13 “Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour. 14 For it is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The one who had received five talents went off right away and put his money to work²⁷⁰ and gained five more. 17 In the same way, the one who had two gained two more. 18 But the one who had received one talent went out and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money in it. 19 After a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled his accounts with them. 20 The one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, saying, ‘Sir, you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ 21 His master answered, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful in a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 The one with the two talents also came and said, ‘Sir, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more.’ 23 His master answered, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 Then the one who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Sir, I knew that you were a hard man, harvesting where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered, ‘Evil and lazy slave! So you knew that I harvest where I didn’t sow and gather where I didn’t scatter? 27 Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received my money back with interest! 28 Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten. 29 For the one who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30 And throw that worthless slave into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth’

Matthew 25:13-30

I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them on the sand,
Half sunk, a shatter'd visage lies, whose frown
And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamp'd on these lifeless things,
The hand that mock'd them and the heart that fed.
And on the pedestal these words appear:
"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Consensus for Ending Game

If everyone else is okay with it, I would like to declare a three way victory (Persia, Greece, Carthage) in order to start the new game. Robbie Wheeler has forfeited (he also wants to start the new game). 

Spring 07 AD

Winter 06-07 AD

South East Asia Discovered by Carthaginian Explorers!

A new land has been found by Carthaginian fleets, a land we call South East Asia. Battles there will surely be fierce, but fighting cannot begin until the conflict in the Mediterranean is completed. So the Carthaginians urge other nations to allow these conflicts to end so that a new world can begin. As a reward, instead of salting all your fields, we will only salt half! So consider allowing Carthage this victory, you are not the Spartans who can outlast thousands! Carthage will accept no five way treaty, for that is absurd. The smelly Persian would like to engineer such a victory, but all nations know that will have made the game meaningless. Consider this, other nations, so a new war can begin.

Fall 06 AD

Builds will be over the weekend, moves on Monday.

Spring 06 AD

Winter 05-06 AD

This is the build for now. Persia still has an additional build, so if that is sent I can put it in.

Fall 05 AD

Spring 05 AD

Winter 04-05 AD

Moves kind of fell apart today. We'll do the next set on Monday.

Fall 04 AD

*As a note, I replaced the army in Gaul with a war elephant. If anyone wants personalized armies, just tell me. 

News From the Roman Front

Caption: Secret Agent Mayne...

Roman agents have discovered a recent troop buildup on the eastern border of Vindobona. Although the matter of dealing with the armies surrounding the province will be easy enough, that is not what should worry those reading this warning. These very same agents (after a good deal of poking around) uncovered an alliance between

Greece and the Persian Empire. While the mighty Roman Legions will fight and die to the last man, we still fear, my friends, that if such an alliance would come to pass, the whole world itself would be shaken to the core. The Roman Emeror himself calls upon the remaining free nations of the world to band together and purge these inbred, barbaric, uncouth foes from the face of the Earth. With the mighty armies of Rome and the fleets of Carthage and Egypt, such a foe could not withstand such a heavy (sword / axe / spear) wielding hand.

In other news, after years of fierce naval fighting, Roman fleets finally take the Ionian Sea.

Caption: The Greek Navy licks its wounds at harbor. Oh noes!

Spring 04 AD

The Greek fleet that was in the Ionian Sea was assumed to retreat to the Messenian Sea. It could also have retreated to Epirus, and if Robbie Cumby wants to change the retreat, he can.

The Egyptian Armies retreated to the only places they could.

Horemheb comes down with Swine Flu!

In a surprising twist Horemheb, leader of Egypt, has come down with the notorious swine flu! Due to this debilitating sickness, his commands have not been submitted for this season. Hopefully other nations will show him mercy, however this is unlikely. To combat the Swine Flu sickness, all leaders should be sure to submit commands in a timely manner, that is, before 3:00 pm. Hopefully Horemheb will recover by the Fall, otherwise, his armies may disintigrate and his fleets may fall into mutiny!

Winter 03-04 AD

A Translation of the Quotes Below

Carthage is pleased to provide you with a translation of the quotes below. The first one, from the glorious Hannibal reads out as follows:
"We shall take Egypt and grow strong on its spoils. Once Egypt falls we shall move onto Persian land, and create a vast empire the likes of which this world has never seen. The Persian is dirty and enjoys spreading lies and heresy."

The second quote, from Paul Cato the elder reads as follows:
"I love Carthage, may it prosper and live free."

Carthage shall defeat this scum of Persia.

"Pater meus me ad aram duxit et me iurare iussit me numquam in amicitia cum Romanis futurum esse. Id ius iurandum patri datum usque ad hanc aetatem ita conservavi ut nemo sit qui plus odii erga Romanos habeat."       —Hannibal, son of Hamilcar

"Ceterum autem censeo Carthaginem esse delendam."     —Cato the elder

"What, me worry?"   — Chorba and Wheeler

Roman Army Pushes On Despite Fierce Fighting on Northern Front

They shall be my finest warriors, these men who give themselves to me. Like clay I shall mould them and in the furnace of war forge them. They will be of iron will and steely muscle. In great armour shall I clad them and with the mightiest weapons will they be armed. They will be untouched by plague or disease, no sickness will blight them. They will have tactics, strategies and machines such that no foe can best them in battle. They are my bulwark against the Terror. They are the Defenders of Humanity. They are my Legions and they shall know no fear.