The Mad Tycoon of Rome

Chapter 210: Operation North of the Rhine

< 210. Operation North of the Rhine >

Caesar’s strategy of temporarily abandoning Gaul initially caused a lot of concern.

But as the power and mobility of the Huns proved to be more formidable than expected, the opinion in Rome gradually shifted to support Caesar’s decision.

After he repelled the Hunnic detachment that tried to attack the Alps defense line, his faith in Caesar, which had been shaken for a moment, became firm again.

Caesar was not simply crouching and waiting for the enemy to tire out. 

He was not fighting the Huns right now because he was not ready enough.

He had been caught off guard by a surprise attack in a situation where he was not properly prepared, and above all, he had very poor information about the enemy.

That’s why he was waiting for the troops to arrive from various places while offering rewards for anyone who knew anything about the Huns.

Fortunately, he was able to find a merchant of Scythian-Parthian mixed descent who was running a small trading company in Rome.

The nomadic tradition and information-savvy merchant provided Caesar with several useful pieces of information.

“So, you’re saying that the nomads have two main ways of conquering, right?”

“Yes. There are many who settle and assimilate in the local area after conquering the Persian region, like Parthia. They called themselves Shahanshahs and ruled over the conquered people.”

“But the Huns are using a completely different method, aren’t they? They don’t seem to have any intention of assimilating into the local area.”

“There are those who do that too. They maintain their lifestyle until the end and live by hunting and herding. In this case, securing pastureland becomes the priority.”

Caesar thought that the Huns were typical of the latter.

Gaul, which had already been cultivated to a considerable extent, had wide plains in many places, making it suitable for herding.

And it was a land that had strategic value for conquering Rome as well.

He had scouted and gathered information beforehand and concluded that the Hunnic base was most likely located in the black soil plain north of the Black Sea.

In modern terms, it was a place that corresponded to the Polish-Ukrainian plain, where fertile and vast plains stretched out.

Once Gaul was conquered, their base might move to Gaul.

Caesar felt that the pieces were slowly fitting together in his head.

“Germany is covered with dense forests in the middle. It’s not suitable for nomads. I see why they didn’t go south to Greece, where there are plenty of places to plunder.”

Caesar had secretly thought that if nomads invaded, they would target Greece first.

He had sent Sextus to Greece to stay there in order to secure the border defense.

If not, he expected that the east that Marcus was guarding would be a strong target.

That’s why he thought it would be no problem to leave only three legions in Germany.

But the Huns invested all their strength in Germany, which they couldn’t make their base and which was not good for fighting, and pushed them back from the beginning.

It must have been a choice made after realizing that the war with Rome would not be a short one.

Caesar looked at the map of Gaul, which was spread out wide, and hardened his expression.

“You can’t underestimate them because they’re nomads. At least the leader who is leading them now must be assumed to be a top-level strategist. I’ll have to devise a strategy assuming he has Pompey’s level of ability.”

“Usually nomads live in separate tribes and rarely unite as one. Moreover, judging by the strength of the Huns who have invaded now, they have not only gathered themselves but also absorbed all other nomads and expanded their power. I’ve never heard of such a united nomadic force before.”

“In other words, the one who is leading the Huns now has that much leadership. Bayatur, was it…?”

He had also heard some helpful information from a Germanic soldier who had been captured by the Huns and returned to Rome a few days later.

But his surprise also grew proportionally.

The Hunnic force was said to be over 200,000 cavalrymen alone, excluding Gaul and Germanic slaves.

It was an unbelievable force even by Caesar’s standards.

He wanted to praise himself once again for not choosing to fight them on the plains.

And currently, Bayatur, the Supreme Senior Warrior of the Huns, was perfectly commanding them, so there was no possibility of internal strife.

Bayatur’s position among the Huns was that of a living descendant of heaven.

And because there were four Sonus under him who managed their power efficiently, there was no room for them to penetrate.

The surprising thing was that Bayatur was not just a brilliant strategist.

He was the best strategist and the strongest warrior of the Huns.

That was the best phrase to summarize Bayatur.

The supreme commander who led the army did not need to be the strongest in terms of force.

The famous generals who left their names in Roman history, and even Caesar himself, were not outstanding in personal combat.

But if the supreme commander’s force was outstanding, it could lead to an explosive boost in the army’s morale.

Alexander the Great, who always led the front of the army and slaughtered the enemy while commanding in real time, was a good example.

Caesar decided to regard Bayatur as the Alexander of the nomads.

The enemy’s strength was a considerable burden, but there was also something that made his heart beat.

The enemies he had fought so far were, to be frank, ones that could be defeated even if he was not Caesar.

Gaul, Britain, Germany, none of them were exceptions.

Here is my edited and translated version of your text:

Even if Caesar had become stronger than before, another general would have conquered Gaul.

It might have taken two or three times longer, but they would not have lost to barbarians anyway.

But this opponent was different.

Caesar thought that no one in Rome could guarantee victory against the Hunnic army led by Bayatur.

The only ones who could possibly pull off a victory were Caesar himself or Marcus.

It was too much for Sextus, who had been growing frighteningly lately.

In other words, if he could lead this war to victory, Caesar’s fame would remain immortal afterwards.

No one would be able to stop him from reaching the top of Rome.

“To do that, I need to be prepared accordingly.”

He was tempted by the glory that flickered before his eyes, but he was not a fool who would blindly rush into it.

Rather, he analyzed the situation more coldly than anyone else and replenished his strength in order to gain the benefits he could get.

He was also trying to recruit a Gallic warrior who was making a name for himself in Hispania as part of his preparations.

He had just received a report that he had arrived at the Alps defense line, and Caesar looked over the report containing his achievements with satisfaction.

