The chariot carrying Marcus and Spartacus headed towards Naples, gleaming under the midday sun.
Marcus endured the worst ride he had ever experienced, swaying silently as time passed.
Spartacus tensed his entire body and fixed his gaze on the floor.
His nervousness was more intense than before his fight with Crixus, which made Marcus chuckle slightly.
"Are you nervous?"
"Yes."
Spartacus responded immediately.
Marcus could almost hear Spartacus's pounding heartbeat.
He was on his way to reunite with his wife, whom he had left behind in faraway Thrace. It was only natural to be nervous in such a situation.
"Don't worry. She matches your description perfectly. She has the same name, was brought from Thrace to Rome on the same day you mentioned, and I also heard she is a great cook."
"My wife is indeed an excellent cook. Whenever we had guests, she prepared the dishes herself, and everyone praised her food. I was always proud of her."
"See? With so many matching details, you have reason to be hopeful. Fortunately, she seems to be doing well, thanks to her cooking skills."
A glimmer of hope appeared on Spartacus's stiff face.
He tried to clear his mind to avoid disappointment but couldn't help it.
"Naples isn't far from Capua, but I couldn't find her even though she was so close…"
"It can't be helped. You were locked up in the training camp all this time, and your wife didn't know your name was Spartacus. Even if she did, you had no way to meet her. Anyway, you'll be a free citizen when you return to Rome, so you can change your name if you want."
"No. Even if I become a free citizen, I want to live as Spartacus now and forever. The person who carries on the will of my comrades is the gladiator Spartacus of Capua, not the powerless man who couldn't protect anyone in Thrace."
Spartacus's resolve had strengthened since the war with the rebels ended. He had always been unmatched in skill and now seemed almost complete mentally as well.
If he could find his wife again, nothing would shake his heart.
'By the way, if Spartacus's wife is such a good cook, maybe I should ask her to work as my personal chef.'
Maybe it was because of his memories from his previous life, but sometimes he missed certain foods terribly. He didn't expect anything as complex as kimchi, but he wondered if she could make something like rice soup.
At first, it might be difficult, but a skilled cook could manage it after some trial and error.
'I used to find happiness in a bowl of rice soup on a rainy day… It's a pity I can't experience that again.'
He imagined himself serving a strong-smelling pork soup to his neighbors at his family mansion and smirked at how absurd it seemed.
Shaking his head, he dismissed his silly thoughts and focused on the tasks ahead.
There were many concerns beyond just rice soup.
First, his plan to win the favor of the Senate was progressing smoothly. His strategy to focus on restraining Pompey from the Senate was also working well. He was fortunate that Pompey matched his historical description exactly.
Of course, that didn't mean Pompey was an easy opponent. Pompey had never failed in his life, which made him overconfident, but his abilities were impeccable—except for his political skills.
'He recognized the value of the stirrup at a glance.'
Although they had only exchanged a brief greeting when he sent Pompey back to Rome, he left a lasting impression. Pompey's firm confidence, unwavering will, natural talent, and charismatic leadership marked him as a great hero who could potentially dominate the world.
He was also curious about what cavalry tactics the strategic genius might use with the stirrup.
'But it was wise not to show him the heavy cavalry.'
The stirrup cavalry, capable of lance charges, could significantly alter the balance of the battlefield in this era. Revealing such a powerful asset to a strategist like Pompey too early could have unpredictable consequences.
It would be discovered eventually, but for now, it was best to keep it hidden.
'By the time they find out, we should have improved enough to maintain our advantage.'
In the battle with the rebels, the heavy cavalry proved more destructive than expected. However, there were still many areas needing improvement.
The most urgent issue was the quality of the armor.
The lorica hamata used by the Roman army was unsuitable for heavy cavalry. This chainmail armor was effective against slashing attacks but weak against piercing attacks.
Most of the attacks on heavy cavalry with lances were from piercing weapons like spears or arrows.
This armor was adequate against poorly armed rebels, but against a well-trained army, the cavalry could collapse before even engaging in combat.
He also considered using armor similar to that of the Parthians or the lorica segmentata from the imperial era. However, these were only temporary solutions.
