Alternate History Tomorrow's Yesterday: Roman Steam Technology

Emperor Julian

Emperor Julian

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55 AD- Emperor Nero is presented with an Aeophile, a small steam driven toy invented by the Greek philosopher Heron. Intrigued, Nero asks Heron (who resides in Egypt), what else the tiny toy can do.

56 AD- Heron presents a series of tiny models demonstrating various uses for steam power, including opening doors, moving a "Force Pump" automatically, and traveling across the floor as part of a cart. Impressed, Nero asks if larger versions were possible. Heron returns to Egypt to consult with other scholars at Library of Alexandria.

61 AD- Heron comes to the conclusion that a force pump can be combined with steam pressure to more efficiently harness its energy. Steam is created in a boiler and then channeled to the pump. The pressure pushes the pump out, thus moving a lever or turning a wheel. Counter weights push the pump back down to receive another push of steam. This more efficient design is attached to a small cart capable of moving a man and presented to the Emperor. Nero is very impressed but points out that these devices are not needed due to abundance of slave labor. However, sees potential to further enhance the culture and prestige of Rome and his own court. The Emperor orders a few private devices produced for the purpose of impressing visiting dignitaries or the populace.

62 AD- Before completing the Emperor's projects, Heron dies of old age. Out of respect for the beloved mentor and teacher, his students decide to finish the order placed by Nero in Heron's honor.

64 AD- The first of the Emperor's mechanical marvels arrive in Rome. Emperor Nero, however, cancels the presentation to handle another affair of estate, forcing the students to wait nearly a week for another opening in his schedule. Rather than waiting in the palace, a leading Patrician suggests the group bring their devices and stay at his estate near Palatine hill. The group graciously accepts and caustiously escorts the cloth draped wagons across Rome to the luxurious estate. After a night of revelry, the Patrician asks to be shown the Emperor's new toys, to which the students, pleased with their work and very intoxicated, gladly comply.

Despite their compromised state of mind, the students and their hosts succeeded in unpacking and setting up the machines in a little under two hours. Slaves were then ordered to set fires to the boilers before being dismissed so that the work could be undertaken directly by the young scholars.

What followed is not completely clear, what is known is that a massive explosion rocked the afluent neighborhood in the early hours of the morning. The blast demolished part of the Patrician's home and instantly killed most of those standing nearby. The shock of the blast toppled oil lamps and other flamible goods which soon ignited the scattered timbers and debris from the blast.

Quickly the fire spreads, destroying or severly damaging most of the city of Rome. Nero, who had been away at the time of the fire, rushed back to Rome and began helping the victims in any way he could, paying for costs out of his own funds. Despite his acts of charity, rhumors begin to spread about Nero setting the fire himself in order to make room for a new palace, to which Nero responds by persecuting Christians for the disaster.

At least one person at the party, however, was aware of the truth. One of the attendees that night was a wealthy aristocrat and amateur scholar by the name of Polonius. Polonius had stepped away from the demonstration to use the rest room and was partially shielding from the blast. After the resulting fire, he attempted to make contact with Nero and explain what had happened but soon began to fear he would be punished and changed his mind. Slowly the fear that he would be discovered and fed to the lions along with the Christians gnawed at him until at last he decided to leave the city all together.

Rather fleeing to Greece or one of the frontier provinces, Polonius decided to go to Alexandria to perhaps help Heron with his creations. He had seen what steam could do and felt that was a field with potential. Upon arriving, however, he discovered the great scientist had passed away and his workshop was closed. Dismayed, he offered the library a large sum of money if he could take over Heron's projects. The Library agreed so long as any commercial application that arose from Heron's work be the property of the Library. Polonius, who was more interested in hiding for a while than finding fame and fortune, accepts and pays one of Heron's former students, Braxis, to return and assist him.

68 AD- Nero's death sparks a brief civil war.

69 AD- While in Alexandria, the new Emperor, Vespasian, tours the Library and takes note of a small steam powered cart exiting a building and knocking over displays erected to commemorate his visit. Although the Emperor's guides are quick to dismiss the incident and downplay one of their lesser known scholars, he is intrigued and asks to see the cart's creator.

Polonius, covered in soot and sweat, is of an aristocratic background and quickly begins wooing the new Emperor with displays of technical wizardry, most of which he admits are Heron's work. The Emperor is impressed and asks how these marvels might be harnessed to the benefit of the Empire. Polonius paints a vivid image of steam carts pulling wagons of goods and steam ships crisscrossing the Mediterranean but finally finds traction with his idea to improve irrigation and farming using steam powered pumps.

While aqueducts moved water over great distances, they only went down hill. The ability to move large amounts of water uphill potentially opened additional farm land to cultivation, lessoning Roman dependence on Egyptian grain. Given the Emperor's visit was due, at least in part, to problems with Egyptian grain, this possibility, while outlandish, was compelling.

Emperor Vespasian orders work to be done in this area and requests prototypes within a year.
 
70 AD- Polonius finds that while attaching Heron's engine to a pump or to an Archimedes Screw to move water was relatively easy, maintaining extended operation, as would be required for the amount of water being moved, was more difficult. After constant operation the pistons fail and the engine must be repaired. After a while the head of steam bleeds off as well, causing a lull in operation

He partially solves both issues with improved seals for the piston. This creates less wear and reduces the amount of steam that escapes in each stroke, thus permitting longer operation. Rather than letting the steam pour into the piston as it is created, he also installs a simple governor, allowing steam to build at the same rate it is lost, and reducing interruptions in operation.

While testing his rig, Polonius is slightly injured when the pressure within the boiler becomes so great that the governor explodes, sending shrapnel in all directions. Braxis points out that Heron lost more than one student to boiler explosions and that one must be very carful not to build up too much pressure. Polonius is concerned that there are too many variables to consider when making steam devices, the pressure in the boiler and the lines, the heat being applied, the water level, the mechanical apparatus. However, there was not time to tackle these issues prior to visiting the Emperor so Polonius rebuilt the governor, enlarging the opening to prevent such a build up of steam.

Towards the end of the year he returned to Rome for the first time since 64 in order to demonstrate his creation. Although a little concerned, Polonius decides the passage of time and the death of Nero will have buried any knowledge of his involvement in the great fire of Rome. This time, the Emperor keeps his appointment and the demonstration goes very well with the engine performing as expected and not exploding

The Emperor is pleased and orders the engine be set up to irrigate a parcel of land he owns outside the city. The plot is small but not utilized and is a perfect test bed for the new technology. Polonius humbly accepts and begins work immediately.

71 AD- As requested, the water elevation system is installed on the Emperor's property outside of Rome. Polonius is able to siphon water out of a near by aqueduct and use his engine to push it into a small cistern built at the farm. From there the water is easily distributed throughout the property.

Again, Vespasian is pleased but points out that the same task can be completed with slave labor for a fraction of the cost. Never the less, the marvel is a testament to Roman ingenuity and, more importantly, something that elevates his prestige. The ability to harness steam to do miraculous things plays into his propaganda proclaiming him as chosen by the gods to lead the Roman people. Farm irrigation, however, was too mundane to impress the average Roman. Instead, the Emperor asked if steam powered devices could be built to make his new Coliseum more impressive.

Without considering the problem, Polonius readily agrees and promises great things for the glory of Rome. After the Emperor departs, Polonius immediately sends for his assistant in Alexandria so that they might begin making plans.

While waiting on Braxis to arrive, Polonius learns the small engine left in operation at the Emperor's farm exploded, killing three slaves. The Emperor is not concerned, crediting the accident to a slave's incompetence, but Polonius knows all to well the destructive force a failed boiler can cause.

73 AD- The Coliseum was an architectural marvel with planned seating for 50,000. Polonius had quickly agreed to use his, or rather Heron's, work to make Vespasian's triumph more impressive but failed to consider how he would accomplish this. Elevators, hoisted high above the ground by a steam pulley, should be easy to implement and would allow the poor occupying the highest areas to reach their seat without climbing flights of stairs. The problem, however, was that only those working in the Coliseum would know that these were feats of technology rather than of slave labor. Polonius, and the Emperor, wanted to impress the people.

Polonius' assistant, Braxis pointed out a steam powered cannon designed by Archimedes and refined by Heron for the Legion. The device had proven too expensive, heavy and complicated for military use but it worked quite well. Perhaps more importantly for the current application, it produced a massive cloud of steam when fired and, if used properly, was much less likely to explode. This cloud of hot mist and the roar that preceded it could provide ambience to theatric battles and would certainly impress the crowd.

