Gods & Emperors (Legionary 5)

by Gordon Doherty

  The laws allowing short recruits or men who had mutilated their thumbs (murci) to enlist or be conscripted into the legions was actually passed a decade or more before the time of this story, and in the case of the limitanei, such recruits might have been accepted for far longer.

  The colossal earth tremor in Crete on 21st July 365 AD devastated the island and the resultant tsunami proved ruinous for Mediterranean coastal regions as far afield as Sicily and Alexandria. The loss of life was immeasurable and thousands of cities and towns were reduced to rubble, some never to be resettled. Projections show that the giant wave would have reached Constantinople as well, but the topography of the Dardanelles would have significantly reduced its impact there. My depiction of Constantinople suffering the brunt of the wave is an exaggeration, but one that aims to succinctly demonstrate the devastating effect the event had upon the empire.

  Regarding the legend of Valens and the Baths of Chalcedon, where he supposedly ordered the walls of the old city to be deconstructed and the marble used to build a great bathhouse in Constantinople, only to find a grim prophecy on one of the blocks: I have dabbled a fair bit with the words of the inscription – but only to render it more poetic in the English language.

  Finally, there was a pre-emptory chunk of the Battle of Adrianople that did not make it into my story: the Gothic raid on Nike a few days prior to the clash. It seems Fritigern sent a small and swift force ahead of his horde to seize the waystation just after Valens passed it on his march to Adrianople. Valens was swift, however, to send out ‘a unit of foot archers and a unit of cavalry’ to ward them off in ‘the narrow defiles’ (probably Golyam Derwent, a day’s march north of Nike).

  Writing the Legionary series has been an incredible adventure, taking me into the past and letting me march with the last of the legions across the desert, through the snow and over the mountains. The voice of Ammianus Marcellinus has guided me through this fraught spell of late antiquity, and it is here that his chronicle ends…

  History, however, goes on, and the years after Adrianople are easily as tumultuous as those before. The Eastern Army is broken and the Goths have made Thracia their own. The Huns amass in the lands north of the Danubius. The balance of power in the West teeters on the edge of a dark chasm. Heroes like Gallus are gone and now Pavo and Sura are the men whom the ranks look up to in hope. They find themselves at the end of one brutal cycle and on the brink of another. Their journey after Adrianople will be a savage one. I truly hope you will join me on the march that lies ahead.

  Yours faithfully,

  Gordon Doherty

  www.gordondoherty.co.uk

  P.S. If you enjoyed the story, please spread the word! My books live or die by word of mouth, so tell your friends or – even better – leave a short review on Amazon or Goodreads. Anything you can do in this vein would be very much appreciated.

  Glossary

  Ala (pl. Alae); A unit of Roman cavalry, numbering anywhere between a few hundred and a thousand.

  Ambulatum; Legionary ‘manoeuvres’ training in which soldiers would take part in mock missions, marching in full kit over difficult terrain at military or full step. Cohorts would often be pitted against one another, tasked with outflanking or ambushing their comrades in an effort to test and strengthen each unit’s hardiness and readiness for real battle.

  Ango; A barbed javelin favoured by the barbarian tribes east of the Rhine.

  Aquilifer; Senior standard bearer of a Roman legion and carrier of the legionary eagle.

  Armatura; Basic legionary training with sword, shield and javelin.

  Auxilium Palatinum (pl. Auxilia Palatina); These elite infantry regiments (or palace legions) of the late Roman Empire served as the emperor’s core guard in his Praesental Army. Each Auxilia Palatina legion would have been distinct in its appearance, with many retaining some unique decorative symbol on their armour that nodded to their origins, e.g. the Cornuti wore horns (or more likely feathers) on the sides of their helmets, just as the barbarian tribe they were originally recruited from did.

  Ballista (pl. Ballistae); Roman bolt-throwing artillery that was primarily employed as an anti-personnel weapon on the battlefield.

  Ballistarius (pl. Ballistarii); Roman missile infantry, whose primary weapon was a mini, handheld version of a ballista known as a manuballista – a forerunner of the modern crossbow.

  Belon; A special flag raised on a pole atop the Hippodrome in Constantinople whenever the emperor wanted to summon the populace there to hear important news.

  Buccina; The ancestor of the trumpet and the trombone, this instrument was used for the announcement of night watches and for various other purposes in the legionary camp.

  Campidoctor (pl. Campidoctores); Legionary officer tasked with training the ranks.

  Candidatus (pl. Candidati); The candidati were the hand-chosen, personal bodyguard of the Roman Emperor and successors (in some respects) to the old Praetorian Guard.

  Cataphractus (pl. Cataphracti); Roman heavy cavalry who would employ shock tactics, charging into enemy lines and flanks. The riders and horses would wear iron scale and mail armour, leaving little vulnerability to attack, and their primary weapon was a lengthy lancing spear. In the fourth century, many cataphracti in the Roman army were of eastern origin.

