The Roman army reacted quickly and hundreds of soldiers moved to protect the wall.
On the other hand, the clone army was facing a situation of stalemate.
The clone soldiers were at a disadvantage against the defenses of the wall.
The clone army could defeat the Roman army easily on an open battlefield, but on the city walls the clone troops were easily outmatched.
The clone soldiers who climbed the ladders were at a disadvantage and could not fully take advantage of their combat abilities.
The small footholds that the clone army had gained with great effort on the city wall were lost.
The clone soldiers launched suicidal attacks that barely managed to maintain the progress of the siege.
Septimus frowned as he observed the situation of the battle.
The exchange of casualties between dead Roman soldiers and clones was leaning in favor of the Roman army.
For every dead Roman soldier, there was one or two dead clone soldiers.
A normal army would have collapsed or mutinied against its general if he gave orders to launch such a suicidal siege, but the clone army was different. The clone soldiers lacked a social structure.
The will of the clone army and of Septimus was one, without individual personality.
The situation of the battle was not favorable for the clone army and Septimus could realize that the clone soldiers were suffering more casualties than the enemy.
The original plans for Septimus included a surprise attack on the wall that would take advantage of the quality advantage of the clone soldiers.
After all, Septimus was a person from the modern era who had adapted to combat with bladed weapons of ancient Rome. Septimus trusted in his replication ability and as a consequence underestimated his opponents.
The two sieges were proof of Septimus's confidence in his ability and the contempt that his bloodthirsty side felt toward the people of this era.
Not being bound to any law and with an infinite army, Septimus could unleash his most dominant and bloodthirsty side without consequences.
Septimus understood that the second siege would once again be another resounding fiasco.
The clone soldiers continued attacking without showing signs of retreat.
The clone soldiers continued using any method to cause casualties in the Roman army.
The clone army attacked as if it were a zombie army, without fear of death and with the sole purpose of throwing themselves at the enemy.
The Roman army, following the orders of generals like Sertorios, quickly organized and stabilized the defense of the wall.
The battle lasted three more hours.
Although Septimus was aware that the casualties of his clones compared to the casualties of the Roman army were greater, he had no intention of stopping the attack hastily.
Septimus was aware of his personality flaw, but his replication ability instilled in him an innate confidence.
The clone army could easily afford the loss of one hundred thousand soldiers, not to mention the loss of less than one legion.
The clone soldiers and the Roman soldiers fought in the darkness, each taking advantage of their advantages with the purpose of killing the opposing side.
After three hours, the clone army began to retreat to the camp in the darkness like an enormous black beast or a dark mass.
The Roman soldiers and centurions who observed from the wall were unsettled by the scene but quickly rejoiced when they realized that the enemy was retreating.
The few clone soldiers who could not retreat from the ladders continued attacking without showing signs of retreat.
When the last clone soldier was stabbed by four spears and fell from the ladder, the Roman army could breathe in relief.
The siege had begun suddenly and ended in the same way.
Although the Roman generals were not fools, the last two sieges took them by surprise.
The two sieges lacked coordination with Sulla's army; consequently, the Roman army deployed 70% of its military force to defend the attacked walls.
The siege ended suddenly just as it began.
The clone army marched in formation toward the camp.
A thousand clone soldiers separated from the formation and removed their armor quickly.
The task of the thousand clone soldiers was to collect the armor and weapons from the corpses in the dry moat, a task that would be very risky.
Septimus knew that the task would be difficult and it would be better to take advantage of the darkness and the stealth of the clones to complete the collection.
The clones removed their weapons and armor because it would not be of much help.
Weapons and armor could be manufactured or bought; on the contrary, clones could be replicated every week.
The thousand clones separated and stealthily approached to carry out the collection of military equipment.
On the other hand, the situation on the Roman wall represented a cheerful atmosphere.
The defending Roman soldiers had managed to repel two enemy sieges, causing great losses to the enemy.
Many nobles of the city and generals planned to organize celebratory banquets in their homes.
The second siege had lasted almost five hours and the Roman army had almost 2,000 casualties.
On the other hand, the clone army had 3,103 soldiers dead.
The clone army inside the camp once again received the visit of a messenger from Sulla.
The message that the rider from Sulla's army brought was not very different from the previous messenger.
The siege began suddenly at dusk and the scouts of Sulla's army only realized it when it ended and they heard the deafening victory shouts of the Roman army on the walls.
Sulla considered the attack of Septimus's army as a probing of the defenses of the city of Rome.
The military tribune who returned from Septimus's camp had brought the report of the possible arrival of Septimus with three legions.
The losses of soldiers in the two failed sieges could be compensated with the three fresh legions that Septimus led.
The military power of Septimus caused Sulla to be wary.
Sulla's ideals of strengthening the power of the Senate differed enormously from the actions of Septimus.
Sulla considered Septimus a threat to Rome and a possible figure similar to Marius.
Why did Septimus have five legions before the war?
What intentions did he have to form such an enormous army?
Did he really want the region of Campania or did he have other intentions?
Did Septimus want to be dictator for life or king?
Sulla had many doubts as he contemplated the actions of Septimus, but he was also confused.
Why did he torture a member of the Scipio family?
Was it necessary to create a deep enmity with the Scipio family?
Was Septimus foolish?
Septimus, with the support and influence of the Scipio family as a son-in-law and member of the family, could easily fulfill his ambitions as dictator or king.
But what did Septimus do?
Leaving aside the enmity with the Scipio family, the act of indiscriminately massacring the upper class of the region of Campania generated resentment among many Romans.
If Septimus had the ambition to be king or dictator for life, his previous actions were very illogical.
The relationships among the Roman upper class were very complex and many senators and nobles in Rome had relatives in the region of Campania.
Septimus earned the resentment of many nobles and elites with his brutal actions in the region of Campania.
The resentment against Septimus is suppressed because present-day Rome is facing a civil war, but no one knows what will happen when the war ends.
Septimus did not fear assassinations; his intelligence network extended throughout Rome and over the years it would deepen.
Many Roman nobles were skilled in conspiracies, but they also understood that power is linked to the number of legions, and Septimus had ten or more legions.
The only option of revenge that could be considered to confront Septimus was assassination after the civil war ended.