“What?” I said before I could process what I was hearing.
He squinted. “No one has told you?”
“I’ve done nothing but sacrifice and fight since the moment you departed from Athens.”
He rubbed at the stubble of his chin. “The Italians have rebelled. We’re going to war.” He pounced back on his horse. “We must make haste for Italy.”
I felt numb from the news, but managed to say, “There’s one thing left we need to do, sir.”
Both of our legions pulled off the road when we reached Timoxenos’s vineyard. A few squatters lingered within, but they quickly scurried off when they heard us approach.
“This is a good spot,” I said.
Didius nodded. “I’m inclined to agree.”
Timoxenos’s gardens were untended and overgrown, but nothing could mar the beauty of this spot. The sun was large and gold on the horizon, and the wildflowers were blooming in every color in fields as far as the eye could see.
We split the legions on either side of the dirt path, while the carriages bearing our dead passed between us. The other officers and I helped unload them as the men gathered wood. We built a pyre that would have honored a king and laid them each beside one another with coins on their eyes.
I bore Castor myself and sat him on the edge. He’d carved two wooden figures for me. I placed one in his hands and closed them around it. The other I’ve kept amongst my personal effects all these years.
One of the men lit a torch and passed it to me.
“Until we meet again, my brother,” I said and lit the pyre.
I walked back slowly and joined the ranks of Lucius, the twins, Apollonius, and Herennius.
When the fires died down, we silently mixed their ashes with wine and buried them under the shade of an ancient oak.
I patted the soil level and stood. I jumped with a fright when I felt something wet tickling my leg. I turned to find one of Timoxenos’ dogs. He was shaggy with a long pink tongue and big floppy ears. Of all Timoxenos’ canine companions, it seemed this fellow was the only one to remain. “Hello there, boy.”
Without my invitation he jumped up and threw both of his paws on my stomach. His tail was wagging, and he tapped his feet with ecstasy when I scratched behind his ears.
“We’re preparing for movement, legate,” one of the men said.
“Moving,” I replied.
I turned to Castor’s mound and smiled. He’d sent me “a Pollux” from his golden fields to keep me company.
“Would you like to come with me, boy?” I said. Whether he could understand or not, he continued to wiggle with excitement and followed my every step as I made it back for the line.
When I set out for Greece, I was afraid I would return as someone else. I feared I would come back scarred and burdened, as I had before. I was afraid I would turn back to drink, that I might scare my wife and child.
But despite my efforts I had changed. Castor made sure of that. I’d changed for the better. And Rome would need my absolute best with war waiting for us within our own borders.
Arrea and Gavius needed my best too, though. And they needed it more.
When we stepped onto the ship, not even my seasickness could deter my excitement. I was going to get my family back. I had many stories to tell them. Of a little girl in the water, another saved from torment… of a simple young man who liked dogs and making wood carvings.
I could leave out the stories of treachery, war, and turmoil. The past was past, and those other stories are vastly more important to me.
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Glossary
Ab urbe condita—Roman phrase and dating system “from the founding of the city.” The Ancient Romans believed Rome was founded in 753 BC, and therefore this year is AUC 1. As such, 107–106 BC would correspond to 647–648 AUC.
Aedile—Magistrates who were tasked with maintaining and improving the city’s infrastructure. There were four, elected annually: two plebeian aediles and two curule aediles.
Agnomen—A form of nickname given to men for traits or accomplishments unique to them. Many conquering generals received agnomen to designate the nation they had conquered, such as Africanus, Macedonicus, and Numidicus.
Amicus (f. Amica)—Latin for friend.
Appian Way (via Appia)—the oldest and most important of Rome’s roads, linking Italy with farther areas of Italy.
Aqua Marcia—the most important of Rome’s aqueducts at this time. Built in 144-140 B.C.
Arausio—the location of a battle in which Rome suffered a great loss. Numbers were reported as high as 90,000 Roman casualties. Sertorius and Lucius Hirtuleius barely escaped with their lives, and Sertorius’ brother Titus died upon the battlefield.
Argiletum—a route leading direction to the Roman forum.
Asclepius—The Greek god of medicine. There was a temple to Asclepius overlooking the Tiber River, and this is where Rabirius and many other wounded veterans congregate.
Augur—A priest and official who interpreted the will of the gods by studying the flight of birds.
Auxiliary—Legionaries without citizenship. At this time, most auxiliaries were of Italian origin, but later encompassed many different cultures.
Ave—Latin for hail, or hello.
Basilica Porcia—the first named basilica in Rome, built by Cato the Censor in 184 B.C., it was the home of the ten tribunes of the plebs.
Basilica Sempronia—built in 170 B.C. by the father of Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus. It was a place often used for commerce.
Bellona—The Roman goddess of war and the consort of Mars (see also Mars). She was also a favored patron goddess of the Roman legion.
Bona Dea—“Good goddess.” The term was occasionally used as an exclamation.