  Chi-Rho; The Chi Rho is one of the earliest forms of Christogram, and was used by the early Christian Roman Empire. It is formed by superimposing the first two letters in the Greek spelling of the word Christ, chi = ch and rho = r, in such a way to produce the following monogram;

  Comitatensis (pl. Comitatenses); The comitatenses were the Roman field armies – a ‘floating’ central reserve of thousand-strong legions, ready to move swiftly to tackle border breaches. These legions were considered the cream of the late Roman army, second only to the palatine legions in the Praesental Army.

  Contubernium (pl. Contubernia); A grouping of eight legionaries (ten contubernia per century). These soldiers would share a tent and would receive disciplinary action or reward as a unit.

  Cornu (pl. Cornua); A ‘G’ shaped horn used in imperial games and ceremony.

  Cotyla; Roman measure of liquid, roughly equivalent to half a pint.

  Culina; Kitchen.

  Cursus Publicus; The imperial courier system facilitated by state-funded roads, waystations, stables and dedicated riders. The riders were tasked with carrying messages all over the empire.

  Diocese; An administrative and geographical division of the later Roman Empire. Each Diocese was subdivided into a collection of provinces.

  Dominus (voc. Domine); A respectful honourific indicating sovereignty.

  Draco; A type of legionary standard that became popular in the era of our story. It comprised a bronze dragon head that would groan when wind passed through it and a flowing cloth tail that would ripple in the breeze as if alive.

  Eques (pl. Equites); Roman light cavalry, used for scouting ahead and screening the flanks of a marching legionary column.

  Explorator (pl. Exploratores); Swift, skilled scout cavalry, tasked with ranging far ahead of marching armies and into enemy territory to confirm the marching route was clear.

  Fabrica (pl. Fabricae); The workshop of a Roman legion located within the legionary fort or camp. Skilled artisans and craftsmen such as engineers, carpenters, masons, wagon-makers, blacksmiths, painters and other artificers worked in the fabrica, using devices such as smelting furnaces and water cisterns to produce arms and equipment for the legionaries.

  Falcata; A curved blade used for slashing down over defending shields so the point could pierce the skulls of the defenders.

  Focale; Scarf worn around the neck to prevent armour from rubbing on skin.

  Foederati; Broad term for the variety of ‘barbarian’ tribes subsidised from imperial coffers to fight for the Roman Empire.

  Francisca; A Frankish throwing axe – typically tossed across the ground – capable of breaking bones and disrupting legionary formations.

  Fu
nditor (pl. Funditores); Unarmoured Roman slingers who would take part in the skirmishing before a battle.

  Hexareme; A colossal, somewhat ostentatious and less than practical galley with six banks of oars.

  Horreum (pl. Horrea); The Roman granary and storehouse for other consumables such as wine and olive oil.

  Iudex; The fourth century Goths did not have kings as such. Instead, the tribes – each led by a reiks – would elect a ‘judge’ or ‘iudex’ who would steer them through a period of migration or conflict.

  Insula (pl. Insulae); The often architecturally-unsound tenement blocks of the empire’s urban sprawls.

  Intercisa; Iron helmet constructed of two halves with a distinctive fin-like ridge joining them together and large cheek guards offering good protection to the face. The illustration on the cover provides a good example of this style of helm.

  Interpres; Interpreter.

  Kathisma; A box overlooking an arena, usually reserved for royalty or esteemed dignitaries.

  Labarum; A style of legionary standard that sported a Christian Chi-Rho on top.

  Lancea; Short throwing javelin and successor to the pilum of the principate but with a far inferior range than the plumbata. Late legionaries sometimes carried a pair of these.

  Libra; The Roman measurement of weight roughly equivalent to a modern pound.

  Liburnian; A small, swift and nimble galley with just a single bank of oars.

  Limitaneus (pl. Limitanei); The limitanei were the frontier soldiers, light infantry spearmen who served in the legions posted along the empire’s borders.

  Lusoria (pl. Lusoriae); Flat-keeled transport ship used on predictable/calm waters for ferrying troops and supplies.

  Magister Equitum; Roman ‘Master of Horse’.

  Magister Militum; Roman ‘Master of the Army’.

  Magister Officiorum; The man in charge of imperial affairs in the Emperor’s absence.

  Magister Peditum; Roman ‘Master of the Infantry’.

  Mithras; A pagan deity particularly loved by the legions – probably something to do with the belief that Mithras was born with a sword in his hand! In the late 4th century AD, Christianity had taken hold in most of the major imperial population centres and it was only in remote areas like the limites that the last worshippers of Mithras were to be found. The cult of Mithras is thought to have evolved from the Persian Mithra, the God of Light and Wisdom. Also, although Mithras is often described as ‘Deus Sol Invictus Mithras’, he is not to be confused with the Sol Invictus (the God of the official imperial cult established by Emperor Aurelian) whose birthday was celebrated on the 25th December.

