Hosker, G [Sword of Cartimandua 09] Hero of Rome (38 page)

Metellus answered. “You do not know Ailis; she was herself a captive and slave for many years. In this,” he nodded at Marcus, “as in many things Marcus is right.”

Guards had been watching and the gates opened as they approached.  Decius and Ailis rushed out to meet Marcus and the three of them threw their arms around each other.  For the first time Metellus saw Marcus’ face filled with tears as he sobbed on his mother’s shoulder; the emotion of all the deaths finally getting to him.

Ailis held him at arm’s length. “Do not cry Marcus for your father died the death he wished.” She leaned in. “He had the coughing sickness and would not have lasted the winter.  He wanted to save us.”

Marcus nodded and coughed to enable him to speak the news he dreaded giving both of them. “Then prepare yourself mother, brother for brother Macro is dead.  He was killed in Manavia by his half sister.  He killed Morwenna.  The witch is dead.”

Decius, his elder brother could not believe it; Macro had been the ultimate warrior, how could he die? “Did he die well?”

“A poisoned blade.  Not a warrior’s blade.” Marcus smiled, “He always said no man would ever defeat him, he was right.”

Ailis shook herself.  “Thank the Allfather that she is dead, she has hurt us enough. “She suddenly saw Metellus, Nanna and the orphans for the first time. “And who are these?”

“You know Metellus and this is Nanna, the woman he loves and he wishes to marry.”

Nanna blushed and Metellus punched Marcus’ arm. “I take it back what I said. How could you…”

In answer Nanna put her arm around him and, kissing Marcus on the cheek said, “Thank you again Decurion.  Once again you have saved me just in time.”

“You are welcome and these, mother, are orphans from Stanwyck.  We knew not what to do with them and…”

Like a mother hen with her chicks Ailis folded the five into her arms.  “Come with me we have more than enough room for such as you.”

Decius looked at Metellus.  “Congratulations and where will you live?”

Metellus looked at the ground and Nanna said defiantly, “I have money I will buy somewhere.”

Marcus interjected.  “Decius I told Metellus that his wife needed to be close to protection.  Is there no building we could give,“ Nanna snorted and Marcus went on hurriedly, “which they could buy?”

Decius grinned, “I have better. Sergeant Cato left me his horse farm when he died.  I am spending too long travelling each week to supervise the men.  If Nanna would live there and manage it for me then I would be grateful.”

“A horse farm! Then all my prayers to the Mother have been answered, I have my man and I have my dream.” She impulsively kissed Decius.  “Thank you I will take the farm.”

They walked through the gates and as they did so a hawk screeched and plunged behind the trees. They all looked up, Marcus nodded and murmured, “Macro approves.”

******

The Emperor Hadrian stepped ashore at Eboracum.  The garrison had turned out on the jetty and Governor Falco was there ready to receive him. The keen eyed Praetorians glared at the hangers on and idlers watching from the wharfs. This was a momentous occasion, the first time since Claudius that an Emperor had set foot in Britannia and the first time ever that one had visited the frontier.

“Ah Pompeius. How goes the
limes
? And has the trouble been dealt with?”

“The rebels are punished.  You will see their crosses as we head north.  Their lands have been confiscated and sold; the profits have funded another cohort of auxiliaries.  The Irish raiders have been destroyed and the captives returned.”

“Excellent.  You have done well.”

The modest governor shook his head, “The Legate and the ala have done well but the barbarians north of the frontier have now risen.  They do not like the idea of us building a frontier defence.”

“Then the sooner I get north, the sooner my wall will be built. Come Pompeius I am anxious to see where Rome will build its final frontier.”

The End

 

Author’s Note

Si an Bhru is a World heritage Site on the Boyne.  Built before the Pyramids of Giza and the Greek and Roman wonders, its origins are definitely pre-history.  There are the remains of the dead there and it has had many functions during its long life.  It suited my purposes to involve the Mother cult. Most of Ireland or Hibernia as it was known to the Romans is also shrouded in mystery. Tacitus talks of Agricola going to Ireland but there is no archaeological evidence for this. There is no extant writing and the Roman writers just write of legends and myths.  Again this suits a writer of fiction.

