The banner Septimus devised featured a black background with three gray heads, streaked with red blood, impaled on three brown spears in a blood-stained valley. Although Septimus considered that his banner might be terrifying to some people, he preferred to be feared rather than seen as a weak, honest man and end up being attacked for his wealth.
It was only a matter of time before his modern knowledge for invention and his fortune attracted the attention of ambitious Roman nobles or elites. By creating an ominous banner and forging a terrifying title, he would be seen as someone difficult to offend; anyone who dared to covet his wealth would think twice.
Septimus estimated that within two or three days he would face two to three thousand soldiers under the command of the admiral of the Campania region.
They were a force dedicated to naval combat in the Mediterranean, fighting pirates, and composed of five thousand men, of whom only half served as marine infantry.
Taking advantage of the little time he had, Septimus began preparing a full legion. He did not care about Rome's reaction; as long as he had the necessary legions under his command at this critical juncture, the Roman Senate would tolerate him as long as he did not openly side with Sulla.
Three days passed.
More than 2,500 Roman soldiers marched rhythmically toward Capua. At the front rode a Roman general accompanied by three centurions on horseback. The general was reading an urgent papyrus report he had received from the city's nobles and from the prefect's family.
His name was Sextus Aemilius Faustus, and he was the admiral of the Campania region, responsible for protecting the area from pirate attacks.
Sextus still could not believe that a newly risen elite would have the courage to kill the prefect of Capua appointed by the Roman Senate. He could only attribute such reckless actions to the foolishness of that young, newly elevated elite or to a conflict he did not yet understand.
Septimus, without paying much attention to his social standing, had been considered an elite by the Roman upper class thanks to the wealth he gained from trading white sugar. However, due to his discretion and lack of interest in socializing with Capua's upper class, he lacked influence. For that reason, the prefect of Capua dared to openly conspire against him without opposition from Capua's elites or nobility.
If Septimus had been related to or friendly with the city's upper class, the prefect of Capua would not have acted so decisively against him.
Sextus's army arrived in Capua, where he received detailed information about the attack on Gaius's ludus. He learned that soldiers, slaves, gladiators, the lanista, and his family had all been executed, their heads cut off and impaled on wooden spears.
Sextus burned with fury. It was already a disgrace that the prefect had been executed. He had hoped that the fool called Septimus would have enough common sense to flee or hide, but instead he had dared to attack a Roman elite.
Not wanting to waste any more time, Sextus planned to rest one night in Capua and depart at sunrise. He had been treating this rebellion calmly, considering it a serious but easily solvable matter.
However, if Rome learned of his delay in acting, he could be criticized.
Sextus declined the invitations from Capua's upper class to celebrate and welcome him.
The next day, just as the sun was rising, Sextus ordered his already prepared troops to march toward Septimus's villa, accompanied by a slave as a guide.
The death of a prefect alarmed all of Capua. No one could conceive that a newly risen elite would dare to assassinate the prefect of a Roman city—much less the prefect of an important Roman city like Capua.
Earlier, news of the prefect of Capua's death had been discovered by his family, quickly causing a sensation throughout the city.
When the auxiliary soldiers who had gone out with the prefect to arrest Septimus failed to return, the prefect's family sent slaves to summon him, believing he was being received and flattered at the villa of that newly risen elite.
Only when a slave returned in panic did they learn that the heads of the prefect and his auxiliary guards were impaled on spears at the gates of Septimus's villa.
The entire family of the prefect—and all of Capua—were shocked by Septimus's audacity. To dare to kill a prefect was to go against Rome and the Senate, so the news was quickly communicated to Rome and to the nearest force, informing the admiral of Campania.
Although the city's garrison could also have been mobilized, without a prefect, mobilizing it could be considered treason. Moreover, Septimus's attack on Gaius's ludus left uncertainty about how many rebel soldiers Septimus had under his command. Therefore, the upper class of Capua's concilium met in emergency session and decided to inform the admiral of Campania to handle the problem.
It is worth noting that Marcus Atilius, Atilia's father and an important member of the concilium, was among the first to learn of Septimus's actions. He felt relieved that he had not married his daughter to that reckless young man. Originally, upon learning that Septimus was involved in the white sugar trade, he had planned to use his influence and prior relationship to propose that Atilia marry Septimus and thereby secure that promising young man. But after this incident, he quickly discarded the idea and began seeking an opportunity to obtain the white sugar formula.
He was not the only one. Much of Rome's upper class hoped to obtain the white sugar formula, including the admiral of Campania. The ancients were inventive with white sugar, creating all kinds of exquisite dishes that added culinary diversity to the banquets of the Roman elite.
Sextus's army took another day of forced marching to reach the vicinity of Septimus's villa. The villa was two days from the city of Capua, but with forced marching, the travel time was reduced to one day.
Sextus intended to exploit his numerical advantage and seize the villa quickly, ending the problem efficiently and resting in the villa. He did not expect a fierce battle. He represented Rome, and opposing him meant certain death. Even if Septimus had the courage, he did not believe that all of the private guards under his command would.
Therefore, when he sighted the perimeter walls of Septimus's villa and noted that they were not very high, he ordered his tired troops—without preparing basic siege equipment—to attack and enter the villa quickly.
Septimus was surprised to see this army of more than 2,500 soldiers attack directly without a word. The soldiers' faces looked weary, but they were still confident as they advanced on his villa.
Septimus's clones responded quickly, taking positions on the walls and preparing for the enemy's assault.
Sextus's army, though fatigued from the forced march, continued advancing steadily toward the perimeter wall under their centurions' orders.
Septimus watched this exhausted army march toward its death and was struck by the confidence the Roman people placed in the authority of their Senate. If he did not have the ability to replicate himself and form a completely loyal legion of clones, it would be difficult to find men willing to face Roman soldiers without spending a vast amount of denarii.
Even spending enormous sums, few would be willing to fight Rome. After all, what good is money when you are dead?
Thus, Septimus's ability to replicate gives him the courage to confront Rome. With replication alone, he can form an army of clone soldiers capable of standing against Rome—
saving the costs of soldiers' wages and training.