Chapter 48: Rome Sends Troops Again

Chapter 48: Rome Sends Troops Again

This method of judgment was rather simple but at least better than the previous Spartan Citizens’ Assembly (the Spartan Citizens’ Assembly or Ecclesia where proposals were decided based on the loudness of citizens’ shouts). Moreover, most of the soldiers raised their hands, so there was no need for further counting. After all, the testimonies of the two injured soldiers had made them aware of the significance of these women in the uprising.

“More than half of our brothers believe that they should be punished. According to the proposal of the leader of the logistics team, Maximus, they should be publicly flogged!” Spartacus said with a dignified expression.

When Maximus initially proposed forming a medical team, Spartacus didn’t find it particularly novel since the Roman army also had similar medical teams. However, he hadn’t expected Maximus to have the women take care of the wounded soldiers. The effectiveness of their arguments had been evident during the defense just now, causing Spartacus, who hadn’t paid much attention to the harassment of women in the uprising, to now attach great importance to it. He breathed a sigh of relief at the verdict and instinctively glanced at Maximus on the side. This young man, once considered a traitor, always managed to surprise him! The outcome of the Soldier’s Assembly made the women of the logistics team cheer and rejoice. They knew that everything would be different from now on!

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Under the initiative of the consuls, the Roman Senate convened a meeting. Over 500 senators took their seats in their designated positions. This year’s two Consuls stood in the center of the assembly hall, with seven Praetors seated behind them (it should have been eight, but Glaber was absent).

Consul Marcus Terentius Varro Lucullus was the military leader under the dictator Sulla and the younger brother of Lucius Licinius Lucullus, who served as consul the previous year. After his term as consul ended, Lucius Licinius Lucullus went to Asia Minor to serve as the governor of the province. Even though he was not in Rome, Varro Lucullus was still elected as this year’s consul. This clearly showed Lucius Licinius Lucullus’ influence within the Sulla’s faction.

However, even though Varro Lucullus relied on his brother to ascend to power, he himself had fought in Asia Minor for many years and had achieved considerable military merits. His abilities were not weak, and many senators accepted his election.

Standing tall, Varro Lucullus surveyed the assembly hall and spoke in a solemn voice, “I have just received a report that the army led by Glaber suffered a disastrous defeat at Vesuvius. He himself perished, and more than half of the soldiers were killed or injured. The suppression of those gladiators has failed. Therefore, I propose the formation of another army to swiftly crush those rebellious slaves!”

Upon hearing the news of the Roman army’s disastrous defeat, a small commotion arose from the back of the assembly hall. After all, the Campania region was close to Rome, with pleasant weather and fertile land. Many senators owned farms and villas there, so they were constantly aware of the situation and had already received the news.

The other consul, Gaius Cassius Longinus, seemed to have coordinated with Varro in advance. He immediately responded, “I agree with Varro’s proposal. We must dispatch an army as soon as possible to suppress the rebellion and restore peace in Campania!”

In the end, the majority of senators chose Praetor Publius Varinius. Compared to other praetors, his experience of fighting alongside Sulla in Asia Minor was a significant factor that favored him among the senators.

As the meeting concluded, the senators began to leave one by one.

“Crassus! Crassus! Wait for me!” After leaving the Senate, a middle-aged man hurriedly shouted.

Accompanied by his call, one of the senators who was descending the steps halted and turned around.

This man had a tall stature, a square face, a broad forehead, a high nose bridge, thick eyebrows, and big eyes. His gaze was sharp, and somewhat intimidating, but the smile on his face added a touch of affability.

He was Praetor Marcus Licinius Crassus, the wealthiest man in Rome.

When he saw the person calling out to him, his smile grew wider. “Sulla, why are you shouting so urgently? Is there something you need?”

Publius Cornelius Sulla was the nephew of the dictator Sulla. During Sulla’s occupation of Rome and the purge of his political enemies, this man had closely cooperated with Crassus and gained a substantial amount of wealth. Therefore, their relationship was quite close.

Young Sulla hurriedly approached Crassus, grabbing his arm and speaking in a low voice. “Inside just now, why didn’t you volunteer like the others to lead the army? This is a great opportunity to win glory! In terms of military capabilities, Varinius can’t compare to you.”