A large crowd gathered in front of the Servian Wall, which surrounded the seven hills of Rome, from the early hours of the morning.
It was clear at a glance that many of them were powerful aristocrats. With the addition of their slaves as escorts, the area near the gate was so packed that there was no room to move.
The Servian Wall, built when Rome was still a small city-state, was now relatively insignificant. Originally, it was sufficient to enclose the seven hills, but as Rome expanded beyond these walls, their purpose had diminished.
Danae, who had accompanied Marcus, observed this incongruous sight with curiosity. "Young master, this is the first time I've seen a city wall situated within a city."
"It'll be gone eventually, so if you're interested, you should enjoy it while you can."
"Oh, are you planning to demolish it?"
"In about 30 years."
Caesar, who would later come to power in Rome, would deem the wall an obstacle to the city's expansion and order its demolition. Marcus, witnessing the current state of the wall, could see that Caesar's judgment would be justified.
'Now that I'm at this point, I'm eager to see what kind of person Caesar becomes. It will also help me finalize my plans.'
At this time, Caesar was still studying on the island of Rhodes. According to historical records, he would return to Rome the following year. It was likely that even if Marcus did not seek him out, Caesar would come to him first.
Historical accounts also noted that Caesar borrowed a large sum of money from the Crassus family.
"... Anyway, I think it's time to get started. Are you ready?"
"Of course. Sir Septimus is doing the final inspection, so we should be able to leave soon."
"Alright. Let's head back to the carriage."
As Marcus was about to escort Danae into the carriage, a familiar voice called out from behind.
"Hey, Marcus, why have you been so hard to find lately?"
"Cassius?"
Marcus's old friend, Cassius, approached with a friendly wave. Unlike Marcus's other friends, Cassius did not come from a prominent family. Nonetheless, his intelligence and boldness drew many people to him.
Cassius, who had always been close to Marcus, greeted him warmly but with a hint of mischief.
"I hear you've been deeply involved in the family business recently. If you end up making a lot of money, how about lending me some interest-free funds?"
"I don't mind lending you money as long as you promise to repay it."
"Haha, just as I expected. By the way, is this the rumored girl beside you?" Cassius cast a curious glance at Danae.
Marcus stepped forward, subtly shielding Danae's face. "What rumor?"
"You really don't know? Rumor has it that the reason you haven't been attending meetings lately is that you're spending all your time with a young female slave."
"What? Who's spreading that nonsense? You don't believe in such rumors, do you?"
Marcus turned to look at Danae, who was slightly flustered and had her head bowed.
Seeing their reactions, Cassius tilted his head, puzzled.
"Was that rumor untrue? I thought it was credible since you suddenly brought a young female slave into the picture. So, you haven't done anything with her yet?"
"What do you mean? She's still a child."
"Ah, I see. So you're not interested in younger ones. Well, I suppose meat, wine, and women all taste better with age…"
"Forget about that. What about Capua? Are the gladiators really as impressive as they say?" Marcus shifted the topic away from the uncomfortable subject.
Cassius, seemingly unaware of the awkwardness, responded with a nod. "You know Lucius of the Valerius clan, right?"
"Is one of them the famous Spartacus?"
"That's right. He's said to be the strongest gladiator in Capua right now. It should be quite a spectacle to watch him fight."
Marcus nodded in agreement. Spartacus was indeed a renowned figure associated with Rome. Even those not interested in history often think of gladiators when they hear his name.
At this time, the treatment of gladiators varied greatly. Some were as celebrated as modern sports stars, while many were treated worse than slaves. Spartacus would later lead a significant revolt, and since it was 73 B.C., that rebellion was just a year away.
The Roman leadership initially dismissed the Spartacus uprising as a rebellion of lowly slaves. However, as their army suffered defeat after defeat, culminating in the defeat of a Consul's subjugation force, they began to recognize the seriousness of the situation.
In response, Rome prepared fully and deployed as many as eight legions to crush the rebels with overwhelming force. Crassus, Marcus's father, commanded the Roman army.
Although Spartacus' rebellion ultimately failed, it was not without impact. The treatment of gladiators and slaves in Rome improved slightly as a result, and the longing for freedom that Spartacus represented continued to inspire future generations.
Marcus was eager to meet and speak with this historical figure. Attracting him to his side would be even more desirable, but just the chance to converse with him was a significant goal.
After sending Cassius away, Marcus settled into the carriage and tried to gather his thoughts. It was a rare opportunity to see historical figures he had only read about in dramas and movies, but he couldn't fully enjoy it.
The reason for Spartacus' rebellion was the appalling treatment of gladiators. This was not mere entertainment; it was reality, and people were suffering and dying even now. For Marcus, this harsh reality was hard to ignore.
'I need to find a way to improve the treatment of gladiators… But what can I do? I can't think of anything effective just yet.'
Unfortunately, Marcus's contemplation was cut short as the carriage started moving. The rough ride was jarring, and he found it almost unbearable. As someone new to ancient carriages, Marcus struggled to accept the discomfort.
