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Chapter 38: The Sins of Rome
A centurion of a Roman legion who had been a soldier for many years! Maximuss eyes lit up, and a surge of excitement rose in his heart. He wiped the remnants of wine from his mouth with his hand and confidently said, I can answer your concerns right now!
With that, he turned and walked towards the center of the courtyard, shouting, Everyone, please calm down for a moment. I have something to say to all of you!
The courtyard gradually regained its quietness as the people who were singing and dancing stepped aside. Everyones gaze focused on Maximus standing in the center, which showed his current prestige in the logistics team.
My brothers and sisters! Maximus scanned the surroundings and spoke loudly, Someone just told me, The Roman army is incredibly powerful. They have defeated many city-states and kingdoms in the Mediterranean. Our small and weak force composed of slaves, even if we achieve one or two victories, will ultimately be annihilated by them. Many of you also have such thoughts, right?!
Some people immediately exclaimed, No, no, we are not afraid of the Romans!
Captain, tell us who said such pessimistic words?!
Some people remained silent.
Some nervous slave soldiers looked at Maximus, wondering in hushed voices, What does he want to do?!
Dont worry, lets see what happens first, Frontinus calmly reassured them.
Maximus waved his right hand forcefully and said resoundingly: I can tell you very confidently that although we are weak now, we will soon become powerful. Although Rome is powerful now, they will gradually march towards destruction!
Why? He softened his tone slightly and continued: Many of you are from Illyria, Iberia, Greece, Asia Minor, Egypt, Gaul and most of you became slaves because of Rome.
To obtain huge wealth from its provinces and client states, Rome sends tax collectors who impose very high taxes. The local officials then pass most of these taxes onto the ordinary civilians. These ordinary civilians cannot afford the taxes, so they have to borrow. It is said that these Roman tax collectors are the ultimate beneficiaries of provincial debts, so the interest is very high. Ordinary civilians who cannot repay their debts end up with destroyed families and enslaved
Some people led by Agnes showed sadness and began sobbing softly
Rome also wants more land and slaves, so they frequently deploy armies and invade other territories. Gaul, Iberia, Asia Minor, Thrace Many tribes and city-states have been conquered by Rome, and the people who once lived there freely have become slaves of Rome
Some people around, led by Pigres, clenched their fists, their faces filled with resentment
Rome continuously loots wealth, land, and population from various parts of the Mediterranean and brings it back to Italy. But tell me, did the lives of the Italian people become prosperous because of this? Are they living happily?! Maximus asked loudly.
The slave soldiers looked at each other, remaining silent.
Cornelius and others unconsciously shook their heads, while Vorenus and others responded loudly, No! No!
Why not?! Maximus asked, raising his voice.
Vorenus stammered, unsure of how to answer, and the others remained silent.
I will tell you why! Maximus looked at the crowd with a serious expression. Indeed, in recent years, Rome extended citizenship to the entire Italy. All Italians no longer have to pay direct taxes. The soldiers who go to war and win can receive some spoils, and even when they retire, they can receive a small land
But in Italy, the number of bankrupted, landless civilians without a home is increasing every year. They either become vagrants, surviving on free bread, or they become slaves, working for the elites like cattle and sheep. I believe some of you have experienced such tragic situations.
Why is this the result?! Thats because the senators and patricians of Rome have the power, they possess the majority of the looted wealth, but they are still not satisfied with it. They have vast lands and countless cheap slaves, allowing their farms to produce agricultural products at very low costs, making it impossible for ordinary civilians to sell the food they have worked hard to cultivate for a year. Without money from selling the crops, they cannot live better lives, so they have no choice but to borrow money!
And the lenders are often the elites of Rome. They have enormous wealth, but the interest rates they charge on loans are shockingly high. In the end, the ordinary civilians of Italy suffer the same fate as the ordinary civilians in other parts of the Mediterranean: they take away your land, making you their slaves, forcing you to continue working for them. How tragic it is!
Maximus sighed deeply, and everyone around listened attentively, their expressions filled with sorrow and anger.
These senators and patricians of Rome are so greedy, like a huge and ugly mosquito sucking blood from all of us. For the lowly Italian commoners, besides rising up in rebellion like we are doing, is there any normal way for them to change their own miserable fate?!
Maximus asked again, but this time, his gaze turned to the group of slave soldiers led by Frontinus: Perhaps there are other ways, but they are incredibly difficult! Several decades ago, some Roman elites, led by the Gracchi brothers, sympathized with ordinary civilians and proposed some beneficial suggestions. However, they were vehemently obstructed by the Roman senators. They even dispatched thugs to kill them!
Centuries ago, Roman plebeians, through prolonged struggles, forced the Roman Senate to establish the position of tribune of the plebs. A few elite plebeians could assume this position, which prevented any proposals detrimental to ordinary civilians from being passed. But now, the Roman Senate not only severely limits the power of the tribunes, but the dictator Sulla has made the position almost dispensable.
The patricians have completely blocked the path for the plebeians to improve their status. Oh, and someone might say, We can join the legion and rise to prominence like General Marius. But you must understand, that no matter how brave or talented you are, the highest you can reach is to become a centurion of a legion. But who gets appointed as the high-ranking commanders? The sons of elites of Rome! They dont need to risk their lives rising up through the ranks like you do. Just by virtue of being born to privileged families, they can easily take the coveted high-ranking positions that are so difficult for you to attain. Then they reap the political capital from the victories you fight and bleed for, preparing them to become senior Roman officials or run for the consulship in the future.
General Marius is just an exception. Despite so many common people serving in the Roman legions over the past few decades, he is the only one who has achieved such a high position. And dont forget, he married a woman from the prestigious Julius family of Rome. He was already accepted as a Roman patrician, or else it wouldnt have been so easy for him to become a Roman consul.
As Roman plebeians serving as soldiers, not only do you have to shed blood and fight for these patricians to seize land and wealth, but you are also driven by their ambitions to kill each other. Even if you eventually obtain some land, in the end, it will be plundered back by them through various means. You will become homeless vagrants, losing your honor and dignity. How tragic it is!
Maximus combined his knowledge of Roman history from his previous life with what he had seen and heard during this time, speaking passionately and eloquently.
Not only did the veterans of the logistics team listen and gain clarity, but even the slave soldiers led by Frontinus were deeply moved.
After all, even the Roman cultural elites of this era could not comprehensively analyze the current situation in Rome from political, military, economic, and other perspectives like Maximus. Although his words were simple, they were enough to enlighten these people who lived at the bottom of society, struggling daily for their livelihoods and having limited knowledge: So, this is the source of our suffering!
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I used some terms interchangeably here. I hope it doesnt cause confusion.
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