Hosker, G [Sword of Cartimandua 01] The Sword of Cartimandua (36 page)

“Continue Jared.”

“They had been slaughtered by the animals that live there. The boys wanted to go there for revenge but I told them they would not survive.”

“It is a sad story. Why do the boys not fish as their fathers did?”

“The savages took their nets and boats. We are poor as you can see; we have not the skills to make the boats for we lack tools and we grow weaker by the day.”

Cresens nodded and an idea began to form in his mind. He had seen the effect and act of apparent kindness had had on Atticus. If he befriended the village in the same way then he would become the headman. Once he was in control he could expand. All it would take was a few denari. “It grieves me to see people treated this way. I will send my servant to Derventio to buy the tools you need.”

The look on Atticus’ face showed Cresens that he had gone even higher in the young man’s estimation and he thought that Jared would burst into tears. “But sir why would you do that?”

“A simple kind act for I empathise with you and in truth I feel I owe the gods for saving me and enabling me to save my friend here but if you felt the need to repay me then perhaps we could build me a house here and when they young men produce boats and then catch fish perhaps we could look to sell some and repay me.”

“I will tell the people. Thank you.” He grasped Cresens in a hug. The smell was so bad it nearly made him vomit but he managed to grimace his way through it and assure Jared it was nothing. They knew from the cheers that he had told the villagers of his idea.

“You truly are kind master.”

“We will be kind to these people Atticus but to those savages who murdered our shipmates and the good men of this village we will be ruthless.”

Atticus face hardened. “Aye sir and you can count on me.”

“I intend to, do not worry, I intend to.” He had used and taken advantage of young men for twenty years in the auxiliary; he would continue to do so and to milk this community for all that they were worth.

Author’s comment

This is a piece of fiction! It is based on some historical characters. Cartimandua was the Queen of the Brigante, she did betray Caractacus, met Claudius, married Venutius, took a shield bearer as a lover and vanished from history in, about, 69 AD. Rome did have four Emperors in 69 AD.

Roman auxiliaries came from newly conquered nations and fought in a turma of about thirty two; each turma forming part of an ala or wing of cavalry. They fought in much less formal situations than the legions. Stanwyck is a superb Iron Age fortification and it was substantially improved by Venutius. Following its destruction by the Romans the capital of Brigantia moved down the road a mile or so to Aldeborough. There is a fort at Ambleside called Galava or Glanibanta. There is no record that it was built by auxiliaries and certainly no suggestion that they built it as suggested by my novel.

History is written by the winners and the main records we have are from Tacitus and other Roman writers. There are no Brigante records and I have surmised and speculated about what might have happened.

I have used Roman names for places as that is the only record we now have. I suspect that the Brigante would have had their own names for them. The big river is obviously the Tees which formed a natural boundary for the Romans. The archaeological records for the auxiliaries in Britain suggests that they took Roman names and I have used Roman names for the auxiliaries. I have taken liberties with dates to suit the stories. Venutius was still alive a couple of years after my book is set. The idea of a common soldier taking a Queen as a lover was suggested by the fact that the Queen herself left her husband for a warrior.

Griff Hosker March 2011

Other books by Griff Hosker

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The Sword of Cartimandua Series
(Germania and Britannia 50A.D. – 128 A.D.)