The Dynasty Wars

The Dynasty Wars
Thanks everyone for all the feed back. I've decieded to go ahead with the story and I will put chapters of the first book in the trilogy on here. So sit back and enjoy!


Prologue (Judea 70 A.D.)

The hot wind of the fire blew across Vespasian's face as he looked at the burning temple. He held his head down as the tears streamed down his face. His son Domitian was dead, killed in the final assult on the The Great Temple, along with 1800 men. The Jews had fought for every inch of the Temple, and Roman blood had spilled, special Roman blood, his beloved son's blood. Vespasian choked back a sob and turned back towards his only son, Titus. Titus stood before him in dented and blood stained armour. His helmet was gone, and a deep gash poured blood across his scalp.
"Father', said Titus reaching out to put a hand on his shoulder.
Vespasian, stopped his son and spoke with a strained voice." It was not your fault, Titus you did all that you could."
Titus turned away from his father and put his face in his hands and wept.
"It was father. I could not reach him, the rebels cut him and his men off, I should have seen that they were luring us into a trap!"
Titus started to sob, his father placed both his hands on his shoulders and turned him towards him.
"Much happens in war that we can not control", said Vespasian sadly " What is important is that you are alive."
"But father he died in my arms!" cried Titus
"Titus YOU ARE ALIVE." Vespasian said powerfully.
Titus lowered his head and his father embraced him. Vespasian let the tears from his son splash upon his shoulder. Titus then let go of his father and looked back at the fire, lost in his own thought. Vespasian heard footsteps approach them. He turned an saw Cassius, head of the 16th Legion standing before him. The big shouldered man with black hair and green eyes gazed at the father and son with pain in his eyes.
"Yes Cassius, " said Vespasian
"We have news from Rome sir." he said in a low voice.
Vespasian noticed the scroll in Cassius hand. He reached for it and broke the seal on it and started to read it by the light of the fire. His eyes went wide at what he read.
"Titus", he called to his son.
Titus snapped out of his thoughts and turned towards his father.
"Yes father wha....", he stopped in mid sentence as he noticed the scroll bearing the symbol of the Senate.
"The Senate has proclaimed Vitellius Caesar, and us outlaws." Vespasian said ruefully.
Anger flashed in Titus's eyes "For Four YEARS we have bled in this gods foresaken place!," he cried, " and now the old men in the Senate have made that FAT BASTARD Vitellius Caesar and US outlaws!"
Titus kicked a stone and let out a yell of rage.
"Titus control yourself'." his father said with an stead voice.
"But father, look at what we have lost!" he cried
"If I may speak, sir", said Cassius
"Yes Cassius?" said Vespasian
"The Titus does have a point. The Senate is foolish to do this. We control the breadbasket of the empire and..."
Vespasian cut him off. " We control nothing. Judea seethes with unrest still. Syria has hundreds of riots breaking out everyday. And Egypt is a full scale revolt. Also Vitellius has all of Galba and Otho's legions under his control a very powerful army."
"Damn Parthians," muttered Titus, "They had not helped fan the flames of this revolt we could have stamped it out long ago!"
"Regardless", said Vespasian, " We have major problems to deal with. Remember the Parthians are gathering a large army and will be marching on Antioch within the month. There will be a day when we will get our revenge on Parthia."
The reality of their sitution hit the three men. Vespasian looked back at the fires that raged through the city of Jerusalem. Soon, he thought to himself, the city will be gone and nothing will be left. Just like the East we must put the revolt down or the East was lost. Everything would be lost, and his son would have died for nothing. I WILL NOT LET THAT HAPPEN!
"Cassius, gather the men let us tell them the words of the Senate." he said in a low cold voice.

Later on that night....

