by Eric Mayer
Cornelia, ever practical, had wondered about the hidden doorway to the catacombs under Basilio’s church.
“The early Christians were resourceful,” John replied. “They had to be to practice a proscribed religion. They were continually enlarging the catacombs to entomb their dead so it’s not surprising one branch passed beneath a temple. Possibly they inadvertently broke into the cistern area and decided to use the place as a secret exit to be used if needed. There’s no way of knowing.”
“I won’t suggest you return to Rome to solve that particular mystery, John! What do you think will happen to Basilio, now it seems he has little hope of recovering the missing items?”
“He will need to subsist on what he can earn from his religion, if he can. As to religious matters, before I left Rome there was much talk about a mystery Basilio will never solve. What happened to the body of the general buried behind the house in which I lived for a while?”
Cornelia’s initial puzzled look changed to a smile. “Could it be Felix was moved to the Mithran catacombs under cover of darkness?”
“Yes, and appropriate rites were performed. There was something else. He was exhumed with the assistance of a couple of adepts from the garrison. One of them evidently told Gainus, the gambler I just mentioned, since he also arrived to help with the task. He was not happy to be the one who uncovered a curse tablet just below the surface of Felix’s grave.”
“But who could have put it there?”
“That’s another mystery. It is written in the language of Egypt—”
“Which you always use when you curse!” Cornelia pointed out.
John gave a rueful smile. “Indeed. I suspect Eutuchyus was responsible because he, or rather she, came from a family with strong connections to racing so not only knew about such curse tablets but quite possibly had seen one, since they’re occasionally dug up at racetracks. Not to mention she was on the spot to bury it. Perhaps she decided to invoke supernatural aid for her revenge on Clementia and Hunulf. In any event, I destroyed it by dropping it into the kitchen brazier. Whatever the truth of the matter, Gainus was quite upset about his discovery. Gamblers are as superstitious as racers, it seems, and he viewed it as a very bad omen.”
A sturdy dog came bounding up the hill. It rubbed its head against Cornelia’s thigh and turned reproachful eyes on John.
“Wolves were raiding the sheep so I bought him from that butcher who keeps a shop by the marketplace in Megara,” Cornelia explained.
“What is he called?”
“The dog? Leucon.”
“And he is, as he is called, white-haired. I see he has wandered away from his charges,” John pointed out.
Cornelia scratched the dog’s ears. “What will happen to the boy Julius?”
“He decided to take my advice and remain in Rome until he’s old enough to join the army. In the meantime Diogenes has given him work carrying out errands for the garrison.”
“And Aurelius and his wife?”
“Vanished. Diogenes has had men searching but when I left the city they hadn’t been found. I am certain they are both far from Rome. When it came to accounting for his own misdeeds Aurelius is obviously not so insistent on justice being served.”
“What about the senator’s friendly daughter? But let me guess. She already has her eye on Diogenes?”
“I believe you are correct. She no longer needs to pretend to be a servant, which makes matters easier for her right now, but if the city should fall to the Goths, she will be carried off as a captive. Which was why she was posing as a servant in the first place.”
“Do you think Rome will fall?”
“Not this time. Diogenes is a competent commander.”
A brisk wind raised whitecaps on the sea and rocked seabirds, feathered jetsam floating on the choppy water.
“You haven’t mentioned the most important matter, John. What will become of us now that Justinian knows you left and went to Rome? The penalty for leaving exile…”
John put his arm around her shoulders. “I have left that for last because…because I am afraid you will be sorely troubled by what I have to tell you.”
“Oh, John…” She put her head on his shoulder and he saw tears come. “But you did him a service! You found his emissary’s murderer! Does that not count for something?”
“Yes, but you know how fickle the emperor can be. I had to stay in Rome while Diogenes and Justinian exchanged communications. Diogenes’ messenger returned from Constantinople not long after I solved Felix’s murder. Justinian made it clear he had not sent me to Rome and, without going into details, let us say he was not pleased. However, rather than immediately carrying out the emperor’s orders with regards to me, Diogenes sent a second messenger, explaining what had transpired. I was confined to my house, under guard, while waiting for the reply. In the end the emperor allowed me to return home, but he will be sending a ship from Constantinople for me.”
Cornelia put her arms around him. “How long do we have?”
“That’s in the hands of Fortuna, isn’t it? But, please, don’t cry anymore when I tell you…I know it isn’t what you would want, Cornelia, but Justinian has ordered me back to the capital to resume my imperial service.”
Afterword
During the years 535 to 554, the Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian I carried out a military campaign which successfully, although temporarily, reclaimed Italy from the Goths. Italy was left depopulated and devastated. Ironically, the Roman culture and governmental institutions which had survived largely intact under the Gothic king Theodoric the Great were destroyed.
During the war, the efforts of General Belisarius were hampered by the emperor’s refusal to make sufficient resources available and Belisarius returned to Constantinople during the 549 to 550 siege of Rome. Previously, the commander of the Roman garrison, General Conon, had been killed by his own soldiers, who had not been paid for some time. The siege ended when members of the Roman garrison, still disgruntled at lack of pay and afraid of starving, opened the gates to Totila. Much of the population was slaughtered. It is said that General Diogenes was one of the few to escape but this is the last known of him.
