Rise of Rome

[DroopyTofu]

Chapter XI
The Age of Discovery​

_ In 1320, the Romans made yet another breakthrough. They found a way to see further across water. They called it Optics. They built this technology into their new boats called Caravels. The oceans that had mocked the Romans shipbuilding skills for centuries were no longer harassment. Production in all of Rome’s major port cities was halted and replaced with the construction of Caravels. The first of these was launched from Rome several years later. The rest of the original were completed soon afterward. In 1410, something amazing happened.
_ The first Caravel reached new shores. More importantly, the shores were controlled by another empire. They called themselves the Malinese, and were led by a man named Mansa Musa. They adhered to the Hindu faith, and, to the Romans dismay, extremely advanced. Fortunately, they were more than willing to trade, even if the trades were not in their favor. Perhaps they were afraid of the Romans. Perhaps their religion demanded them to be generous. Perhaps the Roman trade expedition was just that good. No one ever knew. One of the best trades was a collection of maps from Mali for only 65 gold pieces. From the maps the Romans learned that the continent was mostly north of the equator, and that many islands were to the south. The Mali controlled most of the actual continent, but another civilization lay to the west. They had only five cities on the continent, but had colonized many of the surrounding islands. It was not until several years later that the Roman Caravels reached the lands of the unknown foreign country. The first was a Caravel launched from Cordoba, which came as a shock to the whole world. Everyone had previously believed that the Earth was flat, and that it would be impossible to reach Mali and its neighbor by going east. The other empire on the foreign continent was Russia. It was led by Peter the Great. Like the Malinese, they were Hindu. They were about equal in military might, but to the relief of the Romans, nowhere near equal to the Roman military. The Romans also were significantly more advanced than the Russians, so not as much trade was conducted.
_ The Romans called this continent and the many island to the south of it Malussia. This was laughed at by some, more lighthearted Malinese and Russian government members, but was taken as an insult by many. Regardless, it was the name that stuck back on Romegea.

 

[DroopyTofu]

Chpater XII
Religious Concerns​

_ The intervention with the two new empires made the Romans think about their governing options. They soon adopted Bureaucracy, Serfdom, and Theocracy. As the other times the government attempted a revolution, the some people held to the old ways, causing a period of anarchy. One thing that bothered many of the highest priests in the orders of Confucianism had been worried for years about the decline of the church. Even though it remained the state religion, many of the cities captured during the Spanish and Byzantine Wars had little to no followers of Confucianism.
_ The Romans religious advisors had never paid them any attention, partly due to the fact that every time a year that contained the number zero came around they yelled doomsday. However, after a harsh heresy started gaining momentum in the city of Rome itself, the government decided to do something. They gave tax breaks to all Confucians who refused to follow the heresy. They also began to spread the religion to many of their own cities. This increased religious ferver led to the construction of the Apostolic Palace in the city of Rome. Confusianism was spread by missionaries to a small, northern, Russian city, and the Mali capital itself, Timbuktu.
_ The Jewish people, who followed a very old religion founded, and neglected by, Queen Isabella, were initially frightened by the government support of Confucianism. Under Organized Religion, they had been mostly left alone to worship how they pleased, but the new system of theocracy posed a possible threat to the small minority. One of the high priests of Judaism, Mencius, who lived in Madrid, decided that he wasn’t going to let his people die out and be forgotten. He decided to build a temple that would last, even if his people didn’t. He finished it, in 1530, and named it after the first man to ever hold his position. That man was Solomon. The Temple of Solomon was completed in the middle of the harsh Madrid summer. During the consecration, Mencius dropped dead from a heat stroke.

 

[Harry Potter52]

I like your names and the pun on CFC
Keep it up

 

[W|M]

Bravo!Encore!

 

[WhiteEagle22]

More please! The people demand more!

Great work injecting CFC into the story. I loved that bit.

 

[DroopyTofu]

I should have and update sometime in the next few days. I'm out of schoolfor the week for thanksgiving. Here's a sneak peak. The tone of the story becomes very dark. And, I'm formally announcing a major surprise at the conclusion of the story. You won't believe my surprise...

 

[BakingTheArt]

Let me guess: you lose.

>_>

Anyway, great story, I'm usually very picky about which stories I like, but I love this one.

 

[cIV_khanh93]

what does CFC mean?

 

[DroopyTofu]

Thanks for the great feedback. Glad you all like the story.

