Hosker, G [Sword of Cartimandua 11] Roman Treachery (35 page)

BOOK: Hosker, G [Sword of Cartimandua 11] Roman Treachery

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Had any of them looked into her green and evil eyes they would have shuddered but Flavia only showed the rest what she wanted them to see. Her heart and her mind were her own and revenge was writ large. She would return and deal with those who had taken her family from her.

The End

Historical Background

Aulus Nepos was the Governor of Britannia for a short time and it was his decision to enlarge Hadrian’s original ideas. That proved expensive and his tenure was a mere three years. He was responsible for Housesteads and the other forts on the wall as well as those built north of the wall. The period of the wall building was, probably, the most violent period on the frontier. The Brigante kept rebelling for a number of years and the Selgovae and the Votadini were never totally subjugated. The Selgovae, Votadini and Brigante kept on revolting right up until the reign of Antoninus Pius who built the Antonine Wall to, finally, control those troublesome tribes. It never quite worked out and eventually Hadrian’s Wall became the northern frontier, the Antonine Wall was abandoned and the Brigante, finally accepted Roman rule.

The Dacians were stationed at Bewcastle north of the wall and the Syrian archers did arrive at about the time the novel was set. South Shields became Arbeia or Arab Town, when the Hamians and the river boatmen from the Euphrates and Tigris arrived in the province making the north east quite a cosmopolitan place. The majority of the auxiliaries sent to Britannia ended up either on the Welsh or Scottish frontiers and the legions who were stationed in the province occupied large fortresses some way from the actual fighting. In that way they could be rushed to defeat any force which found a way through the overworked auxiliaries.

The building of the two walls was the last work of the legions in Britannia and the defence of the wall was left to the auxiliaries who were sent to the northern frontier to guard it. The wall itself was built largely as described. Where there was plenty of local stone, in the east and the middle then it was made of stone. In the west it was made of turf which is why the best sections to explore are in the centre of the wall.

Marcus’ Horse will return in another chapter of life in Northern Britannia during the second century but not for a while. I have other projects which are calling me.

Griff Hosker February 2013

People and places in the book.

Fictitious characters and places are in
italics
.

Name	Description
Ambrinus	Gallic Prefect
Aneurin	Recruit
Appius Serjanus	Governor’s aide
Aulus Platorius Nepos	Governor of Britannia
Briac	Brigante warrior
Capsarius(pl) capsarii	Medical orderly
Cilurnum	Chesters (on Hadrian’s Wall)
Claudius Culpinus	Senior centurion vexillation of the 6th
Coriosopitum	Corbridge
Felix	Brigante Scout
Flavia Nepos	Wife of the Governor
Gaius Culpinus	Tungrian Prefect
Iucher	Votadini warrior
Julius Demetrius	Legate
Julius Longinus	Ala Clerk
Livius	Chosen Man
Livius Lucullus Sallustius	Prefect Marcus’ Horse
Lucia Scaura	Flavia’s companion
Lucius Garbo	First Spear XXth Valeria
Macro	Marcus’ son
mansio	State inn for travellers
mansionarius	The official in charge of a mansio
Marcus Gaius Aurelius	Decurion Marcus’ Horse.
Nemesis	Roman Fate
Pons Aelius	Newcastle
Quaestor	Roman official or tax collector
Quintus Licinius Brocchus	First Spear 6th Legion
Randal	Selgovae warrior
Scaeva	Brigante spy
Scanlan	Recruit
sesquiplicarius	Corporal
Sextus	Marcus’ chosen man, later a decurion
signifier	The soldier who carries the standard
Titus Plauca	Camp Prefect Eboracum
tonsor	Roman barber
Trierarch	Captain of a Roman warship
Vercovicium	Housesteads (Hadrian’s Wall)
Via Claudia	Watling Street (A5)
Via Hades	Road to Hell (A1)
Via Nero	Dere Street (Al)-Eboracum North
Vibia Dives	Flavia’s companion
Vibius Gemellus	Recruit
Vicus (pl)vici	Roman settlement close to a fort