Braxis also suggested a kind of water nozzle using steam to produce the pressure. A closed cistern would be partially filled with water and a pipe leading out from the bottom and top. The top pipe would feed steam into the cistern, pressuring the chamber. This would force water out of the bottom pipe to be sprayed about the coliseum.

After reviewing these additions Vespasian was pleased with the cannons but not the water guns as those could be easily duplicated using a gravity fed system for less money and complexity. He orders Polonius to begin working with the lead architect to implement the canons in a grid on the coliseum floor.

While happy that Heron's inventions are being used, Polonius is dismayed at their use. As when Heron was alive, the power of steam was only being utilized as entertainments for the Roman mob instead of to make their lives easier. Heron's work included powerful carts that moved under their own power, potentially doing the work of both man and beast. Steam had the power to revolutionize the Roman world. Four months after being hired to work on the Coliseum, Polonius decided to approach the Emperor about his grander vision.

After concluding a meeting about the progress of construction, Polonius sought out the Emperor and outlined his ideas for self powered carts and the tasks they could accomplish. Vespasian praised the scholar's imagination but pointed out that not only are such devices superfluous with the current abundance of slaves, but would also lead to conflict when idle hands sought something to do.

Initially Polonius is dismayed but soon begins thinking of ways to promote these devices on his own. Only the wealthiest of Rome could afford such marvels and many would agree with the Emperor but, Polonius knew there were others who would want to own a piece of the technology if for no other reason than the prestige and attention a steam vehicle would bring. The market would be small, but larger than the one the Emperor was offering.

74 AD- By 74 AD the implementation of Polonius' steam cannons in the Coliseum had reached a point were he was confident a local could complete the work allowing him and Braxis to return to Alexandria. While in Rome, Braxis was able to convince Polonius to abandon his plans for a steam driven cart in favor of a stream driven ship. Ships, he reasoned, were larger and able to more easily support the added weight of the boiler, it was also easier to travel long distances over water as opposed to the bumpy cobblestone roads that crisscrossed the Empire, and, in the event of a failure, a ship could be powered by sail.

Upon returning from Rome, the pair went about securing a used merchant vessel for conversion to steam power. The initial design was completed within weeks but Polonius discovered Heron's model did not scale well, primarily the density of water and the weight being required to move through it, proved too great for the engine and gearing system. The rotary paddles caused problems as well, splashing as they slapped the water, causing a loss of power, additional stress to the frame, and difficulty in navigating. The engine itself was also problematic, producing uneven power, shaking and rattling the rig.

To solve these problems, Polonius sought the help of an early naval engineer, a Boatwright studying at the Library. He listened to their problem with some interest and, after a time, proposed a series of changes. He suggested increasing the number of paddles so that the plane of the water remained broken, thus allowing easier entry and exit. He also adjusted the shape of the paddles and shortened their length thus reducing splash and the amount of torque needed to turn them. As a bonus, he also sketched out a rough method of turning the craft by slowing or quickening the port or starboard paddle wheel, thus causing one side of the craft to advance at a different rate and turning the craft. The pair was infinity grateful, as they had not yet begun to address navigation.

They next began examining the boiler. Heron's designs utilized basic variations of a modified cauldron to boil water and create steam. This was fine for smaller applications but when the model was scaled up the amount of fire needed to heat the extra water grew too massive. They found that a series of smaller boilers was more effective but multiplied the problems of managing one boiler, namely keeping them from exploding. This required a method of measuring how much force was inside the boiler at any one time.
 
77 AD- Before an engine strong enough to propel his small craft could be constructed, Polonius first had to know how much pressure the cauldron could handle before rupturing. For this he formulated a simple method for measuring pressure and used it to calibrate a simple piston gauge that was then installed on the smaller boilers.

To increase the heat, an oven was constructed that could be fed fuel and kept at a certain temperature. Inside this oven the three small boilers were placed with pipes for the gauges extending upward and out for easy viewing. Pipes also ran into each boiler to deliver new water and to feed steam to the pistons By this method new water could constantly be pumped into the boiler and a steady stream of pressure maintained for the engine. This was much more efficient and controlled than previous designs.

After three years Polonius was ready to reveal his new creation to the world.

78 AD- On a sunny morning in mid March, Polonius revealed his completed steam driven paddle boat to a few dozen curious onlookers. Ships of all types were a very common sight to the people of Alexandria, one of the largest ports of the Empire, but none with two large pin wheels of ores faceted to either side. Polonius' vessel, named The Heron, in honor of the master scholar, also featured a strange lump in the center with a long pipe jutting from the top to vent smoke.

With a growing number of eyes scrutinizing their work, Polonius and Braxis began stoking the fires that would heat the boiler, forcing thick plumes of gray/black smoke to begin billowing from the short stack. Given the shortage of wood in the Egyptian area, Braxis had suggested a combination of wood and oil to make fuel more economical, the resulting smoke bearing an unusual color and aroma.

After nearly an hour, during which time more onlookers had gathered, more interested in the crowd than the device, Polonius decided enough steam had been generated to engage the paddles. With a startling roar followed by groaning metal and wood, the paddles stuttered into operation. Water, churned white by the paddles, flung up and over the wheels, spraying the sizable crowed who cheered with glee.

Despite the adjustments made by the Boatwright, the paddles created a great deal of foam and spray, reducing the amount of effective propulsion they generated. This gave the ship a rather unimpressive acceleration; especially considering the load the engine was being forced to endure. However, the ship did move forward without any assistance from wind nor hand drawn ores. It was a success.

The Heron's maiden voyage took it to the mouth of the harbor where it garnished additional attention from traditionally powered vessels on their way in or out of port. It was at this point that Polonius was to discover flaws in his design not initially anticipated. Roman vessels lacked a keel, the long spine of a ship that runs from aft to stern and jutting into the water. A keel not only strengthens a ship structurally but acts as a fixed rudder, keeping the vessel upright and stable. Without this basic nautical device, Roman vessels were more difficult to control and more likely to capsize in the right conditions. Unknowingly, Polonius had created those conditions perfectly with his vessel.

To begin with, the large metal boiler was perched above deck, making the vessel top heavy. This was compensated, theoretically, by ballast kept below deck but The Heron did not have sufficient quantities. To make the problem worse, the boiler had been surrounded by a thick layer of clay to prevent the heat from igniting the wood around it, increasing the weight above deck.

Secondly, the engine required a great deal of water to operate. This was stored onboard in a large tank below deck. When a container of water is tilted back and forth it begins to slosh, throwing its weight first to one side and then the other. Eventually, if not compensated for, this can cause the container to flip over. While the water tank on The Heron was firmly securing and the waters of the harbor calm, the agitating effect caused by the inefficient ores began the sloshing and, unable to flip over within the vessel, forced the entire ship to rock back and forth.

By the time the men aboard realized there was a problem it was too late, the wake from a passing ship tipped The Heron first on her side and then, quickly, all the way over. As soon as the cool Mediterranean water came in contact with the hot boiler it promptly exploded, tearing the boat around it in two. What remained quickly sank to the bottom of the harbor amidst a thunderous cloud of steam.

Polonius and Braxis had ordered the vessel abandoned when the rocking became uncontrollable and as such, there was only one death, that of a deck hand who did not know how to swim. Their ship, and the revolutionary enhancements made to it, however, was completely unsalvageable.

79 AD- The rest of 78 and into 79 saw the launch of the second and third iteration of Polonius steam powered vessel in front of an ever-shrinking base of onlookers. Unlike The Heron, The Heron II did not explode and sink, allowing to be used for the much-improved The Heron III. Although from a Patrician background, Polonius fortunes had declined significantly since leaving Rome and embarking on his new career path. The Library provided a small stipend to continue Heron's work as well as access to all of its facilities, but much of the cost for materials, including the purchase of ships and expensive fuel, the hiring of workers, and healthy amounts of iron and bronze, came out of his own pocket, pockets that had begun to grow lighter in the past few years.

After making it back to shore and failing to salvage the mass of splinters that was The Heron, Polonius was approached by one of those who had been watching the disaster. Phillip, a Greek civil engineer, observed that his drive wheels looked like a series of traditional ores arrayed in a circle for contentious operation. Water wheels, he explained, such as those used for mills around the Empire, caught water in their fins and rotated. He suggested the opposite might work as well, with the fins in the water wheel pushing water out to propel the craft.

