us from the north! More than 7,000 Volscian and Hernician warriors are attacking us from the south! We must retreat westward immediately, otherwise we will be surrounded by them!"
......
"Commander, the enemy is retreating on all fronts!" The adjutant, who was observing the battle from the watchtower, shouted a reminder.
"It must be His Majesty's army, along with the Volscian and Hernician reinforcements, launching an attack on the enemy," Printoris nodded and said, "Sound the horns and have the soldiers attack the retreating enemy!"
"Yes!" The adjutant shouted excitedly towards the bottom of the watchtower: "Sound the attack horn! Attack horn!"
"Woo!..."
As the horns sounded, the Daunian soldiers, who had long been unable to restrain themselves, rushed out of the camp under the command of their officers.
Sextus also commanded the Roman reserve soldiers to pursue.
Although Printoris had opened more gates on the west side of the camp in advance, it took time for the troops to rush out of the camp, and the Roman allied forces, who were prepared, retreated quickly, and in the blink of an eye, they had opened a distance of more than a hundred meters from the attacking Daunian soldiers.
However, the Volscian allied forces rushing straight from the southwest were even faster. With these warriors, most of whom were considered light infantry, sprinting with all their might, although they were still more than four miles away from the Roman army, they had quickly changed from being originally southwest of the Roman army to being west of it, and they were likely to block the Roman army's return route.
"Immediately notify Licinius and have him lead the allied forces to block the Volsci and protect the retreat of the Roman army!" Titus was somewhat anxious. Fortunately, when he deployed his troops to attack the camp, he had arranged the allied forces on the right wing. Originally, the plan was: when the Daunian army from the city of Rome came out, it would be convenient for the entire allied force to retreat south (the Latin city-states were all in the south), but now it could be used to block the enemy. As for whether it would cause heavy losses to the allied forces, he couldn't care less.
He shouted hoarsely, "Order the entire army to accelerate the retreat!"
......
Licinius led approximately 10,000 Latin allied soldiers, broke away from the main force, and marched rapidly towards the southwest.
When he learned from the scouts that "there is still more than a mile to the enemy," Licinius began to deploy his troops.
He placed the allied heavy infantry at the forefront of the battle and the light infantry at the rear. Titus hoped that he could block the attacking enemy, while he hoped even more to quickly defeat the enemy in front of him and open a passage for the entire army to retreat south.
However, before he could wait for the generals of the various allied states to command their soldiers to form a phalanx, the Volscian and Hernician allied warriors were already less than five hundred meters away. They adopted a very loose formation, so they could deploy their formation more smoothly while advancing.
Licinius sent messengers to urge repeatedly, and the Latin allied soldiers hastily pieced together a formation.
The Volscian-Hernician allied warriors, filled with resentment towards the Romans, had already charged to the front of the formation and immediately crashed into the Latin allied army's ranks, making them uneven.
Licinius hurriedly ordered the attack horns to continue sounding, hoping to inspire the allied soldiers to block the enemy's charge and then seize the opportunity to counterattack.
The shields and spears of both sides clashed, the shouts of killing shook the sky, stirring up dust and sand everywhere.
Under the fierce attack of the Volscian and Hernician warriors, who disregarded everything, the unprepared allied soldiers were slowly retreating.
Licinius was not in a hurry. He knew that the enemy's charge, after a long march, could not last. Once the line was stabilized, the heavy infantry could exert their power.
However, in the midst of the shouts of killing, he heard panicked shouts from the right wing of the line: "We are defeated, run away quickly!!!"
"Run for your lives, we are about to be surrounded!!!"
...
"What happened?!" Licinius suddenly became nervous and immediately sent guards to the right wing to investigate.
At this time, the Roman general in charge of commanding the right wing had already sent a messenger, who shouted in panic: "General Licinius, more than 400 Boni suddenly collapsed after engaging the enemy, and they deliberately shouted loudly to shake the morale of the army. The entire right wing is now in chaos and has lost control!"
"What?! Damn Boni!" Licinius was stunned when he heard this terrible news.
It turned out that after Davos carefully listened to Publius's detailed introduction of the various Latin city-states, he secretly had a rough plan in his mind. He first sent Publius to Prinieste, which they both considered the easiest to persuade to surrender. The result was that Prinieste first reached a secret alliance with Davos.
Then, Publius turned his attention to Boni as the target of persuasion.
This small Latin city, located west of Prinieste and less than * * miles away, had been captured during the initial rebellion of Prinieste and the joint attack of the Volsci, Hernici, and Aequi. It was only saved by Camillus leading his troops. In theory, it should be grateful to Rome and be loyal.
