Solis Invicti et Manus ad Ferrum

[Karolus Rex]

Solis Invicti et Manus ad Ferrum
By Karolus Rex​

AVRELIANVS RESTITVT ORBIS
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Imperator Lucius Domitius Aurelianus Augustus, it as a ring to it, doesn’t it?

But even if it doesn’t who would dare to say such a thing in front of me? I’m the Imperator, the one that has the imperium, and my wishes are orders. Or so those ass likers would have me believe.

You see being Emperor is all about choices. The choice to believe in the shit men tell you, the choice to just tell the Empire to go fuck itself and the choice to die.

I chose neither of those.

I refused to believe in liars. I saved the Empire. But most importantly I lived to tell it.

This is my history, my work. In this rolls I will tell the truth, that those around me refuse to admit, that the Empire is a corrupt best and that only Tiberius was wise enough to understand it. In this rolls

I will tell the tale of how I saved the Empire from itself.

(...)
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...and that’s how, thanks to the blessing of the Unconquered Son, I became Emperor. Funny don’t you think? I left my village in Illyricum with an old sword and my mother’s medallion, and twenty-five years later I was being proclaim Imperator by the Illyrian legions. At first people called me a usurper, as if I had been the one that had carved power and not Quintillus, but they soon stooped.

Now they just called me a usurper behind my back and not to my face.

I don’t care. Let the idiots and the small-minded think of me what they wish. But I want it to be clear, that Claudius intrusted the Empire to me, on his deathbed, and not to his foolish brother.

I’m not a usurper and I have never been one.

But enough of how I gained power.

(,,,)
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I had done it.

The Empire was reunited once more. In four years I had done what my predecessors had failed to do. No more usurpers, no more false Emperors, no more false Gods. Sol Invictus had guided me in my quest to restore the World, and it was only thanks to its aid that I did it. As Rome had accepted me as its ruler, so would the rest of the Gods would accept the supremacy of the Unconquered Sun.

I built a great Temple in Rome, in its honor, and in return the God gave me a chance, a chance to avenge Rome and to do what Trajanus had failed to do. I had a chance to crush the Persian scum.

The oriental despot, Varaham, had died and his, even more tyrannical, son and namesake had succeeded him. Varaham, son of Varaham, was an idiot and a tyrant, and I thanked Sol Invictus for putting him in command of the effeminate orientals.

I gathered my Legions and my Praetorian Guard and we marched from Gaul, where I had been fighting against the Barbarians, to Asia.

On my way to war, one of my own Praetorians tried to kill me in Thrace. It was only thanks to the intervention of a centurion, of the Legio XV Solis[1], named Lucius Kaeso, that I survived the attack [2]. He killed the Praetorian and smuggled me into the camp of the XV. There I gathered as many men loyal to me, as I could, and I purged the Praetorian camp. It appeared that one of my secretaries, had lied to me and in fear of my wrath, had forged a list of men I would kill.

I must thank him for doing the list, for know I knew who to kill.

Julius Placidianus, the commander of the Guard, was stripped naked and beaten to death by the traitors. Then, I crucified the remaining traitors, as a warning to all that thought to cross me.

The rest of the march was peaceful.

I spent winter in Antioch, preparing everything to the upcoming campaign. The Eastern Legions that joined us, proved themselves as corrupt as the Orient. Too soft and too willing to question me, their Emperor.

They soon learned better.

Some might say that my actions were brutal, worthy only of the uncivilized Barbarians and of the steppes of the far north, but the East had to learn that I wasn't Zenobia or her usurper of a son. My Illyrians retrained the Orientals, they learned how to fight and how to keep their mouths shut.

When we left in March, the army I had numbered forty thousand legionaries and Praetorians, eight thousand archers and skirmishers, and three thousand cavalrymen.

I had no idea how many men the Oriental tyrant would gather to face me, but I trusted that in his superbia, in his arrogance, Varaham would try to face me alone, to prove to his power to his vassals.

I was right.

On the sight of old Dura-Europos, a Persian army, numbering in the tens of thousands, faced its doom.

As usual the Persians, begun the battle by ordering their archers forward while their heavy cavalry stayed behind to protect them.

I must praise Praefectus Avitus, commander of the XVI Legion, that managed to keep the center, of my army, in a cohesive line, ensuring that the Persian rain wouldn't break us. The tyrant of Persia, thinking that our men were weak, ordered a cavalry charge against the center of my line, while his infantry engaged my wings. My men held like heroes of legend against the full might of the Persian.

With their cavalry engaged against my center Legions, I ordered the XV and the half of my Praetorians, to reinforce the center, while ordering the rest of the Guard to attack the Persians on the left and the cavalry to attack them on the right. For three hours, both sides engaged in brutal close combat.

