Rome Must Fall - Chapter 60: Recruitment of New Soldiers in the Logistics Camp

The Roman army did not take advantage the situation to counterattack because Cossinius, standing on a large rock, clearly saw the enemy’s other forces forming up behind them. Therefore, he cautiously maintained a defensive formation.

The soldiers of the Third Cohort passed through the intentional gaps left by the other cohorts and retreated to the rear, followed closely by the First Cohort…

The rebel army engaged in a war of attrition and battled the Roman army until dusk. The Roman soldiers, hungry, tired, thirsty, and on the brink of despair, were finally defeated.

In fact, when Cossinius saw nearly 10,000 rebel soldiers, half of them fully armed and able to follow orders from the bugle, he knew that his decision to fight with his back against the river was a fatal mistake. However, as the camp prefect, he couldn’t bring himself to lead the troops in a desperate escape. Fighting to the death was also a form of honor.

Watching the enemy break through the formation and mercilessly slaughter the panicked fleeing soldiers, Cossinius sighed deeply, “Foolish Senate, you’re in big trouble now!”

He drew his short sword and dragged it hard across his neck, blood spraying out…

Under Spartacus’ leadership, the rebel army embarked on a long-distance charge, fighting two battles in a day. Due to their superior numbers, they defeated a Roman legion of 6,000 soldiers who were divided. Most of the soldiers were either killed or captured, with only a few managing to escape. The rebels themselves suffered casualties of only around 2,000, achieving a glorious victory.

………………………………………………

“What’s your name?”

“Tiribazus.”

“How old are you?”

“Probably around 26 or 27.”

“Probably?”

“I am an orphan, never met my parents, and I don’t know when I was born.”

“Oh, I see… Among the people who joined us this time, do you have any relatives or family members?”

“No.”

“Where are you from? How did you become a slave?”

“I’m from Pontus, without a fixed residence. I traveled around as a street performer to make a living. When Pontus went to war with Rome, I was forcibly conscripted. The army was defeated, and I was captured and sold here…”

“Can you read?”

“No.”

“Can you do arithmetic?”

“No.”

“What can you do?”

“I can do acrobatics, can do seven or eight consecutive somersaults, and I can walk on a tightrope… Oh, and after coming to Rome, I learned farming.”

…

Vorenus, sitting at the wooden table, finally stopped writing and looked up at Tiribazus, showing a kind smile. “Ah, Tiribazus, welcome to our logistics camp!”

“Logistics camp?” Tiribazus asked with some confusion. “What does it do in your army?”

“You will know later.” Vorenus didn’t provide a detailed answer, instead, he said somewhat mysteriously, “I’ll just tell you that this time you got lucky. It’s not easy to come here otherwise. You can go out from this side, next!”

Tiribazus, still a bit confused, followed the direction pointed by Vorenus and exited the tent. He then saw another tent not far ahead, and the slave in front of him was being forcefully pulled away from the line by a fully armed soldier. The slave struggled and shouted, “I’m fine! Really, I’m fine!”

“The whip wounds on your back have already festered. If you delay any longer, you’ll start experiencing headaches and fever. Stop making a fuss and come with me for treatment!” The soldier’s persuasion made the slave stop struggling.

Tiribazus stared blankly as the two walked away towards the other side. The soldier standing in front of the tent couldn’t help but shout, “Hey, why are you standing there foolishly? Come over here!”

Tiribazus immediately ran to the front of the tent and couldn’t help but ask again, “Where are they going?”

“They’re going to the medical team,” the soldier glanced at him, “If you have any injuries on your body, you’ll have to go there later.”

“I don’t have any,” Tiribazus quickly shook his head.

“Whether you have any or not is not for you to decide,” the soldier urged, “Hurry up and go in, don’t keep them waiting!”

Tiribazus entered the tent.

This time, there were three people inside. One of them was wearing a linen robe, with a kind face, while the other was wearing armor, with a rugged appearance. There was also a young boy.

