Chapter 1153: Fear

After Li Jue joined the war between Parthia and Rome, the situation became a disaster for the Romans. They had been accustomed to adapting their tactics based on the terrain and their enemies, but they had not anticipated any other nations helping Parthia. The only possible reinforcements they had considered were the Xiongnu cavalry, which never appeared. Instead, they were met by an entirely different army.

The current Roman forces were equipped specifically to deal with light cavalry. In fact, their current military composition could effectively counter most light cavalry forces, even elite units like the Bai Ma Yi Cong, an exceptional light cavalry unit.

However, this effort was in vain. Rome had not come prepared to face heavy cavalry. If they had known such elite heavy cavalry would join the fight, they would have brought their Teutonic axe throwers, phalanx shield bearers, and portable barricades.

Unfortunately, the Roman Senate had repeatedly confirmed that it was unlikely anyone would assist Parthia. At most, the Xiongnu might show up, but the Romans had not been too concerned as the Xiongnu typically joined fights half-heartedly and wouldn’t fight to the death. Their strategy was simple: defeat Parthia, and the Xiongnu would withdraw. Instead, they were confronted with an unexpected force.

“General, based on our analysis, the cavalry that ignored our attacks earlier was likely heavy cavalry, and they appear to be of the Senate Guard caliber,” a Roman officer reported as the soldiers regrouped after their defeat. The Romans had retreated far away, ensuring safety before setting up camp.

“Where did this heavy cavalry come from? Don’t tell me that the Parthians, who haven’t changed their military system in a hundred years, suddenly had an epiphany,” muttered Gannasius, the Roman legion commander. He found it hard to believe. The Parthians had stuck to their cavalry archers and regimented archers, tactics that the Romans had long surpassed.

“According to our analysis, this cavalry was not Parthian. Their language was unfamiliar,” replied the young tribune, sharing their combined assessment with Gannasius.

Gannasius felt a headache coming on. Although their forces had been caught off guard and surrounded, the Western Liang Iron Cavalry’s combat power and morale indicated that they were an elite unit.

“A Senate Guard-level heavy cavalry,” Gannasius finally said after a moment of silence. “The Empire doesn’t have many units that can deal with such forces. We need more information about this mysterious cavalry.”

“Camp leader, you seem to have something to say,” Gannasius suddenly noticed one of his officers wanting to speak.

“This must be the Han army. We’ve all heard of the great empire to the east of Parthia, called the Han, known for its immense power. The Xiongnu Empire was defeated by them. Compared to the Xiongnu’s strength...” The camp leader spoke cautiously. Just as Li You and others in the Han Empire knew about Parthia, there were also people in Rome who had heard of the Han Empire.

“The Han Empire?” Only one person in the tent had ever heard of it; everyone else was bewildered.

“It’s a vast and wealthy empire. The silk and porcelain we wear and use come from that empire, not from Wusun. It’s a distant eastern kingdom that we once had contact with,” the camp leader explained.

“Silk and porcelain?” The Roman officers became excited at the mention of these precious items. In Rome, silk was worth more than gold.

“Let’s conquer that empire! The invincible Roman Senate Guard, the mighty Teutonic axe throwers, our catapults, heavy infantry, and archers can defeat any nation!” The tribune, a nobleman’s son looking to make his mark, had stars in his eyes, reflecting greed. Silk was more valuable than gold in Rome.

The camp leader, a man who had risen through the ranks by merit rather than birth, scoffed at the naive ambition of the tribune.

“Usnapharso, what else do you know? Tell us everything,” Gannasius, unlike the inexperienced tribunes, was well aware of the strength an empire must possess to be worthy of such a title.

Even the Parthian Empire, which had been in decline and besieged by Rome for a hundred years, still existed. Though Parthia was struggling to survive, it hadn’t fallen. The fact that it had endured against Rome’s long supply lines was a testament to how wars between empires were drawn-out affairs, often spanning generations.

As for the distant Han Empire, Gannasius understood that even if Rome wanted to fight them, it simply lacked the capacity to do so. Likewise, Rome wasn’t afraid of the Han Empire either; both sides were limited by the vast distances between them, which constrained them to small-scale battles involving no more than fifty thousand troops.

Gannasius, as a senior legion commander and someone on track to becoming a general-in-chief, knew that unless they solved the logistical problems, winning battles wouldn’t matter.

This was also why Rome had sacked Parthia’s capital, Ctesiphon, several times, yet Parthia remained standing. The supply lines were just too long. If Parthia were located on the Mediterranean coast, Rome would have crushed them completely.

“Legion Commander, I don’t know much beyond this,” Usnapharso said with a bitter smile, sharing what little he had read about the Han Empire.

“A nation spanning thousands of miles, with millions of people, wealthy enough to afford silk and porcelain.” Gannasius repeated these facts. Though he knew some of it was likely exaggerated, it was still intimidating.

“There’s nothing we can do now. It seems this is where our campaign ends. Let’s withdraw to Mesopotamia and pause our war with Parthia for now. Next time, we’ll be better prepared,” Gannasius concluded. As a high-ranking noble and a seasoned commander, he understood that caution was better than recklessness.

Moreover, Gannasius had already recognized that his current forces weren’t sufficient to deal with the mysterious heavy cavalry, which was possibly from the Han Empire.

He also knew that if they could set up a proper battle formation, the Han cavalry wouldn’t be able to repeat their earlier success. However, even if they managed to form a defensive line, the Han cavalry could still fire arrows. If the Romans were forced to exchange arrow fire with them, it would only demoralize their troops over time.

In Gannasius’ view, this heavy cavalry that could ignore long-range attacks wasn’t meant solely for combat. Though their attacks were fierce, they could be resisted. Roman armored infantry could form a shield wall, and three soldiers would be enough to take down one cavalryman.

While that wasn’t something to boast about, the enemy’s cavalry numbered only a few thousand. If they were willing to sacrifice a legion of heavy infantry, they could grind down the cavalry. Once that was done, they could press their advantage over Parthia.

But Gannasius knew better than to rely on luck in battle. This caution had brought him to his current rank. He could already envision the Han cavalry retreating after each skirmish, their archers picking off small numbers of his troops daily, eroding morale until his army collapsed.

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