Claudius Apiero

The only surviving bust of Claudius Apiero

**Claudius Apiero** was a Dinamid statesman, Kaiser, military commander, and senator in the early-to-mid Dinamid Republic. Apiero is most known for his service as Kaiser during the First Perthic War, as well as his time as Senator in the interval preceding the Second Perthic War. His cognomen *Apiero* is of the plebeian class, coming from the Dwarvish *apier*, or "wormwood."

## Early life

There is little information about Apiero in his early life. It is known he is responsible for raising his family from the plebeian class to the equestrian class from his time in the military, having served in enslavement campaigns in Arcadia and acquiring great wealth from his time as a legionnaire. He is also known to have become a member of the Inquisition immediately after serving in the military for an unknown amount of time. His birth year was determined to have been 254 NCE based on his ventricle epitaph within the Mausoleum of No Kings.

## Political ascension

Claudius Apiero earned notoriety after the conclusion of the trial of the senator Decedes Hantorus, wherein Apiero defended the senator against accusations of embezzling debt payments to Perth. Apiero gained senatorial favor and was thus appointed as *quaestor*, the head Inquisitor. His time as *quaestor* earned him popularity for his stern and thorough investigations into political enemies of the Senate, particularly into those appointed as *pontifex rex*.

Apiero wed Junas Regilisis, an Argane citizen of the equestrian class, and had four children: Tiberius, Andolus, Cassius, and Agrippa Apiero (mother of Vulpes Copiatus). He served for over two decades as *quaestor* until 210 NCE, in which he was elected as a Senator.

## Appointment as Kaiser

In 209 NCE, Kaiser Claudius Leonas was voted out of office by the Senate, and the following day, the popular vote put Claudius Apiero in the running for Kaiser. The Senate likely influenced the vote after having Apiero lead multiple Senate proclamations as *orator*. Apiero was known to be a preferred candidate for multiple reasons, namely his indifference to reforms and lack of political ambitions. However, his pragmatic attitude and pledge to drive out the Lonenites in *Madelia* before his term was over made him a vastly popular choice.

On the second day of his Kaisership, Claudius Apiero put out a call for volunteers to join the legion, with a *praestipend* for the total value every captive taken. He also commissioned the construction of 140 ships based on the commandeered Perthic vessel taken by Legate Copiatus months prior.

### General in *Madelia*

Kaiser Claudius Apiero was instrumental in the victory over Perth in the First Perthic War. He appointed a new Legate, his brother-in-law Agrippo Regilisis of *Madelia*, to lead several legions to liberate his home city of Argane. Kaiser Apiero besieged Perguntum for approximately one month in April 208 NCE. He is noted for launching smoldering bitumen during April rains to create massive amounts of toxic smoke in Perguntum, and ash imported from the Lenorum countryside on dry days, which would incubate the bitumen on the days of rain. This allowed his legions to besiege the western gatehouse and take the city in a short amount of time.

He rushed his army towards Ispizo when his brother-in-law was attacked near Dobralaeu, though the battle was over before he could be reached. He gave the Legate a triumph for his defeat of Narginon in the Battle of Dobraleau, and had the Lonenite *bolyer*'s helmet cleaned to be given to him after they returned from Cascadia. He would eventually give the helmet to his wife, and later his son Tiberius Apiero.

### Naval commander

Kaiser Apiero ordered the deployment of *taal balsamum* after his magus and alchemist Young Wren of Argane had a stable formulation. Apiero's attention to burning balsam is often credited as one of the deciding factors in the war, and he made copious use of the substance during the First Perthic War.

He sailed to Tyrrhos for a short time, but retreated after it was clear that the Perths had the advantage in the southern territory. He would later vote to annex Lonen in its entirety from Perth during the Truceless War, and purchase property in Nebopolis.

He is most often noted for his strategic victory over Perth in his victory in Apiero's Blockade in Lonencourt in 205 NCE. His experience as *quaestor* afforded him strong intelligence-gathering abilities. In this instance, he intercepted a royal escort bringing consorts from Lonencourt to Perepolis, all young Perthic women. The Kaiser had evidence now that either Haslen the Proud or his son Hasdrobris was in Lonencourt, and would likely be having an extended stay given the fact consorts were being moved back and forth between Perepolis and Lonencourt.

After the capture of Hasdrobris, Haslen the Proud quickly surrendered despite the victories of Lonen over Dinam at Espios. Legate Regilisis, who was a captive in Perepolis, was never found.

## Late Statesmanship

in 202 NCE, after having co-drafted the Treaty Most Foul with the Senate, Kaiser Apiero stepped down from his Kaisership and resumed his position as Senator. Claudius Apiero believed he was responsible for his brother-in-law's death and refused to serve any further as a military commander. He would later dedicate a drilling academy to the Legate, The Regulan in the hills northwest of Ispizo.

His time as Senator was spent mostly advocating for further integration of Neuphany and Tyrrhos. Apiero is noted for proposing that it be incorporated as a part of Cascadia, though it was defeated in its multiple Senatorial votes. Senator Apiero would serve until his natural death in 178 NCE.

## Legacy

Claudius Apiero has been called the "Father of Admirals," for his revolutionary methods of approaching warfare at sea, especially as an individual who had no prior experience commanding a navy. Despite his many losses and occasional poor choice in tactics, Apiero has been named one of the greatest naval commanders of his era, particularly for his ability to outmaneuver the more experienced Perths on multiple occasions and the massive Dinamid victory at the Battle of the Red Cape.

Apiero's creation of burning balsam also served as an inspiration for Elven fire, which saw prominent use in the Ascani Empire and is one of the few carryovers from the Dinamid Republic into the post-Dinam period.

Claudius Apiero has been featured in several plays, most notably as the titular character in the Hellastian drama *Sea Kaiser*, which is based on the rumors of his affairs with mermaids and set as a romantic tragedy during his latter years in the First Perthic War.