Chapter 48: Pirate Extermination (1) Pompey explained his strategy with unwavering confidence. He had already developed a detailed plan to eradicate the pirates.
After his brief explanation, a heavy silence settled over the tent.
One of the legion commanders hesitantly raised his hand.
"Excuse me… I don't doubt your plan, but is it really feasible? It sounds good in theory, but I'm not sure how to implement it…"
"I understand your concern. I only provided a rough outline. I have detailed execution methods planned as well."
Pompey drew a line on the large map on the table, dividing the sea into 13 zones.
"We'll conduct the operation in two phases. The first phase will target the western Mediterranean, and the second phase will focus on the south and east. Are there any questions so far?"
Immediately, the fourth legion commander raised his hand.
"Can you explain the criteria for dividing the sea into these zones and the reason for splitting the operation into phases?"
"I based the zones on the likely locations of the pirates' bases, determined from their observed routes. We'll start with the west, where the forces are weaker due to its distance from Cilicia, the pirates' headquarters. This way, we can tighten our grip gradually."
Pompey's explanation was clear and convincing. Although there was no obligation for him to provide such detail, he did so because the operation was extensive.
The area of operation spanned the western Mediterranean, including Hispania, North Africa, Sicily, and Sardinia. To manage it effectively, the legion commanders needed a thorough understanding of the plan.
"One more thing to keep in mind: don't focus on just eliminating the pirates we encounter. The goal is to eradicate their entire network, not just a few. Remember that."
"Yes, but don't we need to fight and defeat them to achieve this?"
"We don't need to engage in battle to accomplish this operation."
"Really?"
It seemed contradictory to suggest that they wouldn't need to fight in an extermination operation. If anyone else had said it, they might have laughed it off.
Pompey continued to explain until everyone grasped his strategy.
"Forget the idea that we need to fight naval battles to eliminate the pirates. Do you think we can clear them all by engaging in one battle after another across the Mediterranean? How long would that take?"
"Ah, I see."
"...?"
While a few legion commanders understood Pompey's approach, many were still puzzled.
It took more than a day for all the legion commanders and centurions to fully grasp and internalize Pompey's strategy. Pompey rigorously tested their understanding by asking hypothetical questions based on various scenarios. Only when he was confident they comprehended his plan did he issue orders.
"The legion commanders responsible for each sea area should follow these orders precisely. Do not rely on personal judgment. Adhere strictly to my instructions and only improvise if an unexpected situation arises. Even then, follow the guidelines I've provided."
The legion commanders read their orders with admiration. Pompey's instructions were surprisingly detailed, covering even the smallest aspects of the operation. To a great extent, anyone could take their place and execute the plan.
When Pompey was satisfied that everything was in order, he decided it was time to take action. He gathered the army and prepared to deliver a speech to announce the departure.
Pompey was not naturally gifted at public speaking. His oratory skills were lacking, and his speeches to the masses were often ineffective. However, he had a remarkable talent for boosting the morale of his troops.
As his voice alone could not reach all 120,000 soldiers, Pompey rode through the ranks on horseback, projecting his voice as much as possible.
"Listen, brave legions of Rome! You have been given the incredible opportunity to achieve glory and wealth. Remember the suffering caused by the pirates. Your families, your neighbors, Rome, and the entire Mediterranean have been harmed by these wicked pirates. We will crush them beneath our feet! You will become the saviors of Rome and the Mediterranean! Imagine the praise and admiration our victories will bring!"
The faces of the soldiers began to reflect expectation and excitement. Every soldier was aware of the severe damage inflicted by the pirates and could easily imagine the glory of their potential success.
"There may be some among you who are unfamiliar with naval battles and feel uneasy. But there is no reason to fear. This is not merely a war; it is a punishment imposed by Rome upon the pirates! Follow my orders faithfully, and you will see the pirates crushed under our feet like insects! May the great god of war, Mars, bless us!"
"Uooo! Imperator!"
The soldiers stomped their feet and cheered for the Imperator, their enthusiasm undiminished even though the war had not yet begun. Pompey's confidence and conviction naturally spread to the troops.
The energized army lined up and boarded their ships.
Marcus boarded the flagship with Pompey, a vessel that oversaw the front line. As he climbed up to the upper deck, he marveled at the sight before him.
The ship was much larger than the one he had boarded when he went to Sicily, likely because it was leading a fleet of more than 500 vessels. The sheer presence of the flagship, brimming with armed soldiers, exuded an overwhelming sense of power. Pompey, standing at the bow, issued orders with a commanding presence.