After modifying the common water wheel design to make it more suitable for his purposes, Polonius found it much more efficient, with less wasted energy and less agitation in the water. Acceleration was very poor, as was the vessel's top speed, but it proved the concept was sound.

The location of the boiler had been lowered to reduce the vessels center of gravity and multiple containers were used to house the needed water rather than one large one in order to reduce the sloshing effect. Unfortunately this made the entire apparatus heavier and more expensive but Polonius was primarily concerned with making it work rather than making it practical.

After these, and other, more minor, corrections were made, Polonius and Braxis completed their first successful navigation of Alexandria's harbor. For the next few days they put The Heron III through various trials, testing its speed, maneuverability and durability in different situations. More adjustments followed but at last, satisfied the craft would survive an extended journey, they set sail for Tyrus in Syria to begin their promotional mission.

In route, Polonius discovers that after only a short while, the head of steam built up to drive the paddles is exhausted, requiring the vessel to stop. Rather than proceeding in an elastic advance, he ordered the boilers cooled and sails to be hoisted. Before entering Tyrus, however, he orders the sails stowed and steams into the harbor using the paddles.

Among the curious onlookers was a fabulously wealth Greek by the name of Hipparchus who had was visiting Tyrus to inspect some potential holdings. After sailing around the harbor aboard the loud and dirty ship, he invited Polonius to bring his vessel to Naples where he was going to be visiting friends and associates.

More interested in selling The Heron III than sailing to Italy, Polonius initially declined, but the handsome sum of money Hipparchus offered was too tempting to refuse. As July dawned, Polonius and crew set sail for the wealthy city of Naples and the smaller vacation towns that surrounded it.
 
79 AD Part II- With July drawing to a close, Polonius and The Heron III, steamed into Herculanium, a short distance from Naples. There they were met by one of Hipparchus' colleagues, a man by the name of Caiaphas, who had been instructed to attend to their needs. Although The Heron III never spent the night at sea, birthing always at towns along the rout, the small crew was none the less pleased to be offered such hospitality.

Caiaphas explained that Hipparchus had been detained in Rome on some business but that he would be along in a few days. While they waited, Polonius demonstrated The Heron III's steam engine and capabilities to Caiaphas and anyone else who happened to be near by. All were greatly impressed and marveled at the incredible machine but Polonius was eager for his host to arrive so that he might begin impressing more financially viable crowds.

Hipparchus never made it to Herculanium.

Not even a week following the arrival of The Heron III, Mt. Vesuvius erupted, instantly inundating Pompeii in hundreds of tons of ash. Nearby Herculanium was spared instant destruction but was rapidly being buried in falling debris and flooded with poison gasses.

Pliny the Elder, friend to Emperors Vespasian and Titus, was stationed nearby and receives a plea for evacuation from Herculanium. Roads were already impassible and only the sea offered any hope of escape. Without concern for his own safety, Pliny the Elder, and men from his unit, immediately bored a light sail boat and cross the small expanse of water that lies between them. Strong winds drive the ship forward into the darkness of ash induced night and threaten to damage the light vessel. When urged to turn back, Pliny responded "Fortune favors the brave" and they continued.

Upon reaching the opposite shore and gathering the survivors, Pliny and his crew found that the same violent winds that drove them to Herculanium were preventing their return. One of his number, Caiaphas, remembered that Polonius was staying in Herculanium and explained how he might help. Pliny was skeptical but willing to investigate the refugees claim. After all, they were as desperate as he to leave the doomed city.

A few births down from where Pliny's vessel was moored, he found Pliny and a small crew scurrying about their strange looking vessel preparing to depart. Surprised at the validity of Caiaphas' story, Pliny approached Polonius and explained their situation. Polonius was unsure his ship would carry all those who wished to leave but was willing to try. After being ordered to leave all belongings, the small group squeezed aboard The Heron III and prayed for a safe journey.

Sputtering and splashing more than usual, the first steam ship inched away from the dock and, dangerously low in the water, slid slowly to safety.

Upon arrival, Pliny sent word to Emperor Titus of the escapade. The Emperor was astounded by the tale of heroism and rescue using a "steam" powered vessel. He immediately seizes on the tale and promotes the story as triumph in the face of tragedy, of Roman ingenuity overcoming the worst of nature. Against the backdrop of such a catastrophe, the heroic acts of Pliny shine and serve as a rally of hope in the midst of horror of the eruption. A key component of this heroic tale is the almost magical escape of a Roman hero via a triumph of Roman engineering; the steam boat.

Titus commissions new public projects using steam power to remind people of the tale and dedicates them to the victims of the volcano. Large shipping firms are also interested in adapting the technology to merchant vessels and some offer to fund exploration into that area. Privately, the Emperor also demands adaptation for larger ships but for military use.


Polonius is only too happy to accommodate but Braxis is more concerned. He points out that The Heron III requires their personal attention, without which it could easily fail or explode. Letting the public use such vehicles was dangerous. Furthermore, larger commercial steam ships required more power than their largest engine could produce as well as constant run times which The Heron III did not seem able to maintain.

More irritated than concerned, Palonius sends Braxis back to Alexandria to begin working on more powerful engines while he floats around the upper echelons of Roman society retelling the tale of his daring rescue.

80 AD- The better part of six months passed while Braxis toiled over how to make the little steam engine more powerful. Larger or more boilers, more pistons, higher pressure, there were countless variables to consider and he wasn't really sure which one had the greatest affect on the engine's power.

A much easier dilemma, and thus what he had been working on for the most part, lie in the Emperor's public works assignment. The Heron III's engine was powerful enough to push a small cart with two or three carts in tow. After attaching the cart to a guide rail so that it ran in a circle it made a perfect ride for up to ten people at a time. With a mountain of metal and a tube billowing white and black smoke, there was also no mistaking it was driven by steam power, thus reminding all who saw it of Pliny's daring escape.

It was on this project that Braxis was occupied when a representative of the Emperor arrived to view the naval prototype for the military. Of course, Braxis had nothing close to a design, let alone a prototype, and had to decline. The representative, a slave named Oranatic, protested, explaining Master Palonius promised the vessel within a year and that enough time had passed for a prototype to be inspected.

Braxis was very angry at Palonius for his baseless promises and wrote a lengthy note explaining as much. He then entrusted the note to Oranatic and sent him back to Rome.

Back in the capital city, Polonius found he had missed court life, enjoying his travels with Titus immensely. He accompanied the Emperor to Pompeii along with Pliny the Elder as part of his humanitarian public relations tours and happily played up his role as the mechanical genius that facilitated the brave Roman escape. When word reached Titus, however, that another fire had broken out in Rome, Polonius had flashbacks of a similar conflagration under Nero that had launched his new career and feared it was a bad omen from the gods.

Immediately the new Emperor returned to the capital to asses the damage and provide relief but Polonius declined. As fortune would have it, the Emperor's slave had recently returned from Alexandria with Braxis' note. Polonius seized on the correspondence as cause for him to travel to Egypt and return the Emperor's projects to schedule. Titus gave Polonius his blessing and the two parted company.

Rather than take the now famed The Heron III back to Alexandria, Polonius agreed to sell the vessel to Caiaphas for a handsome sum. Caiaphas, who had initially declined to purchase the vessel outright, had a change of heart after using it to steam to safety. Completing the sale, Polonius returned to Alexandria in a style he had not known since leaving Rome over ten years prior.

Upon arrival he was greeted with a somewhat different environment than the air of fanfare that he had left. Braxis was still fuming over the grandiose promises he had made to Titus for fleets of steam driven warships and even more enraged that The Heron III had been sold. His fears were confirmed later that year when The Heron III's boiler exploded, killing all onboard, including Caiaphas.

To compound Polonius' troubles, the library demanded much of what he had received for the sale of The Heron III as per their agreement when he assumed control of Heron's inventions. This, of course, did not affect the development of steam power whose patronage had been secured in Rome, but it did deprive Polonius of his revitalized fortune.

Humbled, Polonius made amends with Braxis and began assisting him with the development of more powerful engines.
 
