A Great War for Antiquity

[Gaius Julius Magnus]

War in Macedonia Part I​

Rome would have a much easier time fighting in Macedonia than Carthage would. Rome’s border with Macedon would make it much easier for Rome to pour in troops to support Cassander than it would for Carthage to support Pyrrhus, which had to transport its supplies across the Mediterranean. Rome sent about 15,000 troops (Three Legions) under the command of Claudius Pulcher to take command of the situation in Macedon. Pulcher soon met up with Cassander in Macedon and marched to meet Pyrrhus.

However the joint Roman/Macedonian Army would meet disaster when it was beaten by the Macedonian/Epirus Army under Pyrrhus at Epidammus. Pulcher at basically thrown his troops against the Macedonian phalanxes. With the Roman/Macedonian Army pinned down, the Companion Calvary led by Pyrrhus himself charged Roman flanks and forced a route of the Roman/Macedonian forces. The Roman Army would retreat back in Roman Illyria to lick its wounds. When the Senate heard of this disaster it sent Gaius Cornelius Scipio, descendent of the famed Publius Scipio, to take command of the situation.

 

[Gaius Julius Magnus]

Alright here's a map I think can sum up the situation.
Red: Rome
Green: Carthage
Purple: Epirus
Gold: Hellas League
Black Macedon:
Pink: Pergamon
Light Green: Pontus
Orange: Armenia
Grey: Selecuid Empire
Brown Egpyt
Yellow: Numidia
Black in Asia Minor: These are indepdent small kingdoms

 

[Gaius Julius Magnus]

This is just a question to all those who enjoy reading this and are subscribed. Would you like the possbility of rebooting this timeline. IF were to do it it would much more detailed and would go well beyond the Great War, However updates would a lot less frequent. Please respond.

 

[Gaius Julius Magnus]

War in Macedonia Part II​

When Gaius arrived in Illyria he not only had the problem of beating the Macedonian/Epirus Army, but also had to repair the damage inflicted on his army by the disastrous Battle of Epidammus. He withdrew his forces deeper into Illyrian territory, igniting a Fabian strategy as used in the Second Punic War. This strategy would cause him much criticism from his political enemies in Rome. However the Battle of Scorda where Gaius Scipio, finally reinforced by troops from Italy, defeated the Macedonian Army under Pyrrhus. During the battle Pyrrhus himself had been killed by his retreating troops, his body would be brought to Gaius Scipio who would then have the body crucified while declaring Cassander King of Macedon.

After the battle Gaius began moving his troops into Macedon his movements clearly showing that he was heading for Pella. However Alexander, a cousin of Philip, would take command of the pro-Carthaginian forces and would successfully rally the pro-Carthaginian forces to fend off the Roman invasions. However unlike other commanders throughout the war, Alexander was smart enough to know when he was outmatched, and so he took his 13,000 army and fled to the Seleucid Empire where he would try and build a proper army to retake Macedon. Before stepping on his boat that would take him to Asia Minor he boldly stated “The King Shall Return.”

Alexander’s flight would one bring most of Macedon under control of both the Romans and Hellas League and two be a great propaganda victory for the Romans. The most famous phrase referencing Alexander’s flight would be “Alexander the Great went to the east to conquer, Alexander the Pretender goes to the east to grovel. “

 

[Zuvarq]

This is just a question to all those who enjoy reading this and are subscribed. Would you like the possbility of rebooting this timeline. IF were to do it it would much more detailed and would go well beyond the Great War, However updates would a lot less frequent. Please respond.

I say keep doing it in this basic format.

 

[Herzen's love-child]

Ditto to keeping this format this time around. Then do Version 2 in best detailed style!

 

[Gaius Julius Magnus]

The War in Iberia Part I​

While Macedon was where the war started, it would not receive as much attention as the Iberian front would. It war here would be divided up into two theaters (Northern Southern) with Appius Aemilianus taking command of the army marching towards New Carthage and Tiberius Nero taking command of the army in the north where it would annihilate Carthaginian presence there.

It would be in the Iberian front where Appius would show that his military skills didn’t end with just pure bravery. His moved his army at quick speeds, giving them only mere hours of rest, and while on these forced marches would scorch and decimate the country side around him to make it inhospitable to his Carthaginian forces even at the expense of his own men. When they came upon villages the civilians were given the option of accept Roman dominance or face destruction and when towns heard of what he did to towns that dared refused they thanked him for even giving them the option.