I admit, for I have no shame in doing it, that for a while, I feared that my men would suffer the same fate, as the Legions under Valerian, sixteen years ago. But once more, the great Unconquered Sun tipped fate in my favor.

Trying to prove his bravery, Varaham had been leading his Immortals. For what I heard, a spear killed his horse and his men thought him dead and begun to panic. In moments the Persian center routed and soon enough, the full army followed their example.

I lost almost eight thousand infantry, a third of my archers laid dead and my cavalry was in shambles. But the Persians left many more in that field. So many indeed that I never managed to find the body of Varaham.

In the end Sol gave me a costly victory. But better a bloody victory, than a bloody defeat.

And now the road to Ctesiphon laid open to me.

[1] - OTL the Legio XV was named Apollinaris but here Aurelian changed its name to Solis.

[2] - POD.

Now some disclaimed. This is written from the POV of Aurelian and it's supposed to show the world from his eyes and the ways he sees the world. Things that Historians would consider luck he sees as the will of Sol Invictus and things we would see as racist he sees as normal. I have nothing against the people from the Middle East or from Persia.

Please comment and the next update should be posted this weekend.

 

[Karolus Rex]

Warning this story contains things that can, and should, be frowned upon by today's moral standards. Unfortunately the Romans didn't had them so if you are easily offended please turn your back and go read something in which everyone acts by the moral code of our days.

You have been warned.

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The road was open, but my legions weren't ready.

The Battle had been brutal and many laid dead or wounded on the field of Dura. I had lost half of my Praefectus, that as true Roman men, had fought on the front lines, and the centurions had, almost been decimated. Of the officers and soldiers, that had performed feats of bravery, I promoted them to the above rank and, personally rewarded them with silver and in some cases, I even gave them the Corona Civica or/and Aurea.

Let it not be known, that I don't reward those that serve me faithfully.

After three days, in which the legions prepared themselves for the march to Ctesiphon, I left my camp in Dura.

While my men marched to the capital of the Persian despots, I feared that my numbers wouldn't be enough to crush the arrogant orientals. I had been forced to leave half a legion in Dura, to protect the wounded, and now from the forty thousand men, that I had brought from Antioch only half, a mere twenty thousand, marched under the Eagles. But still I trusted on the almighty Unconquered Son, to bless us with another victory in the East.

After a weak of marching in the Persian lands, we reach Ctesiphon.

As much as I loathe the orient scum, I must give them credit when they deserve it, for their capital can almost compare with the grand cities, that we have in the Imperium and the great walls of Ctesiphon gave much trouble to my armies.

Because I couldn't allow myself to be dragged into a lengthy siege, as the Persians would no doubt prepare another army to fight me, after just two days my legions stormed the walls of Ctesiphon. Now, I must remark the brave dead of centurion Titus Verenus, that was the first man to reach the top of the walls and that lead the assault against the gatehouse, thus opening the gates to my remaining men. For his bravery and dedication, I promoted him to the command of the XV legion, whose prefect had died during the attack, he also received a silver donation, was added into the ranks of the Equites, but most importantly, for him, he was awarded the Corona Muralis.

With the city, now, under my control, I gave my men two days to plunder it, as they wished it, keeping only two cohorts of Praetorians guarding the Persian treasury, that by right belonged to me. So that those that read this, can know of my generosity, I even gave the woman of the Persian Tyrant to my men.

While my men got drunk in cheap wine and cunt, me and some of my familia, made sacrifices to Sol Invictus thanking him for rewarding us with victory on this campaign.

After the two days I gave the men had passed, I sent the Praetorians, and those that were sober enough to obey orders, into the city to drag the reached legionaries out of it. Those that dared to disobey my orders were crucified, and placed on display at the gates of the city.

Having too few men to hold onto my gains, I ordered the burning of Ctesiphon and left Persia, leaving only a garrison in Dura, for I intended to rebuild the once proud fortress, so that it could act as a spear, into the hearth of my enemies.

With the Persians in disarray, and with civil war looming in their kingdom, I ordered the western legions to return to Antioch, from where they would return to the limes, while I went with the remaining eastern soldiers, and Praetorians, into Armenia to place my puppet on their throne.

Glossary:

Corona Civica - Reward to those that had achieved feats of great courage.

Corona Aurea - Reward to those that killed enemies in single combat and for holding the battle line.

Corona Muralis - Reward to the soldier that was the first to reach the top of the enemy walls.

Familia - Roman concept that englobed not only ones family but also his retinues and close friends and allies.

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You might notice that Aurelius doesn't says the number of casualties during the storm of Ctesiphon and that is on purpose has he doesn't wishes to admit the large casualties he suffered and instead prefers to focus on the bravery of a common centurion, to try to make the reader forget about that.

 

[Karolus Rex]

Armenia is the crossroad of the East, the place where the Roman and Persians worlds, cross with the lands of the barbarians, from north steppe.