81 AD- The new year dawned and passed quietly in Alexandria, save the typical celebrations inherent to that time and location. In years past, Polonius was quick to take part in the festivities but, so recent was his chastisement, chose to remain on campus instead. Not four months passed before another representative of Titus arrived to inspect the pair's progress. As before, there was not much to show. Braxis had tried dozens of different boiler arrangements trying to get the most pressure from the smallest package while Polonius had been experimenting with different piston and level combinations but neither men had a workable solution to show Titus. The pair was able to offer the small steam cart amusement ride for consideration which the slave approved of but was still disappointed that no warships had been produced. After the slave departed for Rome, Polonius began to fear his boasting would cost both of them their lives but this fear was short lived. In September, word reached Egypt that Emperor Titus had succumb to fever and died, succeeded by his brother Domitian. Polonius, who traveled with the Emperor and knew him to be in good health and sound mind, was both shocked and relived. The Emperor's demands for results were no longer as threatening, due in large part to him being dead, but this also meant the elaborate public works projects and military contracts he offered were also gone, to say nothing of Imperial patronage.

For others, the Emperor's death had a more sinister meaning. Pliny the Elder, who dedicated one of his elaborate books to Vespasian's son, immediately suspected Domitian was more than a helpless bystander when Titus grew ill. Rumors that the new Emperor packed his brother in snow to "freeze" the fever out of him did not help to ease Pliny's mind and he soon began asking more probing questions.

To Domitian's credit, he did not have Pliny executed as Emperors past would have done, perhaps out of fear of public opinion but, as he later abolished the practice all together, more likely due to personal convictions. In any case, Domitian grew weary of Pliny's inquiries and resigned him to Gnaeus Julius Agricola's forces in Brittain, removing him from the mainland of Europe.

82 AD- Gnaeus Julius Agricola had been appointed as governor of Britannia and had excelled in both quelling rebellion and acquiring new lands for Rome. His fame was not limited to the extreme periphery of the Empire, either, as Pliny the Elder was familiar with the man prior to his arrival. Agricola, of course, was familiar with Pliny the Elder if for no other reason than his recent theatrics near Pompeii but had also read some of his work. The two also found that they also shared a mutual distrust of their new Emperor and felt their current duty station was in no small part due to his influence.

The previous year Agricola had been entertaining the idea of invading a neighboring island occupied by the Irish but had, for various reasons, changed his focus to the vast expanses of land that would come to be known as Scotland. Not least of the reasons for his initial interest in Ireland was the presence of a deposed Irish king by the name of Tuathal Techtmar in the Roman camp. Pliny immediately took to the deposed king and the two spent many hours in deep discourse about both Rome and the man's island home.

After a time, Pliny proposed Agricola again consider seizing Ireland and returning Techtmar to the throne. Not only would the conquest be simple but with an allied king, additional auxiliaries could be provided for a foray into Scotland. As Agricola's designs for Scotland included an amphibious assault, he already had the necessary craft constructed and changing his plans as relatively simple.

Agricola consented and Techtmar arrived in Ireland at the head of a full Roman legion. As had been expected, the conflict was short, with a complete Roman victory. Agricola decided to wait out the remainder of the year to allow his new ally time to gather forces for their combined assault on the north.

On the completely opposite end of the Empire, Polonius continued to struggle with improving Heron's basic steam engine with little success. Since there was only so many configurations for a boiler, he decided to focus instead on the pistons that transformed steam pressure into mechanical action. On this he had to work alone as Braxis had, towards the end of the year, traveled to Rome to present the steam driven cart to the new Emperor as a gift.

83 AD- With Techtmar securely on the throne of a united Ireland and levies supplied, Agricola at last launches his invasion of the northern British isles. His now veteran fleet of transports and warships are able to encircle the tribes and begin preparations for a multi pronged assault. Pliny the Elder, a cavalry leader, saw action repelling a night time raid, after which the entire force began moving north.

Braxis initially fares worse in his endeavor to present his steam driven cart to Emperor Domitian who seems to have little interest in promoting memories of his dead brother. When he arrived in late 82 he found Domitian was not even in Rome, instead having traveled to Gaul. He returned in 83 after a much publicized defeat of the Chatti but refused to see Braxis who had remained in Rome per Polonius' orders. Excuses for the Emperor's refusal were, at first, polite and plausible but as Braxis presses the issue he is treated with less and less hospitably. At last he was informed that the Emperor was far too busy to play host to makers of trivial trinkets and dismissed.

While attempting to arrange for his carts to be shipped back to Egypt, Braxis met an influential Senator by the name of Ephesis. While conversing, Braxis revealed his situation and found his new acquaintance intensely interested. Unbeknownst to Braxis, who was generally not interested in the politics of Rome, Domitian had actively begun downplaying the Senate in favor of the Imperial monarchy. The Senate, who had ruled Rome for over 800 years, was becoming increasingly irritated at losing the façade of Republican government that Augustus put in place after his ascension to the throne.

Domitian was still milking his trumped up assault on the Chatti, a conflict the Senate knew was solely to generate favor with the people and the Legions. Braxis' steam cart, and the deceased Emperor it represented, might help to blunt the current Emperor's boost in Rome's heart and mind.

Ephesis, along with other leading Senators, hosted a large festival complete with free gifts of food and drink. At the height of the revelry, Ephesis reminded the people of Titus, and the story of Pliny's daring escape from the ashes of Herculanium aboard a steam driven craft. With the people riveted, Braxis emerged from the shadows atop his sputtering, steam driven cart, much to the people's astonishment and glee.

The rest of the night was filled alcohol lubricated laughter and tales of the great Titus and faithful Pliny who had been banished to Britannia, all against the back drop of drunken rides aboard a magical steam driven cart. Only Braxis obtained from drink, as he was overly focused on maintaining the proper operation of the boiler to risk libations.

As the morning sun began warming the party stained streets the following day, Emperor Domitian was fuming over the treachery of the Senate. Rome would certainly be buzzing about the dramatic entrance of Braxis' cart instead of his defeat of the Chatti. Granted, the Legions would still respect him, and that had been the true goal, but the loyalty of the people was key to his plans to permanently mitigate the Senate's role in governing.

Having both men killed would be the easiest solution but Domitian was nothing if not shrewd. He know the only thing better than destroying your enemies was using them for your benefit.
 
83 AD Part II- The Emperor Domitian was generally known to be an unpleasant person. For a man who prided himself on the ruthless enforcement of law, he was remarkably rude, arrogant, insolent and prideful; refusing to acknowledge a visitor unless addressed as 'master and god' Were he not the absolute ruler of the most powerful nation on the face of the earth he would have certainly been regarded as mad; even then, most found him a bit too drunk with power.

It was before this 'master and god' of the Earth, that Braxis humbly stood not five days following the revelries hosted by the Senate. He had been in the process of loading his steam cart onto a ship bound for Egypt when the steely eyed Praetorian cohorts encouraged him to extend his stay. Looking up to the large man slouched lazily in his throne, surrounded by haughty nobles and expressionless soldiers, Braxis vowed never again to make deliveries instead of Polonius.

After a few rounds of ceremonial dissertations the disdainful monarch addressed the scholar directly, inquiring if it had been his intention to undermine the Emperor of Rome with his treasonous inventions.

Now terrified for his life, Braxis refuted the accusation, insisting the cart had been for his 'master and god' Why then, Domitian retorted, was it given to the Senate for their use in disgracing him?

Naturally Braxis had no response prepared and instead began mentally preparing himself for the flogging and crucifixion that would surly be coming. Of course, had the more politically astute Polonius been there, he would have pointed out that the 'master and god' would not have taken time from ruling the earth simply to humiliate and pass sentence on a lowly scholar. But, Polonius was not there.

Domitian toyed with his prey a while longer before revealing his true motives for the spectacle, his desire to use the steam carts for his own purposes. By this point, so certain was Braxis of impending doom he would have agreed to nearly any terms to simply to reduce the amount of suffering he was about to endure; avoiding death was not yet a possibility so far as he could see.

Braxis listened intently to the faux-deity as he unveiled his plan, each syllable lowering the temperature of his blood a few degrees. He had been willing to sacrifice anything to escape torture but now that it was being asked of him he found the notion repugnant and appalling. Yet, his baser instincts, the will to survive, was too great and Braxis agreed to Domitian's demands.

