“You know Metellus and this is Nanna, the woman he loves and he wishes to marry.”
Nanna blushed and Metellus punched Marcus’ arm. “I take it back what I said. How could you…”
In answer Nanna put her arm around him and, kissing Marcus on the cheek said, “Thank you again Decurion. Once again you have saved me just in time.”
“You are welcome and these, mother, are orphans from Stanwyck. We knew not what to do with them and…”
Like a mother hen with her chicks Ailis folded the five into her arms. “Come with me we have more than enough room for such as you.”
Decius looked at Metellus. “Congratulations and where will you live?”
Metellus looked at the ground and Nanna said defiantly, “I have money I will buy somewhere.”
Marcus interjected. “Decius I told Metellus that his wife needed to be close to protection. Is there no building we could give,“ Nanna snorted and Marcus went on hurriedly, “which they could buy?”
Decius grinned, “I have better. Sergeant Cato left me his horse farm when he died. I am spending too long travelling each week to supervise the men. If Nanna would live there and manage it for me then I would be grateful.”
“A horse farm! Then all my prayers to the Mother have been answered, I have my man and I have my dream.” She impulsively kissed Decius. “Thank you I will take the farm.”
They walked through the gates and as they did so a hawk screeched and plunged behind the trees. They all looked up, Marcus nodded and murmured, “Macro approves.”
******
The Emperor Hadrian stepped ashore at Eboracum. The garrison had turned out on the jetty and Governor Falco was there ready to receive him. The keen eyed Praetorians glared at the hangers on and idlers watching from the wharfs. This was a momentous occasion, the first time since Claudius that an Emperor had set foot in Britannia and the first time ever that one had visited the frontier.
“Ah Pompeius. How goes the limes? And has the trouble been dealt with?”
“The rebels are punished. You will see their crosses as we head north. Their lands have been confiscated and sold; the profits have funded another cohort of auxiliaries. The Irish raiders have been destroyed and the captives returned.”
“Excellent. You have done well.”
The modest governor shook his head, “The Legate and the ala have done well but the barbarians north of the frontier have now risen. They do not like the idea of us building a frontier defence.”
“Then the sooner I get north, the sooner my wall will be built. Come Pompeius I am anxious to see where Rome will build its final frontier.”
The End
Author’s Note
Si an Bhru is a World heritage Site on the Boyne. Built before the Pyramids of Giza and the Greek and Roman wonders, its origins are definitely pre-history. There are the remains of the dead there and it has had many functions during its long life. It suited my purposes to involve the Mother cult. Most of Ireland or Hibernia as it was known to the Romans is also shrouded in mystery. Tacitus talks of Agricola going to Ireland but there is no archaeological evidence for this. There is no extant writing and the Roman writers just write of legends and myths. Again this suits a writer of fiction.
Although the wall is credited with being started by Hadrian during his visit of 122 A.D. there is evidence that the turf element was already being constructed as were some of the main forts along its length before that date. There were many attacks from across the sea during Hadrian’s reign and this may be why he secured both ends of his wall at defensible sea forts. The wall itself was built over a six year period by vexillations from three legions. The legions built their own camps but were defended, whilst they worked by the auxiliaries. The wall was, indeed, started in the east, close to Corbridge. In the east, up to the River Irthing it was ten feet wide and, in places twelve feet high, faced with stone. West of the Irthing it was made of turf and only eight feet wide. I visit the wall as often as possible to give the novel as much realism as I can. I have had to speculate in many areas as rivers have changed courses over time and, in some cases, become less navigable. There are quarries near Morbium as well as close to the wall but I assumed that, to start things off, they would have brought in stone rather than quarrying new quarries. There is much archaeological evidence of temporary camps north of the wall and these are the ones I have ascribed to the ala. It made sense to me that they would have kept a screen of soldiers between the builders and those trying to stop them building.
The mixing of blood with a blade was a Celtic custom. Some smiths were reputed to have put some of their own blood into the steel to make it more powerful. The idea that Macro might become some kind of spirit until he had atoned for a misdeed goes all the way back to the Egyptians and was very common in the pan-Celtic tradition. Putting one’s enemies head on a spear was a practice familiar to every army other than the Roman army. The Huns, Scythians and Pannonians would have ridden with felled foes’ skulls on their saddles.
The series will continue, if for no other reason than I want to know what happens to these hardy warriors and I am enjoying discovering more about these great builders. Caronwyn and her like will ally with Faolan and Gaius Brutus to continue to cause mayhem. I will be travelling over to Hardknott Pass in the Lakes to visit the fort they built there to control the road to Ravenglass; as for the rest of the story line- that is in the hands of my characters for it is they who determine where my novels end up- not me!