The Legions of the 16, 3, and 4 stood before the great pyres of the dead outside the walls of the burning city of Jerusalem. Many of them openly shed tears as their fallen comrades bodies burned. Included among them was their general and his son. Vespasian rose up from the ground off his knees and turned towards his men.
"My soliders, my sons, my brothers. For four years we have shed blood, fought, and died together. Some of us going back to Britiannnia."
Many of the veterans noded their heads remembering the battles of that far off isle.
Vespasian continued, " I have never been more proud of you all! Men like you, men like my son's, are what is best of Rome! But now my brave soliders I bring ill news."
The soliders listened intensely.
Vespasian raised the scroll from the Senate is his hand before his legions.
"By order of the Senate we have been declared outlaws by the new Caesar Vitellius and his lackeys!"
The legionarys stood in stunned silence at what they had just heard from their general.
"Men we have two choices lad out before us. We can march West and fight, but leave the East to chaos and die in the process of trying to reach Rome. Or we can stay in the East and build a new world a better world free of the foolishness of the Senate. I ask this of you my brave men WE CAN REALIZE A NEW DREAM! If not I will live by whatever you decide I will go by it."
Not a word was spoken as the wind whistled. Suddenly a centurion stepped foward and drew his gladius.
"HAIL VESPASIAN!!!!!!" he shouted
"HAIL VESPASIAN!!!!!!" the legions thundered
"HAIL OUR TRUE CAESAR!!!!!!!!!!"
Soon the chants washed over Vespasian as he wept. Titus placed a hand on his father's shoulder and whispered. "A new world, father, a new world, and a new dynasty."
Vespasin nodded and turned back towards the burning pyre of his dead son and the others.
"A New Empire." he said to himself.
 
Roman Senate Floor 70 A.D.

Vitellius threw down the dispatch in digust, and reached for a cup of wine. So, he thought, Vespasian has beaten the Parthians at Antioch with a smashing victory. To make matters worse the Egyptian revolt was finally put down. He had hoped that the "Great Revolt of The East", as it was being called, would destory Vespasian in the long run letting him pick up the pieces. It would seem that the "Mule Driver" had the favor of the gods. He drunk deeply, and picked up the dispatch again.
"Damn him," he muttered to himself, " he marches east on a great crusade to smash the Parthians."
He rose from his throne, and summoned the senators who waited outside. Five senators walked in averting his gaze flanked by fifthteen of his German guards.
"Well senators it would seem that Vespasian has won at Antioch."
Relief splashed across some of their faces, but they quickly wiped it off. Vitellius glared at them with his pig-like eyes.
"I see that you are releaved?" he said dripping with sarcasm
One senator stepped foward and nodded his head
"Caesar', began Senator Decius, " It is a victory for Rome no the less prehaps we can try to patch the differe......."
Vitellius cut him off with a wave of his hand. " They are rebels and the east is not part of Rome anymore. The West is our destiny."
He clapped his hands and three slaves walked in carrying a huge rolled up map. They lad it out on a great table and Vitellius beckoned the confused senators over to him.
"This is my dream," he began, " for to long we have been tied to the corrupt east. We saw it destroy Caesar, Anthony, and Alexander. No my good senators the west is our destiny."
He stabbed a pugy finger at the land that was across the Rhine River.
"Germania," he said "Germania is or key."
"How?,"said Senator Cato, " it nothing but a land of savages."
Vitellius's German guards grunted at the comment, but a glare from the Caesar stopped them.
"Senator Cato, tommorow I will go before the Senate and propose an invasion of Germania. The tribes that swear loyalty to us will be brought into the Empire and will be given citizenship, and their familes will be aloud to settle in Gaul, as long as their sons and fathers swear to fight in the Legions. The nobles of the tribes will be granted the ranks of Senators and estates in Gaul. The tribes that do not will be wiped out. It is the "Carrot and Stick" method that we will use. Gentleman with in a generation Germaina will be apart of the Empire."
The mouths of the Senators hung open, at what they had just heard.
"YYYYOOOOOUUUU WOULD OFFER CITIZENSHIP TO LONG HAIRED GERMANS!!!!!"sputtered Senator Gracchus
"Senator," Vitellius said coolly, " The Germans given the full benfits of Rome will give the Empire fighters that will give the Legions a sharper edge. With them under our banner the German threat will be gone for good."
Vitellius smiled deep in thought. "With the power of the German's on our side we can conquer alll of Britainnnia, and the lands to the north of Germaina, " he said rubbing his hands together.
Senator Decius glared at Vitellius, anger burning. "Do you not remember the words of the "Divine Augustus" Caesar, Rome must not expand across the Rhine. We all remember the disaster of Varrus."
"These are new time Senator, Varrus be damned."
Vitellius walked away from the table and paced the room the weight of what he had to say next weighing on him.
"Another part of my plans is this, Gentleman. I propose to offer full citzenship to all in the West, and a fair and eqaul tax that is collected every two years. With this the citizen need not fear the taxes and they will know when they are to happen."
"You go to far Vitellius!!!", screamed Gracchus," Remember it is the Senate that gave you the right to rule we can take it from you. This is madness!"
The sound of a sword being pulled from its sheath rang out ,and the impact of a blade hitting flesh echoed in the Senate floor. The Senators glanced at Gracchus as he sank to his knees blood spraying from his neck. A huge armoured German guard stood over him, an amused look on his face. Vitellius patted the German on his shoulder.
"Thank you Henrich."
Vitellius glared at the four remaining Senators, with an icy stare. " The old ways are dead. The sooner you in the Senate start to realize that the better it will be for you," he gestured towards Gracchus's twitching body, "Or you can end up like him."
The Senators lowered their heads, " Yes Caesar."
Vitellius smiled like a cobra, "Excellent gentleman. Now go back to the Senators at let them know of our glorious plan."
The broken men bowed and walked out. Vitellius walked back to his throne lost in his dreams glory and conquest.
 
