Augustus Road

"Put the winch down a little further." On the smooth sea, Pope and a group of engineering soldiers were sitting on the deck of the ship, measuring the water depth of the two sea gates. The first thing they measured was the Bosphorus leading to the black ocean. The final accurate result was that the length of the strait was one hundred and twenty stades and the width was about 12 stades, and it was suggested that "a fortress should be built on the Kuanion Rock to guard the entire strait." ”

Then, Pope's ship continued downward, passing through the entire Propentis Sea, which was about one hundred and forty Roman miles long. It took them nearly three days of voyage. During the journey, Sabo, who was also on the ship, spoke to the people on both sides. He made precise hydrogeographic drawings, and he recorded in his diary, "Nicomedia on the other side is at the deepest point of the bay, and it can just form a anchorage for the naval fleet confronting Byzantium. In addition, there are Kuzicus and The two islands of Lochnassus are located in between, so I suggest that when we have sufficient strength in the future, we can build a complete dock and naval base in Nicomedia, and set up lighthouses, warehouses and small fortresses on the two islands. In this case, the entire sea area will be completely inaccessible to enemy fleets.”

Then, Sabo's eyes saw that the Propentis Sea was getting narrower and narrower, and he realized that their ship was about to enter another sea gate - the Hellespont. The strait here was winding and the west coast was flat. The land "can be used to build farmland, military camps and houses." Saab commented this way, and the east coast is steep cliffs. "On the plus side, it is difficult for invaders from Asia Minor to board ships here." "On the other hand, it will be difficult for our army to enter and exit Asia Minor from Hellespont, if the army is too large." Then Sabo saw a wasteland on the east coast, where the ancient Greek army attacked Troy. The place where we camped was a piece of land between two headlands called Sigian and Rotian, and there were two freshwater rivers flowing through it, namely the Simois River and the Acamander River. “I can’t believe it. I actually came to the birthplace of the Romans. This may be a journey for a nation to find its roots. I am very honored and I am very lucky. My name is Nerva Sabokamus. I am so excited that I can't control myself." Sabo sat on the deck. , the hook pen in my hand, I don’t know what I’m drawing because of my surging mood.

When Pope and Sabo presented the detailed designs to Lepidus, the cavalry commander had just obtained permission from Caesar to establish the city and learned that Caesar had entered Athens - while Gebinus and Marcellus were in power. They are fleeing by boat towards Cyprus. Their destination may be in Egypt or the Jewish Kingdom of Judea, because they are afraid that no monarch will dare to take these two in because they are enemies of Caesar.

"The Rhodians and Cretans have provided me with a considerable number of ships. I will have no difficulty in marching further east, and I will probably have a few insignificant naval battles with Cassius or Brutus. Then I, Caesar, will land safely in Alexandria. You must know that I will be guarded by ten legions with a total of 4,000 elite soldiers. So Lepider, you don’t have to worry. After all, the situation in Xiaoya is more difficult than mine. You still have the Bosporus to deal with, and it makes perfect sense to build an advancing fortress in Byzantium.”

This was Caesar's answer, and it suited Lepidus's intentions. Naturally, Lepidus would not turn Byzantium into a giant city comparable to Rome and Athens. He had no need and lacked the ability to do so. He just needed to turn this place into a city first. It was also common in Roman history to serve as a military depot and fortress across two continents, and then to urbanize. Many European cities in later generations were transformed from Roman frontline fortresses. This was also the reason for many of their cities. The reason for the "fort" suffix.

Lepidus was determined to use three to five months, that is, the entire winter camp, to start this matter. His strategy was "first to the west and then to the east."

First, Lepidus announced to the Byzantine City Presbytery that their city had become a Roman colony, and then annexed the power of the city council. The original city's five thousand residents retained their household registrations and properties, but they had to move towards the Golden Bull Bay because the original Byzantine The residential area is too close to the inland. "We must obey your orders, but you have to understand that there are only some fishing villages near the bay because there is a lack of fresh water there. After the original Lycus River was rerouted, there will not be enough water there." The water source is supplied, but it is full of silt." When the Byzantine elders complained to Lepidus, the newly appointed cavalry commander immediately decided that the five legions and three legions he belonged to would carry out a huge dredging project to "drench the Lycus River straight again. ", picked it up and poured it into the Propentis Sea; the other two legions built a solid acropolis on the Cuanion reef on the Bosporus. The end of this acropolis is only five miles away from the east coast. The distance was 100 Roman feet, so Pope planned to build a huge bridgehead at the front of the Acropolis. There was a huge machine winch inside, which could pull out and retract the thick iron chain. This iron chain was connected to the other side. As long as it was horizontal Starting from the beginning, any ship coming from the Youkexing Sea can be blocked.

Next, along the coast of Golden Bull Horn, the first ones set up were camps and markets for legions and auxiliary barbarians, as well as fishing grounds, lighthouses, docks, warehouses, plank roads and various lifting equipment. The first foreigners to get the right to use these facilities were the two thousand Thracian warriors sent by King Curtis. In the city of Amisus, Adiana once mocked these people as crude one-eared clay pots. Now it seems that the situation has not improved much. They all looked like frightened country bumpkins, carrying heavy wheat pots on their backs, and filed into the tents designated for themselves.

During the Saturnalia, the freshly bathed cavalry commander Lepidus, holding a spear in one hand and a plow in the other, imitated Romulus, the founder of Rome, and drew a sacred furrow along the seven hills of Byzantium on the entire triangular land near the sea under the guidance of priests and tribunes. With 50 Roman feet as a plane unit, a total of 800 units were drawn. "The furrow is the holy land. If there is no condition to build a stone wall now, it is better to mark it with wooden fences for the time being."

Then, holding a spear, Lepidus climbed the hill closest to the ocean and announced that the city's mansion, altar, and temple would be built there. "This hill is called Mount Lepidus, and this fortress is also called Lepidus Castle! Its defense is the same as the city's capital. The patron saints are King Numa, Hercules, Serapis (Egyptian god), Jupiter, and a new huge temple was built to worship the sea god and the heroes of the Argonauts. "

At the foot of the hill, the legion soldiers planted a circle of evergreen trees with a rectangular distance of 500 Roman feet as the meeting square of the future city. Then Lepidus sat under a tree and met with the chiefs of the barbarians from the city-states on both sides of the strait, asking them to fill this new city fortress with the remaining population of their tribes and the captives obtained in the war. "Come to Lepidus Castle, planting and fishing are tax-free for one year; after three years, half of the tax will be collected; after ten years, the full tax will be collected!" r1152

s