“What a remarkable talent. And he’s a Gallic warrior…”

There was no one more suitable for his plan than him.

He welcomed the hero of Hispania, Vercingetorix, who entered the barracks with a lion skin in his hand, his trademark.

“You’ve worked hard to come all this way from Hispania. Do you know that your story is already famous here, so much so that no one doesn’t know about you?”

“I just killed the enemy.”

Vercingetorix bowed his head curtly with a fluent Latin.

“You speak our language as well as a native. You’re from the Arverni tribe, right?”

“Yes. The chief of the tribe was my uncle.”

“I see. The Arverni tribe has been a friendly force of Rome since long ago. It’s a blessing for Gaul that such an outstanding talent came from there.”

“You flatter me.”

Vercingetorix’s tone was polite but not friendly.

Caesar, who was proficient in reading people’s psychology, immediately realized that Vercingetorix was not very friendly to Rome.

The Arverni tribe had been subjugated by Rome 70 years ago, but it was a public fact that there were many who opposed Rome.

“By the way, did the Arverni tribe retreat safely to Hispania? They didn’t come to my side much.”

“Those who followed Caesar’s orders and withdrew were able to escape safely. But those who couldn’t leave their homeland… they were brutally massacred by the Huns. I heard that there were quite a few who were taken away as slaves.”

“I see. Many of the Gallic warriors under me had similar experiences. As the governor of Gaul, I should have dealt with it more firmly. I’m really sorry about that.”

“I didn’t expect them to be so strong and cruel either. It’s my fault for not leading my tribe properly.”

It was obvious that Rome had prioritized the retreat of Roman citizens when they withdrew from Gaul.

Especially since there were priestesses in the temples built by Rome in Gaul, they had to be more careful.

Therefore, they were relatively negligent towards the natives who did not have Roman citizenship.

Of course, Caesar had suggested the best escape routes for each tribe, but there were many tribes who resisted the idea of leaving their homeland and fleeing.

If he had explained more clearly, he might have saved more lives.

Thinking so, Caesar’s mind was not very comfortable either.

“Your Latin is almost perfect. You learned it to know your enemy better, right?”

Vercingetorix had originally learned their language to better understand the enemy he wanted to defeat so badly.

But he never expected it to be useful for forming a friendly relationship with Caesar, whom he wanted to overthrow so much.

He felt an ironic feeling and smiled bitterly.

“Since you responded to my call and came here, I guess we have the same goal?”

“…Yes. I want revenge for my family.”

“I can guess your story. I pray that your family has found peace in the arms of the gods.”

“Thank you.”

“When the war is over, I will hold an official ceremony to honor the souls of those who died unjustly in Gaul. I’m also in charge of the highest religious authority in Rome.”

Vercingetorix’s eyes widened at his words that were not just words but promised an official sacrifice.

The shock did not stop there.

“And I want to officially incorporate your raiding unit into my legion. How about it? I think it will bring you closer to your revenge.”

“Of course. Please put my unit at the forefront when we fight the Huns. If you do that for me, I will never forget this favor.”

Vercingetorix’s biggest worry was that he would be assigned to the defensive force and not be able to go to the battlefield.

But if he was assigned to Caesar’s famous legion, he wouldn’t have to worry about that.

He was sure that it would be the fastest way to achieve his revenge.

He nodded his head satisfactorily, and Caesar added another shocking word.

“According to the report, you are not only skilled as a warrior, but also proficient in leading the army. So I want to appoint you as a legion commander under me. Do you have any objections?”

“Me… a legion commander of Rome? I’m a Gallic, you know?”

“Even if you look at your achievements alone, you deserve to receive Roman citizenship ten times over. I’ve already sent a proposal to Rome and got their approval to grant Roman citizenship to you and your entire tribe.”

“That’s amazing. Did I really do that much?”

“Of course. Your value is much greater than what you think right now. You will be hailed as a great hero who can firmly connect Rome and Gaul after the war.”

“I don’t understand…”

“Rome is not just a small city in the Italian peninsula. Of course, there are still many backward people who think so. But the future Rome will not be like that. Rome will be everywhere that Rome’s territory reaches. Gaul and Britain will become fully cultivated and apply new farming methods, and you won’t be able to imagine how much food production will increase.”

Vercingetorix frowned as he did not understand Caesar’s meaning.

Caesar chuckled and continued.

“Simply put, the era of struggling to survive is over. A new era of wealth and abundance will open, and many things will change. It won’t be strange for most Gauls to become Roman citizens.”

“But we’ll still be second-class citizens. We won’t have any influence on Rome’s politics…”

“That’s why you’ll represent Gaul. As a senator of Rome.”

“…Me, a senator of Rome?”

“Have you heard the rumors about Surenas, the Eagle of the East? Rome is starving for the birth of a new hero. You and Surenas are heroes who repelled the enemies and saved countless Roman lives. There is no one better suited to be the first native-born senator than you.”

Vercingetorix, who had studied Latin and Roman culture in order to resist Rome, knew better than anyone what a senatorial seat meant.

It was impossible.

But Caesar was also a man who did not go back on his word.

If Vercingetorix became a senator, he wouldn’t have to go around the hard way.

The revival of the Arverni tribe would be a foregone conclusion, and Gaul’s situation would also improve dramatically.

There was no reason to refuse.

Vercingetorix’s eyes trembled with agitation.

For the completion of his revenge and the prosperity of his tribe.

He decided to show all his abilities under the enemy he had sworn to overthrow someday.

He straightened his posture and raised his voice in a Roman salute.

“I accept your command, Imperator!”

“I look forward to your performance as a legion commander.”

Congratulating the birth of a new war hero, Caesar also saluted Vercingetorix.

< 210. Operation North of the Rhine > End