Post by Romae Fabulus on Jun 27, 2006 14:21:51 GMT -5
The rumors about the revolution were no longer rumors anymore. The time had come for Rome to stand strong against the Goths and strike. The first Legion already had a large struggle and the command was switched to a seventeen year old tribuun.
Gracchus Antonius noded when he received the letter from his cousin Mercurius. He looked at the sky, it was a clear day with almost no clouds and the sun shining so bright.
He looked at the new camp they made in the south. After the approval of the Legatus Antonius moved the camp swiftly to the south. All the Goths asking what they were doing was simply replied with “military exercise”. Five hundred men were stationed near Tarentum. Antonius knew that when this city fell he would gain a lot of support in the surrounding area. But he only had five-hundred men to take such a large city.
Antonius decided it was time to recruit and spread the word. A revolution was at hand in the city of Rome, Tarentum has to fall too. Antonius ordered a few of his men to his tent. They were the best archers of the cohort and they were loyal to Antonius and the 2nd Legion.
“Salve, we don’t have much time we have to start making the preperations for the Tarentum take over. I want you to go inside the town and start spreading the word of the revolution in Rome. You are the ones who are going to start the revolt in Tarentum, now please be carefull as there are many Goth guards inside that town.”
Antonius picks up his glass of wine and drinks from it. He then nodded that the men should leave. He stood up and looked at the map of Rome. He needed more men if the revolt did not work.
Antonius went outside and called the men for a quick meeting. He then gave orders to go recruit in civillian clothes at the surrounding villages.
A small group stayed with Antonius, he had another plan to get rid of a few guard. A small village near Tarentum was used by a small group of guards as a place to drink the finest wine in Rome. They arrived always at the same time each day, atleast that is said by one of the villagers.
It was night when Antonius and his men were at the small village, the ambush was in place. The forrest between Tarentum and this village only had one road so it was not so hard to ambush them. They heard a loud laughing sounds heading their way, Antonius pointed at the places where his archers should stand. Then the long wait, around twenty Goths came closer and closer. When they were at the point Antonius picked his bow and shot the first arrow at the group. A scream followed when one of the Goths fell down with an arrow in his neck. Shortly after five others fell and the Goths did not know what to do. Another salvo slained another six leaving eight Goths alive who started to run into each other and wanted to run away. Antonius nodded at his men and shot another arrow and then grabbed his sword and charged. His men followed and the remaining six got slained. Antonius kept one alive and brought him to another camp far away from the original one. “Okay.. Goth, tell me how many guards are in Tarentum and you may smell the fresh air again.” The Goth did not speak and was slapped with a wooden stick.
Antonius looked at the Goth and draw his sword towards the neck of the Goth. He then spoke in German: “How many guards are in Tarentum.” The Goth answered: “You will not kill me when I answer?”
Antonius nodded and the man said the number. “Two-thousand? Are you sure?” Antonius asked again and the Goth said once again the same number.
He grabbed the Goth and dragged him outside and told him that he was free. Then Antonius gave the signal to his archers to fire upon the goth. The last of the twenty Goths died, Antonius was satisfied but hoped his two men in Tarentum could start the revolt there.
Gracchus Antonius noded when he received the letter from his cousin Mercurius. He looked at the sky, it was a clear day with almost no clouds and the sun shining so bright.
He looked at the new camp they made in the south. After the approval of the Legatus Antonius moved the camp swiftly to the south. All the Goths asking what they were doing was simply replied with “military exercise”. Five hundred men were stationed near Tarentum. Antonius knew that when this city fell he would gain a lot of support in the surrounding area. But he only had five-hundred men to take such a large city.
Antonius decided it was time to recruit and spread the word. A revolution was at hand in the city of Rome, Tarentum has to fall too. Antonius ordered a few of his men to his tent. They were the best archers of the cohort and they were loyal to Antonius and the 2nd Legion.
“Salve, we don’t have much time we have to start making the preperations for the Tarentum take over. I want you to go inside the town and start spreading the word of the revolution in Rome. You are the ones who are going to start the revolt in Tarentum, now please be carefull as there are many Goth guards inside that town.”
Antonius picks up his glass of wine and drinks from it. He then nodded that the men should leave. He stood up and looked at the map of Rome. He needed more men if the revolt did not work.
Antonius went outside and called the men for a quick meeting. He then gave orders to go recruit in civillian clothes at the surrounding villages.
A small group stayed with Antonius, he had another plan to get rid of a few guard. A small village near Tarentum was used by a small group of guards as a place to drink the finest wine in Rome. They arrived always at the same time each day, atleast that is said by one of the villagers.
It was night when Antonius and his men were at the small village, the ambush was in place. The forrest between Tarentum and this village only had one road so it was not so hard to ambush them. They heard a loud laughing sounds heading their way, Antonius pointed at the places where his archers should stand. Then the long wait, around twenty Goths came closer and closer. When they were at the point Antonius picked his bow and shot the first arrow at the group. A scream followed when one of the Goths fell down with an arrow in his neck. Shortly after five others fell and the Goths did not know what to do. Another salvo slained another six leaving eight Goths alive who started to run into each other and wanted to run away. Antonius nodded at his men and shot another arrow and then grabbed his sword and charged. His men followed and the remaining six got slained. Antonius kept one alive and brought him to another camp far away from the original one. “Okay.. Goth, tell me how many guards are in Tarentum and you may smell the fresh air again.” The Goth did not speak and was slapped with a wooden stick.
Antonius looked at the Goth and draw his sword towards the neck of the Goth. He then spoke in German: “How many guards are in Tarentum.” The Goth answered: “You will not kill me when I answer?”
Antonius nodded and the man said the number. “Two-thousand? Are you sure?” Antonius asked again and the Goth said once again the same number.
He grabbed the Goth and dragged him outside and told him that he was free. Then Antonius gave the signal to his archers to fire upon the goth. The last of the twenty Goths died, Antonius was satisfied but hoped his two men in Tarentum could start the revolt there.