Let me guess: you lose.

Not quite. I would advise abstaining from guesing

what does CFC mean?

Civilization Fanatics Center
Its the shortened form of this website's name.


EDIT: I was getting ready to write the next chapter, and realized I forgot something in Chapter XII. YOu Might want to go back and reread it.

 

[DroopyTofu]

Part 4
The Empire Looks Eastward​

Chapter XIII
Domestic Affairs​

_ For the fourth time in Roman history, a small group of brave settlers was setting out from Rome. They were going to board a Galley, along with a Longbowman for defense, a group of people to work the surrounding land, and a missionary to train the citizens of the new city in the ways of Confucius. Inspired by the Russian and Malinese colonization of the lands to the south Malussia, the settlers were going to the largest of the South Rome Islands, Ravenna. They reached the island in 1585, and founded a city bearing the same name as the island.
_ In 1600, an aspiring architect in Madrid was hired by the government to go to the coastal city of Cordoba. They had just began construction of a chapel, called the Sistine Chapel. They wanted it to be unique in the world, but feared the Russian and Malinese might also be constructing a similar wonder, and there were rumors that the Russians were much further in their construction of the chapel. The government believed that the architect, Gustav Eiffel, might be able to accelerate the construction. They were correct. The Sistine Chapel was completed only a couple of years later.
_ The Ravenna Colonization Voyage brought to the attention of some Roman officials that it might be possible to build a canal from the Western Sea to the Bay of Quintillius, the bay between the second and third Tri Peninsulas. It was named after the navigator that explored the bay originally. Many of the Worker Groups in the Area were called to the area to build the Tri Peninsula Canal. They did not know it at the time, but it would become very important in the coming years.

 

[Harry Potter52]

Well, well, i want to know what would it be important for....

 

[DroopyTofu]

You'll have to wait until the next chapter.

Spoiler :

FYI, (I probably shouldn't tell you all so much) in the real world, it would be fairly important; not as monumental in civ terms.

 

[Harry Potter52]

I want more... i am hooked to this thread

 

[DroopyTofu]

Chapter XIV
Military Affairs​

_ It was early in the morning, in 1605. The highest Roman generals were quietly leaving the base, trying to avoid anyone knowing of their meeting. The next day, for reasons unknown to the general public, the remnants of the Roman Army, which had long since been garrisoned in the city of Rome, was abruptly moved westward. Several days later, they reached the newly completed Tri Peninsula Canal, where any available military vessels had been moved. The new study of Astronomy had given the Roman’s ideas how to improve ocean travel. Many old Galleys were being refitted to traverse the ocean, plus gain additional cargo space. Many Roman’s began to put two and two together and guess of an amphibious invasion of one of the empires on Malussia. The government quickly passed new laws declaring that discussion of the Roman Armed Forces (R. A. F.) with any and all foreigners was to be treated as treason.
_ In 1660, one of the most important military inventions since Iron Working and Machinery, was invented. It was called gunpowder. It would allow new machines, called guns, to shoot small pellets at great speeds. If the shot was accurate enough, in the head or chest, it would kill them. The only problem: the shot being accurate enough. The guns were very inaccurate, took long to load, and had very poor range. It was considered inferior to the Knight, heavily armored, mounted, sword-wielding soldiers. The scientist quickly began trying to fix the problem. The answer was a Rifle. It used a technique that added grooves into the inside of the barrel of the gun, and onto the outside of the bullet. The new Rifles were quickly equipped almost the entire R. A. F. Along with many other technological breakthroughs, the Roman people were inspired to begin a new Era. It would come to be known as the Industrial Era

 

[DroopyTofu]