As soon as the man in armor saw him, he said discontentedly, “Why did you take so long? Hurry up and take off your lousy clothes!”

“Huh? Take off my clothes?!” Tiribazus was stunned.

The man in armor glared, “Hurry up!”

Scared, Tiribazus quickly took off the ragged linen outer garment.

The man in the robe immediately approached him, carefully examining him from head to toe, occasionally using his hands to press on certain parts of his body, and asked, “Does it hurt?”

Tiribazus shook his head while instinctively using his hands to protect his body.

“All limbs intact, no visible injuries, many scars on the body, but no obvious hidden injuries… Hmm, no major issues with the body,” the man in the robe frowned, “It’s just that your body is too dirty, you need a good bath.”

The man in armor also scrutinized him, then suddenly asked, “Those scars on your chest, are they from swords?”

“Yes.”

“Have you been a soldier before?”

“I was forcefully conscripted in Pontus and served for half a year. We were defeated by the Romans, and I became a slave.”

A smile appeared on the man in armor’s face, “Although you only served as a soldier for half a year, you have already surpassed most of the people in our team. What kind of soldier were you?”

“I was a phalanx pikeman.”

“Never heard of it, but it must be good,” the man in armor’s smile grew wider. He stood up, walked in front of Tiribazus, and reached out, squeezing his arms and thighs. He said with satisfaction, “You don’t look very strong, but your muscles are very solid. You will make a great heavy infantryman. Marcus, note this down—assign him to the fifth platoon, have him serve as decanus of the first squad.”

“Sir Tolerugo!” the young man named Marcus reminded loudly, “Commander Maximus has already stated that the officers of these newly formed platoons will all be soldiers from the original three platoons!”

“But this guy served as a soldier for half a year and participated in real battles. He’s much stronger than many of the soldiers from my original platoon. He can easily handle being a decanus,” Tolerugo explained.

“But that’s not allowed! The rules set by the leader cannot be violated!” Marcus adamantly refused.

“You stubborn little brat!” Tolerugo cursed angrily, “You only know how to talk about Maximus’ rules! Maximus’ rules here! Maximus’ rules there! Is Maximus your father? Why do you listen to him so blindly? Can’t you be flexible and make some adjustments?!”

Marcus stood his ground and said, “The leader said that once the rules are set, everyone should abide by them. That’s how the whole camp will become orderly. If everyone starts breaking the rules, then the rules themselves become meaningless!”

“Again…you!” Tolerugo became frustrated.

“Both of you, stop arguing,” the man in the robe intervened. He had encountered this situation before and knew how to defuse it, “Sir Tolerugo, although this guy has military experience, he has just arrived in our camp and knows nothing about the situation here. If no one guides him, he might unintentionally violate the regulations of the logistics camp. How can he earn the trust of his subordinates in such a situation? I suggest letting him start as an ordinary soldier for now, until he becomes fully familiar with this place. Once you also recognize his capabilities, you can promote him. Wouldn’t that be better?”

Tolerugo pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, “That makes sense. Let’s do that. Kid, assign him to the first squad of the fifth platoon.”

Marcus did as he was told.

Tolerugo then turned to the man in the robe and said, “Horatius, with your abilities, it’s a waste for you to stay in the medical team. Why don’t you come to my side? You can choose between the second or fifth platoon and become the centurion. How about that?”

Horatius remained unmoved and smiled, “I don’t need to work so hard in the medical team. Plus, there are women to accompany me, and I can also learn medical skills from Menenius. That’s what I desire the most.”

Tolerugo didn’t insist after being rejected. He reached out and took a small wooden tag with Marcus’ assigned number on it, then handed it to Tiribazus, saying, “Take this thing and continue following the person in front of you. Go to the warehouse to collect your items, then they will lead you to the first squad of the fifth platoon based on the symbols on this thing.”