Chapter 2408: Collapsing Finances

Chapter 2408: Chapter 2125: Collapsing Finances

In a battle in Western Norway, under the leadership of their new king, the Celtic People successfully broke through the siege, while the Celtic People north of the Danube River instinctively began to retreat eastward.

The Slavic People also retreated to the Eastern European Plain. Compared to the well-prepared and relatively strong Slavic People, the Celt lack in logistics and were distinctly targeted, with both the Germans and Romans pursuing the Celts.

All over Europe, the Celts began their migration journey eastward with Xuu You awaiting their arrival there.

Compared to the short-legged Romans, who gave up after pursuing for several hundred miles, the Germans, who had initially upheld Severus’s promise, furiously chased the Celts from Western Europe all the way to the Baltic Sea coast, ceasing only when they entered what would later become Saint Petersburg in Russia.

This area was already the territory of the Slavic People. Compared to the Germans and Celts, as ancestors of the warrior nation the Russians, the Slavic People believed that although they remained low-key, their combat power was not inferior.

In contrast to the centuries of war between the Germans, Celts, and Romans, resulting in hundreds of thousands or even millions of deaths, the Slavic People often remained as spectators, observing the Germans, Celts, and Romans fight each other on the Eastern European Plain.

It could be said that if it weren’t for the Romans going mad and attempting to overthrow all the barbarians in this wave, the majority of the Slavic People would have continued to be spectators in Eastern Europe and the Black Sea.

Now with the Romans having overthrown the Celts and seemingly subduing the Germans, the Slavic People felt an impending sense of dread. Thus, when the Germans, who had surrendered to the Romans, chased the Celtic pope and queen all the way to the Baltic Sea, the Slavic People decisively intervened.

Though the Slavic People were scattered, the major tribes were located on the Eastern European Plain near the Baltic Sea.

Previously, the war participants were primarily the Slavic tribes northwest of the Black Sea. They had no choice, being too close; if they didn’t fight, when the other two barbarians perished, they would eventually be beaten by the Romans, so they acted first, only to suffer defeat.

Thus, before the Battle of Great Britain, the Great Chieftain of the Slavic tribes in the Black Sea area east of the Danube River contacted his Eastern European Plain brothers to borrow some men and to notify them to help should he be defeated.

At this time, Slavic tribal relations were excellent, having not yet been tarnished by the later dramatic Duchy of Samoa, or the even more dramatic Bulgarian Duchy, and the Great Moravian Empire that ruined tribal relations.

Slavic unity was strong, with brothers on the Eastern European Plain assuring them, “You go ahead; if things go south, we’ll meet you on the Baltic Sea coast.”

With this assurance, the Slavic tribes near the Black Sea acted decisively, but were crushed by the Romans and chased by the Germans.

Fortunately, they advanced eastward and finally reached the Baltic Sea coast, where the Slavic welcoming party was located.

“Brothers from the Black Sea, need a hand?” the Slavic people from the Eastern European Plain asked eagerly.

“Quick, lend a hand! These brothers are bullied by the Romans, and those freaks behind are German turncoats serving Rome, hurry and help!” the Slavic People near the Black Sea cried.

The Eastern European Slavic leaders arrived, bringing five thousand men, all burly warriors wielding Great Axes, part of the unique dual talent heavy battle axe legion, they launched an attack on the Germans pursuing their brothers.

Though the Slavic People’s metalworking was poor and their heavy battle axes not very sharp, their large and hefty stone axes were deadly.

Thus, carrying random weapons made from stone axes or iron ore that appeared axe-like, and after guzzling wine, with beards wild and unkempt to the point of hiding their faces, the Eastern European Slavs effortlessly hacked the Germans away from the Baltic Sea!

When it came to fighting, the ancestors of the warrior nation stated they didn’t understand why they were strong, but nonetheless, they were sure they could kill their enemies.

The Celtic People narrowly escaped disaster but suffered significant losses. The Slavic People on the Eastern European Plain, recognizing the Celts’ reliable metallurgy skills, allowed them to settle on the east side of the plain. In exchange, the Celts were required to provide the Slavs with three thousand Great Axes and two thousand spearheads annually.

The Celtic Queen, without much deliberation, accepted these terms, knowing that as one of the world’s earliest civilizations to master metallurgy, the Celts were among Europe’s first to understand metalworking, and as long as high-quality iron ore was available, producing axes and spearheads was no problem.

After both sides agreed on this matter, the Eastern European Slavs welcomed the Celts to join the Eastern European Pasture, marking a new chapter in the era.