  Officium; The clerical staff of a Roman commander. These record-keepers would reside and work in or near the camp or fort’s principia.

  Optio; Second-in-command of a Roman century. Hand-chosen by the centurion.

  Plumbata (pl. Plumbatae); A lead-weighted throwing dart carried by Roman legionaries, approximately half a metre in length. Each legionary would carry three to five of these clipped in behind his shield. They would launch them, overhand or underhand, at their enemy prior to sword or spear engagement. They required some skill to throw accurately, but had a tremendous range of nearly ninety feet.

  Praesental Army; Literally ‘the Army in the Emperor’s Presence’. By the late 4th century AD, the Eastern and Western Emperors each possessed such an army, comprised of crack corps of Auxilia Palatina infantry legions and Scholae Palatinae cavalry brigades as well as many more specialist units. It is thought that both Eastern and Western Praesental Armies numbered upwards of thirty thousand men.

  Primus Pilus; The chief centurion of a legion. So called, as his own century would line up in the first file (pilus) of the first cohort (primus).

  Principia; Situated in the centre of a Roman fort or marching camp, the principia served as the headquarters. In a standing fort, the principia would be laid out as a square, with three wings enclosing a parade area. The legionary standards, wage chest and religious shrines were housed inside the wings along with various administrative offices.

  Quinquereme; A huge galley with five banks of oars.

  Reiks; In Gothic society, a reiks was a tribal leader or warlord. Whenever the Gothic tribes came together to fight as a united people, a ‘council’ of reiks would elect one man to serve as their Iudex, overall leader of the alliance.

  Sacellum; Small room at the rear of a legionary fortress principia, housing the legionary standards and the pay chests (kept in a sunken chamber).

  Sacrum Consistorium; The Roman Emperor’s ‘Sacred Council’ or inner circle of advisers.

  Sagittarius (pl. Sagittarii); Roman foot archer. Typically equipped with a bronze helm and nose-guard, mail vest, composite bow and quiver.

  Schola Palatinum (pl. Scholae Palatinae); The elite cavalry regiments of the later Roman Empire. Typically, these crack riders would serve in the Emperor’s Praesental Army.

  Semispatha; A half-sized version of the legionary spatha.

  Signifer; Standard-bearer for a Roman century.

  Spatha; The Roman straight sword up to one metre long, favoured by the Roman infantry and cavalry.

  Speculator (pl. Speculatores); A shadowy secret police employed throughout the Roman Republic and Empire. They tended to focus on internal affairs and domestic threats, carrying coded messages, spying, and assassinating on command.

  Tablinum; A room in a Roman house separating the atrium and the peristyle gardens. Often this space would be used for carrying out business discussions.

  Terra Mater; The Roman Goddess of the Earth (literally ‘Mother Earth’).

  Testudo; Formation where infantry place shields around all sides and overhead of their unit, thus providing protection from missiles from all directions.

  Thermae; Roman bathhouse, comprising a dressing room (apodyterium), cold room (frigidarium), warm room (tepidarium) and hot room (caldarium).

  Tribunus (pl. Tribuni); The senior officer of a legion. In the late 4th century AD, a tribunus was usually in charge of one or more legions of limitanei or comitatenses.

  Turma (pl. Turmae); The smallest unit of Roman cavalry, numbering thirty riders.

  Vexillatio (pl. Vexillationes); A detachment of a Roman legion formed as a temporary task force.

  Via Egnatia; Highway constructed in the 2nd century BC running from Dyrrachium on the Adriatic Sea, all the way through Thrace to Constantinople.

  Via Militaris; The nearly 1000km long highway constructed in the 1st century AD running from Constantinople all the way through the Dioceses of Thracia, Dacia and on into Pannonia to the fortress-city of Singidunum. So-called because it was the main road the legions used to traverse the Balkan Peninsula.

  Vicus; Cities, towns, legionary forts and camps were not long constructed before being abutted by these slum-like settlements of shacks, inns, brothels and traders’ markets, all eager to provide the soldiers and citizens with licentious entertainment and lighter purses.

  If you enjoyed Legionary: Gods & Emperors, why not try:

  Strategos: Born in the Borderlands, by Gordon Doherty

  When the falcon has flown, the mountain lion will charge from the east, and all Byzantium will quake. Only one man can save the empire . . . the Haga!

  1046 AD. The Byzantine Empire teeters on the brink of all-out war with the Seljuk Sultanate. In the borderlands of Eastern Anatolia, a land riven with bloodshed and doubt, young Apion's life is shattered in one swift and brutal Seljuk night raid. Only the benevolence of Mansur, a Seljuk farmer, offers him a second chance of happiness.

  Yet a hunger for revenge burns in Apion's soul, and he is drawn down a dark path that leads him right into the heart of a conflict that will echo through the ages.

 

 

 
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