The Mad Tycoon of Rome

Chapter 48: Pirate Extermination 

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Pompey explained his strategy without a hint of hesitation.

He had already devised a detailed plan to eradicate the pirates in his mind.

When he finished his brief explanation, silence filled the tent.

One of the legion commanders cautiously raised his hand.

“Excuse me… I don’t doubt you, but is this really a feasible strategy? It sounds good in theory, but I don’t know how to put it…”.

“Ah, I see what you mean. But don’t worry. I only gave you a rough outline just now, I have also planned out the specific execution methods.”

Pompey drew a line on the large map on the table without hesitation.

He divided the area into 13 zones and continued his explanation.

“I have divided the sea area we need to suppress into these 13 zones. We will split the operation period into two phases: the first phase will focus on the western part of the Mediterranean, and the second phase will concentrate on the south and east. Any questions at this stage?”

As soon as he finished speaking, the fourth legion commander raised his hand.

“Can you tell us the criteria for dividing the sea area and the reason for splitting the operation period?”

“I narrowed down the possible locations of their bases based on the observed routes of the pirates, and used that as a basis for dividing the sea area. And since the west is far away from Cilicia, where the pirates’ headquarters are, their forces are weaker there. I thought it would be more efficient to start from the weak side and gradually tighten our grip.”

Pompey’s answer was smooth and flawless.

In fact, there was no obligation for the commander-in-chief of the army to explain the operation to the legion commanders in detail.

But Pompey went through this trouble because this operation was too wide in scope.

Even if it was limited to the western Mediterranean, it included Hispania, North Africa, Sicily and Sardinia.

The legion commanders had to act as Pompey’s hands and feet for an efficient operation.

To do that, they had to understand Pompey’s plan clearly.

“One more thing to keep in mind is not to be obsessed with wiping out the pirates in front of us. The goal of this operation is to root out the pirates, not to execute a few of them. Remember that.”

“Yes? But don’t we have to fight and defeat them to wipe them out?”

“We don’t need to fight with those pirate bastards in this operation.”

“Yes?”

It sounded like a nonsense to say that they didn’t need to fight in an extermination operation.

If it wasn’t Pompey who said it, everyone would have laughed at him.

Pompey calmly explained until everyone understood his plan.

“Get rid of the fixed idea that we have to engage in naval battles to wipe out pirates. Do you think we can sweep them all by fighting one by one against pirates scattered all over the Mediterranean? How long do you think it will take to do that?”

“Ah, I see.”

“……?”

A few of the legion commanders understood Pompey’s intention, but there were more people who still looked puzzled.

It took more than a day for all the legion commanders and centurions to understand and internalize Pompey’s strategy.

Pompey didn’t let them go unless they gave satisfactory answers when he asked them hypothetical questions based on situations.

When he was confident that they understood his strategy well enough, Pompey handed out orders.

“The legion commanders who are responsible for each sea area should act according to these orders. I emphasize again that you should not prioritize your personal judgment. Follow my orders strictly, and only improvise when an unexpected situation arises. And even then, you have to follow the guidelines I gave you.”

The legion commanders read their orders and exclaimed in admiration.

Pompey’s orders were surprisingly detailed, covering even the smallest aspects.

To exaggerate a bit, anyone could sit in the legion commanders’ seats and carry out the operation.

Pompey decided to start the action when he thought everything was ready.

He gathered the army and began a speech to announce the departure.

Pompey was not a very good orator by nature.

His speech skills to the masses were not even worth calling empty words.

But he had a natural talent for boosting the morale of the army.

His voice could not reach all of the 120,000-strong army.

So Pompey rode on a horse and crossed the army, raising his voice as much as possible so that as many soldiers as possible could hear him.

“Listen, brave legions of Rome! You have obtained the greatest fortune to attain glory and wealth. Remember the damage that the pirates have caused so far.

Your families and neighbors, and even Rome and the entire Mediterranean world have suffered from those wicked pirates. They will be trampled under our feet now. You will be the saviors of Rome and the Mediterranean! Imagine how many people will praise and admire our achievements.”

The faces of the legionaries who listened to Pompey’s speech gradually turned into expectation and joy.

There was not a single soldier among them who did not know how serious the damage caused by the pirates was.

They naturally imagined the glory they would gain when they wiped out the pirates.

“Of course, there may be some soldiers who are unfamiliar with naval battles and feel uneasy. But there is no need to be afraid.

This war, no, I will not call this operation a war. This is a punishment that our Rome imposes on the pirates! Just follow my orders faithfully. Then you will see the pirates being crushed under our feet like insects! The great god of war Mars blesses us!”

“Uooo! Imperator!”

The soldiers stomped their feet and hailed Imperator even though the war was not over yet.

The commander’s confidence and conviction naturally spread to the soldiers.

The spirited army lined up and boarded the ships.

Marcus boarded the flagship that oversaw the front line with Pompey.