During the sixth century the pope still lived within the city walls rather than the area that was to become the Vatican in later years. Pope Vigilius, however, was detained in Constantinople from 546 to 555, due to a dispute with Justinian over religious doctrine. Archdeacon Leon is a fictional character, inspired by Pelagius, who remained in Rome as Vigilius’ representative. Pelagius later became pope in his own right.
Catacombs are commonly associated with Christian burials. However, pagans also constructed subterranean galleries of tombs and evidence of their presence, including paintings connected with the worship of Mithra, have been found in Rome’s catacombs, possibly because fossors digging new tunnels sometimes inadvertently broke into private pagan areas.
For structures and locations we have used the names by which they were known during the sixth century. These names often differ from those used in classical or modern times. For instance, the famous Colosseum was in the sixth century the Flavian Amphitheater.
The pyramid tomb we have erected beside the Appian Way is our invention and should not be confused with the similarly shaped tomb of Caius Cestius. Built around 15 BC, it was later incorporated into the city wall and remains a popular tourist attraction.
Glossary
AMALASUNTHA (r 526-534)
Daughter of THEODORIC, she ruled first as regent for his grandson Athalaric and then as queen after Athalaric’s early death. Her assassination by a faction opposed to a closer association with the Eastern Roman Empire led JUSTINIAN I to invade Italy.
ATRIUM
Central area of a Roman house. The COMPLUVIUM, a square opening in the roof, provided light and air to surrounding rooms. Rain falling through the compluvium was collected for household
use in an IMPLUVIUM, a shallow cistern or pool.
BELISARIUS
General whose exploits included halting the Persian advance in the eastern part of the empire and recapturing northern Africa from the Vandals. His campaign against the Goths in Italy was hampered by Justinian’s failure to supply adequate resources and he was recalled before the war ended.
BLUES
Supporters of the Blue chariot team. Like the GREENS, they took their name from the racing colors of the team they favored.
CADWALLON (fl 6th century)
King of Gwneydd in Wales. His nickname Lawhir (Long Hand or Long Arm) has been interpreted to refer to his widespread authority. Some three hundred years after Cadwallon’s death a writer offered an unlikely alternative explanation: Cadwallon could pick up a stone without bending, because his arms reached the ground.
CEREBERUS
Three-headed dog whose role was to guard the entrance to Hades.
CHURCH OF SAINT PETER
Familiar name for the basilica of Saint Peter. Erected in the fourth century and demolished in the sixteenth, it was the predecessor of the present Saint Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.
COMPLUVIUM
See ATRIUM
CONCRETE
Roman concrete was formed from a mixture of lime and volcanic ash.
CURSE TABLETS
Rolled or folded sheets of thin lead inscribed with imprecations believed to cause harm to the persons named in them.
FLAVIAN AMPITHEATER
Commonly known today as the Colosseum. Dedicated in 80 CE, it was the site of gladiatorial contests, executions, and other public spectacles. The name “Colosseum” was derived from the nearby colossal statue of Nero. By the sixth century Nero’s head had been replaced by that of the Sun God.
GREENS
See BLUES
GREAT CHURCH
Colloquial name for the Hagia Sophia (Church of the Holy Wisdom). Completed in 537, it still stands in Istanbul.
JUSTINIAN I (r 527-565)
Byzantine emperor whose ambition was to restore the Roman Empire to its former glory. His accomplishments included codifying Roman law and an extensive building program in Constantinople. He was married to THEODORA.
MESE
Main thoroughfare of Constantinople. Enriched with columns, arches, statuary depicting secular, military, imperial, and religious subjects, fountains, religious establishments, monuments, emporiums, public baths, and private dwellings, it was a perfect mirror of the heavily populated and densely built city it traversed.
MITHRA
Sun God usually depicted wearing a tunic and Phrygian cap, his cloak flying out behind him, while in the act of slaying the Great Bull. Also known as Mithras, his worship spread throughout the Roman Empire via his followers in the military.
MITHRAEUM
Underground temple dedicated to MITHRA.
PLATO’S ACADEMY
Greek philosopher Plato founded his academy in 387 BCE. The academy and other pagan schools were closed in 529 CE by order of JUSTINIAN I.
PRAETORIUM
In Roman times commonly denoting a military headquarters but used in the Bible to refer to Pilate’s residence.
SPINA
Low platform separating the two arms of a U-shaped racetrack. It was often decorated with sculptures and monuments.
TEMPLE OF ROME
Originally named the Basilica of Constantine, by the sixth century it was known as the Temple of Rome.
TESSERAE
Small cubes, usually stone or glass, utilized in the creation of mosaics.
THEODORA
Byzantine empress. When the Nika riots broke out in Constantinople in 532, she is said to have urged her husband JUSTINIAN I to remain in the city, thus saving his throne. She died in 548.
THEODORIC (r 493-526)
Gothic king who conquered and ruled Italy, he was known as Theodoric the Great for the peace and prosperity of his long reign. He was the father of AMALASUNTHA.
TOTILA (r 541-552)
Gothic king who enjoyed considerable success against the Eastern Roman Empire. He was killed in battle in 552.
TUNICA
Undergarment.
VIGILIUS
Pope from 537 to 555. From 546 to 555 he was detained in Constantinople by JUSTINIAN I as the result of theological controversy. He was finally permitted to leave but died before reaching Rome.
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