A/N: Hello all, here is another Chapter for you all. Things are gearing up, Ferox is going to do what he feels is right by force. I hope everyone enjoys this latest Chapter!
The Drums of War
Ferox had been spending months going around the Empire, gathering up as many allies as he could. If he couldn't convince Majorian through words, he would do it through his actions.
Through the months, he had managed to gather up 150,000 supporters, 30,000 of which were soldiers of some kind. His plan was to march on Ravenna, using this force in order to back up his threats. If Majorian still refused to comply, they would then storm the imperial palace to capture Majorian and make him give away his title of emperor to his son, Theodosius. This was the beginning of The Ferox Rebellion, the opening act of the Great Civil Wars.
On the 27th August, Ferox would march on Ravenna, all the way to the imperial palace. Majorian would come out to meet this procession personally, wanting to stop things from getting out of hand. It was here that Ferox would present his ultimatum, give them what they wanted our else. Majorian gave Ferox the floor, letting him speak. Ferox would then lay all his demands out, unopposed. These were the same demands that he had called for at The Conference of Asculum plus the rejection of the Ostrogothic marriage proposal. Once they were done, Majorian asked for time to think, to which he was given 5 minutes.
The first thing he did was tell a messenger to get ready to move the rest of the imperial family, just in case things went bad. Majorian then began to reflect on the situation. He understood Ferox's desire, but slaughtering all the barbarian that had made their home in the empire? Not only was that insane, that was part of what had gotten Rome into the situation it was in to begin with. For the first time, he was truly stumped. He was risking his life if he chose to deny them anything. He then thought about his life, how, throughout all of it, he had risked his life for his convictions, so why should now be any different? His mind was made.
When his 5 minutes were up he explained, his rational, and how he would be willing to grant some of their requests, but not all. At this, Ferox was enraged, ordering his men forward to seize the emperor, but the Legio I Augusta blocked them. Ricimer pulled away Majorian and told him to run. Majorian would go as fast as he could possibly go, protected by his guards, he told everyone in the city not to oppose Ferox now, for he didn't want unnessesary death and destruction. He would eventually reach the boats carrying the imperial family getting on and sailing away.
The Legio I Augusta, whilst brave in their effort, were ultimately unable to deal with Ferox's personal army, getting quickly overrun. 3,500 of the 5,000 men were killed, whilst the rest scattered. Many civilians were also killed in the carnage, roughly 500 of them. Ferox now controlled Ravenna.
Ferox gave his first speech to the audience, most in shock over what had just have. This speech, later named The Persecutor's Ad-lib would be recorded by the historian Servius Buteo. This is how it went:
"My fellow Romans, we are in a state of crisis! The traitor Emperor has let barbarians infest our lands, take OUR homes and now- now he want to marry a BARBARIAN into the Imperial family. This CANNOT be stood for!
A barbarian controlling our lands is unforgivable, a DISGRACE to the people of Rome. The Republic was founded on keeping barbarians away from Roman powers. That is why Julius Ceasar was killed, why Augustus failed in his final few years. Our ancestors fought to keep Rome pure and prosperous from the vile barbarians that infest it's borders.
Look at what has happened to the eternal city. For 800 years, Rome was untouched by barbarians. Then our emperors started adding those barbarian to their armies. Now Rome has been sacked, TWICE, by those same barbarian!
We can't stand for this anymore, we MUSTN'T stand for his anymore!
From this moment on, The Traitor Emperor's life is now forfeit. He must be brought to justice for his crimes against Rome. But, in truth, he isn't the prepetrator. He is but the accomplice to this crime, wrapped around the finger of his own Magister Militum, Flavius Ricimer. That same Ricimer is also a barbarian, of course he would be wanting this. It was likely his idea! Gather up as many barbarians as possible to launch an invasion of Rome.
You know what I say? We must drive these barbarians out of our lands entirely, and make them feel the the cold taste of Roman steel. They deserve nothing less. Rome will rise again, after these barbarians are gone! A new age will dawn! A glorius one!
ROME WILL BE ETERNAL ONCE AGAIN!"
His supporters cheered at this, some in the population also cheered alongside this, but most just stared, mouths agape.
What the hell was going to happen?
Meanwhile, Majorian rode in the same boat as Ricimer and his closest family, with Placidia, Gaudentius, Olybrius,Anicia Juliana and the aging Eudoxia in another boat not too far behind. For the first time in his life, Majorian felt defeated and dejected. They had escaped Ravenna, but had left the people to Ferox.
He didn't know what to do.
It was at this point that Eudocia cut in with her own opinion. She critisised Majorian, questioning if her was really the same man that had saved her and her family from the Vandals. She then explained that things weren't lost, the people still supported him, but he need to take up arms and fight for them. Ricimer was in full supported, backing up Eudocia.
Majorian took in his wife's words and begun to think. He then ordered to ships to turn and sail to Salona, he would meet up with Marcellinus in Illyria. From there, he would gather up his armies and march to retake Ravenna.
The stage was set, the curtains lifted on what woulf become the most chaotic and tense period in Western Rome's history.
The show had begun.
A/N: And that is all for today's chapter, I hope everyone has enjoyed this latest chapter. Ferox has taken Ravenna, the capital itself. How will Majorian respond? We shall see. Thank you all for reading this latest chapter, the feedback is always appreciated. See you next Chapter!