Boni—Literally “good men.” They were a political party prevalent in the Late Roman Republic. They desired to restrict the power of the popular assembly and the tribune of the plebs, while extending the power of the Senate. The title “Optimates” was more common at the time, but these aristocrats often referred to themselves favorably as the boni. They were natural enemies of the populares.
Caepiones—A powerful aristocratic family, and the former patrons of Sertorius.
Caldarium—hot bathes.
Carcer—a small prison, the only one in Rome. It typically held war captives awaiting execution or held those deemed as threats by those in political power.
Centuriate Assembly—one of the three Roman assemblies. It met on the Field of Mars and elected the Consuls and Praetors. It could also pass laws and acted as a court of appeals in certain capital cases. It was based initially on 198 centuries, and was structured in a way that favored the rich over the poor, and the aged over the young.
Centurion—An officer in the Roman legion. By the time Marius’s reforms were ushered in, there were six in every cohort, one for every century. They typically led eighty to one hundred men. The most senior centurion in the legion was the “primus pilus,” or first-spear centurion.
Century—Roman tactical unit made of eighty to one hundred men.
Cimbri—a tribe of northern invaders with uncertain origins that fought Rome for over a decade. Sertorius began his career by fighting them.
Circus Maximus—a massive public stadium which hosted chariot races and other forms of entertainment. It’s speculated that the stadium could have held as many as 150,000 spectators.
Client—A man who pledged himself to a patron (see also patron) in return for protection or favors.
Cloaca Maxima—the massive sewer system beneath Rome.
Cocina—Kitchen.
Co
hort—Roman tactical unit made of six centuries (see also century), or 480–600 men. The introduction of the cohort as the standard tactical unit of the legion is attributed to Marius’s reforms.
Collegium(a)—Any association or body of men with something in common. Some functioned as guilds or social clubs, others were criminal in nature.
Comitiatus (pl. Comitia)—a public assembly that made decisions, held elections, and passed legislation or judicial verdicts.
Comitium—a meeting area outside of the Curia Hostilia. The rosta speaking platform stood at its helm.
Consul—The highest magistrate in the Roman Republic. Two were elected annually to a one-year term. The required age for entry was forty, although exceptions were occasionally (and hesitantly) made.
Contiones (pl. Contio)—a public assembly that did not handle official matters. Discussions could be held on almost anything, and debates were a regular cause for a contiones to be called, but they did not pass legislation or pass down verdicts.
Contubernalis(es)—A military cadet assigned to the commander specifically. They were generally considered officers, but held little authority.
Contubernium—The smallest unit in the Roman legion. It was led by the decanus (see also decanus).
Curia—The Senate House. The Curia Hostilia was built in the 7th century B.C. and held most of the senatorial meetings throughout the Republic, even in Sertorius’ day.
Decanus—“Chief of ten,” he was in a position of authority over his contubernium, a group of eight to ten men who shared his tent.
Dis Pater—god of the Roman underworld, at times subsumed by Plato or Hades.
Dignitas—A word that represents a Roman man’s reputation and his entitlement to respect. Dignitas correlated with personal achievements and honor.
Dis Pater—The Roman god of death. He was often associated with fertility, wealth, and prosperity. His name was often shortened to Dis. He was nearly synonymous with the Roman god Pluto or the Greek god Hades.
Dominus(a)—Latin for “master.” A term most often used by slaves when interacting with their owner, but it could also be used to convey reverence or submission by others.
Domus- the type of home owned by the upper class and the wealthy in Ancient Rome.
Equestrian—Sometimes considered the lesser of the two aristocratic classes (see also patrician) and other times considered the higher of the two lower-class citizens (see also plebeian). Those in the equestrian order had to maintain a certain amount of wealth or property, or otherwise would be removed from the class.
Evocati—An honorary term given to soldiers who served out their terms and volunteered to serve again. Evocati were generally spared a large portion of common military duties.
Faex—Latin for “shit.”
Falernian wine—The most renowned and sought-after wine in Rome at this time.
Field of Mars—“Campus martius” in Latin. This was where armies trained and waited to deploy or to enter the city limits for a Triumph.
Flamen Dialis—Priest of Jupiter Optimus Maximus.
Forum—The teeming heart of Ancient Rome. There were many different forums, in various cities, but most commonly the Forum refers to the center of the city itself, where most political, public, and religious dealings took place.
Gerrae—“Nonsense!” An exclamation.
Gladius(i)—The standard short-sword used in the Roman legion.
Gracchi—Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus were brothers who held the rank of tribune of the plebs at various times throughout the second century BC. They were political revolutionaries whose attempts at reforms eventually led to their murder (or in one case, forced suicide). Tiberius and Gaius were still fresh in the minds of Romans in Sertorius’s day. The boni feared that another politician might rise in their image, and the populares were searching for Gracchi to rally around.
Hastati—Common front line soldiers in the Roman legion. As a result of the Marian Reforms, by Sertorius’s times, the term hastati was being phased out and would soon be obsolete.