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Three Months Later

The Siege of Ctesiphon 71 A.D.

Vespasian sat in his chair gazing at the walls of the Parthian captial. For three months his legions had laid siege to it. Every since the epic battle of Antioch they had chased the Parthians back to their captial. Still it stood, despite the rest of the Parthian Empire in the west collapsing everywhere else it stood. Vespasian rose from his chair and stared at the legions camped around the walls. " Over six legions, 30,000 men, and they still fight on despite it all." he muttered to himself.
Vespasian walked back towards his command tent and entered it. Huddling over a table, pouring over maps were his son Titus, and the other generals. The generals nodded their heads as he walked in. Titus motioned to a slave for wine, and pulled his father's chair out for him. Vespasian sat down, and accepted the wine.
"Gentleman, we have reached a tipping point."
General Cassius, of the 16th nodded in agreement. "Caesar, the Parthians despite everything have refused to surrender. Already their are reports of a large army coming from the east to releave the city."
General Constans of the 4th Legion rasied any eyebrow, " Our legions are stretched to the limit as is. We can not hope to maintain the siege and fight this army at the same time Caesar."
Vespasian rubbed the temples of his head nodding. The slight "I do you so" voice dripping from Constans voice. He had argued againts this expedition after Antioch, but Vespasin had not listened to it. Titus glared at Constans, " The Parthian Empire has collapsed in the west, Constan. We can still win."
"Titus", began Constan.
"That is General Titus head of the 6th and 9th legions, Constan," Titus said his anger starting to rise.
Vespasian raised his hand, "Titus, Constans please."
Both men backed down, defering to Caesar. "The blood of the thousands of Romans killed in the "Great Revolt" required revenge Constans. Remember that next time."
Constans sighed and sat down running his hands throught his blue-black hair.
"The key to winning this battle, Caesar is to capture Ctesiphon", began General Decius Nero head of the 7th Legion, "Once we do that the eastern half of the Parthian Empire will start to splitter."
Vespasian agreed with the broad shouldered Nubian, but how?
Suddedly a dust covered messenger came running into the tent. He kneeled before Vespasian, terror on his face.
"Speak, lad what news do you bring."
With trembling lips the messenger began, " Caesar, a large Parthain Army approaches from the east. They are at least, 100,000."
Shocked looks spread across the generals faces.
"How.... did they get here so soon?" Titus asked.
General Constans rose form his chair. "It would seem that are intelligence was wrong."
Vespasian glanced back at the messenger. "How far are they?"
"At least two days away Caesar."
Vespasian let loose a curse, and walked to the entrance of the tent. Two days, he thought to himself, 100,000 men marching on them. Another 35,000 in the captial. We are outnumbered, the odds are impossible. However the Parthian armies were really just mobs their main strength laying in their horsemen. If they could be beaten........
Vespasian turned back towards his generals.
"Get the men ready. We are going to abandon the siege."
His generals looked at him, like wings had just sprung out of his back.
"Abandon the siege father why?" Titus asked.
Vespasian looked at his son, a smile spreading across his face.
"We are going to attack this approaching army."
He beckoned his generals over and told them of his plain.