Chapter XV

The Public Takes Sides​

_ The reequipping of the Army had caused many setbacks in the generals’ plans, and in the Roman budget, but after a long time, everything was finished. The people that had long since been enlisted had been reequipped and trained in they’re weapons. The new recruits had also been trained with the new Rifles. The budget had been balanced to be able to support the troops once in enemy territory. The only problem left unresolved was the war protest. Since the defeat of the Byzantines, and the beginning of Pax Romana, many Romans had been in favor of entirely disbanding the military, and becoming a peaceful people, similar to the Malinese, who were widely known to be peaceful, but highly advanced. Unfortunately, as the Roman generals of the Spanish and Byzantine Wars, many of the highest Roman officers were constantly planning the downfall of other empires.
_ One of the most devoted anti-war groups was a small religious cult in the city of Barcelona. They still believed in the polytheistic gods of thousands of years ago. To demonstrate their distastes of the Roman government, they built a temple in their city. It was modeled after the temples of the ancients. They called it the Parthenon. The government quickly disbanded the cult, but the Parthenon soon became one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city. One of the most extreme opposites of this cult was one particular songwriter from Rome. After a vacation to Nicaea, on which he visited the Tri Peninsula Canal, and saw the Army boarding their Galleons, he went back to Rome. Inspired by the sight, he wrote a song about it. It quickly became renowned as a great Roman war anthem, and strengthened pride for the empire, and for its army.

 

[Harry Potter52]

Nice update again!!

 

[BakingTheArt]

You built the Parthenon in the 1660s?!?!

 

[DroopyTofu]

Yeah. And Pete built the 'mids in the 1600's too. That was a really weird game. I guese it was the destruction of the Spaniards and Byzantines that messed up the wonder production in the game. I don't really know.
FYI: Next update ETA: eventually

 

[Pacifist46]

Really great story!

 

[DroopyTofu]

Chapter XVI

The Strategy​

_ At their top level, confidential meeting in the middle of the night, the Roman generals had made ostensive war plans. The unexpectedly early discovery of Rifles had only made the Roman victory more certain. If only the angry public knew that, thought many of the generals. In an effort to quell anti-war movements, they released a pamphlet outlining the plan of attack. The only doubt was the unimaginable horror for the Romans if the pamphlet fell into the wrong hands. To assure this, the ambassadors to Moscow canceled all trade with Russia. They also convinced Mali to close borders too, leaving Russia with no imports or exports. This is a copy of the pamphlet written by the 3 highest Roman generals, Bernard Montgomery, Gustavus II Adolphus, and Robert E. Lee.

The Roman War

_ “The following is confidential Roman war information, and is for Roman eyes only. Anyone caught fraternizing with any Russians, or sharing any or all of this information with any foreigner will be charged with high treason, and given the death sentence.
_ “The plan will begin when our fleet, boarded by many battalions of Riflemen and Trebuchets, leaves in 1750. It is likely that you may know and love many of these brave, young, Roman men, which are willing to sacrifice their life for the thriving of our people. Fortunately, the need for them to sacrifice themselves will be little, as our strategy will require as little fighting as possible. We plan to attack the Russian mainland, ignoring the many islands that they have colonized. We will be aided by our Malinese allies, who we plan to bribe into attacking the Russians shortly before our fleets arrive. The Malinese, who we know have a small, but advanced and well equipped army, will create a distraction on the eastern Russian front. That way, when we land our troops outside the Russian city of Novgorod, they will be unsuspecting, and we will have the element of surprise, much as we did during our long ago campaigns against the vile Spaniards, and treacherous Byzantines. After our troops have captured the city of Novgorod, and had a few days for our medics to heal their wounds, the entirety of the army, minus a few battalions for protection will move south. After we have control of the southern peninsula, we will move north, to the few remaining Russian mainland cities. Once we have control of the formerly Russian half of Malussia, we will request a surrender and capitulation of Russia. If their leader, Peter the “Great” refuses, we will show them the might of the Roman Navy. We will board our Rifles back onto their ships and begin to take their largest coastal cities until we have a complete and unconditional surrender.
_ “We know many of you have mixed emotions about the attack, but we assure you, the poor Russians are so far behind us in technology that they will not stand a chance to even fight back. If you are worried that any of your friends or business connections in Mali will be angry with us, do not worry! We will have Mali’s full support in the war. We are prepared to offer them the knowledge of Gunpowder and Nationalism to convince them to enter the war with us. This war will only increase the brotherhood between our two great nations.
_ “If you are interested in helping the Roman Army in this monumental war, please contact your local town hall or courthouse. If you would like to move to Russia to be with the brave soldier in your family, we would be delighted, and will provide you with free transportation and land on the Malussian main land once we have the complete capitulation of Peter the Pathetic. We would like to remind you that telling, or showing any or all of this information with anyone that is not a Roman citizen will result in the death sentence. Have a wonderful day!!!​

​

Bernard Montgomery,
Gustavus II Adolphus
Robert E. Lee
Head Generals of the Roman Armed Forces​