While the lorica segmentata was a type of plate armor, it was not comparable to the full plate armor used after the 15th century. Full plate armor was the ultimate equipment for maximizing cavalry's ability to break formations.
If the cavalry were annihilated by arrows before they reached the enemy, their attack power would be irrelevant. They needed to deflect the enemy's arrows with plate armor and then shatter the enemy's defenses with lances. Without this balance of offense and defense, heavy cavalry would only be half as effective.
'Assuming we continue to improve our warhorses, the biggest challenge remains steel production.'
With the current ironmaking technology, producing full plate armor like that of the 15th century was impossible. Full plate armor required substantial production capacity, which ancient ironmaking technology could not provide.
To make such armor, they first needed to enhance their ironmaking technology. Fortunately, this was not an impossible task with their current technology.
'Steel production in medieval Europe advanced significantly after they imported advanced bloomeries from the East and later introduced water-powered bloomeries. We already have primitive blast furnaces. With sufficient time, manpower, and resources, we should be able to achieve mass steel production.'
A bloomery is a device that blows air into a furnace to increase the fire's intensity and melt iron more effectively. A blast furnace, while technically different, can be seen as an early form of smelting furnace.
Currently, most ironworks in Rome use both furnaces and blast furnaces to produce ingots.
Of course, with the current technology, they couldn't produce ingots free of impurities. Marcus knew that innovating their ironmaking technology would be essential as soon as he returned to Rome.
This task couldn't be completed quickly. It would require ongoing investment of manpower and funds, with steady development over time. They needed to improve what they could locally and import advanced technologies from the East as much as possible.
Ideally, learning the Chinese steelmaking method used since the Han dynasty would be a significant advantage.
However, the most basic prerequisite for all these plans was money. Without sufficient funds, many of Marcus's ideas would remain unfeasible.
'I need to come up with additional business ventures beyond stirrups and horseshoes. There are plenty of ways to make money, after all.'
This was not the only concern, though. Improving ironmaking technology, expanding business, and recruiting talent were ongoing tasks that required continuous effort.
Marcus particularly needed to recruit outstanding individuals from various fields. He already had Septimius, who was like an extension of his own hand, but Septimius functioned more as a personal secretary. Spartacus had other responsibilities beyond guarding him, and Danae was still young, expected to become more active once Marcus entered the Senate.
Marcus needed someone competent enough to act as an extension of his will, even if they were not entirely trustworthy like the others.
The future of Rome would be different from the past. The system's contradictions, which Sulla had forcefully suppressed, were approaching their breaking point. Rome would become a melting pot of conflicting desires, ambitious goals, and tangled emotions.
Without thorough preparation, Marcus would risk being swept away by the chaos and unable to assert control.
In his youth, he had no choice but to adapt to circumstances. His family's wealth was ultimately controlled by his father Crassus, and Marcus's own power was limited. During the rebellion, all he could do was support Crassus and intervene as needed.
But that was no longer the case. It couldn't be.
Marcus didn't want to change the course of history, but he also didn't want to lose control of events.
He turned his gaze to Spartacus, who was sitting across from him. He had placed a heavy burden on his subordinate, a responsibility that would weigh on him for the rest of his life, even though it was unavoidable.
He was determined not to let that happen again.
Through this rebellion, Marcus had reflected on who he was. He needed to become a leader capable of guiding many people, which required matching qualifications.
Marcus lifted his head, a calm but intense determination forming deep in his heart.
Outside, the clouds drifted past the shaking window.
A couple, separated and sold as slaves, reunited in a distant foreign land.
The husband, overwhelmed with fear, struggled to confirm his wife's identity.
"Is it… you?"
The familiar voice he had longed to hear.
Spartacus, who had been looking down, was overwhelmed with indescribable joy.
"It's you, isn't it?"
"Seline… Is it really you…?"
Light returned to Spartacus's anxious eyes. He slowly approached and reached out to touch his wife's face, hesitating several times, unsure if it was an illusion.
When he felt the warmth of her skin through his fingers, his expression was one of profound emotion.
His wife was here, the person he would dedicate his life to without regret.
Tears finally welled up in Spartacus's eyes. Seline, too, couldn't hold back her tears.
