Read Emperor Online

Authors: Stephen Baxter

Tags: #Christian, #Science Fiction And Fantasy, #Roman period, #Historical, #Science Fiction, #Great Britain, #Fiction, #Romans, #Sagas, #Science Fiction - General, #History, #Fiction - General, #0-1066, #55 B.C.-449 A.D., #General, #Alternative History

Emperor

BOOK: Emperor
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EMPEROR
TIME’S TAPESTRY: 1

EMPEROR
TIME’S TAPESTRY: 1

Stephen Baxter

ACE BOOKS, NEW YORK

THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP

Published by the Penguin Group

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Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

Copyright © 2007 by Orion Books.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Baxter, Stephen
    Emperor / Stephen Baxter.
     p. cm.—(Time’s tapestry; bk.1)
   ISBN: 1-4295-0254-1
     1. Great Britain—History—Roman period, 55 B.C.–449 A.D.—Fiction. [1. Romans—Great Britain—Fiction.] I. Title.

  PR6052.A849E47 2007

  823'.914—dc22

2006049924

Contents

Oraculum Nectovelinium

The Prophecy of Nectovelin

PROLOGUE 4 BC

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

I INVADER AD 43-70

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Chapter IX

Chapter X

Chapter XI

Chapter XII

Chapter XIII

Chapter XIV

Chapter XV

Chapter XVI

Chapter XVII

Chapter XVIII

Chapter XIX

Chapter XX

Chapter XXI

Chapter XXII

Chapter XXIII

Chapter XXIV

Chapter XXV

Chapter XXVI

II BUILDER AD 122-138

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Chapter IX

Chapter X

Chapter XI

Chapter XII

Chapter XIII

Chapter XIV

Chapter XV

Chapter XVI

Chapter XVII

Chapter XVIII

Chapter XIX

Chapter XX

Chapter XXI

III EMPEROR AD 314-337

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Chapter IX

Chapter X

Chapter XI

Chapter XII

Chapter XIII

Chapter XIV

Chapter XV

EPILOGUE AD 418

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Afterword

 

Place names:

Banna, Birdoswald

Caledonia, Scotland

Camulodunum, Colchester

Durovernum, Canterbury

Eburacum, York

Dolaucothi

Londinium, London

Mona, Anglesey

Rutupiae, Richborough

Tamesis, R Thames

Sabrina, R Severn

Tinea, R Tyne

Ituna, R Solway

Cantiaci River, R Medway

Gesoriacum, Boulogne

Massilia, Marseilles

Principal British Nations:

Atrebates

Brigantia

Catuvellauni

Cantiaci

Durotriges

Iceni

Ordovices

Silures

 

Timeline

55-54BC

 

Julius Caesar’s expeditions to Britain

4BC

 

Birth of Nectovelin

c.AD38

 

Death of Cunobelin

AD43

 

Invasion of Britain by Claudius

AD51

 

Defeat of Caratacus

AD60-61

 

Revolt of Boudicca

AD69-71

 

Brigantian civil war and annexation

AD77-84

 

Agricola’s campaigns in Scotland

AD122

 

Hadrian in Britain; construction of Wall begins

AD193-197

 

Britain under the rule of Clodius Albinus

AD208-211

 

Campaigns of Severus in Scotland

AD259-274

 

Britain under the rule of the Gallic Emperors

AD287-296

 

Britain under the rule of Carausias and Allectus

AD296

 

Invasion of Britain by Constantius Chlorus

AD306

 

Constantine the Great elevated in Britain

AD312

 

Constantine’s defeat of Maxentius in the west

AD314

 

Constantine raises troops in Britain for war with the east

AD324

 

Constantine sole emperor, Constantinople founded

AD337

 

Death of Constantine

AD350

 

Magnentius proclaimed emperor in Britain

AD367

 

The Barbarian Conspiracy

AD378

 

Roman defeat by Visigoths at Adrianopolis

AD383

 

Magnus Maximus proclaimed emperor in Britain

AD407

 

Constantine III proclaimed emperor in Britain

AD409

 

British Revolution; formal end of Roman rule in Britain

AD418

 

Excommunication of Pelagius

Note on Measurements

1 Roman foot = 0.96 modern foot = 11.5 modern inches (292 mm)

1 Roman mile = 0.96 modern mile = 1686 modern yards (1.54 km)

Oraculum Nectovelinium

(The Prophecy of Nectovelin, 4BC)

Aulaeum temporum te involvat, puer, at libertas habes:

Cano ad tibi de memoriam atque posteritam,

Omni gentum et omni deorum, imperatori tres erunt.

Nomabitur vir Germanicus cum oculum hyalum;

Scandabit equos enormes quam domuum dentate quasi gladio.

Tremefacabit caelum, erit filius Romulum potens

Atque graeculus parvus erit. Nascitur deus iuvenus.

Ruabit Roma cervixis islae in laqueui cautei.

Emergabit in Brigantio, exaltabitur in Romae.

Pudor! comprecabit deum servi, sed ispe apparebit deum.

Ecclesiam marmori moribundi fiet complexus imperii.

Reminisce! Habemus has verita et sunt manifesta:

Indico: omnis humanitas factus aequus sunt,

Rebus civicum dati sunt ab architecto magno,

Et sunt vita et libertas et venatus felicitae.

O puer! involvaris in aulaeum temporum, fere!

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