Rome Burning
Page 64
Sina battles Nionia alone but concedes large tracts of territory. Roman relations with both Sina and Nionia are damaged.
Rome tries to repair the damage of the last century. In an attempt to rebuild Roman solidarity, Sacerdos extends full citizenship to all free inhabitants of the Empire, regardless of nationality or religion, withholding only the right to hold office from freedmen.
1547 – 1647 2300 – 2400 Meanwhile, Nionia is still in the ascendant. Nionian explorers sight the Southern island continent and call it Goshu.
When Nionia begins to colonise Goshu, Rome becomes seriously alarmed. Nionia is beginning to look like a serious rival to the Empire. Rome puts pressure on Nionia to cease expanding and urges Sina to do the same, but since becoming a buffer state between Rome and Nionia, Sina has become increasingly introspective, and the Sinoan government refuses to get involved.
Rome completes the conquest of Africa.
More experiments in electricity and magnetics.
Rome at last begins a serious invasion of central and southern Terranova, spreading cautiously into Mexica, Maia, and inland into Aravacia.
Nionia follows suit, entering Terranova in the far north. Rome is more uneasy than ever and begins seriously to debate war but for the moment, and to the dissatisfaction of many, does nothing; there is still a huge amount of land, with its own peoples to contend with, between the two powers.
1647 – 1747 2400 – 2500 Nionia pushes south, until Rome’s fears that she is not only allowing her rival to claim valuable territory but that her existing Terranovan provinces are under threat become intolerable. Conflict is now inevitable and is to dominate the next century.
The two armies sweep towards each other across the country – the Romans pushing north from the south-eastern coast of the northern continent, each trying to cajole or force the indigenous peoples to side with them.
The ensuing sequence of wars, although they vary in intensity and are divided by short, unsuccessful peace agreements, is brutal and often chaotic, with naval battles in the Atlantic and around Nionia itself.
Tracts of land change hands several times, at vast cost in Roman, Nionian, and Terranovan lives. The Camian peninsula in Mexica is of particular importance since for Rome to allow the Nionians to claim it would amount to their being permanently flanked.
The Emperor Vincius Arcadius dies in suspicious circumstances and his brother, Nasennius seizes power.
The Roman military and economy has been damaged.
During a brief lull in the Roman– Nionian conflict, the final years of the 25 th Century, the first African
Uprising takes place in the province of Lundae in Africa.
The first – very slow and inefficient – electrically powered vehicles to run on magnetic rails.
1747 – 1847 2500 – 2600 Madness first appears in Novian family.
The Africans are temporarily subdued. In the second African Uprising of 2503 a poorly equipped Roman legion is massacred near Musitania (Mosi-oa-Tunya) Falls. Nasennius is widely blamed for the disaster.
Oppius Novius, Nasennius’ nephew-by-marriage, gains in popularity in the Senate.
After an outbreak of smallpox in Rome, Nasennius commits suicide leaving no children. Oppius Novius takes power.
NOVIAN DYNASTY 2509 AUC – PRESENT
Rome secures Northern half of Africa. Southern Africa claims independence. Although bringing the conflict to an end and holding onto Northern territory are significant successes for Rome, this is the first serious loss of territory for the Empire in centuries. Cracks appear elsewhere in the Empire: there is conflict in Terranova, and old tensions in India stir again.
In 2512 Oppius’ brother Servius succumbs to family madness.
Oppius works to rebuild international stability. He succeeds in reversing Roman fortunes in Terranova, where the Romans advance north. His task is eased by new technology such as longscript – a method of transmitting codes through electric pulses invented in 2511 This allows direct government of overseas territory. Longscript lines are laid under the Atlantic, and through Africa. Thirty years later come longdictors. Rome will be able to respond far more swiftly to any future unrest.
There are accelerated attempts to find a reliable form of air-travel. Rome’s military might is, just, superior to Nionia’s, but it looks as though it will be impossible to ever expel the Nionians from Terranova altogether. Therefore, Rome finally comes to grudging terms with Nionia and northern Terranova is divided between the two Empires. Under the Mixigana Treaty, a huge wall is built across the continent to separate them. Trade between Nionia and Rome resumes, but there is a persistent distrust and rivalry.
Rome develops new high explosives. Nionia seems always on the verge of catching up with Roman technology. Rome begins to expand through Southern Terranova.
Rome works to improve the network of roads, whilst simultaneously building a vast system of magnetways throughout the Empire.
