“Marching north?” a general exclaimed. “We just marched from there. Isn’t the enemy to the East?”“We are in civil war,” Praetor Sarius Julianus replied. “There are enemies everywhere. Not least are those that have decided to side against the Imperator. WE will punish them, so that all will see the price of sedition!”

Surprised at their new orders the generals of Legions XIV, XX and XXIX relayed their orders to their officers and men. The army of Praetor Julianus prepared to move north, away from the rebellious army of Praetor Maxus.Many of the men were relieved that they were seemingly marching away from the war; They did not want to fight other Roman legionaries, no matter how treacherous. Others were not so happy. They were naïve, looking forward to spilling rebel blood. Praetor Julianus announced to all that their chance for battle would come soon. This aroused great curiosity; The enemy had been able to evade them before, had they done so again? Sarius refused to reveal more.

Days passed. Soldiers marched. They marched passed Gallic settlements and hillsides similar to those they had seen on the way south. Or were they the same? No one could tell but they kept on marching, drifting part the unchanging scenery.About a week into the march Sarius revealed to his troops his true intentions. He visited their legions, on their weekly rest day from the exertions of their long march and spoke to the men about their new orders.

“Rome is at war! We are marching to fight! Many miles away stands the army of the treacherous Praetor Maxus. Standing in that army are barbarians! He has recruited men from Gaul, from Germania, from Belgica, to fight for him! His allies are Rome’s enemies and we are here to destroy them! All areas known to be supporting Maxus are to be destroyed! Kill any barbarian you see, destroy their homes, their food, their animals, everything! If any barbarian manages to survive the war, make sure they have no home or family to return to. Tomorrow, when we march, we march to battle!”

The following day the troops marched out with renewed vigor. They had a patriotic purpose in Gaul to destroy it. The desolation of Gaul would be satisfying to those who were eager to see a bloody rebel defeat. Most were obeying the orders simply because that is what a soldier does. Everyone else was doing it. A few others were reluctant. Praetor Julianus authorized officers to execute any man refusing to follow orders as a traitor. This encouraged most men, but a few were defiant. For refusing to burn homes and villages they were killed by their own officers. Those staunch soldiers fighting wholeheartedly for the loyal cause looked down on these men. There are enemies everywhere, they thought.

The legions spent the next few weeks marching north through Northern Gaul and Belgica, annihilating everything and everyone. No attempt was made to spare the old, or the young,male and female. There was some resistance, but with thousands of the barbarian’s fighting men hundreds of miles away it was weak and posed little problem for the nearly thirty thousand Roman soldiers in the area. The terrible wrath of Rome fell upon the populations of tribes that had been identified as being in revolt. Farms, villages and crops were burned and destroyed. So vigorous was this process that even the corn needed for next year's seed was destroyed too.

No thought now of administration. Bedazzled by Praetor Manus' false promises of wealth and influence, the Northern Tribes were now subjected to an agony made worse, as they became the first real victims of Imperial retribution. The message was clear "defy the Emperor and their is NO escape!"

Happy with the havoc he and his men had caused Sarius then informed the Emperor and Secundo. They had ordered this expedition and now at least the Barbarian Allies of the rebellion would know that there was Imperial ability to exact from them the price of revolt! The Praetor's dispatch was simple.

“Northern Gaul and Belgica's rebels are no more."
- Praetor T. S. Julianus”

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By: Tacitus Sarius Julianus