"That's the point, Tiberius, and in the future, you have to pay attention to that, and you have to change the way Rome is doing now. can live on top, not all the villains who will only tend to be inflammatory. The more power you have, the more you will confuse your heart. ”

Apis said with a smile.

Tertila brought a platter of fruits, and looked at Tiberius with great affection.

In the dark, Apis also felt a kind of calling, the Roman Empire will henceforth stand on the western continent, spreading its light and culture to the dark corners, spreading to the north of Europe, to the west of Asia, Paris, Lentinium, Efes, Corinth, Palmyra and a series of cities will rise. The Empire's road network would be like a vessel, transporting nourishment to Rome, the heart of the Empire. This eternal city will shine endlessly in the history of mankind.

After the wedding to Nevia, Tiberius's career began to be smooth sailing. Under the manipulation and arrangement of Appis, Tiberius entered the Senate and became the youngest member of the Roman Senate.

Apis gradually shared some things that had nothing to do with the overall situation to Tiberius, but like the absolute power of the Praetorian Guard, Apis still firmly grasped it in his own hands. After all, no one is infallible, and in the face of power and wealth, biological father and son will turn against each other, not to mention that Apis and Tiberius have no real blood relationship.

"Tiberius, what was the driving force behind Rome's development?"

Rome flourished again, and Appis, who had reached middle age, was bald and sat in his villa with Tiberius chatting. His gaze was peaceful, while Tiberius on the other side was full of the vigor of a young man and an endless yearning for the future.

"War, plunder? Taxation? Agricultural harvest or trade? ”

In the afterglow of the setting sun, Tiberius was clearly ill-prepared for Appis's question, and he replied hastily, but his words were full of uncertainty and uncertainty.

"You're only half right. My son, war was indeed one of the driving forces of Rome's development, but it was not the whole story. Rome's long-term development could not be achieved by war alone. Wars cost enormous, and not every war was won by Rome. The land that can be conquered is also limited, and the problem of governing and managing after conquest is even more troublesome. If there are constant rebellions in the area after the conquest, the conquest will outweigh the losses, and a large number of legions will have to be sent to the local area, and the surge in army costs will bring down the national finances. ”

Sitting in an ivory chair, Appis said slowly. This picture seems to be like Aristotle educating Alexander, but Apis knows that he is not Aristotle, Tiberius is not Alexander, and the empire is too large to keep up, and it will soon be divided.

"For Rome to develop in the long run, the central government must have an independent source of revenue to support the necessary expenditures. Taxation is part of it, trade is part of it, but it is not enough, with the advent of the era of peace, the population of the empire will surge, at this time, the number of officials and government agencies at all levels will increase, and without the benefits of war, one day Rome will be in a dilemma of making ends meet. At this time, it is necessary to monopolize some high-profit industries to obtain a stable income. ”

Tiberius listened attentively as Apis sat in an ivory chair decorated with jewels and gold.

"Salt, wine, and iron smelting, for example, are essential trades that can be slowly acquired and turned into state property, and in the future, these industries will provide a steady stream of wealth to the central government, so that they will be able to sustain the necessary expenses of the empire. But remember, Tiberius, cut any government spending, never cut armament spending. The army is fundamental. Also, if mass entertainment reaches the point of necessity one day, it must be cut, and it must not be cut off a cliff, and the people must be given a stage of adaptation. The people are accustomed to enjoying this kind of government welfare, and if they are all cut at once, the people are easily dissatisfied, and when the time comes, the people's emotions will converge, and it is easy to cause political instability. After all, there are people with ulterior motives who will take advantage of this 'opportunity'. ”

"Well, I remember."

When Appis finished speaking, Tiberius took out a quill and wrote it down briefly on papyrus.

In the sparse sound of a quill, Appis turned his head to look into the distance, and the setting sun gradually set over the distant mountains, dyeing the whole sky a fiery red, and under this canopy of heaven was a great and prosperous city of Rome. The experience of this city is somewhat similar to my own, full of ups and downs, misfortunes, dark moments, bright hopes, and finally glory.

…………

A few years later, the Colosseum was finally built, a sprawling project that took ten years to watch, and Appis watched as it was built day by day, until it became the tallest building in Rome. A symbol of the empire's endless glory. In order to leave something for himself, Apis named the Colosseum the Amphitheater.

On the day of the opening of the Arena, the crowd stretched from the outer square of the Arena to the Arc de Triomphe, and almost half of the people of Rome came to visit this great and ornate building and watch the fighting and athletic games held inside. It's incredible.

Sitting on the throne of the emperor, watching the gladiatorial competition in the sand pool of the arena, in the atmosphere of frenzy and noise, Appis suddenly recalled that distant time, he seemed to see the Aduneus in the audience with a short sword and heavy shield, fighting with a group of sword fighting slaves. Young Octavia, draped in a white scarf, sat in the stands of the nobility, watching the gladiator named Aduneus fight with hordes of slaves. Her eyes are full of anticipation and girlish beauty.

……

Over the course of a few years, countless roads were repaired, new roads were built, and new cities were erected. Corinth became the most important port in Greece, where goods and goods from the Balkans gathered and eventually flowed into Rome. Durga (Carthage) was rebuilt to become the most important port on the southern shore of the Western Mediterranean. In the East, a new city is emerging, located in the northern Balkans, guarding the passage from the Mediterranean Sea to the Black Sea. The city is now known as Byzantium, which later became known as Justaninople.

Subsequently, the conquest of Dacia was also on the daily agenda, and various military programs flooded the administrative residence of Apis on a daily basis. In order to train Tiberius, Apis gave Tiberius full authority to deal with the matter, and sent Publius, an old general, to assist him in preparing for the conquest of Dacia.

Appis, on the other hand, spends most of his time with Tertilla.

lived a calm and peaceful life on the estate......

(End of the play)