Two days later.
The Plains Of Ctesiphon (Near Present day Baghdad)

The Eastern Legions, 30,000 men, were arrayed in battle order as the vast Parthian Army approached them. In the Parthian ranks marched a vast block of 70,000 infantry, at their flanks at least 10,000 Parthian horsemen. "Not as bad as we thought." mused Vespasian to himself. Still we are out numbered, but we were outnumbered Antioch and we still won the day.
He looked to his right, and saw the 6th and 9th Legions his son on his black horse sitting tall in his saddle. Vespasian had not wanted his son in this battle, preferring that he had waited with the reserves. Titus refused this and Vespasian heart was filled with pride.
He turned back to the business at hand. It would be here that the Battle for Ctesiphon would be settled. If he broke this army here the Parthian King would have to surrender Ctesiphon. If not then he would have to fight his way back Syria, and that prospect did not thrill him. The 7th and 4th Legions were drawn up on his right flank, under Decius and Constans command. The 8th and 3rd Legions were under his command in the middle. He nodded to his trumpeters, "Sound the attack."
The horns blared as the cohorts of the 8th, and 3rd moved foward towards the Parthians.

General Bassius of the Parthian army smiled in bemusement as the two legions adavnced towards him. "The Romans are fools," he said to his staff arrayed around him," They will be crushed by our cataphracts."
General Shapur shook his head at the foolish boast. "Remember General Pacorus at Antioch." he said with warning.
Bassius venomously glared at Shapur. "Pacorus was a whore-loving fool. I'm no fool."
He turned back towards the advancing Romans. "Carriers. let General Tiridates know they he may have my leave to attack."
The carrirers bowed and lashed their horses towards the general.
Bassius turned back towards the Romans, laughing.

Centurion Flavius Alvius, of the First Cohort, 8th Legion marched in front of his maniple. He peered ahead as the Parthian Cataphracts thundered towards them.
"Men halt!!!!" he barked
The maniple halted, along with the others.
"Ready Pila!!!!!", he yelled again.
The legionaries raised their pila, waiting as the Parthian's thundered towards them closer. Soon they were within 45 yards their armour shimmering, yelling war cries as they rode towards the First Cohort.
"Loose!!!!!"screamed Alvius.
Soon hundreds of Pila sailed towards the Parthians. The sounds of wounded men, and horses cried out as the pila peppered them. Still the Cataphracts charged in.
Two Roman horn blasts sounded in the air, their orders clear to Alvius.
"Draw Gladius, and brace for impact!" he yelled raising his sheild.
In perfect time the legionaries drew their gladius and raised their sheilds. The Parthians slammed into the 8th's cohorts causing the Roman's lines to bend in th middle. A Parthian slashed at Alvius going for his head. He blocked the blow and stabbed at the Parthian's horse. His gladius sunk into the unprotected area near its neck. The horse reared up in pain throwing its rider to the ground. A legionary near Alvius stabbed the Parthian in the neck, finishing him off. Alvius raised his whistle,and blew. The first rank of the maniple rotated to the rear and a fresh line rotated foward attacking the Parthian Horsemen.
Suddenly and arrow sprung up in front of his feet. A legionary fell to the ground dead, an arrow throught his neck. Alvius barked an order for the maniple to form a tesudo. Soon other cohorts, began to form tesudos More arrows began to rain down on the cohorts as the Parthian horse archers loosened their deadly weapons into the hunkered down Romans.

