Bedrock of Empire

by Thomas M D Brooke

  Bonifatius looked flustered. ‘Well, I suppose so. You’ll certainly find the legate there. But what about the banquet I was going to prepare for you?’

  I inclined my head. ‘I am most honoured that you’d consider me worthy. However, there really is no need. I am sure my men and I will be able to make ourselves more than comfortable in the military camp.’

  Bonifatius ground his teeth in annoyance, something that wasn’t lost in his tone. ‘But when can Kanutus talk to you regarding the will? It is just a misunderstanding, I assure you.’

  I tried to placate him. ‘I’m sure you’re correct and we can get this settled quickly and amicably. How about I come visit you tomorrow?’

  Bonifatius nodded eagerly. ‘Of course. Come to my home. It is just a short journey from the city.I’ll have a dinner—’

  I interrupted him. ‘Not at your home. I would like to see your mining operations. Is it also located near the city?’

  Bonifatius’ eyes shifted from side to side. ‘At the mine? Well, I suppose so. Our largest mine is a short ride from the city, over to the north-west. But I’m sure you’ll be more comfortable at my home. I can have all the finest food and wine laid on.’

  I shook my head. ‘To the north-west of the city. I’m sure my guide will be able to find it. Shall we meet there at noon?’

  Bonifatius looked at Kanutus in confusion, then back to me. ‘I suppose if I must. But really, couldn’t we just discuss this over—’

  ‘Good, that’s settled then. Marcus, please lead us to the military camp. I have enquiries I need to make.’ I remounted my horse and trotted away from Bonifatius and Kanutus, leaving them dumbfounded.

  Marcus led the way through the unpaved streets of Asturica, followed by the neat ranks of Praetorians. My lictor Blasius, who’d remounted, rode up to me and chuckled. ‘Wasn’t that a bit rude, Cassius? They’ve been waiting all morning for you in the hot sun.’

  Aulus answered for me. ‘No, it wouldn’t be appropriate for Cassius to join any of the litigants at their home. It could open him up to undue influence or even bribes. All to try to bend his judgement.’

  My brother-in-law had warned me of this, but it hadn’t been necessary. I wasn’t born yesterday. ‘Sorry if you were looking forward to the banquet. I know it’s been a long journey. I think it unlikely we’ll receive anything so lavish at the camp.’

  Blasius shrugged. ‘As you wish. Strange place this city. Most of it is the normal squalid hovels you’d expect to find out on the frontier. But some of the homes would put the mansions of Pompeii to shame.’

  I walked my horse behind the Praetorians and smiled. ‘My father would call it new money and be full of disapproval. I imagine Bonifatius’ cronies are well rewarded for helping him secure the gold from the mines. We’ll need to be on our guard tomorrow.’

  Blasius rubbed his stubbled chin. ‘And what do you expect to find in the military camp?’

  I raised an eyebrow. ‘The location of Flavus Arminius, of course. That’s the real reason I’ve travelled over two thousand miles.’

  Chapter Seventeen

  The vast military camp of Asturica was filled with soldiers from the X Gemina, a crack unit with a proud past. Much of the legion was out in the training yard, working drills under the tight supervision of their centurions. When they saw the plumed ranks of my Praetorians march into the camp, many of them stopped to whistle and send catcalls over to their better paid and – in their eyes at least – pampered comrades.

  Marcus and the Praetorians remained stony-faced. This wasn’t a completely unexpected welcome. I hid a smile at some of the more colourful expletives voiced by the onlooking legionaries. Before long the legionaries were forced back into order, centurions putting their vine staffs to good use, thwacking anyone who didn’t want to get back to their drills.

  Blasius chuckled beside me. ‘Before I joined the Praetorians myself, I used to hate their guts.’

  I looked at him. ‘Then why did you join them?’

  He gave a laugh. ‘Because I’m not a fool. Who would pass up the chance for higher wages and the chance to be stationed in Rome?’

  I smiled. ‘No one, I guess. Can you look after my horse? I better go find the legate.’

  Blasius looked surprised. ‘Don’t you want me to attend you?’

