The Civil War that seemed to blight Rome without end, continued to drag on with seemingly no end in sight. However behind the scenes the rivalries and hatreds of Rome's leaders continued to effect the way that the outcome would be resolved. As it was both sides had large armies that glowered at each other, without seeking military resolution, from both sides of the Alpine Passes.
Politicians feared to speak, as they thought that their words would be used against them by one side or the other. This had done much to paralyze the internal political life of Rome. Foreign powers and rebels from within the Empire sought to use Rome's distress to further their own agendas. Even business life in Rome had been effected by the Civil Wars, with reduced activity by the Equites as they waited to see what would be the outcome of the war before they invested their capital in fixed assets. Such were the baleful impacts of Civil War.

General A. Julius Maxus was commander of an Imperial Legion under the command Of Praetor Terpus. They were located, along with the bulk of the legions deployed to fight the Rebellion, in Cisalpine Gaul. There was one other thing that marked A. Julius Maxus' life, his brother was A. Scipio Maxus Praetor and sole commander of the Rebel Army. Such were the fissures that Civil War opened in families, brother fought brother. It was there for perhaps, logical that Julius would receive a secret dispatch from his brother asking for his help. to seek aid from a brother is a natural thing indeed.

Julius looked at the message in total disbelief. His brother, A. Scipio Maxus, was offering to allow him to command his legions. He was it seemed ill and was not able to exercise any kind of practical leadership and thought that his sibling would be able to do this in his stead. Julius was after all an experienced General.

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After several weeks of preparations, A. Julius Maxus slipped away from his post. Employing backroads and byways he traveled in plain clothes to join his brother in Rhaetia. It seemed that the plan to have a new battle commander was unfolding nicely for A. Scipio Maxus. Additionally, Julius Maxus was RICH, he had the personal wealth to pay the whole army for the first year of his command.

This was no small matter, as the Rebel troops had not been paid in months. This was causing great discontent in their ranks. Where was the loot and bonuses that Marius Manus, the now deceased commander of the Belgican Legions, had promised? The troops wanted gold and they were not very particular where it came from.
Also Julius had thought about the matter of food supplies. The Empire was closed to the Rebels as a source of food supplies. Rhaetia was stripped bare, both from the Civil Wars, as well as the earlier campaigns of Praetor T. Sarius Julianus. This too was an issue the Julius felt he would be able to address, should Scipio give him command.

General A. Julius Maxus reached the camp of the Rebels and immediately went to see his brother. Praetor A. Scipio Maxus lay on a cot in his Praetorium. He was pallid and thin, his limbs wasted from the illness that had blighted him these several months.
Without too much preamble, Julius stated simple "I am to be appointed your Praetor?"

Scipio looked at him and stated simply "Yes brother, I am ill and unable to act. You have said that I can trust you if I give you command. I believe that, for you would never dare to join me unless your heart was completely in the Rebellion I lead."

Julius paused a fraction then after a deep breath spoke. "I will assume command of your legions. I will pay them and I will feed them. You though will allow me complete control of the troops until my plan is complete?"
Scipio coughed horribly and simply nodded in reply.
Julius. "Complete Control?"

Scipio summoned up his last strength and said simply one word. "Yes!" Then he fell back unto his cot.

Looking at his brother with a calm eye, Julius looked at his brother. "I think you need to take a cure, in one of the spas. Your health look deplorable! Plus I do not want the troops to think there are to heads that rule this army."

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Now "Praetor" A. Julius Maxus span about on his heel and marched out the Praetorium. He immediately ordered that all commanders should report to him at the first hour of the afternoon.

The meeting was brief and to the point. A. Julius Maxus announced that the troops would receive, as soon as the collection of wagons arrived a full years pay in gold coin. The various commanders were surprised. He then stated that the army would soon have its food supplies guaranteed,. Julius rapidly established that no commanders had any issue with these promises.

Indeed the relief that they had a capable and decisive commander was palpable in the room. Many knew that Praetor A. Scipio Maxus had never been a man of decisive action and recent events had proved this.

The troops had at first been leery of their new "commander". However the rapid appearance of 20,000,000 sisterces in gold had done much to improve the credibility of Julius with the troops. Julius took pains to tour the legion camps and speak to grizzled Centurion as well as more fresh faced Legionaries on his tours.

In a period of three months, the troops may not have loved Julius, but they did TRUST him, as did his commanders.

All through this period, Julius had been in constant contact with his "spies". Some were men who had been trusted by A. Scipio Maxus in his attempts to divide the Imperialist forces. Most notable was Genera A. A. Vitellius. Commander of an Imperial legion (Legio II (c) in Noricum), who had been in secret negotiation with Scipio for some time. From this source, food supplies had suddenly began to pass to the Rebel forces, allowing the troops to return to full rations for the first time in months.

Other communications were to "sources" in far away Rome. Of these Julius said nothing. When asked about the sources, his bleak gaze had persuaded all NOT to continue the subject.
So it was, that the Rebel position seemed much improved, even if there had been no battles, no attacks, much less major battlefield victories!

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However there was a simple fact that A. Julius Maxus had always kept in the dark corners of his heart, that non would ever know it. He HATED his brother Scipio. He was for this reason complete committed to the Imperial Cause. It was an irony that made Julius want to laugh each time he thought of it, his brother had invited in to his Rebellion, an infection every bit as enervating as the one that had laid Scipio low! The gods must laugh at the follies of men!
As soon as Julius had received the initial letter from Scipio Maxus, he had informed Praetor Maxus, the Secondo and not least the Emperor. The Emperor and Secundo had willing accepted Julius' offer to attempt the subversion of the Rebel cause by any and all means. It had taken some time for the Imperial Government to understand that in Julius they had a means to fatally undermine the Rebellions cause. The plan finally drawn up, was helped by those men that had managed to gain the trust of A. Scipio Maxus while still remaining in fact loyal to the Emperor.
Now was the time to close the matter, with certainty and finality for all!