Of course, the Germans promised the Romans things they were completely unable to achieve; the Eastern European Slavs were very strong, and were far from the Roman border. The Romans were also unwilling to send troops for a distant expedition, so this matter was dropped. The Slavs silently remembered this wave, preparing to add insult to injury when the Romans hit hard times.

Though the final pursuit didn’t fulfill the Roman plan, Severus was quite satisfied to have completely driven the Three Great Barbarians out of their sphere of influence.

Moreover, the Germans, numbering in the millions, were completely conquered, the Celts killed nearly a hundred thousand, captured by the hundreds of thousands, and about less than fifty thousand are struggling to flee.

As for the Slavs, although this group was also barbarians, compared to other barbarians, they basically had no presence, and now they’ve moved to the Eastern European Plain, so far away that not even Severus would want to send troops for an expedition.

“Forget it, I’ll let the Slavs go this time.” Severus leaned back against the throne and raised a cup of lead-powdered blood-red wine, arrogantly speaking to the commander-in-chief who participated in the war.

From this moment, the Roman Empire had no opponents around except Parthia.

“I don’t know how Ganasis is doing, whether he’s completely defeated Parthia, hopefully not requiring me to intervene!” Severus, holding his wine cup, thought of Ganasis.

After the victorious banquet, all who participated in the Great Britain battle felt honor and pride, further affirming their recognition of Severus’ rule.

Compared to the Era of the Five Wise Emperors, now as soldiers, they not only enjoyed the glory of the victors but also the benefits reserved for heroes. Roman soldiers who gained fame and wealth thus embraced their identity as professional soldiers more deeply.

The celebration lasted till late night, when the moon rose to the zenith. Even Severus was slightly intoxicated. The large fortune brought about by dismantling the Celts’ homeland, under Severus’ command, awarded all soldiers who participated in the Great Britain battle a second reward.

“Sigh.” In the tent, Severus stared at the statistics report taken out by the scribe officer, full of headache, “Pompianus, are you saying that if we continue like this, we won’t be able to sustain this level of expenditure?”

“Yes, my emperor, I informed you very early, but you did not take it to heart,” Pompianus said with a headache.

As someone who served as a Senate member back during Marcus Aurelius’ time, the last of the Five Wise Emperors, Finance Officer Pompianus wanted to tell Severus, “I wish to resign, please spare me, spending like this, I don’t want to be a scapegoat.”

“So you’re saying our expenditure will only last thirteen years before financial collapse, unable to be sustained?” Severus awkwardly said.

“No, it’s worse than that. Although the period erased from memory dealt a political blow to the Roman Empire, the strong foundations of Rome, along with the fortune accumulated during the Era of the Five Wise Emperors, are enough for decades of fiscal subsidies if the state remains stable. But your approach is entirely different!” Pompianus said with a massive headache, he didn’t want to be Finance Officer anymore, especially of a national budget clearly doomed, oh emperor, plea spare me!

The Five Wise Emperors were excellent emperors of the Roman Empire, and all were rather adept governors; under them, Rome’s national strength steadily increased. By Commodus’ time, Romans showed evident luxury behaviors, but the national treasury was exceptionally rich.

However, Commodus first messed up, leading the country into chaos for three years. Then Severus came to power, extensively recruiting soldiers, increasing their pay. Simply put, since Marcus Aurelius’ death, Rome’s finances have been constantly in deficit.

Fortunately, the base built by the Five Wise Emperors was solid enough that Pompianus, who fled during Commodus’ reign, calculated that at Commodus’ spending rate, before being killed by the Imperial Guard, the treasury could still hold up. To be precise, the Roman treasury considered it mere drizzle!

In Pompianus’ view, since the City Guardian and National Guardian remained unshaken, the treasury remained unempty, and the state regime hadn’t collapsed, a temporary political upheaval wasn’t a big problem. Once Commodus died, as long as stepping up continued the role of Finance Officer, extending the relaxed economic policies of the Era of the Five Wise Emperors, Rome would still be Rome, with nothing to worry about.

Reality developed just as Finance Officer Pompianus estimated. Commodus soon fell, and he was recalled to resume as Finance Officer. The new emperor Severus seemed reliable, making no comment on economic finances, merely instructing to continue as the former policy. However, tell me, who told you to raise soldiers’ pay fivefold!

Severus’ new policy simply crushed the Finance Officer, did you know what fivefold income means, did you know how many soldiers you support!

With three hundred thousand troops not counting equipment, merely the pay was so high, you are heading towards fiscal collapse. Did you know the annual total national fiscal revenue? It just slightly exceeds your troop maintenance cost, yet other fields also need expenditure.