Over a week passed before Polonius found himself the recipient of a letter written in uncharacteristically short and choppy language. The Emperor, Braxis explained, demanded four more steam carts be delivered to Rome within six weeks. Nothing more was said aside from an Imperial promissory note for funding construction. Since a week had been lost in the delivery of the message and at least another would be devoted to delivering the machines, only four would be left for construction. The urgency of the matter pushed aside any curious thoughts about Braxis' brevity or why he himself had not returned to assist Polonius.

Unable to complete the work himself, Polonius sought out the aid of one of Alexandria's most skilled metal workers; Cassius. Cassius was a master of metallurgy and smithing and had been consulted by Polonius in the past when developing boilers. The promissory note from the Emperor enabled Cassius to be paid handsomely and the pair began work immediately.

Progress continued for nearly a week when a solemn faced messenger appeared in the doorway of Heron, now Polonius', workshop. Braxis, he revealed, had been killed in a massive boiler explosion during a festival in Rome. The blast had been huge, damaging surrounding buildings and killing many prominent people who had been in attendance. The messenger brought with him a note addressed to Polonius, penned in Braxis' hand.

Throat choked with anguish, the scholar tipped the messenger and waited until he departed before reading its contents;

"I assume upon reading this you will have been informed of my passing. Through a turn of events that I do not wish to explain, I came to be in the debt of the Emperor Domitian, willing to do anything to discharge said debt. His price, which to my shame I accepted, was to use Heron's work to shed the blood of his rivals. He would then use additional carts to further his own glory, the order for which you received earlier.

I had wished to avoid the abyss but now I fear I would be unable to bear the weight that my survival has levied and will instead see to Domitian's demands my self.

Please do not fail to provide what he has ordered for a I wish to spare you the torment I must now endure. I know this will be difficult in my absence but I am confident you will find a way.

Although our relations began in a business capacity, I would like to think we have come to be friends, even brothers, exploring this new world Heron opened to us. We have suffered conflicts and differences in the past but I wish to assure you no ill feelings remain on my part and I think very highly of you and your ambition.

May the gods smile on you always


Braxis"
 
83 AD, October- The festival of Armilustrium traditionally marked the end of the campaigning season, a time to remember the conflicts from the past year and ceremonially suspend conflict until the year to come. The army, or at least a very small portion of it, would assemble in the Circus Maximus for review and praise. Soldiers would be lauded for their feats of glory from the past season then garlanded with flowers before being marched to Aventine Hill. The short hike was led by the dancing priests of Mars, the god of war, while rows of trumpets proclaimed the location of Rome's heroes. Once assembled, priests would take the soldier's weapons and ritually purify them for the winter storage and offer blessings and sacrifices.
Compared to the much grander military festivals in March, a month named for the god of war, the Armilustrium was small, but it offered the last chance for the public to see their men on parade before the shuttered and cold winter months. It also offered the sitting Emperor an opportunity to revisit his recent victories on the field or to repaint images of defeats in the minds of the public.

For this purpose, Domitian had retained a number of Chatti captives. Most had been paraded through Rome upon his triumphant return and either sold or executed afterwards but a few had been held back to rekindle the excitement of that time. Domitian had also something special prepared. Most prisoners were forced to walk in chains or be pulled in a cart by animals but thanks to the tireless works of Polonius and Cassius, Domitian had a winding train of steam driven carts pulling wagon loads of spoil and plunder.

Each steam cart pulled two normal carts behind it; themselves bathed in white steam and black, sooty, smoke. This had the effect of partially obscuring the contents of the wagons giving them a ghostly, post battle appearance. The crowd's feeling of awe was compounded by the intense fear many of them had for the steam driven devices. Although they had initially marveled at the machines, the devastating explosion weeks earlier had soured their opinions and many thought the carts otherworldly beasts possessed by demons.

Aside from riding him of his enemies, the boiler explosion served to show the public how dangerous steam really was, and by the Emperor using such dangerous devices, how brave and strong he was. Even the explosive power of steam bowed to the master and god of Rome. To solidify this image, Domitian himself stood atop a special cart of his own. Inlayed with gold, silver, ivory and precious stones, the Imperial chariot was drawn by no horses, instead gliding forward seemingly compelled by the will of its lone occupant.

In fact, after learning Braxis had chosen to sacrifice himself in the boiler explosion, Domitian was concerned Polonius might seek vengeance by tampering with his engine so the magnificent cart was powered instead by slaves concealed inside. A small boiler produced a steady stream of steam to further the illusion.

As expected, the crowed undulated with feelings of awe and horror at the frightening machines and the erect Emperor who showed no fear of their power. Their emotions were palatable and the huge smile on Domitian's face was the most sincere he had shown in a long time.

No such smile could be seen on the face of Polonius who, at the order of the Emperor, was personally piloting one of the steam carts so as to discourage intentional malfunctions. He had ample reason to celebrate. Yet another Emperor was using steam power, thus ensuring its continued development and patronage, he was again in Rome among the powerful circles he had so loved in the past, but it all felt hallow in light of Braxis' recent passing.

Polonius knew it would have been he who went to Rome instead of Braxis, had he not made such a fool of himself during his previous visit. Braxis insisted he be the one to deliver Domitian's gift so that Polonius would not again promise more than the pair could deliver. He could not know what, if anything, would have changed but at least Braxis would have been spared the anguish soaked death he was forced into.

To compound matters, the Emperor's private snubbing of Heron's engine out of concern for a martyr like sacrifice in honor of the late Braxis was completely unnecessary. No matter how much he longed for death, Polonius could not muster the courage to hasten its arrival. In that too, he felt surpassed by his departed friend.

84 AD- Governor Agricola chose to launch a two pronged assault on Caledonia by land and sea, enveloping the much larger enemy force in a pincer movement. The Caledonians, numbering some 30,000, had periodically attacked the Roman camp and its supply lines but had, until that point, refused a full scale engagement. Now, with spring warming the air and months of ineffective skirmishes driving them forward, the future Scottish clansmen chose to stand their ground and battle ensued.

Agricola, who had proven himself an effective governor and military leader, was aware of both his and his enemies strengths and weaknesses. The Caledonians vastly outnumbered his Romans but they were undisciplined and more like a mob than coherent military force. Most importantly, the main weapon of the clans was a slashing sword, the very weapon the Legion's armor had been designed to neutralize. His Legionnaires, on the other hand, were heavy and slow, unable to pursue the much lighter Caledonians over any great distance. Agricola recognized this and made provisions accordingly.

With legendary Roman efficiency and discipline, the governor's forces stood firm, chewing into the horde of attackers. After feeding several thousand men into the Roman meat grinder, the combatants lost heart and began to withdraw en masse. It was then that Agricola's true plan was revealed.

As the 24,000 remaining Caledonian warriors crested the hill that had anchored the field of battle they found several cohorts worth of light Irish auxiliaries and Roman cavalry. What had been an orderly withdraw instantly broke into a panicked rout, with men fleeing in all directions in a desperate bid to stay alive. Roman horses, lead by Pliny the Elder, chased down the fastest escapees while the light Irish units under Techtmar contained and captured the rest.

As the sun fell below the western horizon, no fewer than 28,000 Caledonians had been killed or captured, effectively ending any prospect of armed resistance to Roman rule. Agricola claimed some of the spoil and captives for his men but much of it, including his share, he allowed Techtmar to distribute to the Irish, strengthening his relationship with the new king and the king's standing with his people.

After lingering for a few days to rest the men, the governor of Britannia broke camp and continued his drive to the north. With little or no resistance, the Legion easily overwhelmed any settlements they came into contact with and after only two months of campaigning nearly the whole of Scotland was over shadowed by the golden eagle.

For the people of Rome, informed by official announcements and a steady stream of correspondence from Pliny Elder to Pliny Younger, Agricola's victories were reason for great celebration. Although many who rejoiced would never set eyes on the far flung province and had no reason to care about its fortunes, a victory for the Empire was a victory for its citizens.

Domitian, on the other hand, was not as happy as his subjects. Agricola had been left to rot in the far flung periphery of the Empire but instead of quietly disappearing he had won for himself fame and glory that was quickly surpassing his own. A year earlier he could have recalled the governor, thrown him a celebration and dumped him in a safe, uneventful province like Mauretahia or Africa that left no possibility to excel. Now, with such glory in the public eye, no less than a full Triumph and a prominent posting would satisfy the mob and Domitian did not want Agricola anywhere near the Imperial seat of power.

