Chapter 407: The Centurion

Throughout the last 400 years, the Roman Republic had gradually cemented itself as a hegemony, occupying a vast territory. 

They had tremendously expanded from a mere average city of 3 square miles into a superpower that conquered 720.000 square miles worth of land, stretching from Europe to the Asian and African continent.

To achieve glory in the society the Romans lived in, every citizen had to excel in matters regarding the battlefield. 

One of those citizen was a young man named Julian Kaesar.

After his return from the Magus Academy, Julian swiftly made his way back to the legion he was stationed in. 

The legion was commanded by a man called Manius Aquillius and they were deployed to hold the post in the Anatolian peninsula, located east of Rome, also known as Asia Minor.

He returned to his position of centurion in one of the centuries of the 5th cohort, where Julian was given the authority to lead 80 legionnaires

Julian spent his first few months putting the knowledge he acquired from the academy into practice. The knowledge mainly came from the Path of Command he learned at the academy and the things he was taught from the Harlight family.

The 10 conterbenium, each consisting of 8 men, were all taught and prepared by Julian in the art of combat, strategy and survival. Also, the most important thing he tried to instill in them was to put absolute trust in their commander and the compatriot that fought next to them. 

In just a few months, Julian had succeeded in achieving the vision he had set for the legionnaires he led. He, together with his men, had received an exemplary recognition that allowed his whole century to be upgraded into the first cohort and turned into a century the size of 160 legionnaires; with it was the direct access to the legatus himself.

At this point of time, Julian had earned his place among the elites of the Roman army with his own prowess. He even started acquaintance with some of the local officials that he believed would help him increase his career further.

Then, finally, the long-expected war of the Anatolian peninsula broke out.

The situation in the peninsula was divided into two sides. The Romans' controlled cities on the western side were joined by Bithynia and Capadocia as allies. Meanwhile, the opposite side were the coalition army of Pontus and Armenian.

The origin of the war started when the Pontus King, Mithridates the Sixth, destroyed the Roman's ally Capadocia and killed its king.

The Roman Republic only had one legion of 6000 legionnaires in the area. When the war started,  two auxiliaries were quickly raised and; added with the Bithynia army, the total number stationed for this war was 70,000 men. However, despite the already massive number, the other side had nearly 200.000 people under them.

The war that started to be called 'Mithridates War' suddenly turned one sided, where the Roman side was the one badly beaten. It was also at this time that Julian learned about his country's inflated arrogance as well as limitations.

In just the first few weeks, Roman's ally, the Bithynia, was crushed by the coalition army with a death toll reaching a staggering 30.000 men.

Now that the situation had turned into a five against one battle, the Roman then finally became wary. A message containing a request for more legionnaire reinforcement was sent to the capital, but alas, no reply would be soon enough to change the outcome of what was coming.

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Julian along with the other 6000 legionaries was threatened to be surrounded by the coalition as the latter made their way to the west.

Manius Aquillius, the legatus and supreme commander of the legion, decided to hold his stand and fight against the incoming enemy, despite the many suggestions of retreating. 

Julian was invited to the strategy meeting. He saw for himself how the legatus decided to keep fighting, even when facing imminent defeat. It was both a display of pure bravery and foolishness.  Unfortunately, as a soldier, he can only accept the decision.

In the end, the whole legion stood against the waves of the coalition army.

"Hold the line!!!" 

An order loudly resounded in the air as the legionnaires marched toward the enemy.

Julian, He himself had no fear for this battle, With his battle power and the [Stone Skin] that he cast under his armor, he was completely impervious to anything. None of the enemy's swords, arrows, or even javelin could injure him.

The young centurion stands in the front, with sword and shield leading his men into battle. At that battle, Julian once again made a name for himself.

However, he also saw all those men he trained, the people he got acquainted with, fall to their death one by one. 

The battlefield was littered with blood and countless bodies. It was a massacre.

Eventually, the battle was lost when the main cohort was destroyed and the Roman legatus was captured.

Julian tried to save as many legionnaires as he could while retreating. However, the coalition army made sure to keep chasing those who fled until whoever left retreated to the island of Rhodos across this sea. 

What was left of the legion can only accept the news of the loss of all the auxiliaries army, as well as the news on how their legatus was given a death sentence by pouring molten gold down his throat.

When Julian thought it can't be worse, King Mithridates the sixth, who wasn't satisfied with only chasing out all the Roman soldiers, ordered the eradication of all Romans and Italics civilians that had been residing on the western territory of Minor Asia. 

The war ended with a death toll of 100.000 men from both sides, as well as the 100.000 Romans and Italic civilians. This event became later known as the first genocide in the history of humankind, labeled as the Asiatic Vespers.

In the end, this defeat and the brutality of war created a permanent mark in Julian's mind and heart.

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