Year 2 · Dispatch 2 from the Forum — Ancient Mediterranean
The Revolving Citadel: Greece (tof tof) Takes Chersonesus from Persia (goldplasma)
Another turn of the wheel in Chersonesus has seen Greece (tof tof) wrest the city from Persia (goldplasma), recording 2 times that sovereignty has been rewritten by force. The granary keys were delivered without ceremony to the arriving centurions. Bakers across Greece baked honey-cakes stamped with the eagle, and the poor ate for nothing. 'Such bold campaigns permanently redraw the maps of the known world,' remarked an envoy in the court of Greece.
Dispatches from the Legions
Whirlwind of War in Miletus: Persia (goldplasma) Ousts Greece (tof tof)
The bloodied soil of Miletus has changed hands 2 times now, falling afresh to Persia (goldplasma) after a determined sally dislodged Greece (tof tof). The defensive ditches were filled with shattered spears and abandoned equipment. Smoke from the campfires at Cilician Strait had been noticed, though few understood its meaning. Sacrificial bulls were led garlanded through the streets of Persia, and the smoke of thanksgiving rose from every altar. 'The omens were good, the roads were dry and the enemy was careless,' noted a camp prefect, ticking them off on his fingers.
Dispatches from the Legions
Ramparts Abandoned: Greece (tof tof) Ejected from Galatia by Persia (goldplasma)
A relentless assault pressed by Persia (goldplasma) has forced the garrison of Greece (tof tof) to abandon its entrenched camp at Galatia. Surviving officers struggled to maintain order among the retreating ranks under a hail of sling-stones. It withdrew to Isauria, abandoning half its baggage on the way. In the council hall of Greece, an old consul wept openly while his colleagues stared at the floor. 'Empires rise like the summer tide and recede like the winter ebb,' noted a visiting philosopher in the agora.
Dispatches from the Legions
The Ascent of Egypt (Mitch Cackers): 2 Cities Gained
The strategic audacity of Egypt (Mitch Cackers) was crowned with success this season, securing 2 new provinces through rapid concentration of force. Banners taken from opposing hosts were dedicated in the chief temple. Fortune-tellers at the crossroads are doing excellent trade; they predict victory for everybody, in turn. 'The surgeons say it was a clean victory, with few wounds to sew,' reported a physician attending the wounded.
Fortune has favored the arms of Rome (MapMaker) beyond all expectation, resulting in the acquisition of 2 provinces in a single sweep. Triumphal arches have been decreed to honor the legates who directed the marches. Auction houses in Rome reported a sudden boom as captured spoils were put up for sale. A scribe in the chancery was heard to remark that the gods have been very consistent in their silence.
Dispatches from the Legions
Defiance at the Gates: Egypt (Mitch Cackers) Beats Off Carthage (Harri) in Leptis
The battlements of Leptis held fast under a furious shower of javelins as Egypt (Mitch Cackers) defied the reinforced hosts of Carthage (Harri). Seasoned defenders met the charge at the palisades, forcing the attackers to sound a retreat. Citizens across Egypt thronged the sacred way, singing hymns of triumph to the gods of war. It is generally agreed that the only undeniable victors of the campaign are the vultures wheeling above the battlefield.
Councils of the Great Powers
Sworn Comrades: Egypt (Mitch Cackers) and Persia (goldplasma) Seal a Mighty League
Mutual pledges between Egypt (Mitch Cackers) and Persia (goldplasma) bore rich fruit this year, as confirmed by 1 joint operation carried out without friction. Neighboring monarchs watch this rising axis of strength with grave apprehension. Wine-sellers on the Via Sacra, never short of gossip, assure us that further protocols of alliance are being inscribed upon bronze tablets. It is observed that heralds on both sides have used the word 'glorious' so often that it has lost two thirds of its value.
Councils of the Great Powers
Sovereign Coalition: Greece (tof tof) and Rome (MapMaker) Stand Side by Side
Gold, grain, and military intelligence flowed freely between Greece (tof tof) and Rome (MapMaker), whose commanders carried out 1 cooperative action during the campaign. The shared resolve of their senates has frustrated every attempt at diplomatic subversion. Foreign magistrates convened emergency councils, weighing how best to navigate the altered balance. Local tavern keepers remark that advancing cohorts and retreating phalanxes possessed an identical thirst for untaxed vintage.
The Ledger of Grain & Silver
Carthage (Harri) counts its gains: 1 city more in the census, 6 centres in all.
Tax rolls of Egypt (Mitch Cackers) lengthen by 2 towns, bringing the total to 8 holdings.
Surveyors in Persia (goldplasma) redraw the map with 1 fresh boundary stone; the realm now counts 7 cities.
Rome (MapMaker) grows by 2 garrisoned cities and boasts 8 cities in all.
Unconfirmed Reports & Street Talk
A freedman who sweeps the senate house says the envoys of Rome and Persia dined alone in the cellar and left laughing.
Notices of the Rostra & Sundry Omens
A pale comet was seen over the eastern hills for three nights in 2; augurs disagree on whether it favours the sword or the plough.
Notices of the Rostra & Sundry Omens
BATH ATTENDANT WANTED at the Baths of Agrippa. Must be strong, discreet and unafraid of hot water. Board and oil provided.
