Rome Must Fall

Although Oenomaus’ idea was somewhat naive, given the chaotic situation in the northern region of Mount Vesuvius caused by the rebel army, the nearby Via Annia had become desolate. It was nearly impossible to encounter a fortunate situation like before. However, the issue he raised was indeed the primary concern for everyone: it had been a month since they escaped from Capua, and their forces had swelled to nearly 5,000 people. Yet, only less than 500 individuals had simple weapons (such as wooden shields, short swords, or spears).

During this period, everyone had come up with many ideas but was unable to overcome the dilemma of the weapon shortage.

After a moment of silence, Spartacus spoke in a deep voice, “Oenomaus’ suggestion is not bad. We can have Omarkel send his men to give it a try. However, our main focus should be on intensifying the training of our brothers starting tomorrow, to quickly enhance their combat abilities. Only then can we defeat and seize the weapons and equipment of the Roman army when they arrive! If they don’t come for the time being, we can’t foolishly wait for them to gather a large army to besiege us. We must take the initiative to attack small towns like Pompeii, seize their armories, and equip our brothers. This is the only way we can have a chance against the Roman army.”

Whether defeating the Roman army or capturing cities, both would be difficult. But everyone realized that the rebel army had no other choice. In the end, they all expressed their agreement.

After the meeting, Hamilcar gathered all the members of the Logistics Team in the courtyard and announced that Maximus would be their new leader.

As soon as the announcement was made, cheers erupted from all around, and some even applauded vigorously.

Hamilcar turned to Maximus and said, “We made the right decision. It seems everyone is eager to have you as their leader.”

“That’s because of your full support, Teacher, and selflessly teaching me many things these days!” Maximus said sincerely. After assisting Hamilcar in his work and frequently seeking his advice, Maximus began calling him “Teacher.” Initially, Hamilcar was uncomfortable with it, but Maximus persisted, and eventually, Hamilcar accepted it silently. As a result, he also grew to trust Maximus and often allowed him to take charge. It was one of the main reasons why he proactively recommended Maximus to Spartacus.

“It’s all for the sake of our team. I entrust the Logistics Team to you. You must manage it well and avoid any mishaps!” Hamilcar earnestly advised. “If you encounter any difficulties that you can’t solve, feel free to come to me. We will discuss and find a solution together.”

Maximus immediately took the opportunity and said, “Teacher, I have a problem right now and I hope to have your support.”

“You’re quite shameless, brat,” Hamilcar scolded, but he wasn’t truly angry. After spending time together in the team, he had grown accustomed to the young man’s thick skin. “Go ahead, what’s the difficult problem?”

“The Logistics Team is short-staffed!” Maximus hurriedly explained, afraid that Hamilcar would object. “Although the number of people in the team seems substantial now, with nearly 200 people, and it’s increasing every day, you should know what kind of people they are. There are over 50 women, more than 30 elderly individuals over 40 years old, and over 20 children. Although there are still over 80 adult men, they are either frail or sickly… In short, most of the additional manpower for the team is the old, weak, sick, or disabled——”

“You should be aware that the Roman army may attack at any time, and our newly joined slave brothers will of course be incorporated into the major teams first. Now is not the time to prioritize the Logistics Team!” Hamilcar finally interrupted him, reminding him.

“I understand that, but when Spartacus and others are in battle, the Logistics Team needs to be there as well. It may not be apparent during the routine activities of seizing farms or collecting food, but during the entire battle, the Logistics Team members will struggle to adapt to the intense battle. They won’t be able to fulfill their roles and may become a burden instead!”

Maximus spoke earnestly, having considered this issue for a while. He even preemptively countered Hamilcar’s possible remedies: “Even if we assign combat troops to assist the Logistics Team during battles, they’re unfamiliar with the Logistics Team. It will only create confusion. They may not even follow commands, and if they abandon the team during critical moments to engage in combat, it will put the team in danger… Therefore, it’s best to allocate some of the strong slave brothers to the Logistics Team!”

After hearing Maximus’s words, Hamilcar’s expression also turned serious. He pondered for a while before saying, “Alright, I will mention this to Spartacus first. You’re now the leader of the Logistics Team and can participate in the Military Commanders Assembly. When we all gather next time, you can bring up this matter for discussion. But even if it’s approved, the number of personnel assigned to the team won’t be significant.”

“Having some will do,” Maximus replied with a smile.

“Are there any other difficult problems?” Hamilcar blinked.

“Not for now,” Maximus replied with a smile. In fact, he had other suggestions, but he knew he had to take it one step at a time.

Looking at Hamilcar’s departing figure, Maximus clenched his fists with excitement.

His diligent efforts during this past month had not been in vain. He had finally become the leader of the Logistics Team! Although it was partly due to his ability to read and do arithmetic, as well as the lack of competition from other gladiators involved in the rebellion within the Logistics Team, his demonstrated capabilities were also evident. Otherwise, even with Hamilcar’s recommendation, he wouldn’t have been approved during the assembly. In the eyes of those gladiators who only knew how to fight fiercely, the Logistics Team was where the weaklings belonged. However, when Spartacus appointed Hamilcar as the leader of the team and allowed him to participate in the Military Commanders Assembly to discuss military affairs, Maximus realized that joining the Logistics Team and becoming its leader was undoubtedly the best choice for a young man like him, who lacked prestige and a tainted reputation among the gladiators. It was just surprising how quickly he achieved his goal, even beyond his own expectations.

Just as he was feeling excited, someone approached him with a smile on their face and said, “Captain Maximus, now that you have become the leader of our team, should we celebrate?”

Maximus looked at her.

This woman in her 30s was named Agnes, from Egypt. Her family had become slaves due to heavy debts and was sold to a large farm in the Vesuvius region. Her husband was assigned to work in the fields, while she became a cook. Two years ago, her eldest daughter was forcibly taken into the farm overseer’s house. After becoming pregnant, she was abandoned like worn-out shoes, eventually dying in childbirth. The grieving couple hastily buried her, but they didn’t dare show the slightest hint of resentment towards the farm overseer. Not long after, her husband passed away in sorrow. Agnes endured the pain and carefully guarded her other underage daughter, fearing that she would be harmed too. These past two years had been filled with constant worry for her. Thanks to the rebel army breaking into the farm and killing the resisting overseer on the spot, she was the first among the farm slaves to actively join the rebels. She even took a butcher’s knife and hacked the overseer’s body to vent her anger…

As the number of personnel in the Logistics Team grew, Hamilcar wanted to appoint a leader to manage the kitchen. He originally had another male slave in mind, but Maximus strongly recommended Agnes to him. Because of his frequent work with the Logistics Team members, Maximus had discovered that Agnes, despite being a woman, was bold and efficient in her work. She had a commanding influence among the group of people working in the kitchen. Maximus, coming from the modern society, didn’t hold the same discriminatory views towards women as the era he found himself in. Under his insistence, Agnes became the first female leader in the uprising team.

Maximus himself didn’t have the habit of doing good deeds anonymously. Instead, he made sure his contributions were known to others, and as a result, he earned Agnes’ gratitude.

With a serious expression, Maximus said to Agnes, “Thank you for your kindness, but now is not the time for celebration. We must first do our tasks well and prove to our brothers fighting outside that Spartacus’ decision to make me the leader is the right one.