Although the wall is credited with being started by Hadrian during his visit of 122 A.D.  there is evidence that the turf element was already being constructed as were some of the main forts along its length before that date.  There were many attacks from across the sea during Hadrian’s reign and this may be why he secured both ends of his wall at defensible sea forts. The wall itself was built over a six year period by vexillations from three legions.  The legions built their own camps but were defended, whilst they worked by the auxiliaries. The wall was, indeed, started in the east, close to Corbridge.  In the east, up to the River Irthing it was ten feet wide and, in places twelve feet high, faced with stone. West of the Irthing it was made of turf and only eight feet wide. I visit the wall as often as possible to give the novel as much realism as I can. I have had to speculate in many areas as rivers have changed courses over time and, in some cases, become less navigable.  There are quarries near Morbium as well as close to the wall but I assumed that, to start things off, they would have brought in stone rather than quarrying new quarries. There is much archaeological evidence of temporary camps north of the wall and these are the ones I have ascribed to the ala. It made sense to me that they would have kept a screen of soldiers between the builders and those trying to stop them building.

The mixing of blood with a blade was a Celtic custom.  Some smiths were reputed to have put some of their own blood into the steel to make it more powerful. The idea that Macro might become some kind of spirit until he had atoned for a misdeed goes all the way back to the Egyptians and was very common in the pan-Celtic tradition. Putting one’s enemies head on a spear was a practice familiar to every army other than the Roman army. The Huns, Scythians and Pannonians would have ridden with felled foes’ skulls on their saddles.

The series will continue, if for no other reason than I want to know what happens to these hardy warriors and I am enjoying discovering more about these great builders. Caronwyn and her like will ally with Faolan and Gaius Brutus to continue to cause mayhem. I will be travelling over to Hardknott Pass in the Lakes to visit the fort they built there to control the road to Ravenglass; as for the rest of the story line- that is in the hands of my characters for it is they who determine where my novels end up- not me!

Griff Hosker September 2012

 

People and places in the book

Fictitious characters and places are in italics.

 

 Name

 

 Description

 

 Ailis

 

 Gaius' wife

 

 Alavna

 

 Ardoch in Perthshire

 

 Angus

 

 Votadini bodyguard

 

 Antoninus Brutus

 

 Brigante chief

 

 Appius Sabinus

 

 Quartermaster of the ala

 

 aureus (plural aurei)

 

 A gold coin worth 25 denarii

 

 bairns

 

 children

 

 Bodotria Fluvium

 

 Forth River

 

 breeks

 

 Brigante trousers

 

 Bremenium

 

 High Rochester Northumberland

 

 Brocavum

 

 Brougham

 

 Brynna

 

 daughter of Morwenna

 

 Burdach

 

 King of the Dumnonii

 

 Capreae

 

 Capri

 

 capsarius

 

 medical orderly

 

 Caronwyn

 

 daughter of Morwenna

 

 Cassius

 

 Decurion Princeps

 

 Castra Vetera

 

 Fortress of the 1st Germanica in Germany

 

 Catuvolcus

 

 Gallic Decurion

 

 Clota Fluvium

 

 River Clyde

 

 Coriosopitum (Corio)

 

 Corbridge

 

 corvus

 

 beak- a ramp which was lowered from a Roman ship

 

 Danum

 

 Doncaster

 

 Decius Lucullus Sallustius

 

 Brother of Livius Sallustius

 

 Decius Macro Culleo

 

 Decurion

 

 Derventio

 

 Malton

 

 Deva

 

 Chester

 

 Din Eidyn

 

 Edinburgh

 

 dominus

 

 The master of a house

 

 Drusus Graccus

 

 Decurion

 

 Dumnonnii

 

 A tribe from the west lowlands of Scotland

 

 Dunum Fluvius

 

 River Tees

 

 Eboracum

 

 York

 

 Eilwen

 

 daughter of Morwenna

 

 First Spear

 

 The senior centurion in any unit

 

 frumentarii

 

 Roman Secret Service

 

 Furax

 

 Street urchin

 

 Gaius Brutus

 

