Whenever I see Roman TL's based around the time of Caesar and the wars of the second triumvirate, i see that a certain larger then life character is sadly missing-Sextus Pompeius Magnus Pius, the youngest son of Pompey of the great, who, having seen his father murdered in Egypt, devoted his entire life fighting both Caesar and his successors.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sextus_Pompey
He fought with his older brother Gnaus first at Munda in Spain, only to be defeated and began a successful guerrilla commander in Spain. Following Caesars death he went to Sicily where he lead a pirate fleet against Marcus Antonius' forces. It is here that things took a turn for the better, when he was given control of several Roman fleets and began to take control of Sicily . With both these at his control, he began to both build up his forces while blockading both Marcus Antonius and Octavian in Italy. Cut of from food, the angry roman populace rioted against both generals, forcing them to use proscriptions ( copied from the dictator Sulla) to get money for their campaign against the Liberators Cassius and Brutus. This drove many republicans and other key figures to flee to Sextus, who was viewed ( following the battle of Philipi) as the last hope of the republic.
He also became extremely popular with the lower classes.
Desperate to crush him, both Anthony and Octavian launched an expedition to crush Sextus, only to suffer numerous defeats at the hands of his fleet, including the loss of Sardinia to a fleet commanded by Sextus' commander Menas in 40BC. It was this that forced the Triumvirs to negotiate at Misunem, at which Sextus was given the Peloponnese, Sicily and Sardinia.
It was to prove to be a huge mistake, since under the treaty many republican exiles were forgiven, causing many of them to leave Sextus army. Worse, it shattered the confidence of one of his chief admiral, Menas, who had wanted to assassinate the two triumvirs at Miseum who deserted to Octavian along with two legions and Sardinia.
It soon appeared that Octavian had no intention of fulfilling his part of the agreement. In 37BC Octavian attacked again with a huge fleet, only to be defeated by Sextus, who despite having only 300 ships was able to use his superior seamanship to outmaneuver and destroy part of Octavian s fleet. Octavian raised a new navy, which led by his talented commander Agrippina defeated Sextus of Mylae in 36BC.
It is here that the what ifs accumulate. At Thurii, where Octavian was uploading is army, Sextus was able to surprise and surround Octavian's force, which was unable to get into formation. Here, Sextus had an opportunity to crush the Triumvirate fleet and capture Octavian, only to instead stand back and do nothing. The next day, Sextus again had an opportunity to crush Octavian, when, having got the better of the navel engagement, was able to cut of Octavian's ship. Fearing he was close to capture, Octavian ordered one of his officers to be ready to kill him, only to escape to Thurii, where he was again nearly killed by Sextus' horsemen, Republican legionaries mistaken for his own troops and even an assassination attempt by his freedman until he was finally rescued.
What if Octavian had been captured however? What if Sextus hadn't held back his forces the previous day, or the assassination attempt succeed? We already know that Sextus was in secret negations with both Antony and Lepidus, and was also popular with the senate and the lower classes. Could he have come to an agreement, with him ruling the western empire? Would civil break out again? Who would win? Could Sextus have restored the republic ( unlikely) or become an alternate " first among st equals-an emperor in all but name?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sextus_Pompey
He fought with his older brother Gnaus first at Munda in Spain, only to be defeated and began a successful guerrilla commander in Spain. Following Caesars death he went to Sicily where he lead a pirate fleet against Marcus Antonius' forces. It is here that things took a turn for the better, when he was given control of several Roman fleets and began to take control of Sicily . With both these at his control, he began to both build up his forces while blockading both Marcus Antonius and Octavian in Italy. Cut of from food, the angry roman populace rioted against both generals, forcing them to use proscriptions ( copied from the dictator Sulla) to get money for their campaign against the Liberators Cassius and Brutus. This drove many republicans and other key figures to flee to Sextus, who was viewed ( following the battle of Philipi) as the last hope of the republic.
He also became extremely popular with the lower classes.
Desperate to crush him, both Anthony and Octavian launched an expedition to crush Sextus, only to suffer numerous defeats at the hands of his fleet, including the loss of Sardinia to a fleet commanded by Sextus' commander Menas in 40BC. It was this that forced the Triumvirs to negotiate at Misunem, at which Sextus was given the Peloponnese, Sicily and Sardinia.
It was to prove to be a huge mistake, since under the treaty many republican exiles were forgiven, causing many of them to leave Sextus army. Worse, it shattered the confidence of one of his chief admiral, Menas, who had wanted to assassinate the two triumvirs at Miseum who deserted to Octavian along with two legions and Sardinia.
It soon appeared that Octavian had no intention of fulfilling his part of the agreement. In 37BC Octavian attacked again with a huge fleet, only to be defeated by Sextus, who despite having only 300 ships was able to use his superior seamanship to outmaneuver and destroy part of Octavian s fleet. Octavian raised a new navy, which led by his talented commander Agrippina defeated Sextus of Mylae in 36BC.
It is here that the what ifs accumulate. At Thurii, where Octavian was uploading is army, Sextus was able to surprise and surround Octavian's force, which was unable to get into formation. Here, Sextus had an opportunity to crush the Triumvirate fleet and capture Octavian, only to instead stand back and do nothing. The next day, Sextus again had an opportunity to crush Octavian, when, having got the better of the navel engagement, was able to cut of Octavian's ship. Fearing he was close to capture, Octavian ordered one of his officers to be ready to kill him, only to escape to Thurii, where he was again nearly killed by Sextus' horsemen, Republican legionaries mistaken for his own troops and even an assassination attempt by his freedman until he was finally rescued.
What if Octavian had been captured however? What if Sextus hadn't held back his forces the previous day, or the assassination attempt succeed? We already know that Sextus was in secret negations with both Antony and Lepidus, and was also popular with the senate and the lower classes. Could he have come to an agreement, with him ruling the western empire? Would civil break out again? Who would win? Could Sextus have restored the republic ( unlikely) or become an alternate " first among st equals-an emperor in all but name?
