Rome Must Fall

“Women are more careful and better at taking care of people. They can better comfort the wounded soldiers’ pessimistic emotions, which is beneficial for their better recovery. And, most importantly——” Maximus patiently and earnestly explained, “Agnes, you need to understand that although our group is composed of people who have suffered and endured hardships, due to traditional beliefs, women have a relatively low status within the group. They often face harassment from the soldiers, and these soldiers do not face any punishment.

“But when the soldiers get injured, they often become pessimistic and desperate. Under the careful care of these women, when they heal, it’s as if they have gained a second life. These women would become their ‘mothers’ who give them a second chance at life. With that, how could the soldiers not greatly respect and appreciate them?! And when these wounded soldiers return to their respective units and spread the stories of what the women in the medical team have done, who would dare to bully them anymore? Won’t their status be elevated?!”

“Well… that… that’s true,” Agnes was moved, but still hesitated, “But the young women in our kitchen are our main workforce. If we assign them elsewhere, it will be difficult to complete the kitchen tasks, and if we can’t provide food to the soldiers on time…”

“You don’t need to worry about that. Among the newly recruited slaves in the Roman army, many of them know how to cook and can temporarily help out in the kitchen.”

Why temporarily? Because Maximus believed that this batch of legion slaves could play a bigger role, and it would be a waste to have them only as cooks.

“The soldiers from the guard unit can also temporarily help you. As long as we get through one or two days, once the leaders agree to allocate the people promised to us, I can prioritize your selection. But I think, actually, you have quite a few people in the kitchen, but the efficiency of their work is not very high. With some changes, you can achieve more with fewer people, and you don’t have to be in the kitchen all day long, which is too tiring! We can discuss this after the meeting is over.”

Agnes was born a farmer. She had never managed people before as a slave or as a cook. Since becoming the head in charge of the kitchen, she had been pondering every day on how to manage tasks and people. So when Maximus said this, she began to itch with curiosity. After all, this young leader of the logistics team had already demonstrated his wisdom multiple times before.

Maximus, of course, was unaware of her thoughts and continued, “After this victorious battle, we have gained many weapons, armor, several ballistae, and some military supplies. These are different from ordinary daily supplies and require knowledgeable individuals for specialized management. Otherwise, if they get damaged, it would be such a pity!”

After saying this, Maximus glanced at Cornelius.

“Captain Maximus is right. Weapons and armor are not easy to come by. I haven’t been in the army before, so I don’t know how to maintain them. It does require someone to specifically manage them,” Cornelius said nonchalantly, going with the flow. He didn’t mind it, as less work meant more free time for him.

“Frontinus,” Maximus, relieved that Cornelius didn’t oppose, turned to Frontinus and asked, “Among your people, who would be suitable for managing these weapons and equipment?”

Frontinus pondered for a moment and replied, “Glaius Capito. He can read and write, and soldiers often rely on him to write letters or even keep their money safe.”

“Good, then let’s temporarily assign him to manage these military supplies,” Maximus decisively nodded, looking at everyone. He continued, “The leaders have decided that tomorrow the entire group will move to the nearby farm, where we will build a new camp. Our logistics team will be stationed there, so everyone needs to mobilize and work together, including the injured soldiers. So, Pigres, your wagon team——”

“Captain, although most of our wagons are intact, we don’t have many packhorses left,” Pigres was about to complain but was interrupted by Maximus, “Didn’t Commander Spartacus seize 15 wagons at the olive farm? Haven’t they been handed over to you?”

“Oh, I almost forgot,” Pigres patted his face sheepishly.

“If we don’t have enough, I have already discussed it with Omarkel. We can temporarily borrow some of the warhorses they captured to use as packhorses——”

“Captain, warhorses aren’t meant for pulling wagons. They haven’t been trained, and it’s not easy to handle them,” Pigres reminded.

Maximus glanced at him and said, “That depends on the ability of your team. If I solve all your problems, then what’s the point of having you as the head of it?”

“I understand, I will find a solution,” Pigres quickly responded.

“I have three oxen that can help pull the wagons,” Sextus spoke up.

“You see, when you encounter difficulties, everyone is here to help you find a solution. So, there’s no need to worry,” Maximus said half-jokingly and half-seriously.

Encouraged by this, Pigres immediately said, “Captain, my team will do our best to safely transport all the wounded to the new camp!”

“Good!” Maximus said, then shifted his gaze to Sextus, the tall and lean Samnite from the Apennine Mountains, who resembled a stick. This was why he had been abandoned by other leaders and thrown into the logistics team.

“Sextus, although all the sheep in our logistics team have been eaten up, I believe it won’t be long before we acquire a new herd of sheep. Your livestock team doesn’t need to relocate with us. I have obtained permission from the leaders. Once the soldiers leave, this farm can be used to raise cattle and sheep.”

“That’s great!” Sextus exclaimed happily. “During the day, I can let the cattle and sheep graze on the nearby hillside and herd them back to the farm at night. We won’t have to worry about losing them again. I can also raise some chickens and ducks on the farm…”

Maximus ignored Sextus’ muttering and turned to Frontinus: “After we relocate to the new base, I don’t plan to have the wounded soldiers stay inside the farm. I want to set aside a separate area outside the farm to erect tents for the wounded soldiers. However, I want these tents to be interconnected as much as possible, with good airflow, so the wounded soldiers can rest comfortably… How many tents do you think we need, and how should we set them up?”

“How many wounded soldiers are there?” Frontinus asked.

“About 250.”

“How many people do we have in the entire team?”

“Nearly 2,000.”

Frontinus thought for a moment and said, “We were responsible for transporting these military tents, and I remember it vividly because even though the legion only has 3,000 soldiers, the supplies were prepared for 5,000. I think Glaber had planned in advance and intended to call upon the city guards in Campania. I saw some tents burned in the camp this morning, but the remaining ones can fully meet the needs of the entire team…”

As Frontinus spoke, he began gesturing with his hands. “The Roman army uses tents made of cowhide, with dedicated iron poles for support, so they are sturdy and not easily damaged. They are set up in a rectangular shape and can accommodate a small squad of 10 people resting inside. If only 6 people stay in one tent, it will be more spacious and comfortable. So, we will need more than 40 tents. As for making the tents interconnected and ensuring airflow, it’s quite simple. Just set up the tents close together, roll up the side cowhide, and they will naturally be connected.”

“How long will it take to set them all up?”

“We have 35 people to set up 40 tents. If we have some help… it will probably take an hour.”

“That’s great. I’ll leave this task to you then. After we relocate to the new base tomorrow, you should take people to do it. Let me know how many people you need, but make sure to set up all the tents as soon as possible so that the wounded soldiers can move in immediately. It would be even better if there’s a surrounding wall or fence outside the tent area, to prevent disturbances from others in the future.”

“I’ll do my best,” Frontinus replied somewhat reluctantly.

“Frontinus,” Maximus looked at him solemnly and said, “You and your comrades possess the military skills we urgently need. Besides those responsible for the military supplies and managing the medical team, the rest of you will form a military advisory group, with you as the leader.”

***

I’m a bit busy so I couldn’t update these past few days. I’ll try to post more next week.

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