by Griff Hosker
The Batavian charge had allowed the Selgovae to gain ground. Ahead of him Marcus could see that there was a gap of just three hundred paces. It was closing. “Marcus’ Horse, charge the warriors at the south eastern edge of their line!” If Marcus and his men could strike the Selgovae before they had completed their circle then some of the Batavians might escape. The trouble was that the horses were tired and the warband enveloping them had yet to fight.
He looked down the line and saw that he only had twenty three troopers left. He hoped it would be enough. Raven was stronger than the other horses and Marcus found himself at the fore once more. The Selgovae, fifty paces ahead, could see what he was doing and ten of them formed a hurried shield wall.
“Raven let us show these Selgovae what you can do.”
The warriors had not seen cavalry in action very often and knew not what they would do. They had braced themselves for the impact of the horse. Instead Marcus sailed over the warriors. Raven’s hoof cracked open the skull of one warrior while the decurion sliced down to slice into the neck of a second one. There was now a gap. Gnaeus and Titus smashed through and two more warriors died. The last of the ten were speared and trampled as the turma made a gap for the auxiliaries. Marcus reined in Raven and wheeled to see if the Batavians made the gap.
The sound of a buccina along the Stanegate brought hope to Marcus. It was the ala! Felix had got through.
“Titus sound recall!”
Felix had brought them news of the crisis long before Metellus had heard the sounds of battle. It was infuriating for the Decurion Princeps. Those were his friends and his men being killed and yet they dare not ride too quickly for they would need their horses to have enough energy to charge. As they crested the rise they saw that the Selgovae were trying to surround the tiny beleaguered group of horse men. The warband was huge.
“Sound form line!”
The open ground in this part of the country meant that they could do so without too much danger. There were eight turmae. Two hundred and forty men were ready to charge and each one held his spear ready. Metellus wanted the impact of the two hundred and forty men and horses to drive deep into the Selgovae line. He wanted to break it by sheer weight. He glanced to his left and saw someone jumping over the Selgovae line. That would be Marcus!
“Sod it! Sound the charge!”
The horses all leapt forward eagerly at the familiar call. Felix and Wolf stopped to watch the ala go into action. Felix’s keen eyes had spotted Marcus and he and his dog hurried south to see if they could aid the decurion.
When Tiernan heard the buccina and saw the horse warriors charging he knew that his well planned attack would fail. He remembered the words of the Roman, Severus. He had to save as many of his men as he could. The carnyx sounded again and his men began to fall back. It was at that point which things went disastrously wrong for the Selgovae prince. His men had managed to obey all of their orders when going forward but now that they were falling back and aware of the thundering horses behind them then their basic instinct took over and they began to run. Nothing their chiefs and leaders did could halt them.
“We have them! Push them all the way back to the wall!”
The troopers needed no urging. It was target practice and their spears came into their own that day. They began to kill and maim with a deadly rhythm. Punch, twist, and withdraw. Punch, twist, and withdraw. The barbarians had little or no armour and they fell like wheat being harvested. One or two Selgovae dropped to the ground to avoid the spears but they were trampled by the horses. Ironically it was the Roman defences which stopped the complete annihilation of the barbarian army. The Vallum was intended to stop everyone from crossing and the horses had to slow to negotiate the steep banks and then the ditch. The Selgovae found energy from the fear of the Romans and, as the ala wearily climbed the last ditch and headed for the wall they saw the barbarians scaling it and running north and safety.
The ala did not need to rein in. Their horses could go no further. “Chosen Man, ascend the wall and see where they have gone.”
Metellus took off his helmet and rubbed his shaved head. They had thwarted one attack but what of the forces to the east?
Chapter 20
By the time Caronwyn reached Vinovia the Brigante had finally satiated their blood lust. Caronwyn was annoyed. She did not mind Romans suffering but Briac and his men should have gone north to keep their sword in the backs of the Romans. The whole plan had been devised so that they outnumbered the Romans.