In contrast, Septimus and Danae, who were with him, appeared completely at ease. Marcus couldn't understand their calm demeanor. While he hadn't expected modern comfort, the ride was far worse than he had anticipated.
"Is there no suspension or anything like that?"
"Suspension? What's that?"
"Never mind, I was just talking to myself."
From Septimus's reaction, it was clear that the carriage lacked any form of shock absorption. Marcus now understood why people in this era preferred palanquins. Unlike carriages, palanquins were carried by people, and the shock was absorbed by their joints and muscles, which made the ride much smoother.
Marcus had ridden in a palanquin a few times and knew the difference firsthand. He had mistakenly expected the carriage to be more comfortable, based on his limited experience.
"Septimus, how long will it take to reach Capua?"
"About 10 hours by carriage. We'll arrive at the earliest tomorrow."
"10 hours? We have to endure this for 10 hours?"
Marcus's face paled, as if he had been sentenced to death. He hadn't even been in the carriage for a few minutes, but his backside was already sore. The thought of enduring this discomfort for another 10 hours was torture.
Marcus began to regret his decision to go to Capua. But it was too late to turn back now. On the bright side, there was a potential benefit: if he could improve the design of this uncomfortable carriage, it could be quite profitable.
Although he didn't know the exact design of a suspension system, he understood the basic principle of shock absorption. With this knowledge, he could work on a primitive version of a suspension system. Though it would involve considerable trial and error, it was a challenge he was prepared to tackle with sufficient resources.
Marcus was determined to improve the comfort of the wagon at all costs. His first journey made him fully appreciate the proverb: necessity is the mother of invention.
After a period of enduring the rough ride, they finally arrived in Capua. The city, the largest in Campania, was bustling with energy and anticipation for the upcoming gladiatorial competitions.
—--------
Upon arriving, Marcus checked into the lodgings he had been directed to and spent the day resting. Once he felt somewhat rejuvenated, he explored the city with Septimus and Danae.
As he wandered through the streets, the excitement for the gladiator fights was palpable.
"Do you think Spartacus will win this time?"
"What's wrong? Have you seen Spartacus lose? He's undefeated—a true champion!"
"Did you hear the rumor? This time, he's fighting three opponents at once. Even Spartacus can't handle that many at once."
"Then I'll bet on Spartacus winning! You take the side that he'll lose."
"Alright! Let's see who's right!"
Everywhere Marcus went, people were discussing the upcoming fights. In restaurants, bars, and even among the elderly, the talk was dominated by gladiator matches.
"It's definitely Spartacus! I've been watching gladiator fights for nearly 40 years, and I've never seen a gladiator like him. Betting on him is always worth it."
"Heh, I see your point, but what about Crixus? Wasn't he nearly as skilled as Spartacus? Remember their last fight?"
"Of course I remember! That match was legendary—a truly brutal showdown."
"So, everyone's betting on Spartacus, then?"
"Once you see Spartacus fight, you'll understand why."
"Well, I'm putting my money on the Gaulish fighter I brought. If he wins, the payoff could be huge."
"You're betting on a newcomer? At your age, you should know better. Betting on an untested fighter is a sure way to lose your money!"
Marcus listened to the lively conversations with growing interest.
'Just how could the entire city be so excited?'
Even in Rome, where gladiatorial games were highly popular, few citizens showed this level of enthusiasm. It was clear that both Spartacus and Crixus were extraordinary fighters.
Even the sons of the aristocrats from the senate who accompanied Marcus planned to bet substantial sums on the gladiator match. In Capua, it was hard to find anyone who wasn't placing a bet.
The sheer size of the stakes reflected the high level of interest in the event.
Danae, caught up in the excitement, cautiously asked, "Are you going to bet money too, young master?"
"Well... I'm not particularly interested in blood sports," Marcus replied.
"Really? I've heard there's no Roman who dislikes gladiator fights."
"I'm different. Actually, I regret bringing you here. I don't think you'll enjoy seeing slaves kill each other."
Danae's eyes widened, and she smiled warmly as she wiggled her fingers. "Thank you for considering me. But I don't mind. Gladiator fights are a significant part of Roman culture, and there's nothing to be done about it."
"Is that so? Well, I'm going to look into ways to make these fights safer and more profitable. If I can manage that, we both might be able to watch and enjoy them more comfortably."
"Is that possible?"
"I'll need to see the match first to confirm. I'll let you know afterward."
Marcus continued gathering information from people on the streets, who were all abuzz about the gladiator fights. The anticipation was palpable. To challenge the renowned Spartacus and Crixus, a new and famous fighter from Gaul had been introduced.
This Gaulish fighter had stirred excitement by claiming he would defeat Crixus in three minutes. Advertisements for the match were plastered all over the streets, and event organizers were working hard to hype up the crowd.
The day of the gladiator match finally arrived, and the city of Capua was abuzz with anticipation. The event, which had captivated the entire city, was about to begin.
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