IN THE PROVINCES

The aftermath of the Parthian War in the east is drawing to a close. The Parthians themselves have long since departed for home but a large force of their allies has holed up in the Cilician town of Issus. Determined to finish the job he started, Sextus Pompeius led a force of two Roman legions, 1,500 Egyptians and 1,000 Nabataeans to the town. Currently the town is being assualted from all sides.

To make the situation in Cilicia more interesting, an army from the Exile Republic under the command of Marcus Porcius Cato has arrived west of Issus. There were some minor talks between representatives from both the Pompeians and the Catonians and is seems to be agreed that Sextus will be left to complete the capture of Issus without interference from Cato.

Pompeius Magnus has arrived in the east with three Roman legions. He has been occupied with the rebuilding the damaged Antioch and has sent emissaries to several of the minor and client kingdoms in the east.

A blow to the stability of the east came when King Malichus of Nabataea and almost the entire Nabataean royal family was killed when a freak storm wrecked the ship carrying them from Gaza to Antioch. Malichus's uncle Obodas has succeeded to the throne and he is about to preside over the funeral of his predecessor.

The waters of the Eastern Mediterranean continued to prove theirs dangerousness as the daughter of the Marcus Porcius Cato, Porcia Catonis, was captured on her way to Cilicia by pirates and taken to Rhodes. This situation could potentially be very volatile as Cato, Pompeius Magnus, the island of Delos and maybe even the Senate in Rome may all be sending forces to force her return.

Cato's problems continued as the estranged nephew of Caesar, one Lucius Julius Caesar, raised a legion of Roman rebels in Bithynia determined to cross to Greece and march against Caesar and Italia. The former commander of Africa, Publius Attius Varus, devised a plan along with Cato for him to march against the Lucians and end the rebellion. However, after a brief skirmish, the two protagonists have come to an accord and together they will cross the Hellespont to face the Thracians in revolt and then Lucius will march against Caesar alone.

Another revolt has occured in Africa Province as the African troops refused to follow Balbus Minor and the young upstart is being besieged in Carthage and cracks are starting to appear in the walls.

In the wake of Pompeius Magnus's departure from Hispania, Aulus Hirtius has been appointed as the new governor. He will not have the forces Magnus had as the XXIIIrd and XXVIth legions are currently marching from Hispania to join Magnus in the east. Caesar is the one making sure that they get there but where will he send them to get to Magnus? Through Thrace? Through Exile territory? What trouble is Caesar looking to cause?

Caesar himself also has trouble on his hands. He has had to deal with a mutiny of one of his own legions and now the Thracians are causing problems and whether Caesar knows it or not, a legion is coming under his own nephew to 'free' Rome and Italia.

Politically, Caesar has been trying to reform the Senate but the intricate nature of these reforms have made it difficult for many senators, including Brutus, to fully accept them straight away.

CAESARIAN REPUBLICAN PROVINCES

Gallia Caesaris (all of Gaul up to the English Channel)
Alpes Iuliae
Cisalpine Gaul
Aquitania
Provincia Romana
Italia
Illyria
Sardinia & Corsica
Sicilia
Macedonia & Thracia
Achaea
Africa Provincia
Hispania Ulterior
Hispania Citerior


PROVINCES UNDER POMPEIAN CONTROL

Syria
Cyprus

EXILE PROVINCES

Asia Provinia
Bithynia
Cilicia
Cyrenaica et Crete

ROMAN CLIENT KINGDOMS

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

THE PARTHIAN EMPIRE AND HER CLIENT KINGDOMS

Palmyra
Edessa
Atropatene

INDEPENDENT KINGDOMS

Pontus (still technically an Exiled province)
Armenia