But Publius believed that this was not the case. Since that time of being captured and plundered, the Boni seemed to be full of fear of the Hernici, Volsci, and other races to the south. Whether Rome attacked the Volsci or the Hernici, it actively expressed its support and provided a large amount of materials and personnel. Now that the city of Rome had fallen and the Romans had retreated to the west of the Latin region, their strength had greatly declined, and the Hernici had made a comeback...
Therefore, under the circumstances that Publius hinted to the Boni that "Prinieste had surrendered" and guaranteed that "Davos would completely guarantee the security of the Boni territory," Boni became the second Latin city-state to ally with Davos.
When the city of Gabii refused Davos's persuasion to surrender, Davos's previously brewing plan had taken shape. The Volscian-Hernician allied forces were actually stationed quietly between the two cities of Prinieste and Boni.
Although Licinius Ussus was the commander of this allied army, he didn't actually have any troops under his direct control. Faced with such a critical situation, the only solution he could think of was: quickly notify Titus and have him send troops to stabilize the situation here! Otherwise…
Just as Licinius Ussus hurriedly dispatched messengers, the Latin allied forces collapsed far faster than he had imagined. The rout began with a small section of the line on the right flank, then the chaos gradually spread to the entire right flank, and then quickly spread to the center, until the entire line…
After all, the Latin allied forces were pieced together from more than a dozen Latin city-states and tribes, making it difficult to work together wholeheartedly and completely obey orders. Moreover, they were fighting here partly to fulfill their alliance obligations, and partly out of fear of shared destruction, fighting for their own safety. But they had no determination to fight to the death, so when the soldiers of one city-state fled, the neighboring city-state's army, whether soldiers or generals, were unwilling to continue fighting and become scapegoats, so the entire line collapsed rapidly like an avalanche.
… … … … … … … … … … … …
The commander of the Volsci-Hernici allied forces was Katai Mentares, the chief magistrate of Bolae (given that the Volsci's forces participating in the battle numbered 5,000, more than the Hernici, and the Volsci had previously provided great assistance to the Hernici, the Hernici people unreservedly allowed Katai Mentares to serve as the commander of this allied army and fully listened to his command). Holding a shield and spear, he charged at the forefront of the army, shouting wildly, feeling unspeakably happy. He had never defeated the Latins as easily as he had today.
The originally somewhat exhausted Volsci-Hernici allied soldiers seemed to be reinvigorated after defeating the Latin allied forces. They shouted and chased after the fleeing Latins, forcing most of the Latin stragglers to desperately flee north.
After receiving Licinius Ussus's request for help, Titus was greatly shocked. In reality, the entire army was accelerating its retreat, making it impossible to detach a force to support the Latin allied forces in a short period of time. He could only urge the Roman army to continue to speed up their retreat.
However, Titus did not expect the Latin stragglers to arrive so quickly. Those Latin light infantry, wearing only a thin tunic and having discarded their weapons, clothes, and other items, ran frantically at the front, then crashed directly into the rear of the Roman army (i.e., the part of the Roman soldiers previously responsible for attacking the camp) like headless flies, immediately disrupting their formation and hindering their retreat.
Behind these Latin light infantry were more stragglers fleeing, and behind the Roman army were the pursuing Daunian soldiers…
Under such terrible circumstances, how could Titus dare to stop the retreating army? But to make matters worse: "General Titus, several hundred Daunian cavalry are charging from the northwest, and General Aulus is leading the cavalry to intercept them!"
"Report, General Titus,
More than 2,000 Daunian light infantry are charging from the north, less than 200 meters away from us!"
… …
Titus did not expect the Daunian army from Rome to arrive so quickly. He knew very well that behind these Daunian light infantry were even more Daunian heavy infantry. Now, around the Roman army: to the east were the Daunian army in hot pursuit, to the south was the Volsci-Hernici allied forces disrupting the rear of his army, to the north was the Daunian army from Rome about to pounce, to the northwest were the Daunian cavalry, and the only direction without enemy interception was the southwest… Titus was anxious and felt that the retreat speed of the Roman army, which was still maintaining order and formation, was too slow, and there was a risk of being completely surrounded at any time. So, in desperation, he issued an order: "Notify all soldiers not to maintain formation, throw away unnecessary heavy objects, and retreat quickly to Velletri!"
At the same time, he also had messengers rush to the camp at Tustulum to notify the dictator Camillus to retreat west.