When Appius finally faced his first Carthaginian Army, he had some reason to fear. The army arrayed against him was a joint Carthaginian/Iberian composed of 6,000 Iberian Calvary, 20 African War Elephants, and about 35,000 infantry (consisting of Carthaginians, Iberians, Numidians, and transplanted Gauls),ironically commanded by Hannibal III (son of Suffete Hannibal II). Historians years later would remark it was as if the army of Hannibal during the Second Punic Wars had been resurrected.

Nevertheless Appius would prove much more competent than the Roman commanders of the Second Punic War ever where. When battle finally came he ordered servants of the army to make loud noise where ever they could to frighten the Elephants when they were ordered to charge. The noise worked and most of the elephants went charging back to their own troops, the ones that continued to charge forward, Appius simply ordered his troops to step out the way. With the Carthaginian Army in chaos Appius ordered his Legions to charge, with him leading from the center. The disarrayed Carthaginians fled almost instantly, even when the enemy Calvary tried to outflank him raised the signal for his own cavalry and a special contingent of infantry to outflank the enemy. The route was where the real bloodshed would be with both infantry and cavalry cutting down the Carthaginians. An estimated 10,000 Carthaginians would be cut killed and would retreat northward to lick its wounds, leaving New Carthage virtually undefended. New Carthage was exactly were Appius planned to go.

 

[Gaius Julius Magnus]

War in Iberia Part II​

With the road to New Carthage cleared Appius instantly began making a forced march towards to the city. His speed managed to catch the city off-guard when he arrived just a day after the news of the defeat reached the city. With little more than a mere militia and some Sacred Guard units, the city was overrun in a mere five days. To celebrate Appius ordered the troops to loot and destroy the city, it its estimated that the amount of money taking away from that city was about the equivalent of 2000 Talents.

While Rome was experiencing success in the southern half of the peninsula in the north disaster would strike when the army under Tiberius Nero would be annihilated by two Carthaginian armies commanded by Hannibal III and Hanno II (Another one of Hannibal II’s sons). Now with one Roman army taken out both of the armies began marching south to meet Appius. With New Carthage destroyed, Appius had little reason to let himself get caught in siege and fled the city with his army. He initiated a Fabian strategy where he avoided direct conflict with the two enemy armies and harassing them at every corner. Hannibal III took what remained of his army and occupied New Carthage while Hanno II would continually try and draw Appius into a new battle.

 

[Gaius Julius Magnus]

Disastrous Undertaking​

When the war began Corsica and Sardinia were made top military targets for the war. Even when Rome was forced to give them up during the Second Punic War it still considered them its own territories. Almost instantly when the war began Rome dispatched two legions to seize the island of Corsica. The natives were shocked by the quick arrival of the Roman force and island fell in a matter of days. The victory was lauded as the noble reunion of two peoples. Carthage would make no attempt to try and retake the island, its forces already busy in Africa, Iberia, and Sicily it could little afford such a venture.

The relative ease of taking Corsica greatly inflated the ego of the commander Caius Cornella, almost immediately he began drawing up plans for an invasion of Sardinia. Possessing no great military skill like Gaius Scipio or Appius Aemilianus, when he landed his army in Sardinia he made a fool-hardly siege of the most defended city on the island. Meanwhile on the sea the navy the transported him there was driven off by a Carthaginian navy, stranding Caius and his men on the island. The situation would only get worse when an army of mercenaries (Carthage reverting to its old practices) landed on the island and nearly destroyed the entire army, Caius would commit suicide after the battle than let himself become a prisoner of the Carthaginians.

 

[Gaius Julius Magnus]

War in Iberia Part III ​

Back in Iberia Appius finally met Hanno II in battle. Appius had withdrawn closer to Roman Gaul, where he picked up much supplies and reinforcements, and now he was ready for a fight. He lined his troops up ready for battle and managed to get Hanno to play offense. Like Hannibal at Cannae and Scipio at Dordora, he had intentionally weakened his center and strengthened his flanks and encircled Hanno’s army crushing it. Hanno II would die in the battle with his body unfound.

Now the road to New Carthage was once again nearly defenseless but Appius wouldn’t be the one to command the march. Days after the battle the Roman senate recalled Appius back the Italy to take command of the army sent to counter the Carthaginian invasion of Sicily.

 

[Gaius Julius Magnus]

Here's how the wars going so far. Light Red is territory occupied by Romans and Light Green occupied by the Carthaginians

 

[Berserker]

Well by the time of the Third Punic War, Gaul has been under Roman rule for about 35 years and this was after a twenty year war series of wars with Rome and so by this point they are properly subjacated province with many new born Gauls thinking themselves as Romans rather than Gauls. Remember in the OTL Caesar managed to turn all of Gaul into a loyal province in eight years for 400 years, so to make Gaul loyal to Rome in about 35 years isn't that unlikely. Thank you for subscribing.