  I shook my head. ‘No need, stay with Marcus and Aulus. I’ll send someone out to help get the men billeted in one of the barracks.’ It was a large camp, large enough to cater for at least two legions, so I knew there’d be plenty of empty barrack blocks.

  He nodded, dismounted, and took my horse’s reins as I walked towards the main headquarters of the camp. As I approached it, I found a lead tribune rushing out of the building. His tunic was marked with the same broad senatorial stripe as my own, and he hastily put on his helmet before giving me a salute. ‘Quaestor Aprilis, welcome. The gate sentries’ report has only just reached me. Apologies for not greeting you on entry. We heard you were approaching the city but didn’t realise you were coming to see us.’

  I saluted back. ‘The fault is mine, arriving unannounced. I was hoping to speak to the legate?’

  The young tribune, with light suntanned skin and pale brown hair, nodded. ‘Yes, of course. Legate Pancratius is talking with one of the local tribespeople, but I’m sure he’ll not mind being interrupted by such an important guest.’

  I inclined my head. ‘As long as I’m not being any trouble. Sorry, I didn’t catch your name?’

  The young tribune flushed red. ‘It’s Silvius, Quaestor Aprilis.’

  I put my hand on his shoulder, ‘Please, call me Cassius. Lead the way.’

  Silvius took me through the busy headquarters, full of scribes and junior tribunes filling in reports or running back and forth on various errands. Being back in a legion felt good. The rigid and structured routines that were so familiar to me brought back memories. I was pleased that Julius hadn’t managed to tarnish every past recollection.

  I waited outside whilst Silvius knocked on the door of the legate’s office. ‘Who is it? I’m busy!’ replied a stern voice.

  Silvius popped his head in. ‘Er … it is only me, sir. You have a visitor. The quaestor from Rome is here to see you.’

  The voice snapped. ‘Quaestor! Why didn’t anyone tell me? Where is he?’

  Silvius winced and let the door swing fully open, revealing me to the legate.

  I gave the tribune an irritated look. This wasn’t exactly how I was hoping to be introduced. ‘Quaestor Gaius Cassius Aprilis at your service,’ I told the legate.

  The legate, a large man with thick powerful forearms crossed over his ornate bronze breastplate, and a short silver beard, blinked hard. ‘A pleasure to meet you.’

  He wasn’t alone in the room. At first I thought it was a local tribesman, dressed in similar attire to Audax, but soon I realised that the shapely suntanned legs and thin supple waist didn’t belong to any man. She had her back to me, long silky hair tied up in a ponytail, and was obviously unimpressed by my unexpected arrival as she didn’t even turn around. ‘So you promise to send him back if he comes to this camp ever again?’ she asked the legate in her slightly accented but otherwise excellent Latin.

  The legate seemed to have forgotten she was there. He looked at her in confusion. ‘Sorry, what did you say?’

  The woman’s tone was fierce. ‘You promise to send him back if he ever comes to the camp again?’

  The legate nodded. ‘Yes, yes, I promise. I’ll never hear the end of it from your brothers otherwise. It’s alright, you can take him home.’

  She nodded in satisfaction. ‘Thank you, legate. See that you do.’ She turned around, revealing an attractive face, albeit one that was framed in extreme annoyance. She walked away from the legate, greeting my escort with a stern nod. ‘Tribune Silvius.’

  Both Silvius and I moved out of her way as she marched out of the room with a determined tread. Some women you really didn’t want to get in the way of.

  Af
ter she left, the legate waved us both in. ‘Sorry about that, Quaestor. Please take a seat and make yourself comfortable.’

  I smiled. ‘Problems with the locals?’ I asked, sitting down on one of the small stools in the room. Silvius remained standing.

  The legate shook his head as he sat down himself. ‘No, no. Don’t be distracted by her stern manner today. Her tribe is a friend to the legions. Two of her brothers serve in my corps of auxiliaries. One of her cousins, a young boy of fourteen, came out of the mountains and tried to join up himself.’ He gave a laugh. ‘She came to get him and drag him back.’

  I gave a slight chuckle. ‘Someone is going to have an unpleasant journey home.’

  Legate Pancratius raised an eyebrow. ‘You’re not wrong there. She’s a fierce woman when riled.’ He turned to Silvius. ‘Has someone offered the quaestor refreshment?’

