The Cepha gap exists, though not by that name, and provided the perfect place for an outnumbered army to stop a superior Parthian invasion force in its tracks. Tragically, the road which leads to it from the Tigris crossing at Hasankeyf will soon, along with the city and the many historical sites associated with it, be submerged by a new and controversial dam project. Titus Flavius Vespasian, the future Emperor, probably did not reach Egypt to take over the Judaean campaign until later in AD 67, although his son Titus was there. History records that Corbulo travelled to Greece before he died, but for narrative reasons I have him take his life in Antioch and I hope I’ll be forgiven for that rewriting of history.
Glossary
Ala milliaria – A reinforced auxiliary cavalry wing, normally in the east a mix of spearmen and archers, between 700 and 1,000 strong. In Britain and the west the units would be a mix of cavalry and infantry.
Ala quingenaria – Auxiliary cavalry wing normally composed of 500 auxiliary horsemen.
Aquilifer – The standard bearer who carried the eagle of the legion.
As – A small copper coin worth approximately one fifth of a sestertius.
Aureus (pl. Aurei) – Valuable gold coin worth twenty-five denarii.
Auxiliary – Non-citizen soldiers recruited from the provinces as light infantry or for specialist tasks, e.g. cavalry, slingers, archers.
Ballista (pl. Ballistae) – Artillery for throwing heavy missiles of varying size and type. The smaller machines were called scorpions or onagers.
Beneficiarius – A legion’s record keeper or scribe.
Caligae – Sturdily constructed, reinforced leather sandals worn by Roman soldiers. Normally with iron-studded sole.
Century – Smallest tactical unit of the legion, numbering eighty men.
Cohort – Tactical fighting unit of the legion. Normally contained six centuries, apart from the elite First cohort, which had five double-strength centuries (800 men).
Consul – One of two annually elected chief magistrates of Rome, normally appointed by the people and ratified by the Senate.
Contubernium – Unit of eight soldiers who shared a tent or barracks.
Cornicen (pl. Cornicines) – Legionary signal trumpeter who used an instrument called a cornu.
Decurion – A junior officer in a century, or a troop commander in a cavalry unit.
Denarius (pl. Denarii) – A silver coin.
Domus – The house of a wealthy Roman, e.g. Nero’s Domus Aurea (Golden House).
Duplicarius – Literally ‘double pay man’. A senior legionary with a trade, or an NCO.
Equestrian – Roman knightly class.
Fortuna – The goddess of luck and good fortune.
Frumentarii – Messengers who carried out secret duties for the Emperor, possibly including spying and assassination.
Fustuarium – Brutal legionary punishment where a soldier is beaten to death by his comrades.
Gladius (pl. Gladii) – The short sword of the legionary. A lethal killing weapon at close quarters.
Governor – Citizen of senatorial rank given charge of a province. Would normally have a military background (see Proconsul).
Jupiter – Most powerful of the Roman gods, often referred to as Optimus Maximus (greatest and best).
Legate – The general in charge of a legion. A man of senatorial rank.
Legion – Unit of approximately 5,000 men, all of whom would be Roman citizens.
Lictor – Bodyguard of a Roman magistrate. There were strict limits on the numbers of lictors associated with different ranks.
Lituus – Curved trumpet used to transmit cavalry commands.
Magister navis – A ship’s captain.
Manumission – The act of freeing a slave.
Mars – The Roman god of war.
Mithras – An Eastern religion popular among Roman soldiers.
Phalera (pl. Phalerae) – Awards won in battle worn on a legionary’s chest harness.
Pilum (pl. Pila) – Heavy spear carried by a Roman legionary.
Prefect – Auxiliary cavalry commander.
Primus Pilus – ‘First File’. The senior centurion of a legion.
Principia – Legionary headquarters building.
Proconsul – Governor of a Roman province, such as Spain or Syria, and of consular rank.
Procurator – Civilian administrator subordinate to a governor.
Proscaenium – The area where plays were staged in a Roman theatre.
Quaestor – Civilian administrator in charge of finance.
Scorpio – Bolt-firing Roman light artillery piece.
Scutum (pl. Scuta) – The big, richly decorated curved shield carried by a legionary.
Sestertius (pl. Sestertii) – Roman brass coin worth a quarter of a denarius.
Signifer – Standard bearer who carried the emblem of a cohort or century.
Testudo – Literally ‘tortoise’. A unit of soldiers with shields interlocked for protection.
Tribune – One of six senior officers acting as aides to a legate. Often, but not always, on short commissions of six months upwards.
Tribunus laticlavius – Literally ‘broad stripe tribune’. The most senior of a legion’s military tribunes.
Victory – Roman goddess equivalent to the Greek Nike.
Acknowledgements
Thanks once again to my editor Simon and his wonderful team at Transworld, my agent Stan at the Jenny Brown Agency and most of all to my wife Alison and my children, Kara, Nikki and Gregor, for their unfailing support.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Douglas Jackson is rapidly developing a reputation as one of the best historical novelists writing today. He turned a lifelong fascination with Rome and the Romans into his first two novels, Caligula and Claudius. Avenger of Rome is the third title in his series featuring Gaius Valerius Verrens; the first two, Hero of Rome and Defender of Rome, are available in Bantam Press hardcover and Corgi paperback.
Also by Douglas Jackson
CALIGULA
CLAUDIUS
HERO OF ROME
DEFENDER OF ROME
For more information on Douglas Jackson and his books,
see his website at www.douglas-jackson.net
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AVENGER OF ROME
BANTAM PRESS: 9780593065167
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First published in Great Britain
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Copyright © Douglas Jackson 2012
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