The master and god of Rome faced a difficult situation. Agricola was now effectively the king of an impenetrable and self-sustaining fortress. That could not continue. Removing him with enough honor to please the populace made the Emperor vulnerable while having him killed risked angering the Legions whose support was vital to any Emperor's continued health.

Before Agricola could be recalled he had to be mitigated either through scandal or distraction. Since scandal would indirectly implicate Domitian, the Emperor decided instead to upstage the talented governor.
 
84 AD Part II-
"Steam driven war elephants?!"

Polonius let the parchment fall from his eyes and dropped it onto the dusty floors of his workshop in Alexandria. Cassisus had recently demonstrated a type of valve and piston arrangement that would make the steam engines more efficient but they were still far from able to perform on the level that would be required for military use. At best he could use steam carts to assist in moving the baggage train but only if said train remained on maintained roads, a virtual impossibility unless the Legion was repelling an uprising.

Cassius, who was still young enough to be intoxicated by the limitless possibilities that only come with youth, was less pessimistic. "You haven't yet considered the problem, Polonius. We could-"

"I'm letting you go, Cassius" Polonius had taken a seat atop one of the partially assembled prototypes cluttering the large workshop. He spoke softly, his head low and his back turned to the much younger man behind him. "Take this week's pay from my purse on the desk" His voice was hollow and distant, his eyes resting lazily on nothing in particular, not that Cassius could see his face.

"I was only suggesting-"the metal worker began before being cut off once again by his former employer.

"Your service has been exemplary but I am no longer in need of it"
Cassius placed both hands on his hips, slightly displacing the thick leather apron indicative of his craft. At 28 Cassius was one of the youngest Masters in Alexandria but his skill with fire and hammer refused to go unnoticed. He has dark, as was typical of his race, but strangely boasted bright, playful blue eyes that seemed to explode from his clean shaven but weathered face.

"You expect to meet this dead line on your own?"

Polonius, face still unseen, smirked ironically, "Domitian as of yet does not know of your involvement with me. I'll not have another die for me"

"That is not-"

"GO!" Polonius shouted, leaping from the cart and toppling over a boiler that had been elevated for easier access.

Cassius set his jaw and quietly left the room, leaving Polonius' change purse undisturbed.


Britannia


Pliny the Elder limped into the command tent of Governor Agricola, saluting the Legionnaires as he passed. He had long ago passed the age when active campaigning was preferable to more sedentary garrison posts. Agricola had even jested, half seriously, that Domitian had send him to Britannia to kill him off. While not dead yet, the frequent engagements, the cold, wet air, and the general rigors of field living had taken their toll. After an engagement, or even a long patrol, the aged soldier found it difficult to breath with intense pain in his chest that would not subside for several minutes. Pliny loved the Legion, but was not sure how much longer he could continue.

"Pliny my friend" Agricola welcomed his subordinate officer with a firm grasp of the forearm. "What news have you brought?"

"A letter, Governor" Pliny, no stranger to his commander's tent, took the liberty of sitting in one of the many fine chairs that lined the room. "From Alexandria"

Agricola, quite aware of his friend's aliments, took the seat opposite so as not to make him uncomfortable "Egypt?" he asked in transit, "What have we to do with the other side of the world?"

Pliny suppressed a wince from the pain shooting up his leg, "The world may be smaller than you think. The letter is from a young metal worker at the Library. I have never met the man but his former employer is responsible for my continued existence."

Agricola leaned closer, brow wrinkled in interest. "Oh?"

"Indeed. Do you recall how I escaped from Herculaneum?"

Agricola laughed. He was close to Pliny's age but in much better health and less affected by the constant drain of campaign life. His recent victories did not hurt his disposition either. "It's come up once or twice, what of it?"

"The ship we escaped on was built by Master Polonius, the subject of this man's letter" He paused for a moment to allow Agricola to return his attention to the matter at hand. "Apparently the writer is concerned for his former employer as our dear friend in Rome is asking him for devices of a military nature and Polonius is unable to deliver"

Agricola, sober once more, thought silently for a moment before rising from his chair and striding over to the massive desk that dominated the room. There he shuffled through the various maps and scrolls that constantly cluttered the heavy oak table until, finding the one he sought, lifting it up and scanning its contents.

Pliny, finally showing the pain he was feeling on his face, rose from his chair and joined his friend across the room. "What are your thoughts?"

"Domitian want's me gone" he responded without looking up, "he must after those letters you wrote, but he can't really do that after our accomplishments here without causing trouble with the Legions and the mob." He placed the scroll atop the other papers and propped it open with a pair of heavy weights designed for the purpose. "So he'll need to upstage me first. These" he said pointing to the scroll, "are the latest dispatches from around the Empire. There are only a few options for military glory, none particularly appealing. No doubt he want's your friend's trinkets to help make that happen."

Pliny shook his head, still reading the list of reports from around the Empire, "He'll not be please when his trinkets don't arrive, Polonius apparently dismissed the metal worker to spare him Domitian's wrath"

Agricola nodded in understanding without paying much attention "It'll be the Germans" he said at last, "He'll have to attack one of the tribes along the frontier. Parthia would mean a major campaign and far from assured victory. No, its Suebi or the Sarmatians, maybe even the Dacians…"

Pliny shifted his weight more onto his good leg, "The Dacians?"

Agricola nodded and dropped his finger onto a small entry nestled amongst all the others, "It looks like King Duras has been massing his forces along the border. Domitian could be looking to get his glory and preempt Duras all in the same stroke."

"Dacia's gold and silver mines would not hurt his popularity either"

"He's a damn fool" Agricola stood erect and continued around the table to another, smaller table, holding wine and bread. "The Dacians aren't to be trifled with" he poured a glass for himself and Pliny who had refrained from following "it'll suck him in and Rome with it"

Pliny took the goblet from the governor's outstretched hand, "That sonovabitch is going to get a lot of good men killed, he really should be stopped"
 
84 AD Part III- King Diurpaneus was a strong and competent king with a strong, wealthy nation. Dacia, culturally a member of the Thracian tribes, was militaristic, structured around the warrior, with many soldiers shunning armor of any kind, even shields. What prevented the wholesale slaughter of the Dacians in combat was the use of their short and long sickle like weapon; the Falx. The one, or two, handed Falx was curved and could easily sever limbs with one, well placed, strike. Even armored opponents found that skilled placement of the Falx could incapacitate enemies in one blow, a potentially major issue for the traditionally outnumber Romans.

To further complicate the efforts of any invader, Dacians were masters at the concealed ambush and knew just when and where to strike an enemy for maximum effect. Using an intricate system of small fortifications, warriors could easily engage and annihilate a separated unit and then retreat to safety. If a larger force arrived to reinforce their comrades, the attackers could easily slip away through secrete passages and reemerge in another fortification or worse, behind the reinforcements for a second ambush.

It was perhaps for these reasons Domitian chose to attach the more appealing Suebi tribe to the west. He did not need a victory on the level of Agricola's in Britannia, only something notable enough to allow a triumph back in Rome. Then he could dismiss Agricola with limited fanfare without earning too much scorn from the plebs and military. It was also late in the campaigning season, meaning any retribution from the Germanic tribes would be postponed until the following year, more than enough time to recall the troublesome governor and weather the political fallout.

Unfortunately for Domitian, King Diurpaneus was of a similar mindset. While the Emperor and his Legions were conducting their assault on the Suebi, the Dacian army poured across the border in force, pillaging and ransacking as they went. Caught more or less unprepared, the small garrison was tossed aside leaving Dipurpaneus unopposed. By the time Domitian was made aware of the situation, the Roman province of Moesia had been consumed and its governor murdered.

Fuscus, the leader of the Emperor's Praetorian Guard, had been placed in charge of the army tasked with earning Domitian his triumph against the Suebi. A seasoned general under Vespasian and Titus, Fuscus immediately conducted a force march and arrived in Moesia within days, leaving a Legion behind to contain the now offended Suebi. Fuscus found the Dacian king Decebalus, who had changed his name from Diurpaneus after beheading the governor, pulling back across the border laden with loot and plunder.

Unable to wait for Domitian, who had taken a more leisurely course and had not yet caught up with the Legion, Fuscus ordered pursuit and his four Legions marched into Dacia.