“This is not well done Briac! You have let me down!”
Briac quaked before the verbal onslaught. Elidr was annoyed by it. Caronwyn might be a priestess but she was still a woman. “We are warriors do not try to tell us what to do!”
When Caronwyn turned on him Elidr felt as though she had been transformed into a wolf so fierce was her look. “I tell you what to do because we have financed this rebellion and we have planned it. If it was not for my priests and the Lady Flavia you would still be ambushing despatch riders and talking of the good old days. Do not anger me, Elidr, or you will regret it!”
Elidr dropped to his knees for he had suddenly seen her guards. He had taken them to be men but now he saw that they were women and the fierce looks on their faces told him in no uncertain terms what they would do to him if he continued to question their leader.
“Get to your feet and get this rabble moving. I wish to attack Coriosopitum tomorrow!”
Briac turned to Pedair, his nephew. “You heard the lady get the men prepared to march!” Briac, too, was annoyed. He had wanted to gloat in the glory of taking the fort without the aid of Severus and his men. He had used cunning. His men had hidden outside the walls, and when the gates had opened to admit the Thracians his oathsworn had swarmed through and held the gate until the whole warband was through. It had been a glorious combat but now he would not have the joy of telling the tale and receiving the plaudits.
Decurion Garbo had seen the arrival of the priestess. He had been confused by the Roman horsemen until he realised that they were women. Even Garbo was surprised by the effect they had. Within half an hour the Brigante army began to decamp.
“Mount up lads. I reckon they are moving north.”
He led his troop so that they could see if they returned south over the bridge or headed north. As soon as he saw them take the Via Trajanus north he wheeled his horse around. “Trooper Marius, ride and tell the Legate that the Brigantes are moving north and they look to be ready for war again.”
Metellus rode through the sea of littered bodies that had been the Selgovae. Marcus had dismounted and he and Gnaeus were standing over the butchered body of a young warrior. It was Gaius who had atoned for his earlier error of judgment. He had paid a high price. “You have done well Marcus.”
He shook his head, “This young warrior gave his life for Chosen Man. He has done well. We, well, we just survived.”
“Do not disparage yourself. I watched as you charged many time your number. That was true courage.”
Marcus shrugged and changed the subject. He disliked being the centre of attention. “How goes the war?”
“Not so well. They have captured Morbium and Vinovia.” Metellus saw the look of horror which briefly flickered across his decurion’s face. “So far we have not heard that either of our families has suffered.”
Marcus nodded with a neutral expression. Inside his head his mind was in turmoil but he was a decurion and would play the part. “It is not finished here.”
Just then they saw Rufius and the remnants of the Batavians as they trudged eastwards towards them. “I am relieved that Rufius lives still.”
“How, I do not know for he has been in the most dangerous of places since we came west.”
It was obvious to Marcus that Rufius and Decurion Albius had suffered as much as they had. Their ranks were thinned. Rufius clasped Marcus’ arm. “That was bravely done my young friend. I know we sounded the buccina early but…”
“It worke
d out in the end.”
The Decurion Princeps looked around the battlefield. “This has barely started.” He pointed west, “Decurion you had best return to Luguvalium. Your men need rest and when the Selgovae and Novontae have licked their wounds they will come back for more mischief.”
“What if the Selgovae still surround it?”
“Your presence will worry them and give heart to your comrades inside. The VIth will be here soon I expect. It is always darkest before the dawn. Have hope. You have done well here.”
He nodded and then clasped first Marcus and then Rufius’ arm. “Thank you. I have learned much. Perhaps we may not achieve the glory of Marcus’ Horse but we shall try.” He raised his sword. “Batavians!”
The three turmae who had ridden with Marcus all raised their swords and shouted, “Sword of Cartimandua.” Then they sheathed their weapons and the survivors headed west and safety.
When they had gone Rufius asked. “Now what?”