In itself, Armenia, is of little value to Rome. Its lands are too rocky and hold so little economical interest, that in an ideal world, the Imperium wouldn't even wast a second of its time in Armenia, but alas, we do not live in such a world.

Instead, I was forced to waste the resources of the Imperium, to ensure that Armenia was transformed into a fortress, as the rocky landscape of the country, makes it possible to transform the all area into a giant limes, to protect Asia from the Persians and from the northern barbarians.

Still the Armenians are a sly people and deceive and lying is part of their soul, the same way that valor and bravery are part of the Roman soul. One does not needs to be a philosopher, to see that the Armenians play Rome and Ctesiphon one against the other, and that they care nothing about the Roman lives lost, because of their treacherous nature.

As I traveled to that cursed land, to place my own puppet into their throne, I decided that it would only be fare, for the Armenians, to share the burden of protecting the Imperium. Two legions, would be raised in their lands, with their people serving on them, while Roman officers lead them. And while the Legions would answer to me, it would only be fair to demand that the Armenians payed for their costs, after all they were going to defend them.

Oh, how the puppet raged and screamed, of how "unfair" it was what I was demanding, as if he had any right to questioning me, or of demanding anything from me.

I toyed with the idea of killing him and just put that damned place under my direct rule, but that would just forced me, to wast even more silver on them. So I just ignored that tantrum, and simply ordered him to leave me alone and to follow my orders.

Sometimes I wonder who are worst, the ignorant barbarian from Germania or the cult barbarians from the East.

It honestly doesn't matters, in the end, the only good barbarian is the one in chains. Even if its a golden one.

I spent two full years in the East, first fighting the Persian menace and then ensuring that Armenia, was protected and under Roman influence.

Two years in hell, as I would latter tell my wife.

Some philosophers and medics say that abstinence is harmful to the human physic, and I can only agree with them and many times I wanted to improve my health, but even an Emperor fears his wife, especially if his wife is like mine.

A moment of pleasure, wouldn't be worth losing my manhood would it?

 

[Karolus Rex]

(I was definitely not being lazy on writing the update ok?)

*****​

Rome, the Queen of Cities. Rome, the Mother of my Empire. Rome, the City of the Worlds Desire. Rome, the greatest hive of scum in this world.

If one can places himself, on the top of any of the five hills of the city, and throws a rock, then he is bound to hit a hypocrite and a corrupt, and if Fortuna bless him on that day, he might even hit a future traitor.

Still no other place on the Imperium, is as dear to me as Rome, not even the place where I was born, after all I can't, really hold dear to what the barbarians burned to the ground; When I left for war, the Senate laugh at me for placing my wife, my sweet Ulpia, at the helm of them.

"How can a poor, weak woman understand the complicated webs of politics?" they muttered, while claiming I had been either been bewitched, by her, or that I had lost my mind. Thanks for me, my Ulpia was. and would never. be either poor or weak and those bastards, learned that the hard way.

When I came back. there was no more muttering, no more underestimating my wife. The Senate came to greet me and in front of them, leading, was Ulpia and next to her was my daughter, Aureliana.

I admit, that, seeing my family. after years of campaigning all over the Imperium, is an unique experience, for I felt both, joy in seeing my how much my girl had grown up, but the loss of those years placed a great height on me. On that moment I understood what Tantalus felt, I could see the fruits, but they had eluded me, on all those years. But no more of that, for now.

The Imperium was at peace, the Persians were embroiled in war between themselves, the Danube and the Rhine were at peace, and for a miracle the African barbarians, had decided to leave my provinces alone.

So, I spent the next, four years in Rome.

Those were blessed years for me. I spent days playing my daughter, while at the same time I was administrating the Imperium with my wife at my side. There were days, when I would just ride off from Rome, to the countryside for a week or more, all by myself, so that I wouldn't forget my roots, so that I wouldn't forget that it was hard, honest, work that gained me the Imperium. Unlike other Emperors, I had someone in Rome that I could trust, so that I could do my little escapades. Once, when I returned from a two week long retire from Rome, I found out that Ulpia had discovered about a Senatorial conspiracy, to murder me, poor fools should had learned. As the good wife she is, instead of waiting for my orders, she just ordered the Preatorians to gather them up and to use them as Circus props on the next Games.

It was during this years, that Ulpia, sweet Ulpia, have me a son and heir, who I named Marcus Domitius Aurelianus in honor of my good friend, and my predecesor, Marcus Claudius.

Now, on my twilight years, I think back to those days and it looks like I was on Elysium. But, unlike on the Elysian fields, those days are but memories now, warm memories on a dark and cold world; and they were ephemeral and a lie, for the Imperium was born out of struggle and it can't stay in peace for a long time, for the Gods will never allow the Sons of Romulus to become indolent again.