Too bad, but I can respect the discision

after all, this is a Carthage TL

awsome updates btw

 

[Gaius Julius Magnus]

Too bad, but I can respect the discision

after all, this is a Carthage TL

awsome updates btw

I plan on shifting to Rome eventually.

 

[Gaius Julius Magnus]

War in Asia Minor Part I​

When Alexander fled Macedonia with his army to Asia Minor he was received warmly the Seleucid government. Both Alexander and King Seleucus were confident they could overrun the Roman ally of Pergamon and retake Macedonia. They began advancing their armies into Pergamon and would not find much of resistance at first but were shocked when they came upon a Roman Army commanded by Gaius Scipio himself, along about 4,000 companion cavalry led by Cassander Despite the shock they were still confident of victory. Scipio had about 24,000 troops altogether compared to the combined 48,000 strong army of Alexander and Seleucus.

The two kings planned that one would take his army, make a forced march around the Roman Army, and have the Roman army surrounded by morning. The plan might have worked had they not been taking for by surprise when Gaius Scipio launched an attack on their camp at night. In the chaos that followed thousands would die but the Romans had the advantage of surprise and readiness while the two king’s armies were unprepared and half-asleep. In the chaos the two kings and parts of their army would escape but it would be a while before they could build another army to take on the Romans. However not all was good for the Romans during the chaos Cassander was killed by his own troops who had mistaken him. With no other pro-Roman member of the Macedonian Royal family in reserve, Macedonia was declared an official protectorate of the Rome.

For Kings Seleucus and Alexander the situation would go from bad to worse when the kingdoms of Pontus and Armenia, after some promises from Roman diplomats, declared war on the Seleucid Empire.

 

[Gaius Julius Magnus]

The War in Sicily Part I​

Carthage had its eyes in on retaking Sicily long before the Third Punic War, dating all the way back to the end of the First Punic War. With Roman forces engaged all across the Mediterranean now Carthage finally had its chance. Many military advisors of Hannibal II and the Popular Assembly advised against the expedition saying it the war in Iberia took precedence over the war in Sicily. However their advice was not heeded and a grand expedition was planned. Hannibal II’s third son, Hasdrubal, was given command of the expedition and several Popular Assemblymen joined the expedition.

Just as Rome surprised Carthage with its quick grab of Corsica, Carthage surprised Rome with its invasion of Sicily. Rome had depleted the garrison of the island, confident that it could prevent a Carthaginian invasion of the island with offensives elsewhere. This overconfidence would result in Carthage overtaking half the island in a mere few weeks after they arrived.

To combat this threat the Senate instantly began assembling an army to toss the Carthaginians out of Sicily, they would assign Appius Aemilianus to the job.

 

[Gaius Julius Magnus]

The War in Sicily Part II​

Appius Aemilianus led his about five legions into Sicily, however instead of landing in territory still held by the Romans he had his navy land in Carthage-held Sicily. He quickly overran the defenses built by the Carthaginians and in a very controversial move ordered Lilybauem to be burned to ground, his reasoning being that the city hadn’t properly resisted when the Carthaginians arrived.

When the news reached the Carthaginian Army of the Roman landing almost instantly it turned around and went off to face the army, unfortunately for the Carthaginians they played right into Appius’s hands. When the army turned around, the second half of Appiu’s army that he had left in Southern Italy landed behind them. Now the Carthaginians had to two Roman armies to contend with. Realizing they face destruction, Hasdrubal II sent a message to Carthage, via their last remaining port, to get the fleet to Sicily as soon as possible. Hasdrubal then dug his army in in the southeastern portion of the island and prepared to hold out for the Roman onslaught.

 

[Gaius Julius Magnus]

The Situation in Sicily

 

[Gaius Julius Magnus]

thoughts?, critiques?

 

[forget]

Has Julius Caesar been butter flied away yet?

Without a conquest of Gaul power grab he and others could be much less able to erode away at the roots of the Roman Republican system.

What are the current factions within the Senate?

Who leads these factions?

Juliua Magnus thank you for the many update and maps.

 

[Gaius Julius Magnus]

Has Julius Caesar been butter flied away yet?

Without a conquest of Gaul power grab he and others could be much less able to erode away at the roots of the Roman Republican system.

What are the current factions within the Senate?

Who leads these factions?

Juliua Magnus thank you for the many update and maps.

The Caesar we know has been butterflied away

There's not real factions in the Senate like there were by this time period in OTL but there are supporters of Appius and Scipio in the Senate. they aren't at eachother's throats as they were OTL...yet anyway.