Augustus Road

On the campus, crowds of people who gathered after hearing the recruitment slogans were bustling. These people were either bankrupt households in the slums or young slaves who could not stand the bosses of the workshops. In the early days of the Republic, a large number of citizens who were willing to devote themselves to the cause of Mars disappeared. disappeared, replaced by refugees, gangsters and even slaves. But once they were recruited and entered the world of the military camp, they became unified "Roman legionnaires". After the minimum service period of six years and up to thirty years expired, they could successfully Become a citizen and obtain naturalization qualifications.

Because it was a temporary recruitment, the selection process of the chief executive and military tribunes was extremely rough. Even Karabis, one of the donors on the side, could not stand it: these people put the so-called recruits into rows, and they were taller than Those who are five and a half feet tall and have brighter eyes will be sent to the cavalry or the first brigade. The short ones with mean eyes will be sent to other brigade. When the retinues are ready, they will take out the red iron and brand everyone on their bodies. After the legion mark is released, the so-called recruitment work is completed.

A military tribune handed Calabis a register made of several wooden boards: "Free citizens, no, new citizens with holes in their left ears, your two brigades are already here. "Calabis pinched his nose and looked at the angry-faced crooked melons and jujubes in front of him, but then he thought about it. When Xiaoya first entered the Seventh Army, he didn't know anything. There were many of these people before they joined the army. They are all "street fighters", so they should be a little familiar with fighting and slashing. They are better than they were back then!

As a result, in just one or two days, two city legions were recruited, totaling more than 5,000 people (the city legions were small), and a legion committee was temporarily set up. As the second consul, Neruda deservedly became the general secretary. Commander, Claudius served Cicero promptly and became one of his lieutenants. In addition, under the operation of Caesar and Crassus, all veterans from Campania and Sicily resumed their service and gathered on the outskirts of Rome from both land and sea. General Metra, who was stationed in Gaul, also received an urgent order to dispatch troops on time to attack Catiline.

As for Calabis, although he is a big benefactor and has used his money to finance the recruitment and weapons equipment of two of the brigades, he has only just become a citizen and has not been "regularized" yet, so in the legion His identity can only carry the title of scale officer.

But he is still the actual leader of this brigade - the Fourth and Tenth Brigades of the Second City Legion. This is a sign that the Roman Legion has entered the era of privatization. Whoever pays to recruit soldiers will theoretically belong to the same group in terms of affiliation. Owned by the benefactor, the team of Pompey's army were recruited from his hometown after he spent all his wealth.

Calabis, the scale officer, specially asked Pope to build a huge ox cart for him. The outside was covered with bronze armor and thorns. Under the wide seat of the ox cart driver, there was actually a huge cash box with an empty interior. Prepared to be filled with money, the ox-cart was guarded by twelve armed gladiators under Oplik. Subsequently, Calabis sent out hired financial slaves to "attack" everywhere, pulling in many mule carts, pack horses, goats, iron nails, etc., and uniformly placed them in the new barracks at the Quirino Gate in northern Rome, where his own brigade was stationed. among.

But in terms of command, Calabis did not interfere at all. He understood that once they arrived on the battlefield, the only ones who could allow these new recruits to display their combat effectiveness were their centurions and ten-centurions, which had nothing to do with him. The following steps were just I made a small report and asked the legion to pass the order of Milou, Tagus, Pope and other veterans to serve as centurions of the brigade. This did not encounter any difficulty, because all the returning veterans from Campania and Sicily were He was recruited by Claudius and became the personal guard of the coach Neruda, so the veterans and non-commissioned officers in the other brigades with combat experience were treasures and were all placed in the positions of battalion officers or centurions.

Through a diviner, Cicero predicted that four days later would be the best time to send troops, and he would personally supervise and hang five treasonous criminals from Turus as a blood sacrifice.

In the bustling market-like camp, Karabis and Milu exchanged a few words with each other, "Don't expect your recruits to rely on discipline and training to serve on the battlefield. Apart from rewards, it's best to hire them." Order the hawkers, military slaves and women to follow them. "This is Milu's request.

Karabis nodded, "Today, I happened to have a private banquet in Domurang's tavern, and I entrusted her to solve all these problems." Then he passed through the fence, left the camp, and headed toward the nearby Walk towards the big square and the sheepfold.

After opening the door with a babbling sound, hidden in the solemn atmosphere outside, the joyful atmosphere in the tavern rushed in. There were delicacies and wine everywhere, and Greek slaves playing harps and flutes were around. Several freedmen partners in the Calabis business, wearing garlands on their heads and holding their slender and hot girls in their arms, laughed under the bright lights, competing with each other and telling dirty jokes to keep them entertained.

"Hey, newly minted citizen from the East, you have to know how much effort I put into arranging this untimely banquet and how much danger I took. Now even the festival gatherings in the Vici neighborhood are attended by people named Cicero. The cold-hearted country bumpkin has canceled it," the proprietress Domuka yelled, half irritated and half proud, then she put her arm around Karabis's shoulder and handed him a glass of Celtic beer.

"Roman ladies are naturally cold in bed, and Cicero is the best among them." Carapis took the beer, sat down with a smile, and toasted with everyone. Then someone took out a wooden board, and Carapis took it and said, "Everyone, Lian Tullus will be hanged soon, and we can also plan what Etruria deserves our attention after this war."

"Have you discussed this with Crassus?" A man with a red nose asked cautiously.

"The circle of interests has been divided. Afterwards, we and Crassus will help Caesar pay off his debt of 800 talents. Then Crassus will help Caesar run the expedition to Lusitania (now Portugal) and support him in his election as consul after the expedition. In return, Crassus will be responsible for the operation, so that the nobles of Gaul in the Po River can obtain citizenship and serve as the head of the new colonial city committee in the Po River region. Our sweet treat is smaller. The iron mines in Etruria belong to Crassus, and the rest belong to us." After saying this, Carabis used a carving knife to squeak on the wooden board and put it on the table. "The veterans' resettlement site and the fields and farms around the city of Fesule all belong to me. 2.5 million sesquiterres."

The other half-bald head hurriedly grabbed the wooden board and also used the carving knife to busy himself. "The brick-making industry there belongs to me, 1.4 million."

"The business post and roads belong to me, 1.2 million!"

"The vineyard and wine industry belong to me, 900,000 sesquiterres!" The man with the red nose shouted impatiently.

Carabis picked up the wooden board and hit the man with the red nose in the face. The man's wine glass and wine were all knocked away, soaking the slave girl next to him. "Mule! Your money is really earned by licking the genitals of rich old ladies! In this chaotic time, you still dare to engage in grape planting? Don't you know that grapes are the most difficult property to take care of, unless you have an investment of 9 million. Hey, how did this guy get in? Drag him out quickly." The red nose covered her face, grabbed the edge of the table tightly, and shouted: "I was wrong, I was wrong, I will soon get the property of a consul's widow, so I will add 1.2 million sestes, and the manure industry and transportation of the Etruscan manor will be handed over to me."

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