Nova Roma Chapter 27 - Chocolate and commerce

A large population requires a lot of materials and therefore a large amount of labor, Flavio decided to start a conquest of all villages or villages within 100km
Most of the time they accepted without violence others tried to defend themselves but they were completely surpassed by weapons quality and strategy, in just a few weeks more than 50,000 Mayans were assimilated
there were no revolts as Flavio showed his divine energy with that they understood that he was not an enemy but a god who sought his welfare.
When the 3rd and last expedition arrived, a large number of seeds and animals were received, the most exotic were camels, zebras, giraffes, and elephants, of course, all this was possible due to the care of the elves who with magic could communicate with the animals and able to take care of the plants
Thanks to this occupied the permanent position of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental care was for the elves, with this Flavio want to avoid the destruction of the environment and the creation of a consumer society.
For the empire it is better to find a balance and avoid using all-natural resources without control, it is a measure to ensure the future stability of the empire.
If a river is contaminated by chemicals and waste, it will not be possible to fish or use that water, what will happen if there is a drought and only water from the contaminated river can be used.
There is no greater misfortune than what one throws on oneself for not thinking about the future and only living in the present.
Flavio created the ministries to avoid centralization of power, although Flavio understands many things can not guarantee that his heirs destroy the empire with stupid measures or intrigues that only hurt Nova Roma.
With Flavio's decentralizing measures if in some future Flavio's descendants become Tyrants like Neron or Caligula.
These measures can control them and if some future must convert the imperial family into only public figures.
The true control of the imperial family lies in the core of religion and behind the shadows
Another thing which had priority was the construction of the temple of Olympus, the Mega temple was surrounding the pyramid of "The Sale", did not want to damage the pyramid because it would build a temple to Anubis
Despite being an Egyptian god his children would have their blood, so it is good that you do not miss the contact with the family, although it likes to be a bit incestuous thing that does not like much to Flavio but can not speak he is a fruit of that, can't understand what the hell Apollo thought, but whether or not he is his father.
Thanks to the fact that there are no large cities in 200 km around, the development was quite fluid, Flavio occupied Chapopote (Asphalt) for the creation of roads faster than those made with Roman techniques, this is an area very rich in oil.
Flavio began to replicate the recipe of chocolate that his grandmother prepared him when he was a child (Pss The recipe is real, the author's grandmother prepares an exquisite chocolate, but since everything is not complete its a family secret ;) ) for this he started with the choice of the correct type of cocoa each variety gives a different flavor
After that, he ground it to combine it with some seeds such as almonds, cinnamon and vanilla powder (Another wonderful plant that is proudly Mexican, he will speak of Papantla and the legend of origin of vanilla)
After combining these Flavio ingredients, he turned them into a tablet, placed a clay pot with milk on the fire and he waits until boiled
For the next step he put 2 chocolate bars in 2 liters of milk along with sugar, he moved the chocolate occupying a wooden grinder which dissolved the tablets in the milk to leave as a result a sparkling and sweet chocolate that Hellena, Julia and Lucio (Mother and stepfather), Ayesha and Aurora (Flavio twin sisters), enjoyed
Unlike coffee chocolate was more suitable for children and Women for its soft and sweet taste, quickly expanded among the aristocracy of Nova Roma.
The chocolate could be planted in nova Roma but the capacity is reduced because most of the crops are currently food in general, it will take at least 2 or 3 years to normalize the production of food, so he resorted to the most convenient way of getting food began with the creation of trade routes there are three large urban centers fences:
220km to Palenque (Currently village / Mayan city)
306 a monte albán (Currently village / city Zapoteca)
272 to Xilancalango (Currently village / Mayan city)
For questions of speed and proximity, it would be correct to say that Palenque is the closest but even in the 21st century the jungle is a place of very difficult access, let's not talk about it now that we are in 11 BC, therefore it is discarded.
306 a monte albán (Currently village / city Zapoteca)
272 to Xilancalango (Currently village / Mayan city)
Monte albán is a good option because it is the gateway to the center of Mexico and cultures like the Teotihuacán, but the problem is the Sierra Madre that hinders access, and reaching on foot would take months that assuming there are no attacks of wild, tribal animals or mountain accidents.
272 to Xilancalango (Currently village / Mayan city)
Xilancalango is the best option because it is located on the coast, therefore there is not much need to enter the virgin forest of Chiapas or Yucatan, and a land trade can be developed to guarantee the flow of goods like Slaves
Also with these developments can launch a conquest for the unification of the Yucatan peninsula, as to occupy as a barter decided to occupy dried salted fish and salt since they were the products that could get faster.
Flavio sent boat representatives to start maritime trade and later develop a land trade.