Soon, the massive sail billowed with the wind, and the enormous flagship began its slow departure. The warships, synchronized with the rhythmic motion of their oars, cut through the water, creating majestic waves. The sight of hundreds of ships turning their backs on land was awe-inspiring.
Marcus couldn't take his eyes off Pompey, who continued to issue orders from various points on the ship.
'I must learn everything I can from this opportunity,' Marcus thought.
The main reason he joined the campaign was to gain glory and military merit, but he hoped to learn even a fraction of Pompey's strategic brilliance.
Marcus had studied Caesar's Gallic Wars and concluded that Caesar's style of warfare was less useful for his own purposes. Caesar's approach relied heavily on improvisation and battlefield intuition, making it difficult to replicate unless one was Caesar himself.
Pompey, however, was a different kind of general. His thorough planning and clear communication to the legion commanders before the war began demonstrated a more systematic approach. Pompey preferred to establish a broad strategy in advance and adapt as needed, a method Marcus found valuable.
Marcus knew that, if he ever led a campaign, he would delegate detailed tactics to skilled subordinates, rather than attempting to control every aspect himself as Caesar did.
Octavianus, who would become Rome's first emperor, lacked Caesar's military prowess but excelled in consolidating power by placing talented subordinates in key positions. From a leader's perspective, this method could be seen as more effective.
Marcus had already begun scouting for potential commanders for his legions, though some of the best candidates were still too young, and there was a long wait before they could assume command.
'For now, I need to learn as much as I can to avoid faltering when it matters most,' Marcus thought.
Though the critical moment was still over a decade away, preparations needed to be thorough. Marcus's gaze extended beyond the Mediterranean, reaching toward the distant east.
Meanwhile, the pirates dominating North Africa were reveling in their success. They were determined not to return to the days of evading Rome's scrutiny while pirating.
They attacked any merchant vessel they encountered, seizing it as their own. With their skilled sailors and sturdy ships, they continued their plundering even through the winter months.
The province of Cyrenaica in eastern Libya had become a veritable pirate stronghold. To the east lay Egypt, rich in resources, and to the north were Sicily and Hispania—prime targets for their raids.
Initially numbering only a few dozen, the pirates had grown to over a thousand. The provincial defense in Cyrenaica was insufficient to contain them.
"Let's head east today and deal with those Egyptian merchants. The grain ships will have escorts, but we can target the less-protected transport vessels."
"Boss, let's capture a lot of prisoners. We've been raiding west for a while, and it's been ages since we had any of those arrogant Egyptian women. Let's enjoy ourselves before selling them. They'll fetch a good price."
"Alright, we'll capture a bunch of slaves today."
"Oooo!"
The pirates, confident that their prosperous days would continue indefinitely, were full of enthusiasm. Hypolos, who commanded a sizable pirate ship, shared their optimism.
He was of Greek descent and had originally served as a soldier in the army of Pontus. After Lucullus defeated the Pontic forces, he fled to Cilicia and took up piracy. Initially poor, his fortunes changed with the support of Mithridates. Leaving the fiercely competitive eastern waters for the west proved to be a fortunate decision.
Recent rumors indicated that piracy income was dwindling in the east due to the high level of competition. Today's conditions were ideal for plundering.
Suddenly, he frowned at the commotion below deck.
"What's going on? What's the noise?"
"Boss!" One of his subordinates rushed up, breathless and alarmed. "The Romans are coming!"
Hypolos tightened his grip on the axe handle slung across his back.
"Is it the provincial defense force? They should have learned their lesson from our last encounter."
"No. It's warships approaching from the sea. They appear to be regular expeditionary forces from Rome!"
"What? They're finally making a move?"
Hypolos was taken aback but remained unperturbed. He had anticipated this eventuality and had a well-prepared retreat plan.
Drawing on his experience as a former army commander, he gave precise orders.
"Everyone, gather food, water, and valuables, and board the ship. Leave behind anything too heavy or cumbersome."
"Yes, boss!"
"They won't be able to catch up with our ships. Stay calm and execute the retreat smoothly."
The pirate ship provided by Mithridates was a fast vessel designed for speed. With minimal heavy cargo on board, it was faster than the Roman warships.
Although they had encountered Roman warships before and escaped, they were confident they could do so again. Their confidence proved well-founded.
