Rome Must Perish
Chapter 112 - 90: Capturing Sarabia_2

Chapter 112: Chapter 90: Capturing Sarabia_2

At that moment, someone stepped forward and told the crowd that he had found another way to escape the city. Since the enemy was busy looting after entering the city, the breach in the east wall was unguarded. They could reach there through secluded alleys and then escape.

The Canossa people saw hope and immediately took action. As he said, they successfully escaped outside the city, but were soon discovered by the enemy who entered the city afterward, forcing them to flee desperately eastward along the riverbank...

With the enemy constantly trailing behind, the Canossa people fled day and night. They passed through a village in Canne, once the place where Hannibal from Carthage annihilated eighty thousand Roman Army soldiers. Hearing of the rebel army’s arrival, the villagers fled with them. The fleeing group grew larger but was never caught by the enemy. When they reached the mouth of the Ophidus River, the enemy finally gave up the pursuit and retreated...

The fortunate Canossa people were not cheering. Exhausted and hungry, they urgently needed a place to rest. Not far from the river mouth was a large town closely connected with Canosa — it was Sarabia.

Sarabia was the second largest port town in the Apulia region after Bari, but in fact, its geographical location was far superior to Bari.

To the east was the Adriatic Sea, and to the south, the Ophidus River. Inland towns near the river, like Canosa, transported grain to Sarabia by river, selling it through maritime trade. To the north lay a large lake with navigable waterways, reaching another coastal town to the north — Sipotum, enabling merchant ships to conveniently transport a variety of fruits and premium sheep from the Galgano Peninsula to Sarabia, and further selling them throughout the Mediterranean. Moreover, Sarabia had a coastal road directly connecting to Bari to the south... Hence, Sarabia was a key hub for both land and water transportation in the Apulia region.

The fleeing Canossa people crossed the floating bridge at the mouth of the Ophidus River and arrived under Sarabia City.

The Canossa people who had previously escaped by boat had already entered Sarabia City, informing the Sarabian of Canosa City’s fall. After confirming there was no trace of the rebel army nearby, the Sarabian warmly welcomed the fleeing Canossa people into the city. However, due to the large number of refugees and their haste, Sarabia could only temporarily settle them in the square.

Late at night, when the Sarabian were all in dreamland, the rebel soldiers embedded among the refugees began to take action.

They were a hundred elite soldiers from the first and second divisions of Maximus, hailing from Ladim and Campania, and accompanied by some elderly, women, and children from the logistics department, enabling them to easily pass unnoticed.

At this time, they drew out short swords hidden in their luggage and, guided by their team officer, followed the route scouted during the day straight to the south city gate of Sarabia.

Although discovered by patrols that were added due to the rebel army’s invasion, the swift actions of the rebel soldiers quickly eliminated the few City Guards, opened the city gate, and held their ground at the gate.

Having feigned retreat during the day, the Maximus Army quietly returned at night and ambushed outside the city, rushing to the city gate upon receiving the signal.

Meanwhile, the Sarabia City Guard, hastily summoned, arrived near the south city gate only to encounter fierce attacks from the rebel army, and quickly crumbled.

After the rebel army entered the city, they did not rush to capture the entire city. Instead, they quickly split their forces, with one group seizing the Governor Mansion first, another group hurrying to blockade the port and prohibit ships from entering or leaving, and a few soldiers securing each city gate.

Initially, there was some resistance within the city, but the Sarabian, having lived in peace for a long time, lacked fighting spirit. As the subsequent rebel forces entered the city, the fighting quickly subsided.

Once Maximus saw the army occupying the entire city, he dispatched soldiers to shout down each alleyway, ordering the Sarabian to stay indoors and not wander outside. Any violations would be immediately executed.

The terrified and uneasy Sarabian obediently followed the orders.

Maximus also sent a brigade to surround the square, quelling the disturbance among the Canossa refugees camped there with force.

By this point, the entire Sarabia City had returned to tranquility and order.

By morning, after a brief rest, the rebel soldiers had a simple breakfast. Maximus gave further orders: for the first and second brigades to launch an attack on Sarabia’s affluent district.

The Sarabian nobles and rich people, hidden in their mansions, only then realized they had been deceived. Hastily organizing their servants for resistance, how could they ever be a match for the rebel soldiers? Before long, one by one, the luxurious houses were breached, with the nobles either captured or killed, almost none escaped.

Regardless, they would ultimately be executed, their heads hung in the square, with notices below detailing their crimes. For any city noble of this era in Italy, they were invariably guilty of one among the three major sins: land seizure, oppression of the poor, or slave abuse.

Initially, Maximus might have harbored some mercy upon arriving in this era. However, after more than half a year of tempering, now a leader of thousands, responsible for their lives and deaths, he approached matters more rationally and coldly, weighing pros and cons first.

He knew well that the friends of the rebel army were the suffering slaves (not all slaves, as many would desperately protect their masters) and the landless, resentful impoverished Italians. The high-standing nobles and unscrupulous rich were the enemies of the rebel army. Exposing their crimes and executing them would not only boost morale but also attract more slaves and landless impoverished people to join the ranks.

Additionally, the Maximus Army currently did not produce, and the consumption of nearly ten thousand people was enormous. How to replenish supplies?

Of course, mainly through plundering, but why plunder from the less wealthy mass of civilians, risking resistance, when one could eliminate the wealth-laden, despised nobles and directly claim their assets? Maximus had reaped such benefits during his time in Pompey.

Furthermore, there was another advantage. Though Sarabia’s nobles did not own large estates, they were not short of slaves, family tutors, personal maids, chefs, gardeners, coachmen, carpenters, accountants, stewards... A wealthy noble generally maintained numerous slaves with various skills to meet household and social needs.

Moreover, many Sarabian nobles engaged in commerce and certain industries, thus possessing slaves with specific handicraft skills, referred to Maximus was searching for.

These slaves differed from serfs living in harsh conditions. Their lives were relatively privileged, and many had close relationships with their masters, lacking a sense of rebellion. Now, Maximus’ attitude towards these skilled slaves was to incorporate them all into the army, regardless of willingness, unlike in the beginning when he adhered to volunteerism. He believed that in this revolutionary crucible, they would eventually assimilate.

Under the concentrated attacks of the rebel army, the fight against the Sarabia nobles concluded swiftly.

Flanitnus arrived at the Governor Mansion to report the battle situation to Maximus: "...In the first and second divisions, there were two deaths, four seriously wounded, and 13 lightly injured... During last night’s battle, we had no soldier deaths but 24 injuries."

"It seems those henchmen kept by the wealthy are even fiercer than the town’s Guard." A trace of severity flashed in Maximus’ eyes. "As for those lapdogs daring to resist, they are to be executed just like those wealthy, leaving none alive!"

"Yes." Flanitnus nodded, now with much more respect towards Maximus than before, and added, "We have confiscated a large amount of materials from these wealthy mansions, already sealed, just waiting for you, leader, to dispatch someone for inspection—"