next oasis
So of course I played this game as a kid, then had a new go at it during the first lockdown, but stopped when life resumed.
Some weeks ago I picked up again where I had left: Caesarea. Had a lot of fun with it: mainly by all buildings being put down because I wanted them there storywise, and not as a dump to get the required score.
I wrote some accompanying prose to go with the screenshot. 😂
Any remarks or suggestions are welcome.
Welcome ambassador of Caesar! So you've come to check up on the progress we've made on our Roman colony? I've built it quite to my satisfaction, and when we've finished our tour, hopefully it will be to your satisfaction as well.
I see your attention is drawn to the huge central area, where you can hear Colosseum and Hippodrome noises from beyond the walls, but first let's tour the industries. Caesar does care about his money after all, doesn't he? Let head straight south to our Military Industrial Complex. It's accessible only through this one gate, and all who enter are checked by the gate's prefect. So here we have them: our renown export products! Fruit, oil, iron and weapons! Conveniently stored for any traders. They're safe as can be, by the way; as who in their right mind would try to rob us right in front of our military training base? Our cities' soldiers pride themselves in being learned warriors and not some mere brutes. When they are not training under Mars's watchful eye, they frequent the education facilities, pray at the oracles, honour their fallen comrades at the statues or attend the military theatre. Two extra towers keep our orchards safe from any outsiders, while Ceres' temple is visited by the farmers and Mercury encourages our tradesmen. Now let me take you to our second industrial base up north, across this desert plane.
Once again, security measures have been taken: anyone trying to flee with our produce -either by land or sea- will inexorably be shot down. Here we produce our unique seasidewood furniture, so highly praised by our patricians, that their friends in Iberia place orders with us as well. Rowdy as these dockers and tradesmen can be, they don't forget to pay their homages to their gods Neptune and Mercury, and their children are sent to school. I can assure you, in this city rarely is the question asked "Is our children learning?".
Now we'll follow the path to the heart of the city. But the Mauritian sun is burning hot already, let's have a drink here at this fountain. Refreshing eh? It comes from the reservoir you can see beyond. We moved heaven and earth to draw delicious water from the central oasis. Water from the seaside would have been easier, and is good enough for the dockworkers, but our patricians wouldn't ever have it! But I see you are hard pressed to visit the heart of the city. So let's go. This is the gatehousecomplex. We've opted to house the patricians in a gated community, you see, and prefects will check people at both the inner and outer gates. You, excellency, are exempt from such nuisances, of course. After you.
Et voilà! This is our palace complex. 10 luxury palaces, I'll have you know. In case your excellency might feel a bit unpresentable or bedraggled after his long trip, you can conveniently go the barber right away, or maybe even pay a visit to the bathhouse on the way to the senate? Oh and yes, I've got myself not one but two palaces. Work hard play hard eh? The patricians like to think of themselves as being at the pinnacle of Roman society, and I love to see their faces when they see me towering still above them... The Western palace is for administrative purposes and official visits, the Eastern one is for festivities, in line with the spirit of the whole eastern street, known as Bacchus' Boulevard.
In between my houses I honour my patron god, Mars. Without the safety secured by military prowess, no civilisation is possible, I always say. Did you hear in Rome about how my relief force saved Leptis Magna from a dismal fate? Ah, no need to congratulate me, 't was naught but my Roman duty. Caesar kindly did send me this magnificent Triumphal arch though. You'll love walking down the Martians steps, and through the parade street. At the end of it, we can enter Venus' temple from behind - a city design choice which leads to local sniggering. She's very much loved here though! She's got a beautiful garden to look over and is an inspiration the the city's workers population who can see her from beyond the wall.
Neither are the other gods forgotten! Neptune -being the god of sea ánd everything equestrian- can be visited right next to the hippodrome, Mercury's been designated a nice central location because he has blessed us with such good trade, and Ceres looks out over the garden and the agricultural zone as well. But we'll visit that tomorrow. My slave will bring you to the visitor's quarter in my house now.
Avé sir! Did you enjoy a good night's sleep? Sorry for the early hour, but 't is better to get out and about before the noon's heat in these regions. Let's leave the gated community. Right away you see the granaries and warehouses where our lovely marketladies easily retrieve everything our patricians desire. Our entertainers are trained here as well. The gladiators have a habit of mooching some meat right across the street, and throwing the bones into the lion's pit. I don't mind, it seems to boost their performance and it's all good fun. A hidden cultural gem, is the Theatre at the Pond, originally built for our farmers to relax; they have built themselves a strong reputation for the Bucolical repertoir.
"But who is powering all this?" you may ask. Aah well, our plebes! Right through this last gate and you enter another world. Here we have them: the squabbling rabble, the working drones. The quarters are nothing too fancy, but orderly enough. Lots of water, and enough food and health provisions seem to be the most of these suburbians' worries. Beyond these quarters, to the east and to the south east you see our trustworthy Roman legions. Our Numidian foes get slaughtered with ease by these men.
Oh! This will be of particular interest to you! Let us walk south. Careful when you cross these suburbians, they haven't got much in the way of decorum yet. Now, here we have the old city, "built" by my predecessor. I could have it all done away with, but I decided to leave it untouched. May it serve as a horrible testament to what ruin abject incompetence may lead. When you see Caesar, I suggest you think of this and tell him what could have been, and then think of all you saw yesterday and earlier today an tell him what is now. I wish you and your convoy a good journey back to our capital, our eternal Rome.
Avé!