As I was reading "Hoc voluimus!" by Douglas I found the POD of Caesar dying at such a late stage in the civil war as the Battle of Munda was a quite fascinating one, but seeing as the thread was four years old I figured I might well try to write my own take on such an scenario.
That said, it is my first attempt at something resembling a timeline and with english as a second language my dialogue can get a bit cringeworthy at times, so I will be experimenting with the style of Part I and the writings of a fictional historian due to the butterflies to see what works best.
Part I: Aftermath of a Disaster:
I:
Munda, Hispania, Early 45 BC:
As Titus Labienus removed his sword from the latest corpse and looked towards the horizon with his bloodied face, he felt utterly exhausted.
He had endeavored to make the battle the hardest of Caesar’s career following the old man’s announcement that none of them would get any more pardons, but somewhere along the line he forgot to consider the possibility of actually winning the damn thing. Unlike Pharsalus or even Thapsus, Munda had raged for hours without a clear winner, both armies locked in a frontal assault as the ground turned as red as Labienus had ever seen. Caesar’s precious Tenth had been the most hard pressed, as the Dictator himself had tried to rally his men to press the Pompeian left wing and force the younger Pompeius to make a mistake. Alas, it was not to be. Labienus suspected something must have happened to Caesar, for his army started to collapse slowly, allowing Scapula and Aponius to press ahead with the younger tribunes.
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Irrumator.- He spat at what remained of Bogud, the Mauritanian King –
To Labienus shock, Bogud had probably panicked as the Tenth Legion collapsed, initially launching his cavalry to the Pompeian rear and then correcting the course as the Caesarian lines were thrown further to the back. Just like in Ruspina he had been thrown of his horse in a rather undignified way, but Bogud had it worse as he was trampled by his own men trying to flee the battlefield. With the enemy legions pushed back, Caesar missing and the cavalry defeated, it had turned into a sheer rout, and Labienus had already sent his forward squadrons to pursue the fleeing remnants of what once had been a rather proud and arrogant army.
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General! – One of his soldiers approached –
The men are chanting! –
Labienus raised his head as he looked towards the main body of the army, and tried his best to listen:
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Imperator! Imperator! Imperator! Imperator!-
To his utter shock, they truly had won.
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus Filius, Imperator, felt like he had climbed to the highest of Mount Olympus. It had been some four years since he had left Italy as Caesar’s lackeys had driven them out, four bitter years of disappointment after disappointment.
The sheer humiliation of Pharsalus, the undignified death of his father at the hands of Egyptian barbarians, the unmitigated disaster of Africa and defeat after defeat on Hispanic ground, after all they had done to rebuild an army… But Hispania had proved to be the right place. Ever since his father had vanquished Sertorius and reorganized the Hispanic provinces the people had remained loyal to his house, and not even Llerda had changed that. All it took was for Caesar to send a corrupt imbecile like Quintus Cassius for the entire region to rise up in arms to Pompeius’s memory once again, and Sextus and him found it remarkably easy to create a new army to have another chance. For how hopeless things had seemed hours ago, Pompeius could not have been prouder and happier as he toured the mounting piles of bodies in company of his military tribunes.
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Help… please… help me! –
Every now and then someone would cry out for help, and as soon as it was determined it was one of Caesar’s men Pompeius would give the order for him men to silence the hapless soldier. He did want to count at first, but after five or six the old Lucius Munatius convinced him it would be a waste of his time.
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Imperator. – Said young Aponius, one of the tribunes, racing ahead –
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What is the matter, Aponius? –
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It seems losses are as high as you predicted, sir, although most of our legates did survive the battle.-
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I see. Tell me, who died?-
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Just Marcus Petrudicius, sir. Varus is wounded too, but I gather it’s nothing serious.-
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Good. And who did we get? –
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So far? We have found Fabius Maximus, Dolabella and Caninus Rebilus, all dead. The others have fled, but we expect them to be found… sooner or later.-
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Excellent, Aponius. Do send a messenger to Corduba, Sextus needs to know as soon as possible.-
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Ave, Pompeius.-
As Aponius left for the rear, Pompeius and his group found Scapula and his own officers carefully observing a pile of bodies. Both men warmly saluted each other as they congratulated themselves over the victory. Titus Quinctius Scapula had just been a knight a few years ago, but it had been him who had let the mutiny against Cassius and the one who had delivered Pompeius two veteran legions. As a result, the ambitious and energetic Scapula was already a very trusted legate of his, and a man to handsomely reward when the time came.
