Chapter 144 - 106 Morning Decree, Evening Change_2
But when the news that "the Roman Army is about to invade" spread throughout the entire camp, it caused unrest in the ranks, especially among those soldiers who had joined the troop only after leaving Campania; they felt panic.
Fortunately, Maximus exercised strict control over the army, with each subdivision stationed in independent camps. Under the leadership of their team officers, they carried out daily training, patrol tasks, and adhered to set routines. Unauthorized outings were prohibited, so no major incidents occurred.
However, a small number of deserters emerged among the personnel from the two major logistical departments: the kitchen and the warehouse.
Because of this, Maximus had to strengthen oversight across all departments and personally visited various locations for several consecutive days, working with supervisors to reassure personnel and boost morale.
After much effort stabilizing the situation, Maximus was preparing to lead the First and Second Legions south to Tarentum when he suddenly received urgent news from Fesaros, the Legion Commander of the First Legion, stationed near Bari City: A significant number of soldiers from the Free Italy forces had entered the Bari Territory with their families, claiming they planned to retreat north... and asking Maximus whether they should be expelled.
Maximus’s first thought was that Spartacus and his forces had changed their plans—not fighting the Roman Army at Tarentum but instead opting to move north temporarily to avoid the Roman Army’s onslaught.
But upon reflecting further, he found this implausible, as this was not Spartacus’s usual style. Even if Spartacus intended to do so, he would at least convene a meeting with the officers to reach a consensus, rather than act arbitrarily. Thus, it was far more likely that some soldiers from the Free Italy forces feared the Roman Army and fled north on their own accord.
Realizing this, Maximus couldn’t sit still. He immediately led the cavalry along the main road, racing toward the First Legion’s camp.
Before reaching the camp, Maximus encountered rebel soldiers from the south—or perhaps it would be more accurate to call them peasants. With their families in tow, scattered across the Bari Territory, they were not organized into units and were clumsily fleeing north.