Chapter 39 The Sins of Rome

A centurion of the Roman legions who had been a soldier for many years! ...Maximus's eyes were bright, and an impulse arose in his heart. He reached out and wiped a handful of the wine remaining on his lips, and said confidently: "I can answer your concerns now!"

With that said, he turned around and walked towards the center of the courtyard, shouting as he walked: "Everyone, please be quiet for now. I have something to say to you!"

Silence gradually returned to the courtyard, and the people who were singing and dancing also retreated. Everyone's eyes were focused on Maximus standing in the center, which also showed his prestige in the baggage train.

"Brothers and sisters!" Maximus looked around and said loudly: "Someone just told me, 'The Roman army is very powerful. They have defeated many Mediterranean city-states and kingdoms. We are a weak army composed of slaves. Even if the team wins once or twice, they will eventually be eliminated! '...Many of you have this idea, right?"

Some people immediately shouted: "No, no, we are not afraid of the Romans!"

"Captain, tell us who said such depressing words?!"

…

Some people remained silent.

Some army slaves looked at Maximus nervously and whispered in confusion: "What does he want to do?!"

"Don't be nervous, take a look first before talking." Frontinus comforted him calmly.

Maximus waved his right hand and said sonorously: "I can tell you with great confidence that although we are weak now, we will soon become strong. Although Rome is strong now, they will gradually perish!"

"Why?" He softened his tone a little, and then said: "Many of you are from Illyria, Iberia, Greece, Asia Minor, Egypt, Gaul..., and most of you have become slaves. It's all about Rome.

In order to obtain huge wealth from its provinces and dependent countries, Rome sent tax collectors to collect taxes. The taxes were very high. The local nobles and officials passed most of these taxes on to ordinary civilians, and the civilians could not pay them. To raise taxes, one can only borrow debt. It is said that these Roman tax collectors are the ultimate beneficiaries of the provincial debt, so the interest rates are very high. The common people cannot repay the debts, and eventually their families are ruined and they become slaves..."

Some people in the baggage team, headed by Arconis, looked sad and began to sob softly...

"Rome also wanted more land and slaves, so they often sent out armies to invade other countries, such as Gaul, Iberia, Asia Minor, Thrace... Many tribes and city-states were conquered by Rome. Those who originally lived freely People became slaves to Rome..."

Some people around, led by Pigris, clenched their fists and showed resentment on their faces...

"Rome continued to plunder wealth, land and population from all over the Mediterranean back to Italy, but tell me, have the lives of the Italian people become rich because of this?! Are they living very happily?!" Maximus shouted asked.

The army slaves looked at each other and remained silent.

Cornelius and others shook their heads unconsciously, while Volenus and others responded loudly: "No! No!"

"Why not?!" Maximus asked loudly.

Vorenus was speechless, not knowing how to answer, and everyone else was silent.

"Let me tell you why!" Maximus looked at everyone with a serious face: "It is true that Rome has extended citizenship rights to the entire Italy in recent years. All Italians no longer have to pay direct taxes. Soldiers who go abroad to fight are fighting After winning the battle, you can get some property and even some land when you retire...

But in Italy, more and more civilians are going bankrupt, losing their land, and becoming homeless every year. They either become vagrants and live on free bread, or they become slaves and work for the nobles like cattle and sheep. I I believe some of you have had such tragic experiences.

Why is this the result? ! That's because the Roman senators and nobles had power. They owned most of the plundered wealth, but they were not satisfied with it. On the contrary, the huge land they own and countless cheap slaves allow their farms to produce very cheap agricultural products, leaving the common people unable to sell the food they have harvested after working hard for a year. If the food cannot be exchanged for money, there will be no better way. life, so I can only borrow debt!

The people who lend money are often Roman nobles and businessmen. They obviously have huge amounts of money, but the interest rates for lending are astonishingly high. In the end, Italian civilians have the same painful experience as civilians in other parts of the Mediterranean. The nobles took away How sad it is that they have taken away your land and allowed you to become their slaves and continue to work for them! "

Maximus looked up to the sky and sighed. Everyone around him was listening carefully, with sad and angry expressions.

"The Roman senators and nobles were so greedy, like a huge and ugly mosquito lying on all of us and sucking blood. The Italian civilians at the lower levels could not resist like us, but could pass Is there a normal way to change one’s miserable fate?”

Maximus asked again, but looked at the army slaves headed by Frontinus: "Maybe, but it is very, very difficult! Decades ago, some Roman nobles headed by the Gracchi brothers sympathized with the common people. Some suggestions that were beneficial to the common people were put forward, but they were strongly blocked by the Roman senators. They even sent thugs to beat the Gracchi brothers to death on the spot!

Hundreds of years ago, the Roman common people forced the Roman Senate to establish the position of tribune through long-term resistance. A small number of civilian elites could hold this position, which could prevent any proposals put forward by the Roman nobles that were not beneficial to the common people from passing. , and now the Roman Senate has not only greatly restricted the rights of the tribunes, but the dictator Sulla has made the position of tribune dispensable.

The nobles of Rome have completely blocked the ways for civilians to improve their status. Oh, by the way, some people may say, 'We can still become soldiers and become famous in the future like General Marius'.

But you have to understand that no matter how brave and talented you are, the most you can do is to become a legion centurion. Who are those captains? He is a son of a noble family! They don't need to risk their lives to be soldiers like you. Just because their parents are good, they can easily take the position of captain of the legion that is difficult for you to take. And then rely on your hard work. They gained some political capital from the victory in the killing, preparing them to serve as senior Roman officials and run for the consulship in the future.

General Marius was just a special case. With so many civilians serving in the Roman legions over the past few decades, he was the only one who could achieve such a high status. And don’t forget, he is married to a woman from the famous Roman Ulysses family. He has already been accepted by the Roman nobles, otherwise he would not have become a Roman consul so easily.

As soldiers, Roman civilians not only had to fight bloody battles for these nobles to seize land and wealth, but were also driven by their ambitions to kill each other. Even if they finally obtained some land, they would be plundered back by the nobles through various methods in the end, leaving them homeless. How pitiful it is for the returnable refugees to lose their glory and dignity! "

Maximus combined the Roman history he knew in his previous life with what he saw and heard during this period, and spoke impassionedly and eloquently.

Not only the old people in the baggage team were suddenly enlightened, but even the army slaves headed by Frontinus were also moved.

After all, even the Roman cultural elites of this era could not comprehensively analyze the current situation of Rome from political, military, economic and other aspects like Maximus. Although what he said was simple, it was enough to make these people in society The people at the bottom, who are running around all day long and have little knowledge, feel like they have been enlightened and suddenly realize: This is the reason for the suffering we have suffered!