IN THE PROVINCES

The Parthian invasion of the eastern provinces of Rome's empire was finally halted at the River Jordan by Sextus Pompeius and his allied army of Romans, Nabataeans, Egyptians and Judaeans. Orodes was forced to return home after losing the vast majority of his Parthian contingent and with the mercenaries in his army dispersing to their homes.

On his retreat, Orodes stopped at Philadelphia and mercilessly sacked the city. Sextus arrived only to find it in smouldering ashes. Together with his Nabataean allies, Sextus helped to start the reconstruction of the city, before leaving to return Damascus to its Roman allegiance. After some crowd disturbances, Sextus and King Malichus were able to enter the city by night and take the citadel without a fight. Damascus is now under the martial law of Sextus's army and those responsible for its treachery are being tried, before the city is handed over to Malichus and a Roman garrison as per a pre-arranged agreement.

Sextus's father, Pompeius Magnus has been busy too. Along with Prince Xabier of the Vasconi, he left Hispania to meet Caesar at Ravenna, where he received word of his youngest sons' victory on the Jordan. Pompeius and Caesar came to an accord over the future of the western provinces. In return for handing Hispania Citerior and Ulterior back to the control of Rome, Pompeius got Caesar to have the Senate pass a resolution giving Magnus the command of an army in the east. Also, in return for foederati status, Xabier agreed to go on the eastern campaign with Magnus, bringing a contingent of his army with him.

Currently, Pompeius Magnus is preparing to leave Tarraco with Xabier's force for Carthago Novo, where he will collect Cnaeus Pompeius Minor and his force before moving on to Africa to rendezvous with Quintus Cicero. This combined force will then meet Sextus Pompeius at Antioch.

Caesar has not been idle either. After the meeting with Pompeius, Caesar was captured briefly by an Helvetian tribe. He managed to escape and led an army to crush the rebels. In the aftermath, Caesar is communicating with Cicero over creating a new province on territory of the Alpes conquered from the Helvetii.

This is not the only example of rebellious locals causing problems. After Pompeius left to meet Caesar, the XXIVth legion of Titus Labienus under Tullius Vitus was ambushed and soundly routed by Galicians. In Achaea, a new Thracian King Teres has begun uniting the tribes and raiding Roman outposts in Macedonia.

The Pontic and Armenian rebellions continue to gather pace through their co-operation. The Armenians have made progress against the Parthians, who are still licking their wounds in Ctesiphon, while the Pontics keep their rebellion secret from the Exiles by continuing to send troops and money to Ephesus as they build their strength.

The Pontics are sending troops in accordance with Marcus Porcius Cato's recruitment call in the Senate. Exile forces had been reduced to one legion and with Sextus Pompeius subduing the eastern provinces in the name of Pompeian/Caesarian cause, it was time to raise the veterans discharged by the deceased dictator Marcellus as well as three auxiliary legions.

This was not the only problem Cato has had to encounter. The tangled web between Cassius, Brutus and Porcia became messy when Cassius attempted to take his own life. Brutus still plans to return to Rome, taking Porcia with him, a double blow to Cato.

Also a common theme throughout the Roman world appears to be divorce with Caesar, Brutus, Cassius and Cicero all filing for divorce from their wives.


CAESARIAN REPUBLICAN PROVINCES

Transalpine Gaul/Gallia Caesaris (all of Gaul up to the English Channel)
Cisalpine Gaul
Provincia Romana
Italia
Illyria
Sardinia
Corsica
Sicily
Macedonia
Thracia
Achaea
Africa Provincia

POMPEIAN PROVINCES

Hispania Ulterior
Hispania Citerior
Syria

EXILE PROVINCES

Asia Provinia
Bithynia
Cilicia
Cyrenaica et Crete
Cyprus

ROMAN CLIENT KINGDOMS

Numidia/Mauretania - Juba I
Egypt - Cleopatra VII
Judaea - Antipater the Idumaean
Nabataea - Malichus
Massilia - Leander
Rhodes
Colchis
Bosphorus

THE PARTHIAN EMPIRE AND HER CLIENT KINGDOMS

Palmyra
Edessa
Atropatene

INDEPENDENT KINGDOMS

Pontus
Armenia