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Imperator, I have a gift for you.-
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I was beginning to wonder why all of you would be looking at a pile of bodies. Could it be…?-
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There is no doubt, Imperator. We found lying with the Tenth, although we’re not quite sure how he died.-
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No that it matters, Titus Quinctius. I want to see him.-
Scapula’s men removed the bodies as fast as they could, leaving the bloodied corpse of Gaius Julius Caesar for all to admire. Pompeius the Younger smiled.
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You stand avenged, father. At last. –
Corduba, Hispania, some days later:
Sextus Pompeius raised his cup once again as old Munatius was the next one to propose a toast, this time for their swift return to Rome. It had taken several days after the triumph at Munda to crush the remnants of Caesar’s army, as Gnaeus had been insistent that they would virtually take no prisoners. To Labienus’s merit his cavalry had faced no significant trouble executing Caesar's nephews Quints Pedius and Gaius Octavian while capturing what was left of the enemy high command, leaving only Pollio and some scattered survivors to withdraw north. As explained by Sextus's father in law in a gleeful letter, the news of the disaster had been enough to force Gaius Didius to lift the naval blockade at Carteia, ending any serious threat to their position on the area.
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To… To Rome we march! – Said Aponius, clearly drunk –
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To Rome! –
They had gathered most of the army in their main base of operations at Corduba to celebrate their victory and to prepare for the longer war to come. Rather than just executing Caesar’s officers, Munatius had the brilliant idea to put them through a trial, idea that Gnaeus had enthusiastically supported. Attius Varus was still the highest ranking magistrate as he still claimed to be Governor of Africa, and thus he and the most prominent citizens of Corduba had condemned the lot of them to death. Trebonius had been the bravest as he had amusingly denounced Varus for his own perversions, and Carrinas had also led a decent defense. All for naught, of course, and Trebonius, Carrinas, Nonius Asprenas and Rufus Salvidienus had been executed before the celebration started, young Marcus Agrippa being spared as his brother had served Cato in Africa and was thus known to Sextus.
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Of course, Imperator, it might be a good idea to discuss how to organize matters in Hispania… - Scapula was saying –
After all, the provinces do require a rather good Governor as you march towards Rome.-
But of course. Ever since Gnaeus had triumphed all of them had jumped at the slightest chance of a large reward, all of them with an agenda of their own. Sextus drank some more wine before wondering about the “price” for the loyalty of their own high command: Attius Varus was going to demand being consul, Scapula would want to enter the Senate and be made Governor, Munatius would want a higher status, Aponius a higher military rank, Flaccus and Caudicius a fortune and several confiscated villas and… well, Labienus would demand being Consul too, but he would be too proud to say it out loud. And… what would he want? Sextus was unsure. To return to Rome, sure. To recover his father’s fortune and his properties in their beloved Picenum as well. But beyond that… what could Rome offer him if they managed to wrestle it from Caesar’s heirs? He had no clear answer to that, certainly.
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Sextus.- His brother was looking at him –
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What? –
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Stop dreaming, will you? We need to discuss strategy.-
Leaving some of the lesser officers aside Gnaeus, Sextus, Labienus, Varus and Scapula grouped together, ready to consider their next moves. Virtually of them agreed that staying in Hispania was a mistake, considering the Caesarian loyalists could still raise a large army on Italy and the legions of Illyria would most certainly support them if they had enough time to do so. Varus wanted to sail to Africa to retake his old post, but despite his protests his proposal was shot down until they had a clearer idea of the situation in Rome. That left a march to Italy as the only real alternative, as it would be impossible for the fleet to transport thei bulk army and not expose itself to Didius's ships.