1847 – 1947 2600 – 2700 Development of flight using circling wings powered by engines – the first spiral-wing.
Continued colonisation of North and South Terranova. The arms race with Nionia goes on.
RECENT HISTORY
1943 2697 Titus Novius Faustus born.
1949 2702 Lucius Novius Faustus born.
1958 2711 Tertius Novius Faustus born.
1969 2722 Titus marries Julia Sabina.
1971 2724 Julia gives birth to Novia Faustina (‘Makaria’).
1977 2730 Lucius marries Drusilla Terentia.
1979 2732 Drusilla gives birth to Drusus Novius Faustus.
1981 2734 Lucius succumbs to hereditary madness.
1982 2735 Gaius Novius Faustus Rixa dies. Titus succeeds as Emperor.
Tertius Novius posted to central Terranova.
He quells an Aztec uprising and his courage gains him the agnomen ‘Leo’. He is hailed as a hero, but sees hundreds of previously free Aztecs enslaved and is shocked by the experience.
1983 2736 Faustus divorces Julia.
1984 2738 Leo marries Clodia Aurelia. With Senatorial approval, Faustus names Leo as Caesar and Imperial heir.
1988 2741 Clodia gives birth to Marcus Novius Faustus Leo.
1996 2749 Faustus marries Tullia ‘Tulliola’ Marciana.
2004 2757 Leo and Clodia are murdered after their car is sabotaged to crash in the Gallic Alps.
After surviving an attempt on his own life, their son Marcus Novius goes into hiding at an illegal slave refuge in the Pyrenees. Leo’s aide Varius is publicly accused of his murder.
On Marcus Novius’ return a conspiracy to prevent an opponent of slavery becoming Emperor is uncovered, including the Emperor’s wife Tullia Marciana and construction magnate Gabinius. Vigiles kill Gabinius as he attempts to escape. Marcus Novius is confirmed as Faustus’ heir.
Nionian provinces are badly affected by a tidal wave after an offshore earthquake.
2005 2758 In January, before she can be tried for treason and murder, Tullia Marciana is found dead under house arrest.
Extensive investigation into and restructuring of the Praetorian and vigile forces.
Heightened tensions between Rome and Nionia.
2006 2759 Nionian ambassadors at Rome are arrested on suspicion of spying and deported. The Embassy is closed.
2007 2760 A hot summer brings a spate of serious fires across the Roman Empire.
Thanks to—
My parents, who have both been wonderfully supportive and helpful.
Maisie Tomlinson. I made her pretend to be a victim of crucifixion while researching Romanitas, and dragged her across the floor as a necessary experiment for Rome Burning. I’m trying to think of something to do to her for Book.
Pat Cox, and his colleagues at The Fire Service College in Moreton-in-Marsh, for invaluable help in understanding the mechanics of fire.
Frances Ward especially, as well as Jonathon Partington and Jenny O’Keefe at The Royal Arsenal, for their help regarding arms manufacture.
/> Momoko Abe and Wang Tong for checking over the Japanese and Chinese elements of the book respectively and offering important suggestions. Yasuhiro Yamada also assisted me with place-names and other matters.
Richard Dawson and Robert Low for advice on Roman culture and history, etc.
Everyone who helped me, in all ways, in Rome and in China.
My agent Simon Trewin for his continuing encouragement and good humour.
Copyright
A Gollancz eBook
Copyright © Sophia McDougall 2007, 2011
All rights reserved.
The right of Sophia McDougall to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
First published in Great Britain in 2007 by
Orion
The Orion Publishing Group Ltd
Orion House
5 Upper Saint Martin’s Lane
London, WC2H 9EA
An Hachette UK Company
This eBook first published in 2011 by Gollancz.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 978 0 575 11037 3
All characters and events in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor to be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
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* This is where my history of the Roman Empire departs from the usual one. In reality, the plot was successful. The talented and conscientious Pertinax (who planned many of the reforms indicated here) was murdered after only eighty-six days in office and the Praetorians auctioned the throne to the highest bidder. Didius Julianus bought the title of Emperor, but was deposed and executed shortly afterwards by Septimius Severus, who returned to Rome from Pannonia to avenge Pertinax. Severus corrected many of the problems facing Rome and at the time his reign could be viewed as a success. But he stripped the Senate of authority and allowed corruption and indiscipline to flourish in the army, whose power undermined the stability of the Empire. Gibbon says of Severus: ‘Posterity, who experienced the fatal effects of his maxims, justly considered him the principal author of the decline of the Roman Empire.’