“In a perfect world we would stay here and ensure that the Selgovae and Novantae did not return but we live in the real world and there is a Brigante army at Vinovia. We return to Cilurnum.”
As they headed east Marcus asked, idly, “What of the VIth?”
Metellus shrugged. “The last message we had was that the officers had been poisoned and First Spear was in command.”
Rufius laughed, “Then that is good news for Quintus Licinius Brocchus is the best man for such a situation.”
Marcus’ mind was not on the VIth. He was thinking about the men in his turma who would not be at the muster in the morning. They had all died well but they had all died and that saddened the decurion.
It was well past night when they reached their fortress home. To Marcus it felt like months since he had slept. Before he did so he made an offering to the gods for his fallen friends; it did not do to forget those who had died.
First Spear Quintus Broccus left Eboracum with an equally heavy heart. He had the best men in the legion; the five double strength centuries he took with him could handle anything the Brigante could throw at them but he did not like leaving the northern capital with just a centurion in command. He had tired of waiting for the governor to send replacement officers. The lack of news from the north was disconcerting. He was also unhappy about the auxiliaries he had with him. There was just one Thracian turma and a century of Tungrians. He would have preferred more mobile men to protect his flanks but Quintus Broccus was a soldier. There were no others available. He would adapt.
“Right then, Centurion let’s get this lot moving. We have a rebellion to put down!”
The tramp of the caligae on the Via Trajanus was a comforting sound to Broccus. It was the sound of Rome and it was heading north to put the world back to the way it was meant to be. He put aside the thought of the knife in the night which had so nearly ended his life. The gods kept him alive and he would do what he did well; he would be a soldier. Had he known that Caronwyn and the Brigante were some way ahead of him he might have risked having the men move at double speed. Instead they marched at their normal pace.
Caronwyn’s presence added urgency to the Brigante and Carvetii army. They had purpose and their leaders urged them northwards along the well maintained Roman Road. The priestess and Lady Flavia rode at the head of the column flanked by the fierce warrior priestesses. Briac and the other leaders were reduced to following the horses and the women.
The captured horses of the Thracians were used by Briac’s scouts. They had reported the turma of cavalry which shadowed the army. As much as Briac would have liked to drive them off he knew that his own horsemen were not as good as the Roman horsemen. They had defeated the Thracians by trapping and tricking them. He knew that would not work now. This troop of cavalry was too wary. They had already seen the evidence from the bodies of the four scouts who had come too close to the Roman horsemen and paid the price.
Elidr still brooded about the priestess’ treatment of his cousin. “Women should be at home looking after children.”
Briac shook his head, “Quiet cousin. Do you want the women to hear? These are not as ordinary women. Look at these who ride before us. When did you ever see an armed woman? And these women look like they can fight. Caronwyn has made wise decisions up until now. My concern is that Severus is not here. He understood how to fight his former comrades. I am not certain how we will take Coriosopitum.”
“We take it as we did Vinovia.”
“We surprised them at Vinovia. Here they know that we are coming. Those Roman horse warriors will have told them. We have been lucky once when taking a fort and we had Severus and his cunning for the other. This is a different prospect for this fort is bigger and they will be prepared.”
The Legate did not share Briac’s optimism. The garrison at Coriosopitum was not at full strength. They had used some of the cohort to bolster the garrison on the wall to the east. It was as large as Cilurnum but there was a large vicus outside. Those people relied on the fort for defence and he could not abandon civilians to the rabble approaching from the south. That could be a problem too; supplies were not as plentiful as they should have been. Hunger was a distinct possibility.
“Livius I am going to have to use your ala once more. I want you to escort me and a century taken from the garrison here. I will take command at Corio.”
Livius looked up from the map he was studying. “Sir, that is dangerous. What if the Votadini return? We barely held them last time and who will command in your absence?”