After Titus's order was issued, it didn't take long for the entire Roman army to become a disorganized mess. Everyone threw down their shields and spears, and even helmets and breastplates, and fled forward for their lives.
The pursuing Daunian soldiers, Volsci, and Hernici warriors naturally followed suit. The original planned encirclement quickly turned into a grand and chaotic chase and race.
By the time Quintus led his army to the battlefield, it had become extremely chaotic. Amidst the deafening shouts and the diffused dust, Romans, Latins, Volsci, Hernici, and Daonians were all mixed together…
Quintus was stunned for a moment, not knowing how to start intercepting the enemy and ensuring the smooth retreat of the Roman army.
He didn't even need to make a decision, as the soldiers under his command quickly lost their will to fight under such a mighty momentum, and fled along with their compatriots…
The Daunian pursuit lasted for half an hour before they had to sound the retreat bugle, because at this time, the main force of the pursuit had already run to the southern part of Mount Tustulum, and most of the soldiers had lost their organization. If they were to launch a surprise attack from the city at this time… Davos didn't dare to take any more risks.
The soldiers, while escorting the captured Romans or Latins, cleaned up the battlefield and began to retreat one after another…
At this time, Davos received Katai Mentares, the chief magistrate of Bolae, who led the army here, and Nemerius, the commander of the Hernici, and other people on the battlefield.
If the Volsci and Hernici leaders had previously heard the magical rumors about Daonia and King Davos, they only regarded them as topics for drinking and chatting, and did not take them too seriously. But this time, Davos led the Daunian army to capture the city of Rome and finally defeat the Roman army. Such a brilliant record has attracted the attention of the surrounding forces, not to mention that after the Daonians occupied the city of Rome, they successively conquered Cesarea, Veii, and Fidene, and forced Præneste to surrender… They have already established a foothold in the Latium region, replacing the previous Rome and becoming the new overlord of this region.
Realizing this, Katai Mentares and the others inevitably felt a little restrained when they saw King Davos of Daonia.
Davos, on the other hand, had a smile on his face and praised them greatly: "I am very happy to see you, Daonia's most friendly allies! Thank you for your full cooperation, which is why we have today's great victory!…"
Davos's words made the Volsci-Hernici allied leaders present feel very satisfied. Katai Mentares respectfully saluted and said: "Your Majesty, it is because of your brilliant planning that we followed your instructions, which is why we have today's victory!"
"This is Katai Mentares, the chief magistrate of Bolae, and also the commander of this Volsci-Hernici allied army." Tapirus quickly introduced.
After hearing the translator's words, Davos solemnly said: "Your Volsci's complete trust in us without reservation, whether it was previously doing your best to prevent Roman messengers from entering the Trerus River valley to notify Camillus's army, or this time being willing to risk the emptiness of your territory and fully implement our plan, makes me feel that although the Volsci and our Daonia have only been allied for a short time, you and I are already good allies who can trust each other and share weal and woe! So please rest assured, Daonia will help the Volsci next, gradually take back your lost territories, and help you restore their prosperity!"
Unexpectedly, he would receive King Davos's promise at this moment, and Katai Mentares was immediately overjoyed and repeatedly expressed his gratitude.
Then Nemerius, the commander of the Hernici, stepped forward to greet him.
Davos, of course, also had to make promises to this new ally. He sincerely said: "Although you Hernici have recovered all your lost land, I heard that you suffered severely in this war, and rebuilding your homeland is an arduous process. We Daonians have had such a painful experience before, so we deeply understand! We will do our best to help you restore the prosperity of your territory as soon as possible and ensure your safety!…"
The leaders of the Volsci-Hernici allied forces were all happy to hear what Davos said.
At this time, Nemerius asked another question: "Your Majesty, Daonia defeated Rome and became the new master of the city of Rome. Now some forces are worried that Daonia will become the second Rome!"
Hearing this, Davos immediately became serious: "Thank you for your reminder. Who are you referring to when you say 'some forces'?"
Nemerius hesitated a little, but finally said: "As far as I know, there are the Marsi and the Æqui. Before I summoned warriors to participate in this battle, they sent people to dissuade me and expressed their concerns in this regard…"
Davos nodded. He glanced at the crowd and found that everyone's eyes were focused on him, and he immediately understood: this was probably not just a concern of the Æqui and the Marsi, but a concern of all the forces around Rome, including the Volsci and the Hernici.
Davos pondered for a moment, then said loudly: "Daonia and Rome are not adjacent and have no conflicting interests. It was because Rome invaded your territories on a large scale that we Daonians decided to go to war with Rome in order to fulfill our alliance obligations when you were facing a survival crisis. Until now, Daonia has been fighting with Rome and its allies, and the towns we have conquered are all owned by Rome and its allies.
