Maximus nodded and turned around, saying, "Akegu, go imdiately and summon that... the man called Demolius for !"
As he watched Akegu leave the military tent, a thought arose in Maximus’s mind: Although both Quintus and Flanitnus made reasonable argunts, this passive compliance with their demands felt utterly terrible! Perhaps in the future military councils, I should include more civilian officials like Volenus. This way, diverging viewpoints could erge, allowing to make decisions more deliberately...
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Cneius Cornelius Lentulus Crodianus, born into one of Ro’s distinguished families, had a relatively easier task compared to the less privileged Governor Publilius when executing the plan to eradicate the rebel army. His mission required him to rely guard the Ascoli line and wait for Publilius to pursue the rebel army across mountains and rivers into the encirclent. They would then launch a joint attack, utterly annihilate the rebels, and share the glory of victory.
However, when news arrived that Publilius had single-handedly destroyed one faction of the rebel army, Crodianus could no longer sit still. The original agreent was for everyone to act together, yet here was Publilius secretly claiming part of the victory. Now, all of Ro sings praises for your gallantry while scorning as a coward for keeping my troops immobile! And you had the audacity to say those filthy slaves were ferocious and stubborn, causing significant losses to your forces, thus advising not to act recklessly... Do you take for a fool? To watch helplessly as you seize all the remaining battle rits, reducing to a laughingstock of Ro?!
Crodianus was furious, but he did not openly confront Publilius. Instead, he devised a cunning plan: first, send a letter to Publilius, assuring him that he would continue executing the agreed strategy and asking him to rest assured. anwhile, he closely monitored the rebel army’s movents and secretly developed his own independent strategy to annihilate the rebels. Leveraging his status as Governor and the prestigious influence of the Cornelius family, he commanded Brindisi’s fleet to fully cooperate with his actions...
At this mont, as he rode his warhorse advancing with his troops, he was still delighting in the ingenious mariti maneuver executed last night. Although there had been minor hiccups along the way, overall the operation went smoothly. When the rebel army is destroyed, this will surely beco a tale relished by Ro’s citizens, and it will greatly elevate his prestige.
He was even contemplating how to showcase his glorious achievent upon returning to Ro when a reconnoiter reported from the front: "Governor, the rebels have arrayed themselves on the opposite bank of the river!"
The rebels hadn’t fled!... Crodianus’s first reaction was joy. Earlier in Castellum, upon hearing reports from his subordinates that enemy cavalry had been scouting, he had pressed his troops to march faster out of fear the rebels might escape.
Hearing this news, he let out a deep sigh of relief and imdiately issued an order: "Notify the entire army to slow the marching pace!"
"Yes, Governor!"
Crodianus turned to address Bubius: "These rebels are remarkably bold. Do they actually think they can withstand my assault?!"
Crodianus’s staff Bubius responded with disdain: "Governor, lowly n often lack self-awareness. They may believe the Womans River serves as a barrier, forcing us to attack them via that stone bridge, which favors their defense and allows them to endure until their reinforcents arrive... However, while the rebel main force is not particularly formidable in combat, their sheer numbers could pose a significant trouble if they reach us before we’ve crushed this contingent."
"No need to fret; the rebels won’t hold out that long. They will beco my first ripe fruit of victory!" Crodianus said confidently with a grin. He then shouted loudly, "ssenger, go summon Antonius imdiately."
Antonius was this Roman Army’s cavalry commander, a veteran of many years fighting rebellions on the Iberian Peninsula. Despite Ro’s frequent defeats to Sedulius before Pompey’s arrival, Antonius demonstrated comndable battlefield performance. Furthermore, as a client under the patronage of the Croidianus family, Crodianus purposefully transferred him to his own legion as his deputy, hoping Antonius’s considerable war experience could help ensure their victory.
"Antonius, those rebels haven’t fled; they’re stationed on the opposite bank, preparing to resist our attack. Looks like we can proceed with the second plan." Crodianus seed relatively courteous toward Antonius: "I will pin down the enemy downstream at Womans River while you lead the rear troops through the mountain trail, striking at the river segnt that is shallow and easily fordable. How does that sound?"
"I will carry out your orders." Antonius had no objections because he had been involved in drafting this strategy: "I only have one request—hand over all the crossbow cannons to ."
"That, of course, is no problem."
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There were only two bridges spanning the Womans River.
One was a stone bridge, over 30 ters long and 4 ters wide, located to the north of Mateninum City, roughly one mile from the river’s mouth, connecting the coastal road. East of the bridge, the Womans River was deep and muddy, making it unsuitable for wading, while heading further west, the river grew shallower and narrower.
The other was a wooden bridge, less than 20 ters long and 2 ters wide, linking the southern mountain path in the river’s midsection. The river here had a depth reaching only up to the knees, with a gravel riverbed that made it quite easy to wade.
The two bridges were approximately eight miles apart.
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