  Silvius jumped to obey, ‘Sorry, no. I’ll arrange something at once.’

  The tribune left the room and the legate turned to me. ‘Now, Quaestor, I thought you were here to hear the case between the Paulus brothers. How can I help you?’

  I paused. It was difficult to know where to start. ‘The case of the Paulus brothers is indeed important. But I’ve also been sent here by the imperial family on another matter.’

  At the mention of the imperial family, the legate looked at me closely. ‘Go on.’

  My throat felt dry. ‘I take it that even here you heard of the disaster that befell the three legions at the Teutoburg?’

  At the mention of the German forest, Pancratius stiffened. ‘Everyone in the Roman world has heard of that calamity.’ His strong hands clenched. ‘Even the bandits and cutthroats of the mountains whisper of it, although never so you’d hear them.’ He stopped to look me squarely in the eye. ‘Now you have my attention. What does a lost battle in Germany have anything to do with me and my army?’

  I measured my words carefully, ‘The man who both instigated the revolt and caused the destruction of the army of the Rhine was a man named Julius Arminius. He ingratiated himself into the Roman high command before plunging a knife into its heart.’ I swallowed. ‘His brother serves in your army.’

  Pancratius went as white as a sheet. ‘You can’t be serious? Why wasn’t I told?’

  ‘You’re being told now. This matter is strictly confidential. We don’t want anyone to find out who doesn’t need to know.’

  Pancratius stood up from his stool and looked out of his window to the training yard beyond. ‘By the gods, he couldn’t be planning something similar here could he?’ He turned to me. ‘What do you know?’

  I held up my hand to placate him. ‘At this stage, very little. Other than he serves in the Sixth Victrix as a centurion. We don’t know if he is complicit in his brother’s plans or indeed whether he plans to expand on the troubles that his brother started.’

  Pancratius shook his head and pointed to a campaign map on a table in front of him, ‘I’ve sent the Sixth Victrix to the north, the other side of the Gallaecian mountains, to help root out the numerous bandit tribes of that region. I couldn’t have sent him to a more fertile ground for sowing insurrection.’ He kicked the stool in front of him. ‘Damn it, if only if I’d known. I’ll have men sent to arrest him at once!’

  I shook my head. ‘No, my orders are very clear. We want this dealt with quietly. I will pick up the man in question myself. But a decree with your seal would be useful.’

  He looked at me quizzically. ‘You want to travel there yourself? It’s dangerous. I cannot guarantee your safety if you travel there. That’s why I sent the Sixth Victrix there in the first place.’

  I nodded. ‘It has to be me. This is a delicate mission. We need to find out whether he has already sown the seeds of rebellion. I’m the man the imperial family has chosen to ascertain this.’

  Pancratius nodded. ‘Then you’ll have the decree and anything else you need. The Gallaecian mountains are no place for the unprepared though. I hope you have combat experience?’

  I looked him in his eyes. ‘I was in the Teutoburg.’

  Now it was Pancratius’ turn to swallow hard. ‘By the gods.’

  Our conversation was disrupted by Silvius, who returned with an amphora of wine and two goblets. As soon as he came in the room, Pancratius took a goblet from him and poured himself a large cupful. ‘Silvius, you are to offer the quaestor any assistance he needs. You are to treat his orders with the highest priority, no exceptions.’ He downed the large cupful in one swallow.

  Silvius looked taken aback by his commander’s tone and looked at me. ‘Of course, anything I can do to help.’

  He offered me the other goblet, but I shook my head. ‘Not now. However, you can help me billet my men. I plan to stay here tonight before visiting the Paulus’ mine tomorrow.’ I then pointed to the table in the room. ‘And I’ll take that campaign map if I may? It might prove useful.’

  They both nodded, but Pancratius said, ‘You’ll need more than that to find the Sixth Victrix. The legion has set up a camp nestled in the mountains. The locals named it Legio, due to the legion posted there, and the name’s stuck. It won’t be easy to find. These mountains are treacherous and there is little in the way of roads – even the ones we do have are rarely travelled.’

  Silvius rolled up the campaign map and handed it to me. I thanked him, then told the legate, ‘I have a guide, but this map might prove useful in planning our route.’