“Amazing.”

He couldn’t help but marvel as he climbed up to the upper deck.

The ship was different from the one he boarded when he went to Sicily in terms of size.

Maybe it felt more so because it was a warship that led more than 500 ships.

It felt like an overwhelming power emanated from its presence alone, with soldiers packed with weapons on board. Pompey was giving orders to his men with a dignified look from the bow.

Soon, a large sail came down and swelled with the wind, and the huge flagship began to move slowly.

The warships that moved in sync with the oars, cutting through the water surface, created a splendid wave.

The sight of hundreds of ships turning their backs on land was a spectacle in itself.

Marcus couldn’t take his eyes off Pompey, who was still giving orders here and there.

‘I have to learn everything I can from this opportunity.’

The main reason for participating in this war was to gain promised glory and military merit.

He couldn’t ask for more if he could learn even a little bit of Pompey’s genius strategic planning ability.

Marcus, who had read all of Gallic Wars, concluded that Caesar’s style was not very helpful.

Caesar’s way of fighting relied too much on the commander-in-chief’s improvisation and field sense.

In other words, there were too many battles that could not be imitated unless the commander was Caesar.

But Pompey was a different type of general from Caesar.

The fact that he thoroughly instilled his plan to the legion commanders before starting the war proved that.

He preferred to draw a big picture in advance and lead the war according to its flow.

This was something that Marcus thought he could learn from.

Of course, if he ever went to war, he planned to delegate the detailed tactics to his excellent subordinates.

He didn’t have to do everything by himself like Caesar to reach the top.

Octavianus, who became the first emperor of Rome, was not as talented in military affairs as Caesar.

But he succeeded in seizing all the power of Rome by placing his excellent subordinates in the right places.

From a leader’s perspective, this might be a more ideal way.

Marcus had already finished scouting for candidates who could command the legion.

But some of them were not even born yet, so there was too much time left until they grew up.

‘Let’s do our best to learn for now. To avoid falling at the most important juncture.’

It was still more than ten years away, but the turning point of fate was slowly approaching.

Everything had to be ready by then.

Marcus’s gaze went beyond the Mediterranean in front of him and reached out to the far east.

※※※※

The pirates who were dominating in North Africa were so happy these days that they were going crazy.

They didn’t want to go back to the days when they had to watch Rome’s eyes and pirate around.

They went out on boats and attacked any merchant ship they saw, and it became their property.

With skilled sailors and sturdy ships, they enjoyed sailing and plundering even in winter.

The province of Cyrenaica in the eastern part of Libya today was practically a pirate den.

If they went a little east, they could plunder Egypt, which was rich in resources, and if they went north, they could reach Sicily and Hispania.

There was no better place for piracy than this.

The pirates, who were only a few dozen at first, soon exceeded hundreds and over a thousand.

The provincial defense force in Cyrenaica was beyond what they could handle.

“Good, let’s go east today and take care of those Egyptian bastards. The grain ships will have escort fleets by now, so let’s rob other transport ships with weak defenses.”

“Boss, let’s capture a lot of prisoners. We’ve been going west so much lately that it’s been a long time since we’ve had those snooty Egyptian women. Please let us have some fun before we sell them as slaves. They’ll bring us a good income anyway.”

“Alright, then let’s catch a bunch of slaves today.”

“Oooo!”

The pirates who did not doubt that these days would continue forever had no wrinkles on their faces.

Hypolos, who led a fairly large pirate ship, did not doubt it either.

He inherited Greek blood and was originally a soldier of the Pontus kingdom army.

He fled to Cilicia and started a pirate life after the Pontus army was smashed by Lucullus.

He was poor at first, but everything went well after he received Mithridates’ support.

It was a godsend that he left the east where competition was fierce and came west early.

He heard rumors that piracy income was falling in the east because there were too many competitors.

It was clear today. It was a perfect weather for plundering.

At that moment, he frowned at the noise from below.

“What is it? What’s the fuss?”

“Boss!”

One of his subordinates came up hastily and shouted with a heavy breath.

“It’s the Romans! The Romans are coming!”

Hypolos gripped the axe handle on his back tightly.

“Is it the provincial defense force? They haven’t come to their senses even after we taught them a lesson last time.”

“No. There are warships coming from the sea. They look like regular expeditionary forces sent from Rome!”

“What? They finally moved?”

Hypolos was surprised but not desperate. He thought it would happen sooner or later. He had prepared a perfect retreat plan for this situation.

He commanded his subordinates skillfully as he had been a commander in the army.

“Everyone, pack up food, water and treasure and board the ship. Don’t load anything too heavy or big, just give it up.”

“Yes!”

“They can’t catch up with our ships anyway. Don’t panic and retreat calmly.”

The pirate ship that Mithridates had provided was a kind of fast ship that emphasized speed.

They didn’t load much heavy stuff either, so it was possible to move faster than Rome’s warships.