Whether it is the Marsi, the Æqui, the Etruscans, or the Sabines, as long as they are willing to live in peace with Daonia, we Daonians will never covet their land or wage war with them for no reason! On the contrary, we Daonians are happy to have friendly exchanges with them, conduct trade, enhance friendship, and jointly maintain peace and tranquility in this region!…"
After listening to Davos's words, Hernici General Namerius no longer hesitated. He asked, "Your Majesty, if the Aequi and Marsi also request an alliance with your Daonia, would you agree?"
Davos's mind raced. He remembered that last year, the Aequi and Marsi, lured by the Priniestes rebellion, joined the Volsci and Hernici in invading Rome, only to be defeated by Camillus. Then, during the Roman army's conquest of the Hernici this year, these two tribes sent troops to their aid, resulting in another crushing defeat and a severe weakening of their strength... Their desire to ally with Daonia is likely to alleviate their worries and ensure the security of their territories, especially since Daonia's reputation for keeping its alliances has been confirmed by the Volsci and Hernici.
"I am very welcoming!" Davos said with a smile. "I not only hope that the Marsi and Aequi can ally with Daonia, but also that other forces around Rome can become Daonia's allies!"
… … … … … … … … … … … … … …
After the battle, Davos did not invite the leaders of the Volscian-Hernician allied forces to Rome for a celebratory banquet. On one hand, the Volsci were eager to return to their sparsely defended territories to prevent Roman retaliation. On the other hand, Davos also considered the feelings of the people in Rome. Therefore, he distributed most of the spoils of war (mainly armor and weapons) to the Volscian-Hernician allied soldiers, sending them away grateful.
In this battle, apart from some casualties suffered by the Volscian-Hernician allied forces, the losses of the Daonian army were negligible, and the Roman army also suffered few casualties. However, nearly 2,000 of them were captured, and the worst was for the Latin allies, with over 4,000 captured.
Most of the Roman soldiers managed to escape back to Velitrae, so it seemed that the losses of the Roman army were not very great. However, the defeat in this battle was another blow to the prestige of the Romans in the alliance. Especially since Daonia had captured so many Latin soldiers, Davos did not allow Printores to withdraw the siege troops back to Rome after the battle. Instead, he placed the Fourth and Sixth Legions under Printores' command, ordering him to intensify the attack on Gabii and take it as soon as possible.
Returning to Rome with the joy of victory, Davos summoned Publius and entrusted him with an important task: to persuade the Romans on Capitoline Hill to surrender!
He also made a promise to him: if the Romans on the hill dared to harm him, Daonia would make everyone on the hill pay with their lives! And whether he succeeded in persuading them to surrender or not, he would become a newly appointed senator of the Kingdom of Daonia, representing the rights and interests of Roman citizens in the Senate.
To this end, Publius made careful preparations. The next day, with trepidation, he ascended Capitoline Hill, along with a captured Roman nobleman living in Veii and a Roman soldier, also of noble birth, who had been captured in the battle yesterday.
After receiving the order, the Roman soldiers opened the gate. Publius, who had been waiting at the foot of the hill for a long time, stepped onto the slopes of Capitoline Hill. The Roman patrol soldiers along the way stared at him with strange eyes, and some even cursed him. He was mentally prepared for this, pretending not to hear, and closely followed the leading soldier, while carefully observing the surrounding environment.
The reason why the Romans chose Capitoline Hill as the location of the citadel was because it was the highest hill in Rome. The hillside was relatively steep, while the summit was relatively flat and covered with lush trees. The Romans believed that this was a gift from the gods and that they must like to live in such a beautiful place, so they built the main temple on the summit.
However, what Publius saw along the way after ascending the hill shocked him: in just under 20 days, most of the trees on the hill had been cut down, and the bare hillsides were covered with makeshift wooden houses and tents. Countless ragged people lay there, their faces gaunt and their eyes dull.
Along the way, Publius recognized many acquaintances. They were either clients of the great nobles living on the Caelian and Viminal Hills, or commoners who had settled in Rome several generations ago. In the past, most of them were powerful helpers used by the nobles to deal with other commoners, but now they were tightly embracing their wives and children. When they saw him, they only rolled their eyes, unwilling to waste the energy to wave or greet him... Seeing their miserable state, Publius was once again convinced that his decision to lead his family to submit to the Kingdom of Daonia was an absolutely correct one!