Imperator—A Roman commander with imperium (see also imperium). Typically, the commander would have to be given imperium by his men.
Impluvium—A cistern or tank in the atrium of the domus that collects rainfall water from a hole in the ceiling above.
Insula(e)—Apartment complexes. They varied in size and accommodations, but generally became less desirable the higher up the insula one went.
Jupiter—The Roman king of the gods. He was the god of the sky and thunder. All political and military activity was sanctioned by Jupiter. He was often referred to as Jupiter Capitolinus for his role in leading the Roman state, or Jupiter Optimus Maximus (literally, “the best and greatest”).
Jupiter’s Stone—A stone on which oaths were sworn.
Kalends—The first day of the Ancient Roman month.
Latrunculi— (lit. Game of Brigands) a popular board game of sorts played by the Romans. It shares similarities with games like chess or checkers.
Legate—The senior-most officer in the Roman legion. A legate generally was in command of one legion and answered only to the general.
Mars—The Roman god of war. He was the favored patron of many legionaries and commanders.
Medicus—The field doctor for injured legionaries.
Military tribune—Senior officer of the Roman legions. They were, in theory, elected by the popular assembly, and there were six assigned to every legion. By late second century BC, however, it was not uncommon to see military tribunes appointed directly by the commander.
Nursia—Sertorius’ home, located in the Apennines mountains, and within the Sabine Tribes. It was famous for their turnips and little else until Sertorius came along.
October Horse—A festival that took place on October 15th. An animal was sacrificed to Mars, which designated the end of the agricultural and military campaigning season.
Optimates—(see boni).
Ostia—Rome’s port city, it lay at the mouth of the river Tiber.
Patron—A person who offers protection and favors to his clients (see also clients), in favor of services of varying degrees.
Peristylum—An open courtyard containing a garden within the Roman domus.
Pilum(a)—The throwing javelin used by the Roman legion. Gaius Marius changed the design of the pilum in his reforms. Each legionary carried two, and typically launched them at the enemy to begin a conflict.
Plebeian—Lower-born Roman citizens, commoners. Plebeians were born into their social class, so the term designated both wealth and ancestry. They typically had fewer assets and less land than equestrians, but more than the proletariat. Some, like the Metelli, were able to ascend to nobility and wealth despite their plebeian roots. These were known as “noble plebeians” and were not restricted from any power in the Roman political system.
Pontifex Maximus—The highest priest in the College of Pontiffs. By Sertorius’s time, the position had been highly politicized.
Pontiff—A priest and member of the College of Pontiffs.
Popular assembly—A legislative assembly that allowed plebeians to elect magistrates, try judicial cases, and pass laws.
Praetor—The second-most senior magistrate in the Roman Republic. There were typically six elected annually, but some have speculated that there were eight elected annually by this time.
Prefect—A high ranking military official in the Roman legion.
Princeps Senatus—“Father of the Senate,” or the first among fellow senators. It was an informal position, but came with immense respect and prestige.
Proconsul—A Roman magistrate who had previously been a consul. Often, when a consul was in the midst of a military campaign at the end of his term, the Senate would appoint him as proconsul for the remainder of the war.
Publicani—Those responsible for collective public revenue. They made their fortunes through this process. By Sertorius’s time, the Senate and censors carefully scrutinized their activities, making it
difficult for them to amass the wealth they intended.
Quaestor—An elected public official and the junior-most member of the political course of offices. They served various purposes but often supervised the state treasury and performed audits. Quaestors were also used in the military and managed the finances of the legions on campaign.
Res Publica—“Republic,” the sacred word that encompassed everything Rome was at the time. More than just a political system, res publica represented Rome’s authority and power. The Republic was founded in 509 BC, when Lucius Brutus and his fellow patriots overthrew the kings.
Rex sacrorum—A senatorial priesthood, the “king of the sacred.” Unlike the Pontifex Maximus, the rex sacrorum was barred from military and political life. In theory, he held the religious responsibility that was once reserved for the kings, while the consuls performed the military and political functions.
Rostra—A speaking platform in the Forum made of the ships of conquered foes.
Salve—Latin for hail, or hello.
Sancrosanctitas—a level of religious protection offered to certain political figures and religious officials.
Saturnalia—A festival held on December 17 in honor the Roman deity Saturn.
Senaculum—a meeting area for senators outside of the senate house, where they would gather before a meeting began.
Scutum(a)—Standard shield issued to Roman legionaries.
Subura—a rough neighborhood near the Viminal and Quirinal hills. It was known for violence and thievery, as well as for the fires that spread because of the close proximity of its insulae.
Taberna(e)—Could be translated as “tavern,” but tabernae served several different functions in Ancient Rome. They served as hostels for travelers, occasionally operated as brothels, and offered a place for people to congregate and enjoy food and wine.
Tablinum—A form of study or office for the head of a household. This is where he would generally greet his clients at his morning levy.
Whom Gods Destroy: A Novel of Ancient Rome (The Sertorius Scrolls Book 4) Page 29