Britannia


Polonius scribbled absently on a wax tablet while the men around him laughed and cheered. He realized it was rude not to at least halfheartedly join in the celebration of their host, Governor Agricola, and the monumental feats he had accomplished, but Polonius really didn't care. He had tried to avoid the event all together, feigning fatigue from the long journey, but Pliny had insisted. Aside from his obligatory participation in toasts he simply reclined in the corner, doodling on the tablet he had brought along.

He was aware that he should be doubly grateful to his host, not only for his conquest of Britannia, but for offering him shelter. A few weeks after dismissing Cassius a messenger arrived with funds and provisions for Polonius' trip. As no work had been done on the Emperor's order, Polonius reluctantly agreed to self-imposed exile rather than scourging and crucifixion. It was only after he arrived, several days earlier, that he was told it was Cassius who was to thank for bringing the plight of the inventor to Pliny, and thus Agricola's, attention. This drove the dagger of remorse deeper as Polonius would have preferred to thank the metal worker in person for his kindness and loyalty.

All was not melancholy, however. While still in Alexandria, Polonius had made a halfhearted effort to construct the steam driven war elephant Domitian demanded. The project did not go very far but did yield an unusual discovery. While testing the seals of the engine, Polonius had been called away. When he returned, he found the piston chamber, having previously been filled with hot steam, had contracted and partially collapsed.

Intrigued, he reproduced the conditions that lead to the implosion but watched the engine rather than leaving. As before, the piston slowly moved inward, followed by the thinner parts of the chamber. It appeared that, as the boiler cooled, it reversed its outward force and turned inward. Polonius didn't know what that meant, but he was sure it was important.

Polonius' dance between despair and intrigue was halted by the sudden, and decidedly uncelebratory, entrance of a fully uniformed Centurion. The man quickly glanced about the room before locating his target and diving forward into the crowd. So abrupt and purposeful was his attitude, and in such contrast to the revelry around him, that no one could help but notice.

Concluding his short jaunt, the Centurion saluted Agricola smartly and handed him a hastily rolled scroll. Quickly returning the salute out of obligation, the governor unrolled the document and scanned it for a few moments, his face turning grave in the pale yellow candle light. When finished he collapsed the scroll rather than bothering to reroll it and marched from the room, Pliny and other officers in tow.

Polonius shook his head and mumbled something about military men before returning to his scribbles and formulas.
 
A truly explosive story.

Let me guess, Fuscus got badly defeated or Suebi were across the Rhine.
 
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84AD Part III- King Diurpaneus was a strong and competent king with a strong, wealthy nation. Dacia, culturally a member of the Thracian tribes, was militaristic, structured around the warrior, with many soldiers shunning armor of any kind, even shields. What prevented the wholesale slaughter of the Dacians in combat was the use of their short and long sickle like weapon; the Falx. The one, or two, handed Falx was curved and could easily sever limbs with one, well placed, strike. Even armored opponents found that skilled placement of the Falx could incapacitate enemies in one blow, a potentially major issue for the traditionally outnumber Romans.

To further complicate the efforts of any invader, Dacians were masters at the concealed ambush and knew just when and where to strike an enemy for maximum effect. Using an intricate system of small fortifications, warriors could easily engage and annihilate a separated unit and then retreat to safety. If a larger force arrived to reinforce their comrades, the attackers could easily slip away through secrete passages and reemerge in another fortification or worse, behind the reinforcements for a second ambush.

It was perhaps for these reasons Domitian chose to attach the more appealing Suebi tribe to the west. He did not need a victory on the level of Agricola's in Britannia, only something notable enough to allow a triumph back in Rome. Then he could dismiss Agricola with limited fanfare without earning too much scorn from the plebs and military. It was also late in the campaigning season, meaning any retribution from the Germanic tribes would be postponed until the following year, more than enough time to recall the troublesome governor and weather the political fallout.

Unfortunately for Domitian, King Diurpaneus was of a similar mindset. While the Emperor and his Legions were conducting their assault on the Suebi, the Dacian army poured across the border in force, pillaging and ransacking as they went. Caught more or less unprepared, the small garrison was tossed aside leaving Dipurpaneus unopposed. By the time Domitian was made aware of the situation, the Roman province of Moesia had been consumed and its governor murdered.

Fuscus, the leader of the Emperor's Praetorian Guard, had been placed in charge of the army tasked with earning Domitian his triumph against the Suebi. A seasoned general under Vespasian and Titus, Fuscus immediately conducted a force march and arrived in Moesia within days, leaving a Legion behind to contain the now offended Suebi. Fuscus found the Dacian king Decebalus, who had changed his name from Diurpaneus after beheading the governor, pulling back across the border laden with loot and plunder.

Unable to wait for Domitian, who had taken a more leisurely course and had not yet caught up with the Legion, Fuscus ordered pursuit and his four Legions marched into Dacia.


Britannia


Polonius scribbled absently on a wax tablet while the men around him laughed and cheered. He realized it was rude not to at least halfheartedly join in the celebration of their host, Governor Agricola, and the monumental feats he had accomplished, but Polonius really didn't care. He had tried to avoid the event all together, feigning fatigue from the long journey, but Pliny had insisted. Aside from his obligatory participation in toasts he simply reclined in the corner, doodling on the tablet he had brought along.

He was aware that he should be doubly grateful to his host, not only for his conquest of Britannia, but for offering him shelter. A few weeks after dismissing Cassius a messenger arrived with funds and provisions for Polonius' trip. As no work had been done on the Emperor's order, Polonius reluctantly agreed to self-imposed exile rather than scourging and crucifixion. It was only after he arrived, several days earlier, that he was told it was Cassius who was to thank for bringing the plight of the inventor to Pliny, and thus Agricola's, attention. This drove the dagger of remorse deeper as Polonius would have preferred to thank the metal worker in person for his kindness and loyalty.

All was not melancholy, however. While still in Alexandria, Polonius had made a halfhearted effort to construct the steam driven war elephant Domitian demanded. The project did not go very far but did yield an unusual discovery. While testing the seals of the engine, Polonius had been called away. When he returned, he found the piston chamber, having previously been filled with hot steam, had contracted and partially collapsed.

Intrigued, he reproduced the conditions that lead to the implosion but watched the engine rather than leaving. As before, the piston slowly moved inward, followed by the thinner parts of the chamber. It appeared that, as the boiler cooled, it reversed its outward force and turned inward. Polonius didn't know what that meant, but he was sure it was important.

Polonius' dance between despair and intrigue was halted by the sudden, and decidedly uncelebratory, entrance of a fully uniformed Centurion. The man quickly glanced about the room before locating his target and diving forward into the crowd. So abrupt and purposeful was his attitude, and in such contrast to the revelry around him, that no one could help but notice.

Concluding his short jaunt, the Centurion saluted Agricola smartly and handed him a hastily rolled scroll. Quickly returning the salute out of obligation, the governor unrolled the document and scanned it for a few moments, his face turning grave in the pale yellow candle light. When finished he collapsed the scroll rather than bothering to reroll it and marched from the room, Pliny and other officers in tow.

Polonius shook his head and mumbled something about military men before returning to his scribbles and formulas.
 
84 AD Part IV- The festival of Armilustrium would not bear witness to the political stunts of a man drunk with power as it had the previous year. No tales would be sung of the glorious victories of the Legion, nor exaggerated blessings and well wishes from the Emperor. The festival would continue, ofcourse, but at a decidedly lower key than the spectacle Domitian had created just one year prior. Not that he would have refrained from using the event for his own purposes if he could, rather he was unable due in large part to him being far from the pleasant fall weather in Rome. Instead, he was stuck, miserably, or as miserable as a man who fancies himself master and god could be, in what was left of the reclaimed province of Moesia.

The Dacians had laid waste to everything in their path, setting fire to fields and towns, seizing supplies and destroying what could not be carried, raping wives and daughters, taking many back with them, killing any who resisted and many who did not. This would be difficult in the best of times but the harvest had already been completed and with their stores taken nothing remained to carry the survivors through the winter.

Domitian would have preferred to read of this conflict from the comfort of his palace but since he had been present when it began he could not leave until there was a victory suitably large enough for him to take credit for. If he departed beforehand, any subsequent victory would make it seem as if he had been hindering the Legion's success which would have been even more devastating to his deteriorating political situation.

