111. Forced out of battle
Chief Centurion? Apis's assumption of this position was a source of ambition for many legionary veterans, on the one hand, Apis did have this qualification, he had won many victories in the past three years, and he had given many clever suggestions to the Roman legions, plus two Romans who had risen from the pile of dead and protected by the gods, all this glory was enough to make this young man the chief centurion. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info but, on the other hand, Appis is indeed too young and inexperienced. Generally speaking, the chief centurion needs at least five years of field combat experience and a certain age to serve the crowd and manage an elite first brigade well. But Appis clearly did not have this aspect, and was very lacking.
"We have been fighting the barbarians on the battlefield for six years, and now we are still an ordinary legionary infantryman, and this Appis, in just three years, has been promoted to the position of chief centurion?"
"The Romans favored by the gods? I don't think he's really protected by the gods, you see when he's fighting, just like us, he's going to be wounded, he's going to bleed, he's going to have pain and sickness. He's just a mortal. ”
"Look at his delicate face, oh my God, he's so young, I can be his father."
On his first day in office, the soldiers in the legion were full of discussions. It was even divided into two factions, one was to support Appis's ascension, and a group of legion veterans who had fought alongside Apis, led by Seklas, were resolutely on Appis's side. But the chief centurion no longer managed just one hundred, but all the hundreds, which meant that the most elite soldiers of the entire legion were under the command of Appis. This rank is actually the rank of the commander of the corps only. After retiring from the army, it was possible to hold certain official positions in Rome, and the descendants of the chief centurion would even become the nobility of Rome. For such an important position, many legionnaire veterans, out of jealousy, out of disobedience, in short, were not so willing to accept the management of Appis, like a child commanding a group of adults, this feeling is very bad. Although the early twenties are actually not too young.
"Appis, do you hear me? They're starting to question your abilities and qualifications again. ”
After his first day of speech, Sekras soon arrived at Appis's new "office", which was twice as large as the one used by Appis, and was well equipped with furnishings and supplies, wine, olive oil, utensils, ceramics, furniture, and tapestries. There are even small quantities of luxuries, such as honey and fish oil.
"It's normal, my age is the biggest problem, it's all people's psychology that is at work, Sekras, assuming you haven't fought alongside me, assuming we haven't been born and died together in the forests of Britain, and the first time I've been on your team, I don't think you'll accept my leadership, will you?"
"It's possible."
Sekras replied.
"We need a battle to prove our worth and our existence."
Appis then said.
"Maybe that's the best way to prove it, but I don't know when the next battle will be?"
Sekras said, and sat down in Appis's seat as a guest, and began to play with all kinds of "novelty" things on Appis's table.
"It should be soon, we have captured the lair of the anti-Roman Gauls, and now, I guess that Viccintoli is on his way back."
"How do you know this? Appis, the information of the legion will pass through Caesar first, and then tell us. Now, there is no movement in the information about the barbarian. ”
"Soon there will be a ......"
Appis didn't tell Sekras why, and even if he did, the veteran wouldn't believe it and wouldn't understand. Caesar circumnavigated most of Gaul and borrowed legions from Pompey to attack the home of the Averni, with the greatest aim of forcing Vicintoli into a frontal battle. and to give the British legions a chance to land and return to Gaul to fight. Therefore, after the capture of the city of Ribris, the legion did not move, which means that Caesar is waiting for the return of Vicintoli's army, just outside the city, here, to fight the battle.
"Well, you've always been that confident, Appis. Still, I'm willing to support you in everything you do, my brother. ”
Sekras said, sitting up from his chair and punching Appis in the chest. This is the embodiment of the most sincere and simple friendship between veterans. In fact, if you don't consider the position of chief centurion, Apis is indeed a veteran in the legion, with three years of field combat experience.
……
"Vicintoli, don't you want your clan? Your people are shedding their blood for you, and you don't come to their aid? Your behavior will only make more people despised, and more people in your tribe will doubt your leadership decisions. While the situation can be restored, hurry back to the tribe, where there are still several towns waiting for us to come to the rescue. ”
In the camp of the Gallic anti-Roman alliance in Normandy, messengers from the Averni arrived from Riblis to report the latest information to Viccintoli, but just when everyone thought they were about to set out for a major battle with the Romans, Vicintoli, the leader of the Gallic anti-Roman alliance, came forward and gave the opposite order.
"No, it was Caesar tricking us into going back and fighting the Roman legions. Fighting with the Romans, we are not their opponents, you have to believe me, I served in the army of the Romans, I know the defensive ability and lethality of their phalanx, our warriors are not professional warriors, most of them are just farmers or hunters, and we do not have an advantage in the battle with the Romans. Caesar captured Ribice in order to lure us back, and we must not let anger get carried away. On the contrary, it is now autumn, and soon, winter will come, and we will only have to hold on here for a short time, until winter comes, and there will be no other tribes to feed the Romans, and the Romans will ......"
"Enough, Vicintoli, it is you who have brought us together, it is you who have united us against Rome. But judging by your performance time and time again, you don't deserve to be the leader. The warriors of Averni need to fight, we have to fight the Romans with a fierce fight, not hide here, and spend the winter with them, our town has been overrun by that nouveau riche, if you are not willing to go back and fight the Roman dog head-on, I will lead my own people, back to Ribris, and defeat the Romans. ”
At the tribal councils in the autumn, the words of Vicintoli were no longer sought after and supported, and the Gauls, perhaps as Caesar put it, were still relatively simple-minded and scheming even less than the more barbarous Germanic people of the north. Vicintoli was one of the best of the Gallic tribes, but his ideas were often incomprehensible to the Gauls of his time.
In the end, at this impromptu tribal assembly, Vicintoli, as the leader of the anti-Roman alliance, was unable to convince the elders. For the first time, the Gallic coalition was pulled back inland, and the first major battle with the Roman legions was about to break out.