Vespasian watched as the Parthian horsemen and his legions locked in combat. As he suspected the Parthians had used their cataphracts thinking to break the Roman lines, but still his legions held. He beckoned towards a messenger.
"Tell Titus to advance on the Parthian infantry."
"Yes Caesar." the messenger saluted and rode.

Titus watched as his fathers messenger rode towards.
"Sir', the messenger bowing his head, "Caesar has ordered you to attack the Parthian infantry."
Titus nodded and motioned to his staff.
"You all know you assignments. Mars be with you."
They rode off to their postions. Titus drew his sword and nodded towards his tumpeters.
"Adavance!!!!!!!!"
The 6th and 9th Legions rumbled foward.

Bassius watched as his horsemen and the Romans, raged againts each other. He thought that his cataphracts would have torn the Roman lines open, but that had not happened. The legions had been able to contain the attack. He glanced to his right and saw two more Roman legions marching towards his infantry. He spitted on the ground in disgust, the Parthian infantry did not matter to him, the pride was in his horsemen. They would simply overwhelm the Romans. He drank from his winesack amused as the Romans crashed into his infantry.

Titus stabbed a Parthian trooper in the neck, his horse rearing up lashing out with his hooves at another. His men were cutting through the Parthian infantry like butter, but their numbers were being to show there weigh. For every one cut down, two replaced them. Suddenly his horse reared up in pain, an ax sticking out of its chest. He kicked away from the dying animal, and rolled to the ground. A Parthian ran towards him ax raised. Titus blocked the blow with his sheild, and stabbed the Parthian in the stomach. The Parthian collasped to the ground dead. More Parthians, surged foward, his men bending but not breaking. He ran over to his trumpeter and smacked him on the shoulder. "BLOW,BLOW!!!!!", he screamed
The trumpeter raised the horn to his lips and blew the retreat. Soon the call was picked up by the trumpeters of Vesapians legions. The Romans suddenly disengaged from the Parthians, retreating.

"NOW WE HAVE THEM!!!!" Bassius screamed.
Shapur glanced at Bassius, "General something is not right may..."
Bassius cut him off "All infantry and horsemen ADAVANCE!!!!!" he yelled. He drew his sword and thundered towards the Romans his staff riding behind him.
The Parthians surged foward scenting blood.

Vespasian watched as the Parthians rolled like and ocean towards chasing his legions. He drew his sword and glanced at his staff.
"Come on lads, REMEMBER WE ARE ROMANS. ROMA VICTOR!!!!!!"
He rode down towards the battle.

Titus looked behind him, the Parthians chasing after them. They were doing like his father said they would do, chasing after them. He stopped and looked at his trumpeter. "NOW!" he yelled.
The trumpeter, nodded and blew three sharp notes. The clarion call was picked up by the trumpeters of the 9th, 8th, and 3rd. The legions suddenly stopped their retreat and turned to face the Parthians. Like waves upon rock the Parthians slammed into the Romans, causing the lines to bend. The legionaries held as the Parthians surged foward. Decius and Constans legions advanced into the battle attacking the left of the Parthians. Little by little the Parthians were beginning to push the Romans back.

Bassius cut down a Roman, he looked ahead and saw his men pushing the Romans back. He smiled like a wolf.
"Keep ADVANCING!!"
His men surged foward.