Praetor A. Julius Maxus prepared to commanded a great parade of the troops. But first, he called several of the men most loyal to his brother to attend a meeting. It went unremarked that Julius left the Praetorium alone, not least because the guards were men who had joined the Rebel army with Julius.

The Praetor strode confidently to the Dais placed before the assembled army. Heralds were placed throughout to repeat what he said to those troops who were standing beyond earshot of the Praetor directly.

"Soldiers! I am Antoninus Julius Maxus. Son of a GREAT Roman!"
Julius roared the last phrase at the top of his lungs, so that most of the troops did not need the heralds voices to hear the comment.

Although few if any of the Legionaries knew of Antoninus Maxus, none the less they cheered. For they did like this man and wanted to make that fact plain.

Julius waited for the cheers to die down, then he continued. "I have seen to it, from my personal resources, that you, EVERYONE of you has been paid in full."
The troops cheered at that, with genuine happiness.

"This was the first pay you have received since you were led on this revolt by your past commanders Praetors Scipio Marius Manus, and Antoninus Scipio Maxus!"

The soldiers murmured their agreement at this fact. The murmur rolled back through the ranks as every soldier heard the comment.

"I have seen to it that you have been fed on full rations for the first time in months. Is not a full belly and fuller purse a good thing lads?"

The troops yelled "Yes Praetor!" In reply to that comment

"Well boys", Julius paused and seem to look every soldier in the eye before continuing. "We have to face facts, how is this to continue?"

Julius could see that the front ranks obviously could offer no simple answer from the blank looks on their faces.

"We can march South and attack over half the legions of Rome that await our arrival!"

The soldiers shuddered at that fact, they were not fools and knew what happened to beaten armies.

"Well Lads, do you want to fight great battles to place my Brother on the Throne. Of course we may fail but is not death a desirable thing?" Julius looked innocently at the soldiers.

The troops did not look innocently back at him, they looked pensive, even surly in demeanor.

"Perhaps though there is another course we can follow. One that offers regular pay, Full Rations and a warm woman in your retirement!" Julius leered at the last comment.

The soldiers laughed at that and looked interested in the first two points.

"Well boys, long life, warm women, or Battle against fellow Romans for a Roman, my brother Scipio, who does not feel he can lead you personally in such a risky undertaking?" Julius waited for the soldier to shout a reply.

As one man, the soldiers shouted "Women and Gold!"

Julius seemed to laugh at being told something he did not expect to hear. "You want ME to lead you to that?"

"Yes!" Yelled the soldiers.

Julius continued, driving his advantage home. "You trust me to choose the right course. One that serves YOUR interests over those of an unfeeling commander who does not care for your well-being and future comfort!"

"Yes Praetor! We hail you as our Commander!" Julius had posted some men in strategic position to lead this ovation. Julius was a practical man, but he did like to have things happen as he foresaw!
Julius paused, now was the critical point.

One the next moments rested his and Rome's fate. "Well then my boys!" He smiled benignly at the gathered troops, then continued. "I have the VERY solution to all out problems, isn't that a SURPRISE!" Julius grinned broadly.

The soldiers laughed, but looked most interested in Julius' 'solution'.

"I have been PROMISED by the Emperor, who has never held you boys in contempt as my brother has, that he would receive you back in to his service. he will pay you, feed you, honour your retirement bonuses. You would not even have to die fighting Romans. There will be NO punishment for men who were led astray in their duty by men who led them FALSE!" Julius roared the last word.

The troops stood stunned. They were so taken aback by these words!

General Gaius Verius Varro stepped from the head of Legion IX that he commanded and shouted at the top of his lungs "Hail Praetor A. Scipio Maxus, Hail Imperator A. Tiberius Vitellius. They pay us, feed us and promise us LIFE!"

Officer Agrippa Tiberius Julianus stepped forth from his position shouted "Hail Praetor Maxus, hail The Imperator, we serve them both!" Tiberius had long harboured the desire to lead Legion XIX and this was his attempt to do so, when his voice would carry the most weight and gain the most recognition for "services rendered!"

As one the troops cheered and screamed "Hail Praetor Julius Maxus, hail Imperator Tiberius!"
Those commanders who might have spoken against this move were silent- they lay dead in a small side room of the Praetorium. They had been silently killed by Julius' personal guards as they individually arrived for their earlier 'meetings' with Julius. The names of men who might be more amenable had been supplied to Julius by the Secundo weeks before, allowing Julius to speak to each of them in private, as the opportunity offered itself.
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Thus it was, that A. Julius Maxus sent a coded dispatch to The Secundo and Emperor stating that he had regained control of the of the rebel legions. Julius cared nothing for the Barbarian rabble that S. Marius Manus had supposed would aid the Rebel cause!
The gods, or A. Tiberius Vitellius, would decide the fate of A. Scipio Maxus, who Julius did not know the whereabouts of, nor would he raise even a single finger to protect.

Civil War, bred in duplicity and deceit, had been vanquished with the same weapons!

Pax Romana!

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Edited By: GM (A. Titus Sabaco)

Based on Input and Secret Scenarios emails from:
Antoninus Scipio Maxus, Antoninus Julius Maxus, Augustus Agrippa Vitellius, Gaius Verius Varro, Augustus Tiberius Vitellius, Sarius Honorius Julianus, Agrippa Tiberius Julianus