Griff Hosker September 2012
People and places in the book
Fictitious characters and places are in italics.
Name
Description
Ailis
Gaius' wife
Alavna
Ardoch in Perthshire
Angus
Votadini bodyguard
Antoninus Brutus
Brigante chief
Appius Sabinus
Quartermaster of the ala
aureus (plural aurei)
A gold coin worth 25 denarii
bairns
children
Bodotria Fluvium
Forth River
breeks
Brigante trousers
Bremenium
High Rochester Northumberland
Brocavum
Brougham
Brynna
daughter of Morwenna
Burdach
King of the Dumnonii
Capreae
Capri
capsarius
medical orderly
Caronwyn
daughter of Morwenna
Cassius
Decurion Princeps
Castra Vetera
Fortress of the 1st Germanica in Germany
Catuvolcus
Gallic Decurion
Clota Fluvium
River Clyde
Coriosopitum (Corio)
Corbridge
corvus
beak- a ramp which was lowered from a Roman ship
Danum
Doncaster
Decius Lucullus Sallustius
Brother of Livius Sallustius
Decius Macro Culleo
Decurion
Derventio
Malton
Deva
Chester
Din Eidyn
Edinburgh
dominus
The master of a house
Drusus Graccus
Decurion
Dumnonnii
Dunum Fluvius
River Tees
Eboracum
York
Eilwen
daughter of Morwenna
First Spear
The senior centurion in any unit
frumentarii
Roman Secret Service
Furax
Street urchin
Gaius Brutus
Son of Antoninus
Gaius Metellus Aurel
ius
Decurion
Gaius Saturninus
Regular Roman Decurion
Glanibanta
Ambleside
Gnaeus Turpius
Camp Prefect Corio
Gnaeus Vedius
Criminal in Mamucium
groma
surveying equipment
Gwynfor
One of Morwenna's chiefs
Habitancum
Risingham Northumberland
Hadrian
Roman Emperor
Hen Waliau
Caernarfon
Hercules
Captain of The Swan
Idwal
One of Morwenna's chiefs
Itunocelum
Ravenglass
Julius Demetrius
Senator
Julius Longinus
ala clerk
Keltoi
Irish tribes
liburnian
small Roman ship, normally a bireme
limes
Roman frontier defences
Livius Lucullus Sallustius
Prefect of the ala
Lucius
A deserter
Luguvalium
Carlisle
Lupanar
The red light district
Maban
Morwenna's acolyte
Macro
Son of Macro and weapon trainer
Mamucium
Manchester
Manavia
Isle of Man
Marcus Gaius Aurelius
Decurion
Marius Arvina
Camp Prefect Morbium.
Mediobogdum
Hardknott Fort
Metellus
Explorate
Mona
Anglesey
Moray
Selgovae Chieftain
Morbium
Piercebridge
Morwenna
Fainch's daughter
Neapolis
Naples
Octavius Saturninus
Camp Prefect Eboracum
oppidum
hill fort
Parcae
Roman Fates
Petroc
Votadini warrior
phalerae
Roman award for bravery
Pompeia Plotina
The wife of Trajan
Porta Decumana
The rear gate of a fort or camp
Portus Santonum
An old port south of La Rochelle
promagistrate
Local official in charge of a vicus
pugeo
Roman soldier’s dagger
Quintus Licinius Brocchus
Centurion Vexillation of the 6th
Quintus Pompeius Falco
Governor of Britannia
Quintus Arreius Verecundo
Captain of the Hercules
Radha
Queen of the Votadini
Rufius
Decurion
Sceanbh
High priestess at Si an Bhru
Scipius Porcius
Prefect at Eboracum
Selinus
The place in Cilicia where Trajan died
Setantii
The tribe living near Fleetwood.
Seteia Fluvius
River Mersey
Si an Bhru
Sacred Iron age site in Eastern Ireland
Sicera
Cider
Surrentum
Sorrento
Taus
River Solway
Tava
River Tay
Tearlach
Hibernian chief
The Fist
Former cavalryman and mercenary
Tinea
River Tyne
Tole
Son of the King of the Selgovae
Traprain Law
Capital of the Votadini
uncia
Roman inch
Vedra
River Wear
Vibius Hostilius
Centurion Second Gallic Cohort
vicus (plural-vici)
the settlement outside a fort
Vindomora
Ebchester, County Durham
Vindonnus
Celtic god of hunting
Vinovia
Binchester, County Durham
Viroconium
Wroxeter
Wyddfa
Snowdon
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Table of Contents
Copyright
Map of Northern Britannia in 122 A.D.
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Epilogue
Author’s Note
People and places in the book
Other books by Griff Hosker