In fact, they had run into Rome’s warships on the sea before, but they managed to escape safely.

Hypolos and his men believed that it would be the same this time, and their expectations were not wrong.

The pirate ship successfully dodged Rome’s warship and escaped safely.

When he couldn’t see any Roman warships no matter how hard he looked, Hypolos shook his head and burst into a big laugh.

“Hahaha! You worm-like Romans. How dare you try to catch us.”

“Boss, should we go on with the plundering?”

“Hmm, I guess it’s okay. But we need to find a place to use as a base first. Find a place where we can get water and food, and then resume the plundering.”

“As expected of the boss! You have a precise situation assessment!”

Hypolos spread out the map and carefully searched for the direction to go.

He had already checked out all the ports in this area.

There were plenty of places where he could get supplies.

He first set his direction to the port of Tripolitania in the west.

But the port he had chosen was already occupied by the Roman legion.

He had no choice but to change his direction and head back to Cyrenaica and head for a port northeast of Benghazi.

From here, Hypolos felt that something was wrong.

Roman warships were stationed at every port they tried to go to.

“Damn, they’re quick-witted bastards.”

Hypolos looked around almost all the ports on the North African coast, but they all fell into Rome’s hands.

“They’re not trying to wipe us out directly, but to take over the ports first? Do they think we have no way out?”

If they couldn’t get supplies from the ports, they could just plunder the nearby areas and get what they needed.

The pirates attacked defenseless villages and obtained the necessary materials.

And they safely got away before the Roman warships that received the raid report caught them.

Hypolos mocked the Roman legions who always came one step late and indulged in a sense of victory.

But as he repeated the same actions, his movements became more and more exposed to Rome.

It was a problem that could be solved by reducing the frequency of plundering, but he couldn’t do that because he couldn’t get supplies.

He loaded as little as possible to lighten the weight of the ship, so he ran out of food quickly.

He tried to be as careful as possible, but he couldn’t erase the feeling of being cornered.

Eventually, in less than a month, Hypolos was pushed to Sardinia almost reluctantly.

His movements were so exposed that there was nowhere else to go except here.

“Let’s catch our breath here and go north. We’ll wait there until the Romans calm down and then go back south.”

Hypolos thought he had safely shaken off the Roman army.

But as soon as he saw dozens of pirate ships anchored on the coast.

He shuddered at the chill that ran up his spine.

A pirate who didn’t grasp the situation casually tilted his head.

“Huh? There are a lot of pirates who came here besides us?”

“···This is impossible······.”

Hypolos ran to the pirate ships on the coast like a madman and examined them.

The situation was clear without looking around other places, as there were so many ships gathered on the coast where they were.

At least hundreds of pirate ships had been pushed to Sardinia.

They had been perfectly hunted down.

“No···How is that possible? I just avoided the Roman army by the best route as always?”

Hypolos checked the map several times like a person possessed by a ghost.

He could have understood it somehow if only they had been lured.

But was it really possible to herd the pirates in the western Mediterranean to one place at the same time?

“We didn’t run away···We were dragged in.”

As Hypolos, who was pale with disgust, was about to turn the ship around and run away, the scream of a horrified subordinate hit his ears first.

“Ro, Romans! The Roman warships······!”

When he turned around, Roman warships that had already revealed themselves were spread out in a fan shape around the coast.

At a glance, it was a huge army of over 100 ships.

There was no chance to escape.

Hypolos had no way of knowing, but the same situation was being played out in other regions of the Mediterranean.

The pirates scattered throughout the western Mediterranean were swept away by a broom like dust and gathered into large lumps.

And those dusts were surrounded by Rome’s large fleet in a dead-end alley with no escape.

The pirates who had been chased and run away for over a month were exhausted.

Of course, they had no strength to resist.

“Bo, boss! What do we do?”

“······.”

Hypolos, who had successfully led the pirates until now, felt like he was having a nightmare.

The overwhelming nightmare of Rome swallowed up all the pirates.

Hypolos and his pirates were the first to be sucked into it.

As Pompey declared, this was not a fight.

The Roman army thoroughly condemned the pirates who had tormented them.

Crack!

Hypolos’ head flew off by Rome’s merciless blade and fell on the bow of the ship.

In his eyes that could no longer see anything, the words of the pirates who were swept away mercilessly were left behind.

The pirates who had persistently harassed the western Mediterranean were completely suppressed.

Even the legionnaires who executed the operation themselves could not believe what they had done.

A legionnaire who had annihilated the pirates in the Tyrrhenian Sea muttered in a voice that mixed admiration and emptiness.

“So quickly···So easily······.”

The pirate ships captured in the western Mediterranean were 120, and the ships sunk were as many as 400.

The pirates’ bases were completely destroyed, and nearly 10,000 pirates were either captured or executed.

It took only 40 days for Pompey’s shadow to completely cover the western Mediterranean.

Now all that was left was the south and east.