Ben Kane - Clouds of War

There had been little chance for conversation as they had hurried from house to alley, and alley to house, avoiding all open spaces. Despite this, Quintus and Aurelia had bent their heads together at every opportunity. They were at it now. Hanno was glad, for time was short and they would have much to tell each other. For his part, it was beyond strange to see Quintus again. It was also a relief to find that there was no hatred in his heart for his former friend. In other times, they would have remained friends, Hanno knew.

A wave of noise from behind them — frantic voices, the ring of weapons — announced an escalation in the struggle for the rest of Syracuse. ‘We had best not linger,’ said Hanno to Aurelia. ‘Once that gate shuts, it won’t be opening for a while.’

She nodded.

Quintus looked stricken. ‘You’re certain about going?’

It was Aurelia’s turn to be sad. Publius died because I came here, she thought. ‘Yes, brother. My destiny is with Hanno, come what may.’

‘Very well.’ Quintus pulled her into a fierce embrace. ‘I doubt that we will meet again in this life,’ he said, releasing her.

‘I hope that you are wrong. One day, when this is over, we shall see each other once more.’

‘Let it be so. The gods keep you safe, sister.’

‘And you, brother.’

Hanno found Quintus’ gaze upon him. ‘Look after her.’

‘You know I will.’

‘Even after so long, I do.’ Quintus took a deep breath and then held out his hand.

After the slightest hesitation, Hanno accepted the grip. They shook. ‘My thanks for stepping in. I’m in your debt.’

Quintus inclined his head in recognition. ‘Protect Aurelia, and I’ll consider us even.’

‘Very well. Stay alive if you can.’

‘You do the same.’

There was time for one last embrace between Quintus and Aurelia, and they parted.

Aurelia looked back several times as they walked away, but Hanno didn’t. When she muttered a prayer for Elira, he felt a trace of guilt and added his own. It had been the right decision not to search for her, however. They had only reached safety because of Quintus. Relief filled him as they approached the gate into Achradina. The walls were lined with hundreds of soldiers. The batteries of catapults were manned and ready. Despite the disaster that had befallen much of the city, this part wasn’t going to be taken today. He felt sure of it. Nor was the struggle for Syracuse over. Himilco’s army would arrive any day, and the tables could be turned on the Romans. Soon he would be able to send Hannibal news to that effect.

Until then, he and Aurelia were alive. So too was Quintus.

That last piece of information warmed Hanno’s heart.

The sadness in the pit of Quintus’ stomach swelled as Aurelia and Hanno were lost to sight. It was tempered with relief that his sister was safe.

‘You all right?’ asked Urceus.

‘I’m fine.’

‘Are you sure? It’s fucking mad to find your sister in the middle of this insanity, let alone with a Carthaginian whom you know.’

‘You’re not wrong. If you weren’t here, I’d think it was all a dream.’

‘Or a nightmare.’ Urceus shook his head. ‘I still can’t believe you stuck one of our lads.’

Quintus dragged his eyes from the gate into Achradina. ‘I had to, Jug. Otherwise it would have been the fustuarium for us both.’

‘Not if you’d killed him — your sister’s companion. Hanno.’

Quintus felt some guilt for his actions — but only a little. ‘Hanno used to be a friend of mine, and I’d never seen the damn legionary before in my life. You would have done the same.’

‘Maybe I would.’ Urceus spat. ‘But I never want to have to make such a decision.’

‘Nor do I, again.’

‘Pera, now, he’s a different matter.’

Quintus’ grief at Corax’s death resurged, along with his hatred for Pera. ‘We’ll find the cocksucker, I know it.’

‘Aye. We will, and take the rest of Syracuse, in whichever order. I don’t care. And when the city falls, Sicily will follow suit, mark my words. Maybe then the Senate will let us go home.’

Quintus pulled a crooked smile. There was much to be thankful for. We — me and Urceus, he thought — did this. We were responsible for breaking the siege. The victory that had followed was an incredible one. More successes would follow in its wake. Eventually Rome would have to acknowledge the efforts of Marcellus’ legions. Corax’s murder and the shocking news from Aurelia about their mother had not yet really sunk in, but he had saved his sister from a terrible death. That had lifted his spirits from the depths, as did the fact she appeared to be happy. In these turbulent times, that meant a great deal.

He looked towards the high walls of Achradina. For the short term at least, they would protect his sister and his friend. His friend, thought Quintus again. For, like Urceus, that’s what Hanno was. He let out a long, slow breath.

The gods only knew what tomorrow would bring, but for today, all four of them were alive.

That was what counted.

Much of Syracuse fell to the Romans on that bloody day in 212 BC, including the entire Epipolae district. When the commander of the mighty Euryalus fort heard that the suburbs of Neapolis and Tyche had surrendered, he gave up his bastion without a blow being struck. This meant that all of the western city had been lost. While the areas of Achradina and Ortygia continued to hold out under the command of Epicydes, the respite Hanno and Aurelia had sought proved to be brief. The arrival of Hippocrates with Himilco and his army did not provide the much-hoped-for relief of the siege. Nor did the strengthening of the Carthaginian fleet in the Great Harbour. There was some inconsequential skirmishing, during which the Romans reinforced their positions in the city, and renewed their blockade of Achradina and Ortygia. Quintus, Urceus and their comrades took an active role in this, but Pera continued to elude them.

The autumn brought with it outbreaks of plague. Both sides suffered, within and without the city, but the Carthaginian camps’ situation on marshy land to the south, and their poor sanitation, ensured that they lost far more men. Among the tens of thousands who died were Himilco and Hippocrates. Despite this huge setback, the remaining Syracusan forces advanced once more on the city to try and break the Roman siege. They were encouraged by news of a large Carthaginian fleet off the southern coast. However, a violent storm and a robust response by Marcellus, who sailed to meet the enemy head-on, ensured that the reinforcements broke away from their course and made for the Italian city of Tarentum, which had recently fallen to Hannibal.

When the Syracusans heard of their abandonment by the Carthaginian fleet, they tried to seek terms from Marcellus. It wasn’t surprising that the Roman deserters within their ranks, of whom there were many, were unhappy with this development. A wave of tit-for-tat killings resulted, and the balance of power between those who wanted to continue fighting and those who wanted to surrender changed more than once. Increasingly dismayed by the levels of distrust and barbarity, Hanno prepared to flee with Aurelia.

Marcellus’ opportunity to seize complete control came after he’d made secret overtures to one of the commanders of Achradina, a disgruntled Iberian mercenary called Moericus. Soon after they’d come to an agreement, the Romans launched a simultaneous dawn attack on Ortygia and Achradina. Quintus and Urceus eagerly played their part in this. When Moericus and his soldiers joined the Romans as agreed, the remaining defenders on Ortygia were soon overrun. Wishing to preserve the riches of the royal treasury for himself, Marcellus had his troops withdraw from Ortygia for a time. This allowed the Roman deserters, and also Hanno and Aurelia, to escape. A terrible fate awaited the last defenders in Achradina. When they opened their gates, wishing only to surrender, Marcellus’ soldiers launched a savage assault on the suburb that left few people living. Famously, Archimedes was one of the casualties, slain by a legionary who interrupted him as he drew a geometric design in the dirt. Outraged, Marcellus executed or banished the culprit, and had Archimedes buried in his family tomb.