Upon reaching the summit of Capitoline Hill, the courtyards of the temples, which should have been solemn and serene, were also crowded with people who had fled to the hill. Not only had they turned the peaceful and clean sacred courtyards into a noisy and dirty mess, but the air was also filled with an unpleasant fishy stench.
Seeing this, a surge of anger rose in Publius's heart, along with a hint of sorrow. Therefore, when some nobles recognized him and learned that he had come as a Daonian envoy to negotiate, they shouted abuse and spit at him, and even tried to rush up and beat him. However, these people, who were starving and staggering, could not break through the guards' protection.
Publius did not pay attention to them at all, but instead returned their gazes with pity.
Finally, the soldiers led him to the back hall of the Temple of Jupiter.
"Please come in, Daonian envoy!" The captain of the guard deliberately emphasized the word "Daonian" to show his contempt for Publius.
Publius took a deep breath and strode into the hall.
"You still have the face to come here, Publius Manlius! As the head of one of Rome's most illustrious clans, you have abandoned the glory of your ancestors, sullied the reputation of your family, and shamelessly sided with Rome's enemies. Now you dare to step into this sacred hall. Angry Jupiter will surely punish you severely!"
Publius recognized the speaker as Marcius Rutilius, a highly respected elder. In the past, he would have been wary of speaking to this man, as he was the most staunch supporter of executing Marcus that year and had always disliked the Manlius clan, often making sarcastic remarks. But today, Publius looked directly at him, who was sitting in front, glaring angrily, and felt very calm: "Today, I am an envoy of Daonia. The King of Daonia has sent me to discuss important matters with you. There is no need to say any other nonsense here."
"Nonsense?!" Marcius Rutilius was even more furious. He suddenly stood up and shouted at Publius, "Do you know why we let you in?! It's because we want to deal with you, the traitor, in the same way we punished Marcus back then! Guards!"
With this shout, two menacing guards walked in.
Publius immediately felt nervous. He tried to calm himself and shouted loudly, "Kill me?! Then you must be prepared to have everyone on this hill and the other Roman nobles captured by Daonia die with me!"
There was a commotion in the temple.
"Publius, you don't need to threaten us! Once your body falls off the cliff and is smashed into mincemeat, it won't be long before the Daonians you have sided with are defeated by the army led by Camillus. We will return to the city below and rebuild Rome after the war, just like we did in the past!" Abilius immediately stood up and shouted loudly to boost morale.
Publius laughed loudly: "You are still dreaming of returning to Rome! I suggest you go and ask the two people I brought up the mountain right now. Decimus Julius Brutus, you are all very familiar with him. More than ten years ago, he voluntarily requested to move his family to Veii. This was big news in Rome at the time. Now he will tell you how easily the Daonians conquered Caesarea and Veii and then captured him."
"The other person, you, Marcius Rutilius, are even more familiar with. Domitius Cominius Hirrus, this is your young clansman. He previously served as a centurion in the army led by Camillus. He will tell you how Camillus's army was repeatedly defeated and how these remnants are now retreating to Satricum, fearing an attack by the Daonian army!' ..."
As soon as Publius said this, the entire meeting hall was in an uproar. The fall of Rome had been more than 20 days ago. Apart from the battle that evening, the city had been quiet ever since. As the days passed, the senators had a bad feeling, but they did not expect the situation to be so bad.
"... Lies! These are lies! ..." Abilius hurriedly retorted, but his voice was noticeably weak.
"I don't care what happened outside. As a traitor, you should be punished most severely!" Marcius Rutilius said sternly, even after experiencing the initial shock.
Publius avoided his threatening gaze and looked around at the Roman senators who were discussing and showing panic on their faces, which calmed him down slightly. He took a deep breath and shouted: "Since that's the case, if all the Roman nobles have to die with me, I have no regrets. Come on!" With that, he beckoned to the two guards and turned to walk out of the hall.
"Wait!" Someone shouted from among the senators.
Publius's tense mood immediately relaxed. He slowly turned around.
"As a Daonian envoy, what matters do you have to negotiate with us here?" Portius asked loudly.
Publius looked at him, then at Marcius Rutilius beside him, and at the other senators around him who looked abnormal. Only then did he slowly and loudly say: "Judging from the current situation, Rome has fallen, and Caesarea, Veii, Fidenae, and Gabii have also been captured by Daonia one after another. The 70,000-strong army led by Camillus may now have only 10,000 or so remaining, cowering in Satricum. Whether now or in the future, Rome will no longer be the Rome of the Romans!"