 Son of Antoninus

 

 Gaius Metellus Aurelius

 

 Decurion

 

 Gaius Saturninus

 

 Regular Roman Decurion

 

 Glanibanta

 

 Ambleside

 

 Gnaeus Turpius

 

 Camp Prefect Corio

 

 Gnaeus Vedius

 

 Criminal in Mamucium

 

 groma

 

 surveying equipment

 

 Gwynfor

 

 One of Morwenna's chiefs

 

 Habitancum

 

 Risingham Northumberland

 

 Hadrian

 

 Roman Emperor

 

 Hen Waliau

 

 Caernarfon

 

 Hercules

 

 Captain  of
The Swan

 

 Idwal

 

 One of Morwenna's chiefs

 

 Itunocelum

 

 Ravenglass

 

 Julius Demetrius

 

 Senator

 

 Julius Longinus

 

 ala clerk

 

 Keltoi

 

 Irish tribes

 

 liburnian

 

 small Roman ship, normally a bireme

 

 limes

 

 Roman frontier defences

 

 Livius Lucullus Sallustius

 

 Prefect of the ala

 

 Lucius

 

 A deserter

 

 Luguvalium

 

 Carlisle

 

 Lupanar

 

 The red light district

 

 Maban

 

 Morwenna's acolyte

 

 Macro

 

 Son of Macro and weapon trainer

 

 Mamucium

 

 Manchester

 

 Manavia

 

 Isle of Man

 

 Marcus Gaius Aurelius

 

 Decurion

 

 Marius Arvina

 

 Camp Prefect Morbium.

 

 Mediobogdum

 

 Hardknott Fort

 

 Metellus

 

 Explorate

 

 Mona

 

 Anglesey

 

 Moray

 

 Selgovae Chieftain

 

 Morbium

 

 Piercebridge

 

 Morwenna

 

 Fainch's daughter

 

 Neapolis

 

 Naples

 

 Octavius Saturninus

 

 Camp Prefect Eboracum

 

 oppidum

 

 hill fort

 

 Parcae

 

 Roman Fates

 

 Petroc

 

 Votadini warrior

 

 phalerae

 

 Roman award for bravery

 

 Pompeia Plotina

 

 The wife of Trajan

 

 Porta Decumana

 

 The rear gate of a fort or camp

 

 Portus Santonum

 

 An old port south of La Rochelle

 

 promagistrate

 

 Local official in charge of a vicus

 

 pugeo

 

 Roman soldier’s dagger

 

 Quintus Licinius Brocchus

 

 Centurion Vexillation of the 6th

 

 Quintus Pompeius Falco

 

 Governor of Britannia

 

 Quintus Arreius Verecundo

 

 Captain of the
Hercules

 

 Radha

 

 Queen of the Votadini

 

 Rufius

 

 Decurion

 

 Sceanbh

 

 High priestess at Si an Bhru

 

 Scipius Porcius

 

 Prefect at Eboracum

 

 Selinus

 

 The place in Cilicia where Trajan died

 

 Setantii

 

 The tribe living near Fleetwood.

 

 Seteia Fluvius

 

 River Mersey

 

 Si an Bhru

 

 Sacred Iron age site in Eastern Ireland

 

 Sicera

 

 Cider

 

 Surrentum

 

 Sorrento

 

 Taus

 

 River Solway

 

 Tava

 

 River Tay

 

 Tearlach

 

 Hibernian chief

 

 The Fist

 

 Former cavalryman and mercenary

 

 Tinea

 

 River Tyne

 

 Tole

 

 Son of the King of the Selgovae

 

 Traprain Law

 

 Capital of the Votadini

 

 uncia

 

 Roman inch

 

 Vedra

 

 River Wear

 

 Vibius Hostilius

 

 Centurion Second Gallic Cohort

 

 vicus (plural-vici)

 

 the settlement outside a fort

 

 Vindomora

 

 Ebchester, County Durham

 

 Vindonnus

 

 Celtic god of hunting

 

 Vinovia

 

 Binchester, County Durham

 

 Viroconium

 

 Wroxeter

 

 Wyddfa

 

 Snowdon

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