Vespasian fought shoulder to shoulder with his men. His horse had been killed under him. He stabbed a Parthian through the neck, the blood spraying across his sheild. All of his legions were engaged now. The Parthian numbers being to wear them down. It had to be now.
One of his archers standing near him.
"Now FIRE the signal!"
The archer pulled out a flint, and struck it to an arrow, its head wrapped up with an oil covered cloth. It lit up and he fired the arrow into the air. The arrow sailed up into the sky and exploded in a green light.

Bassius looked at the exploding arrow, with confusion. "What are they playing at now?", he wondered. He started to charge back into the fight when he heard a thundering sounded coming from the rear. He turned around, and to his horror saw death approaching his army. 10,000 Parthian Cataphracts thundered towards them.

Vespasian smiled, the trap had been sprung. He knew that Vologases, King of Parthia, may try to releave the siege. That is why he had sent dispatchs three weeks ago to satrap Surena to send him 10,000 cataphracts. They had ridden all night around the postion of the Parthian army and were attacking from the rear. He knew that Bassius could be easliy goaded into rushing head long. Now he had the Parthian Army caught between vices, and he was going to crush them.
"Roma Victor!!!!" he shouted and the Romans began to cut into the Parthians.

Bassius locked swords with an enemy Parthian Cataphract. He slashed up, cutting into the cataphracts arm. He rode away from the wounded man trying to see what was happening around him.
"Shapur, were are you!" he cried.
Shapur rode up to him, contempt in his eyes.
"My lord."
"Rally the men!!! We can still win!"
Before Shapur could answer, and arrow slammed into his head killing him instantly. The blood splashed across Bassius face, and he screamed in panic. He raked his spurs into his horse an galloped away from his army. The Parthians, seeing their commander flee, lost their will to fight. Some began to throw down their weapons. Others turn to flee through the gaps that were not closed yet by the trap. The mighty Parthian Army had collapsed.

Vespasian raised his sword in triumph. He let out a roar, that was picked up by his men. The day was theirs.
"HAIL CAESAR!!!! HAIL VESPASIAN!!!" they cried.
Titus rode up towards his father. He lept down from his horse and embraced his father.
"YOU DID IT FATHER!" he cried.
Vespasian looked back towards the battle, that was becoming a route. He looked back towards his son, a light smile across his face.
"WE DID IT, son. All of us did it"

Ctesphion (Four Days Later)

The Legions of the East stood before the walls of city arrayed in parade formation, their armour shinning in the sun. The prosession of the former King of Parthia, made its way towards the center of the vast Roman camp towards its Caesar. Vologases I rode towards the raised dasis flanked by six Roman allied Parthians. His eyes were red-rimmed from weeping and his head hung low. He was a broken man, his empire smashed. He pulled his horse up before the dasis, and looked up at Vespasian seated on it surrounded by his staff, and son. Vologases dismounted and stood before the dasis steps. With a shudder he climbed up the stairs and knelt before Vespasian.
"I," he said in nearflawless Latin,"Vologases I, Shah of Parthia, surrender Ctesphion to you Caesar Vespasian. "
Vespasian nodded to a standard bearer. The solider advance towards Vologases and raised the eagle symbol on the standard towards the broken kings face. Weeping tears of humiliation, Vologases kissed the symbol.
A loud cheer rose up from the ranks of the legions.
"HAIL VESPASIAN!!!!!!!!! HAIL CAESAR!!!"
Titus whispered in his father's ear.
"Crassus, avenged." he chuckled.
Vespasian nodded, and gestured towards two centurions. They picked the broken king of Parthia up and dragged him away. Vespasian rose out of his chair and raised both his arms in the air. The sounds of his mens cheers washing over him.
"The birth of a new empire. The birth of a new Rome." he thought to himself.
Titus, as if reading his mind, walked towards his father and saluted him.
"A new world", he whispered.
 
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