By the time he had arrived, Fuscus had already taken the army into Dacia in pursuit of the villains and their captives, meeting with limited success. Now perused by angry Romans, the trailing elements of the Dacians forces dropped their loot and released their slaves but this only slowed the pursuers who found they had to detach units to escort the women and children back to safety.

By the time Fuscus was able to bring the main Dacian force to battle, his units were tired, under strength and deep inside Dacia; exactly where King Decebalus wished them to be. What followed could not be entirely blamed on Fuscus who was known to be a competent leader. In fact, given the circumstances, his performance was exemplary. If any criticism could be levied it would be for allowing his forces to get so deep into enemy territory without securing his flanks but the Dacians excelled in the concealed ambush and it is unlikely a well-developed rear guard would have been of great benefit.

Word of Fuscus' death and the annihilation of the V Legion, as well as the mauling of the others involved, reached Domitian later the same day. He dispatched a new commander and ordered what remained of the forces involved to pull out of Dacia immediately, an order that the survivors had begun implementing eight hours before it was issued.

He also sent runners to other parts of the Empire with orders to divert legions to his location in order to bolster his forces for another assault. Among these dispatches had been an order to the governor of Britannia to abandon his new holdings in the north and transfer one of his Legions to Moesia. This order Agricola obeyed promptly but with one minor exception; when the Legion marched into camp two weeks later, he was at its head.
 
84 AD Part V- Agricola did not bother to petition Domitian for an audience or even request formal permission to lead the army, he simply marched with his men into the camp of the new general and informed him that he was no longer in command. The former commander, a colleague of the late Fuscus, was aware of Agricola's reputation and quietly, some say gladly, stepped aside.

The master and god of Rome, who had taken up residence in an estate outside Melta, did not learn of his new commanding general for nearly a day after the event due to his distance from the army's encampment. When told what had happened, the Emperor flew into a rage, leaping from his reclining couch and tossing lighter pieces of furniture around the room. After calming, he sent a message demanding Agricola report to him in Melta.

Another day passed while the messenger traveled to Agricola's camp and was detained, waiting first to deliver his charge and then for a response. By dawn of the following day, the messenger returned to Domitian without Agricola or even a message refusing to submit to the Emperor's demands. Just disrespectful silence, an unspoken statement that Agricola did not care enough for Domitian to even grace him with a refusal or insult.

Despite the messenger's innocence in the matter, he was whipped thoroughly and a new messenger sent, this time with a detachment of the Praetorian Guard and orders to return only with Agricola in tow. This time, the displaced governor of Britannia consented to meet with the Imperial delegation but rather than inside a closed tent, out on the parade grounds, surrounded by his men.

Agricola has marched his legion to the staging area for what was left of the legions who returned from Fuscus' ill-fated journey. There, along with another full legion from elsewhere in the Empire, he had made camp and begun organizing his forces for an assault before the harsh winter set in. The officers who generally held a poor opinion of Domitian did not question his orders or right to command and the average solider who held Domitian in high regards also respected Agricola for his stunning feats in Britannia.

Together, Domitian's small detachment of Praetorian guards faced over three Legions of men who, at best, were indifferent to the situation's outcome and at worst secretly yearning for Domitian's fall. Agricola waited for the message to be delivered and relayed by his men to those too far to away to hear. His response was as follows:

"Inform the Emperor that the work of men is being done here and I have not time to waste in palaces far from the front. If the death of brave Fuscus is to be avenged, the standard of the Fifth recovered, and the honor of Rome restored, then we must act now. If the Emperor wishes to assist in this, he knows where his Legions make camp, if not, he is invited to stop wasting our time"

The reaction of those in attendance varied between shock and euphoria that such things would be said to the most powerful man on earth and done so with such boldness and authority. Immediately after finishing his remarks, the governor turned and strode away, effectively dismissing the delegation. Stunned at first, the group soon collected themselves at returned to the Emperor's dwelling place outside Melta.

Agricola was informed the following day that a larger contingent of Praetorian Guard had arrived and was awaiting an audience. Exiting the command tent, he found a sea of black and purple, kneeling on the parade ground with a lone figure standing in their midst. Upon seeing Agricola exit, the figure strode confidently forward, leaving the other soldiers behind, holding something dangling from his clinched fist. After covering the short distance that stood between the two men, the leader of the Praetorian Guard tossed Domitian's head at Agricola's feat and kneeled before him, asking only what was the command of Rome's Emperor.

85 AD- Emperor Agricola's retaliatory campaign against the Dacians was short, but successful. A week following his sudden assentation to the throne, the new Emperor personally led four Legions deep into Dacia and, using experience fighting similarly slippery adversaries in Britannia, successfully recovered the V Legion's standard. The brief conflict was not without loss, with the Romans taking heavy casualties, but was none the less hailed as a victory by most.

Agricola, who refused to return to Rome until his units were safely encamped for the winter back in the Empire, declined to enter with a Triumph, explaining his victory was not worthy due to its high cost and the nature of the action. Instead, he introduced himself to the Empire at the onset of games and feasts held in his honor, paid from his own funds.

The Senate, who had been abused and marginalized under Domitian, immediately recognized the new Emperor as legitimate and passed a damnatio memoriae against his predecessor, effectively erasing Domitian from Rome's history. For Agricola's part, he recognized the Senate's authority only so much as it did not impugn his own and publicly gave them his support, returning the Imperial/Senatorial relationship to what it had been during the Julian dynasty. Agricola had no love for the legislative body but saw how they might be useful in the day to day placations of the mob whom he had little interest in entertaining.

The former governor spent the mild winter months in the capital smoothing out the transfer of power, learning about current issues facing the Empire, and growing familiar with his new responsibilities. One of his first acts was to replace the head of the Praetorian Guard who had elevated him to the throne. Their betrayal of their former commander and chief was not an isolated event and Agricola wanted to be sure they could be trusted not to do the same to him in the future.

To this end he appointed his friend Pliny the Elder who greatly appreciated the more comfortable and less demanding life of the Palace. Not wishing to offend the rest of the Guard, Agricola promoted the former lead Praetorian to fill the recently vacated governorship of Britannia. This served to show the Guard that the new Emperor honored their loyalty and legitimately removed a potential threat.

Polonius, now growing advanced in years, welcomed the opportunity to return to the warm and dry Egyptian air and did so immediately upon hearing of Agricola's assentation. While in exile, he had been corresponding with other scholars at the library about his discovery of a new force opposite that of steam but was surprised to find, upon his return, that others had taken interest in his work and were working on experiments of their own.

Cassius, especially, had been busy, and happily demonstrated the fruits of his labor in the form of a steam cart capable of traveling for over four mile markers before needing to stop to build up steam. This it was able to do in only an hour, twice as fast as an average animal pulled cart. Polonius praised the accomplishment and humbly apologized for his harsh treatment months earlier. Now reconciled, the two returned to work improving Master Heron's original designs and even creating new ones of their own.
 
PsihoKekec said:
A truly explosive story.

Let me guess, Fuscus got badly defeated or Suebi were across the Rhine.
Click to expand...

Possibly, especially given how powerful the Dacians were at this time. Or it could be that he's had a dramatic success and his men have suggested he be raised to the purple, or that Domitian is dead by some means and the empire is facing a succession war.

Would be useful to see this continued as a lot of potential here, although not sure the technical knowledge of the time is up to the necessary level for the development of reliable steam power.

PS Ha well - caught up with the two posts that were unloaded while I was reading the rest. All hail Emperor Agricola. Plus it sounds like Alexandria is showing some interesting promise. Had a feeling that Domitian was not long for this world. :)
 
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Good,but slaves were,and would be,still cheaper.
You need Chrystianitas to change that - something which happened after 800AD after german tribes turned into christian Kingdoms.
Not going to happen till Empire exist.
 
Slaves are cheaper as long as two conditions are met.
a) The steam technology is still pretty primitive and hence can be matched by raw human/animal labour.

b) Slaves stay fairly cheap which requires wars where they can be obtained cheaply and in large numbers.

Its likely to need a combination of both factors changing before a Roman technological revolution becomes economically practical.

The other problem they will have is that while Rome is pretty much an unchallenged titan in power terms then the leadership will tend to be conservative as drastic changes which upsets the balance of internal power - economic and social as well as military - poses a challenge to their own position. As such either a period when Roman power is really challenged by an external or internal threat or just possibly a powerful emperor could decide to spend much of a long reign supporting such changes for whatever reason.
 
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