“I think the Votadini have been cowed, for a while at least. Had this Brigante army arrived a couple of days earlier then I fear we would have lost all but we have had a reprieve. You will command in my absence. Your ala is mobile and you can threaten the Brigante. Rufius and Marcus showed at Banna how to use cavalry. You will prevent the Brigante from having a free rein. Coriosopitum is a well built fort and it is, unlike here, finished. They have stocks of food and ammunition for just such an eventuality. Not as much as we would like but enough for the civilians from the vicus and the garrison for a few days at least. More importantly it is on the Tinea. With luck the Navarchus can send a boat from Arbeia. I would know what is going on in the outside world.”
Livius could not argue with the Legate for his assessment was accurate. They headed down the road to Coriosopitum. It was a mere seven miles and they soon reached the former frontier. The Brigante who lived in the vicus had already been told to either seek sanctuary in the fort or move further up the Tinea Valley. Most had sought sanctuary within the fort.
Leaving Metellus in charge of the ala Livius accompanied Julius into the fort to receive his last orders. “Sir, we have prepared the defences as best we can and your eighty men are welcome but when will the VIth arrive?”
“I am sorry, Prefect. I have no answer to that question however I intend to find out. Are there still boats close by?”
“Yes sir there are a couple of river fishermen. They have sought sanctuary in here.”
Julius was relieved. “Good, send them to me. Livius I want one of your troopers. Someone reliable. I need them to go with the fisherman to Arbeia.” He saw the doubt on Livius’ face. He was loath to lose a trooper on an errand such as this. “It could be one of your wounded troopers.” There were twenty or so troopers that they had brought who had been wounded in the recent actions. These were the ones deemed fit to ride but some would find it difficult to fight.
Livius went to the main gate. “Decurion Princeps I need one of the wounded troopers. He is to be detached.”
It was Rufius’ Chosen Man who was given the duty. Gaius was dependable and Metellus chose him for his brain. His left arm was still in a sling and he would not be able to defend himself in a battle.
When they reached the Legate the fisherman and his son were there. “I want you to take this officer down to Arbeia. There is a Navarchus in command of the fleet. I need aid from the Classis Britannica and I need news of the rest of the province. Is that clear Chosen Man?”
“Yes sir.” Relieved that he would soon be able to return, Gaius and the two Brigante descended into the frail looking fishing boat and headed down stream.
As Livius left the fort the slamming doors seemed ominous.
Decurion Garbo was also a relieved man when he and his men encountered the rest of the ala just south of Coriosopitum. “Sir, I am glad to see you.”
“And you, Lucius. You have done well.” The decurion nodded. “Now, your report, please.”
He pointed south down the road. “The rebels are heading north. They have a few horsemen; nothing to worry about. We estimate the army to be in excess of two and half thousand.” He shrugged apologetically. “You know how hard it is to count them. The buggers never march properly. The army is led by a couple of women and they have a turma of women warriors. It looks like they have looted some of our armour.”
Livius was worried by that. He had encountered the priestesses of Manavia before and they were dangerous. If they were involved, however, it explained much. “Ride back to Coriosopitum and report to the Legate and then rejoin us here. Oh and suggest, tactfully, to the governor that he might think about defending the southern end of the bridge over the Tinea.”
“Yes sir!”
After he had gone Livius explained to his officers, “I know that they can ford the river but if the Legate could slow them down a little there it might help.”
“So, sir, what is the plan?”
“We keep the ala between the Brigante and Coriosopitum.”
“That might not be so easy, sir. From what I saw and Rufius reported the barbarians look to have adopted some of our ideas.”
“I know. I spoke with Rufius and Marcus but they also had some interesting ideas too. A mixture of javelins and spears could well work. We will try Marcus’ idea of three turmae attacking with javelins to soften them up and then a fourth to attack with their spears. We will divide the ala into three. Rufius, you lead one vexillation, Marcus a second and I will take the third. Garbo can join mine when he returns. You watch the east, Rufius the west and I will stay in the centre.”