"I'm glad you're safe. Really… I'm so relieved. I…"
He had so many things he wanted to say to her if they ever met again—apologies for not protecting her, gratitude for their reunion, and countless stories about the future.
He had a mountain of words caught in his throat, but no sound came out.
So he simply cried.
Seeing his tears, she cried even more.
Their tears were a reflection of their hearts bursting with emotion. They understood each other's feelings through their eyes alone.
Marcus, watching from behind, felt a pang in his chest.
He hoped this moment would bring some comfort to his subordinate, who had been hurt by the betrayal of a close friend.
"I'm glad it turned out well."
Spartacus's wife was indeed fortunate. She had received basic education, was cultured, and was an excellent cook.
Her skills caught the eye of a wealthy noble couple in Naples, who took her into their mansion as a slave. They valued her cooking so much that they treated her very well, without any harassment or abuse.
However, her attempts to learn about her husband's whereabouts had always failed. This was because Spartacus had abandoned his name in Thrace and lived as a gladiator.
Septimius, following Marcus's orders, negotiated with the noble couple. He bought Seline's freedom for three times the amount he had initially paid for her.
The noble couple had offered to release her for the original price upon learning her situation, but Marcus insisted on paying the extra as a gesture of gratitude for their kind treatment.
Spartacus knelt before Marcus, bowing his head. He could not find words or actions to fully express his gratitude but felt compelled to show his respect in this way.
Seline knelt beside him.
"Young Master, thank you so much. I will never forget this favor, even in death… No, even after death. I vow to serve you with my body and soul until I can no longer move. My life from now on is dedicated to fulfilling your will and wishes. I will cut down anything that stands in your way."
"You don't need to go to such extremes. When we return to Rome, you'll be a free citizen. Our relationship will be that of patron and client, not master and slave. I'll also free Seline, so we'll have a formal ceremony when we get to Rome."
"I don't care about the formality. My life from now on is dedicated to serving you. My husband's master is also my master. Even if I'm freed, I will faithfully serve you."
"Please don't be so formal. Anyway, thank you. You must have a lot to catch up on as a couple, so go ahead and talk. I'll handle the contract with Seline's former master and be back shortly."
They were a couple reunited after a long and arduous journey. Marcus decided to give them privacy.
He watched the tearful reunion for a moment before turning his gaze away.
In the distance, Rome awaited him.
He had completed all the tasks he needed to before returning.
From now on, he wouldn't pause until he reached the pinnacle of power in Rome.
This was the real beginning.
A moment of new departure awaited Marcus.
Note:
Lorica hamata: A type of mail armor used by Roman soldiers for over 600 years, from the 3rd century BC to the 4th century AD. The name comes from the Latin word for "hooked," as the armor was made of rings that interlocked. Initially sleeveless during the Republican period, it later gained sleeves and shoulder pieces in the Imperial period. It was flexible and strong but also heavy and expensive. Preferred by centurions and sometimes worn by emperors.
Lorica segmentata: A type of personal armor used by Roman soldiers, consisting of metal strips fashioned into circular bands and fastened to internal leather straps. Introduced around the start of the Empire and used until the 4th century AD. It was expensive, heavy, but very protective and iconic of the Roman legions. It enclosed the torso with two semi-circular sections, shoulder guards, and breast and back plates. Likely limited to the legions, the best heavy infantry.
Full plate armor: A type of personal armor that covered the entire body with steel plates, reaching its peak in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. It developed from the coat of plates worn over mail suits in the 14th century. It was highly protective and durable but also heavy and expensive. Often decorated with gold plating, engraving, or fluting, it was worn by knights, nobles, and some heavy cavalry and infantry units. It was gradually replaced by simpler, lighter cuirasses in the 17th century due to the development of firearms.
Bloomery: A type of furnace used for smelting iron from its oxides. It was the earliest form of smelter capable of smelting iron without melting the ore. It produced a porous mass of iron and slag called a bloom, which was then forged into wrought iron. A bloomery consisted of a pit or chimney with heat-resistant walls and one or more pipes (tuyeres) for air. The process involved heating ore and charcoal to create carbon monoxide, which reduced iron oxides to metallic iron. Used from ancient times until the 19th century, it was replaced by more efficient iron production methods.
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