Ad vindictam deorum: The assasination of Constantine

Ad vindictam deorum: " The vengence of the Gods" is my latest and, arguably, most ambitious TL to date. How can i say this simply......when you get rid of such and important figure in what is around EVERYWHERE is bound to cause massive butterflies.

But this is not just about the overall picture, with some dates and basic facts. This TL is also about the people in this chaotic, fractured world of war, religious fanaticisim and power-mad rulers. This about how they saw events, how there lives will ever so subtly be changed and how there psychology will ultamatly shape the world they live in.This TL took a lot of research and may feature some....controversial views of a world without one major religion in europe. One that may not satisfy Christian or atheist. Sorry about that.

This TL will be long, detailed as possible and, when dealing with the roman civil wars, religious sects and power politics, very,VERY complicated.

Still here? Excellent. Then we'll begin. A TL of war, madness, blood and love. Of empires risen and fallen. Of insane emperors and scheaming bishops.
Oh and battles. Lots and lots of battles.

And at the heart of this story, lies a decaying supercity. And dying city. A city torn apart by faction fueds and vendettas. And at the its rotten core, a corrupt, power hungary ruler who has a problem. A big problem.

A problem called constantine.

Enjoy!
 
prologue: What happens in Rome........

Rome: 312AD The Piscina Publica district

It was raining in Rome when the hooded man came. He came down the Appian way on a black, shabby horse that made the starving citizens in the dirsty streets around him glare with prying, desperate eyes. For them, the horse was valuable protein, slabs of meat that could sustain their malnourished, whippet thin children for a month. The hooded man ignored their desperate faces with disdain.

Animals. All of them.
Nothing but savage animals.


He quickened his horses pace to get away from the whitwashed crowded insulae behind him and made his way to his randevu. He passed the forum Boarium, once the premier port of Rome, now a run down market, the wayside crowded with shabby, poorly built market stalls selling food and " remarkable trinkets from the east."
No doubt the jewellry was fake, the bread made up of water and the horse meat......

Selfish animals, exploiting desperate people to satisfy their own greed.

Some senators, draped in white and red togas and flaunting their extravegent golden braclets and surrounded by an entourage of broad, heavily muscled bodyguards who wielded short gladius' to ward of the hostile crowd around them. Some of the traders launched catcalls, one crazed women, her torn rags only partly covering her delicate frame lept in front of the noblemen and screamed
" you've betrayed our people, you've abandoned rome, you selfish-"
she smashed aside by the hilt of a gladius and left screaching in pain as the group continued on, oblivious to the outrage around them.

Senators. The worst of them. They caused this-all of this

His target was in sight now, an indistinguishable small figure dressed in muddied clothing similer to the ones around him.
Perfect.

He dismounted and slumped against the wall next to the man.
" you are late" said the small man irratably.
" I was.... delayed" replied the hooded man.
"Constantines men?"
"Yes."
The small man went silent for a second, deep in thought. He didnt have a name, not offically anyway. He was just called Hannibal.
Hannibal. How original for a punici though the hooded man called Corvus-the crow.

" How is the situation up there?" Hannibal muttered quickly. He was paranoid and with good reason. Their employer-Maxentius, the rightful holder of the imperial purple, had few friends in Rome. Lat week a huge mob had gathered in from of the imperial compound in protest against the good emperors taxes. A few had been foolish enough to chant " Constantine victoria!"
The guard had been unleashed of course.
Many had felt cold steel in their ribs.

The streets had been deathly quiet since.
Foolish plebliens he thought.
They are only being taxed because of traitors like constantine. Once the usurper has been crushed, all will be well again.
Why blame the rightful
emperor for constantines behavior?


" Our master is.....fearful."
" And with good reason i'm afraid, He has already crossed the Alps, burned sugusium, and crushed the force of Clibanarii left to face him.
"And Turin?"
" Betrayed us, they let the horsmen outside die."
" I will enjoy watching the city burn."
" as will I, master."
" what of Verona?"
" Under siege, Ruricius Pompeianus was holding last time a heard....."
" He is a brave commander......still, i fear we must be fearful."
He turned to Corvus.
" You go tonight. Find the usurpers camp. Find weak links. Get close.And deal with him. You have our imperial fathers blessing."
" He will be guarded."
"Perhaps......but i here that some of his solders.....dislike his christian views. They fear he'll convert. Use that."
"I will not fail, master."
"You'd better not.....or everything we know will die you understand?"
"Everything."

That night, as the emperor prepaired for battle, a hooded man headed north.
To save everything.
 
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