Chapter 55 The Glory of the Army (1/2)
Chapter 55 The Glory of the Army
Translator: Yi-chan, Tchu
Besides this official designation the 13th Cavalry Army of Byzantine Empire, it had also a special nickname, “Vexillationes”. The meaning “Vexillationes” in Byzantine ancient language was “The indomitable knights”.
(TL: Go see for more information of Vexillationes)
In Byzantine Empire, only a cavalry who distinguished themselves through meritorious military exploit had the qualification to be crowned an alias.
However, the 13th Cavalry Army undoubtful deserved this glorious title.
In the Byzantine Empire army’s history, the 13th Cavalry Army also boasted a prominent and honorable military, and was truly the trump card among the army’s elite troops and lived up to its name.
Its predecessor was called the “Rhodelia Cavalry Army”, whose history could be dated back to two hundred years ago at the Sixth Patriotic War of Byzantine Empire. At that time, in order to suppress the rebellion, Emperor Aurelius recruited knights born in the rash area of Rhodelia and formed this cavalry Army. It immediately achieved illustrious military exploits in the Patriotic War and from all its battles all over the empire, it suppressed six rebellions and repelled nine invasions of Odins. Rhodelia native’s had bellicosity and hot bloodedness ingrained in their nature. They were brave and tenacious in battle and set a record among all armies since the establishment of Byzantine Empire: There wasn’t one single retreat in a total of sixty-four large and small battles!! (In this regard, no armies in Byzantine Empire could achieve that, even the prominent Imperial Palace Guards had a record of escapes after defeats.)
The size of the Rhodelia Cavalry Army was only two thousand strong, but the way of fighting of these two thousand knights from Rhodelia appeared to be quite special at that time. When the cavalry charged, they were accustomed to carry a special four-meter-long lance and lifted up a large-scale oval shield guard over them – Only men from Rhodelia possessed such outstanding and heroic physical strength and were able to use this type of heavy weapons. When they charged, they were intrepid and never afraid of death while never backing down.
It was worth mentioning that in the Patriotic War which the Rhodelia Cavalry Army fight through and never retreated once during all sixty four battle, among them there were 13 times where the whole Army was almost wiped out. Even when all the knights were dead in battle, still they did no retreat!
The slogan of Rhodelia Cavalry Army made all Byzantine soldiers ashen upon hearing it!
“Forward Unto Death!!”
This was not a superficial slogan; everyone inside this army, from military officer to soldier used their blood and life to demonstrate to this world the authenticity of this slogan!
After experiencing a bloody baptism time after time, the soul of this army actually became more and more tenacious. Even when this cavalry army had been smashed to pieces or wiped out in brutal wars, the rulers at that time would always rebuild it again and again without hesitation! It was because, no matter how idiotic the ruler was, he always understood how precious this blood baptized invincible army was to the empire!
After the Sixth Patriotic War ended, the Rhodelia Cavalry Army was turned from a temporary recruited army into a conventional force and was officially listed into the regular army of the Byzantine Empire. At that time, it was renamed as the Empire 13th Cavalry Army and its size also expanded to 12000 people, which had continued to this day.
Over two hundred years, from the establishment of army to the present, along with the change of the empire territories,the area which was formerly Rhodelia turned into a sparsely populated wilderness because of alternation of political situation and ethnic migration. The original rough natives of Rhodelia with its traditional pure Rhodelians did not exist anymore. They had completely assimilated to every corner of Byzantine Empire’s territory and had become a drop of water in the ocean.
Nevertheless, the 13th Cavalry Army had still retained its traditional iron and blood spirit of the Rhodelia Cavalry Army.
“Forward Unto Death!”
The officers and men of the past 13th Cavalry Army had all defended this glorious slogan with their blood from generation upon generation. For more than two hundred years, this cavalry army had been stationed at the southern coastline of the Empire, suppressed the rebellions of military Generals, resisted the aggression of the west frontier nomads and participated in every battle against the Odin Empire at the northern border. Any commander would, without hesitation, place it at the most difficult and toughest frontline to fight the hardest battle and crack the hardest bone.
Even when facing against the Odin’s Sacred Berserker regiment, the officers and men of the 13th Cavalry Army had never retreated one single step.
Therefore, the 13th Cavalry Army had also set some records in the Empire’s history: it was the army with the highest damage ratio during all previous battles; meanwhile, it was also the army which was rebuild the most.