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If we set up things the right away, we should be able to invade the Narbonese Gaul in a short span of time. – Labienus was saying –
But it’s not a straight way to Italy, as Hirtius will be guarding the area.-
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And he’ll never give up, we can count on that. Loyal to the end for Caesar. – Sextus pointed out –
We need to consider Decimus Brutus too.-
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Varus? – Gnaeus asked –
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Last thing we heard was that Brutus was headed to Rome after suppressing a rebellion in Gaul. If we are lucky he should be out of the province now.-
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But the officers there will follow Hirtius, without hesitation. – Labienus grumbled –
Fast as we may be, we will have to fight Pollio and Hirtus first, and then we would have to contend with the others. – Seeing as not even Varus was challenging him now, he went on –
Vatinius, for instance, he will march the Illyrian legions to Italy to oppose us. And Italy itself is filled with veterans that can be recruited rather easily...-
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By whom? – Gnaeus asked –
Without Caesar, they will fall apart. Antonius, Calvinus, Lepidus, Brutus, none of them have a powerbase that eclipses the rest, and I can't see them sharing power.-
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On who could we count on, Labienus? – Sextus asked, trying to move one –
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Hard to say, most of the Governors are Caesar’s creatures after all.-
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So it depends on how well we do.-
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Yes, Sextus, you can say it that way. Perhaps Caecilius Bassus in Syria might want to listen to us, but he is too far away to matter.-
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And Brutus? – Varus inquired –
He is Governor of Cisalpine Gaul, isn’t he? –
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Brutus? Don’t make me laugh! – Gnaeus shouted –
That cowardly cunnus won’t move a finger unless all the dirty work’s been done. No, we’ll have to find assistance elsewhere. That is why I have a task for you, brother.-
And to Sextus’s surprise, his brother chose to entrust him with the fleet, arguing something along the lines of Scribonius Libo being a useless imbecile. He was now set to sail towards Massalia, the haven of Roman exiles. Perhaps useful friends could be found there…
Pompeius's Theatre, Rome, sometime later
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And thus…- Lepidus stammered, almost incapable of pronouncing the words –
And thus our army was crushed at Munda, Caesar himself finding a glorious death on the frontlines. Most of his legates and tribunes were killed in battle or afterwards, and as I was forced to withdraw the fleet from Carteia and return towards Italy once again. Pompeius holds Hispania now, and it won’t be long before he starts moving.-
Not even the oldest Senators could recall the last time a meeting of the Senate had been so silent. Practically no one inside Pompeius’s Theatre (a cruel irony of the gods that they were to learn of Caesar’s death in said place) could fully grasp the meaning of these words sent by Gaius Didius's fleet, and it took time for Marcus Aemillius Lepidus, Magister Equitum, to resume speaking as he carefully consider the political dilemma set before him.
Unwilling to complete the electoral process before his expected victory in Hispania, Caesar had suspended that year’s elections until his return, leaving Rome without the usual magistrates. Instead of that, Lepidus had taken over as the Magister Equitum, ruling the city with help of a number of mostly anonymous prefects, with the exception of the promising Lucius Munatius Plancus. The problem, which Lepidus and several others grasped very quickly, was that Lepidus’s authority rested on his condition of Magister Equitum, technically defunct as Caesar’s Dictatorship had ended with his untimely death. Without Magistrates, without Magister Equitum, and with the sitting Governors having left their provinces to return or expecting replacements, the Senate had been handed an unviable task, and Lepidus's authority was all but certain.
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I wish to speak, Marcus Aemilius. – Quintus Ligarus, unrepentant republican, was the first to stand up, quickly followed by his friend Favonius and by the Caesarian Calvinus –
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Denied, Quintus Ligarus. –
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On what authority? You are not Magister Equitum, Lepidus! – Favonius shouted –
We must hold elections, I demand that we hold elections! –
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Shut your mouth, Favonius! We don’t need Cato’s bootlicker to tell us what to do! – Marcus Antonius roared –
And naturally, it had descended into anarchy from there, forcing Lepidus to close the meeting as it became impossible to control the Senate. Having being forced to speak to the Senate before he was ready, Lepidus cursed his bad luck at not being able to intercept the message it had spread, forcing him into a rather uneasy position. As the news spread towards the whole city chaos did too, forcing Caesar’s second in command to focus on keeping control and preparing the troops stationed outside to hold the city, rather than using his time to keep Antonius and the rest in line. Plancus was sharp enough to secure Caesar’s will from the Vestals against a screaming and kicking Lucius Gellius Poplicola, but regardless of the will’s contents elections would have to be held.
-Plancus. – He said after commanding a riot in the Subura to be put down –
I will try and gather some individuals for dinner with me tonight, and I need you to attend as well.-
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Interesting. Who will be there?-
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Domitius Calvinus, Decimus Brutus if he can be found, Pansa, Philippus, Calpurnius Piso… and Lucius Caesar too.-
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I will be glad to attend, Marcus Aemilius. In the meantime, I’ll be on my way to check on the riot.-
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Plancus?-
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Yes?-
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Regardless of what happens, Antonius must not learn of this.-
Plancus gave him a complicit smile and took off with the lictors, both he and Lepidus unaware that by that time others were already trying to move their pieces across the board. Antonius was already gathering his friends, and that Gaius Cassius had already sent two very urgent messages, one begging Cicero to return to Rome at the earliest moment possible… and the other to his friend at the Cisalpine Gaul, Marcus Brutus.
Rome was about to become a rather interesting place.