The pirate ship successfully evaded the Roman warships and made a clean escape.
As Hypolos scanned the horizon and saw no sign of pursuing Roman ships, he shook his head and laughed heartily.
"Hahaha! You feeble Romans think you can catch us? How amusing."
"Boss, should we continue plundering?"
"Hmm, we should, but first we need to find a new base. Look for a place where we can restock on water and food before resuming our raids."
"As expected from the boss! Your situational assessment is spot-on!"
Hypolos spread out a map and carefully considered his options. He had already scouted all the ports in the region and knew there were plenty of places to resupply. He initially set his sights on the port of Tripolitania to the west. However, he soon discovered that the port was occupied by Roman legions.
He had no choice but to redirect his efforts back to Cyrenaica, aiming for a port northeast of Benghazi.
But as Hypolos continued his search, he noticed a troubling pattern: Roman warships were stationed at every port they tried to access.
"Damn, they're quick to react."
Hypolos surveyed almost every port along the North African coast, only to find that they had all fallen under Roman control.
"They're not trying to wipe us out directly but are securing the ports first. Do they think we're out of options?"
Unable to get supplies from the ports, the pirates resorted to attacking defenseless villages to obtain what they needed. They managed to escape before Roman warships, alerted by the raids, could intercept them.
Hypolos mocked the Roman legions, who always seemed to arrive a step too late, and reveled in his temporary victories. However, as he repeated these actions, his movements became increasingly predictable to the Romans.
Reducing the frequency of plundering could have alleviated the problem, but Hypolos couldn't afford to cut back on raids due to the pressing need for supplies.
With his ship loaded as lightly as possible to enhance speed, his food reserves dwindled quickly. Despite his best efforts to stay cautious, he felt increasingly cornered.
Within a month, Hypolos found himself almost reluctantly pushed to Sardinia. His movements were so predictable that Sardinia was the only option left.
"Let's take a break here and regroup. We'll head north and wait until the Romans lose interest, then we can move back south."
Hypolos thought he had successfully eluded the Roman army. But when he saw dozens of pirate ships anchored along the coast, a chill ran down his spine.
A pirate, confused by the sight, asked, "Huh? Are there other pirates here besides us?"
"This is impossible..." Hypolos muttered, horrified.
He rushed to the pirate ships on the coast, examining them frantically. It was immediately clear that hundreds of pirate ships had been driven to Sardinia. They had been expertly cornered.
"How is this possible? I took the best route to avoid the Romans!"
Hypolos checked the map repeatedly, as if it might reveal the answer. He could have understood if the pirates had been lured here, but herding all the pirates in the western Mediterranean to one location seemed impossible.
"We didn't run away... We were driven here."
As Hypolos, pale with dread, prepared to turn his ship around and flee, the scream of a terrified subordinate reached his ears.
"Ro, Romans! The Roman warships...!"
Turning around, Hypolos saw Roman warships forming a fan-shaped blockade around the coast. It was a massive fleet of over 100 ships.
Escape was impossible.
What Hypolos didn't know was that this was happening all across the Mediterranean. Pirates scattered throughout the western Mediterranean were being swept up like dust and corralled into large groups. These groups were then surrounded by Rome's fleet, trapping them in a no-exit situation.
After being pursued for over a month, the pirates were exhausted and cornered.
Of course, the pirates had no strength left to resist.
"Bo-boss! What do we do?"
Hypolos, who had skillfully led the pirates until now, felt as if he were trapped in a nightmare. The overwhelming might of Rome had swallowed up all the pirates, and Hypolos and his crew were the first to be caught in its grasp.
As Pompey had declared, this was not a mere battle. The Roman army ruthlessly condemned the pirates who had plagued them.
Crack!
Hypolos' head was severed by Rome's merciless blade and fell onto the bow of the ship. His sightless eyes could only witness the relentless fate that had befallen the pirates.
The pirates who had persistently harassed the western Mediterranean were now completely subdued. Even the legionnaires who executed the operation were astonished by their own success.
A legionnaire who had participated in the annihilation of the pirates in the Tyrrhenian Sea muttered, a mix of admiration and disbelief in his voice, "So quickly... so easily..."
The operation had captured 120 pirate ships in the western Mediterranean and sunk as many as 400. Pirate bases were thoroughly destroyed, and nearly 10,000 pirates were either captured or executed.
In just 40 days, Pompey's shadow had entirely covered the western Mediterranean. Now, only the southern and eastern regions remained.
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