  Pancratius nodded. ‘Careful who you trust in the mountains. Their loyalty to Rome doesn’t run deep.’

  I nodded and stood up to leave. ‘I thank you both for your understanding in this matter.’

  Pancratius folded his strong arms across his chest. ‘I wish you luck, but if you don’t return in six weeks time I will have to act. I will send armed men to seize the traitor’s brother myself.’

  I nodded. ‘Let’s both hope it doesn’t come to that.’

  I walked out with Tribune Silvius. He was experienced enough not to enquire what I’d been discussing with the legate, although he must have guessed by the shaken manner of his legate how serious it was. My Praetorians still stood to the side of the training yard, although Marcus had at least let them break ranks and stand at ease.

  I asked Silvius, ‘Can you assist Centurion Iovis with billeting the men?’

  The tribune nodded. ‘Yes, with the Sixth away, there is plenty of space in the camp.’

  Marcus walked up. ‘I’ll help you.’

  I shook my head. ‘No, Silvius and Iovis can manage. I want to talk to you, Aulus, Blasius, and Audax.’

  The five of us walked to a shady spot under an awning of a granary. I turned over an empty water trough and used it as an impromptu table. I rolled the map out. ‘Alright, this is the situation. We’re here in Asturica,’ I pointed at the map. ‘We need to pick up Germanicus’ animal from Bracara Augusta down to the south-west. There appears to be a road that leads down there.’

  Audax stepped in. ‘Yes, it’s over the river lands. Fine for marching on, although nothing else. How do you plan on transporting the animal back?’

  I gave a sigh of exasperation. ‘I have no idea. I’ve not seen the damn beast. But they must have moved it from the coast somehow. Maybe it can be transported by ox-cart. I expect it is too wild to be led, but who knows?’

  Audax shook his head. ‘You won’t be able to take a heavily laden ox-cart back along that road. I was here only two months ago. Two of the bridges along the road have been washed away by the storms we had this spring. The floods made much of this road impassable by any means other than foot. Your men could wade across, but not with an ox-cart. Bracara is just a backwater colony full of a few old veterans. No one will have bothered to repair the bridges.’

  I rolled my eyes. ‘Typical.’

  Aulus asked, ‘Couldn’t you just transport it back to the coast?’

  I shook my head. ‘That’s not going to work. We could wait months finding a large enough sea vessel that can take its weight. Not much
sails along that coast, past the Pillars of Hercules.’

  Audax grunted. ‘There is another way. There is another military road that travels north through the mountains. It was built to move troops quickly during some campaign generations ago.’ He ran a finger along a northern path from the veteran colony. ‘It is hardly ever used now, as the route goes right through the mountains before turning back east and joining the road from Lucus. It will take a long time to travel, but it’s sound enough.’

  I nodded. ‘That’s it then.’

  Audax shrugged. ‘The road should be fine, as long as you’re not in a hurry.’

  I gave a tut of annoyance. ‘Which brings me to my other problem: time. I need to travel over to a Roman fort called Legio in order to find Flavus. It’s completely in the other direction, near these mountains to the north-east. Hopefully he’ll be in the camp, but there are no guarantees. He could be stationed anywhere in this mountain range.’ I waved my hands over a large area that shadowed the northern coast. ‘Remember, it’s just turned July. We need to be back in Tarraco by the end of August for Livianus’ games, not to mention our ship home with Bricius.’

  Audax laughed. ‘It can’t be done.’

  I looked at him, ‘Why, is the Roman fort also inaccessible?’

  Audax shrugged. ‘How would I know? I don’t know those mountains.’

  I was aghast, ‘You don’t?’

  He lifted his hands in innocence. ‘Why are you surprised? I was told you’d be travelling to Asturica and then down to Bracara Augusta in Lusitania. No one mentioned the Roman fort of Legio or the northern Gallaecian mountains.’

  Blasius laughed and Marcus grunted. Both knew it was my decision to keep Livianus in the dark over our true mission, and it had been Livianus who’d assigned us Audax as our guide. I’d tried to be too clever, and it’d tripped me up. ‘It doesn’t matter. I’ll just ask Tribune Silvius to find me a local guide. He seems helpful enough.’