S. Turney: Conspiracy of Eagles

“I’ve almost had enough of this Fronto.”

“And so have I.”

Fronto stepped forward and leaned on the table, his face only two feet from the general’s.

“Your man abducted and held my sister and you have the temerity to give him a mild ticking off? And your two new pet tribunes, who you may not see around as much in the future, spend the better part of a year carving their way through some of the best men in your army, and all you can muster is mild disappointment.”

He straightened again.

“I’ve had enough of the politics, the uncertainty and the infighting. I’ve had enough of bringing war to ever more distant peoples simply to gain you a little political advantage over Pompey and Crassus. I’ve had enough of my family living in danger because of my allegiance to you. In short, Caesar, I hereby sever all ties to the Julii. I no longer consider you my patron and you can cross me off your client list. You can keep your campaigns and you’re welcome to them. Good luck in your future endeavours.”

Without even a nod, Fronto turned his back on the general and strode from the room. He felt the presence of the two centurions at his shoulders as he strode away and, though he was aware of the general demanding he turn round, he felt lighter and freer with every step towards the street. By the time he stepped from Caesar’s door into the crisp, late autumn blue of the Subura he felt happier than he had in years.

“Well I think that calls for a drink. Are you too coming to share a wine with a former colleague?”

Fabius laughed. “I don’t know about ‘former’ yet. We’re signed away by Priscus until after Saturnalia now. And after a winter in your company I’m not convinced of our fitness for service in the legions again.”

Fronto gave a slightly manufactured laugh. While he could treat such comments lightly, Fabius must be thinking hard in truth about his fitness for command now, given the impairment of his missing eye. Such a thing had been known in centurions, but it would make everything a tiny bit more difficult.

He sighed and felt the happiness flood through him..

“Have either of you two ever sampled the delights of beautiful Puteoli?”

Full Glossary of Terms

Amphora(pl. Amphorae): A large pottery storage container, generally used for wine or olive oil.

Aquilifer: a specialised standard bearer that carried a legion’s eagle standard.

Buccina: A curved horn-like musical instrument used primarily by the military for relaying signals, along with the cornu.

Capsarius: Legionary soldiers trained as combat medics, whose job was to patch men up in the field until they could reach a hospital.

Contubernium(pl. Contubernia): the smallest division of unit in the Roman legion, numbering eight men who shared a tent.

Cornu: A G-shaped horn-like musical instrument used primarily by the military for relaying signals, along with the buccina. A trumpeter was called a cornicen.

Curia: the meeting place of the senate in the forum of Rome.

Cursus Honorum: The ladder of political and military positions a noble Roman is expected to ascend.

Decurion: 1) The civil council of a Roman town. 2) Lesser cavalry officer, serving under a cavalry prefect, with command of 32 men.

Dolabra: entrenching tool, carried by a legionary, which served as a shovel, pick and axe combined.

Duplicarius: A soldier on double the basic pay.

Equestrian: The often wealthier, though less noble mercantile class, known as knights.

Gladius: the Roman army’s standard short, stabbing sword, originally based on a Spanish sword design.

Immunes: Soldiers excused from routine legionary duties as they possessed specialised skills which qualified them for other duties.

Labrum: Large dish on a pedestal filled with fresh water in the hot room of a bath house.

Legatus: Commander of a Roman legion

Mare Nostrum: Latin name for the Mediterranean Sea (literally ‘Our Sea’)

Optio: A legionary centurion’s second in command.

Pilum: the army’s standard javelin, with a wooden stock and a long, heavy lead point.

Praetor: a title granted to the commander of an army. cf the Praetorian Cohort.

Praetorian Cohort: personal bodyguard of a General.

Primus Pilus: The chief centurion of a legion. Essentially the second in command of a legion.

Pugio: the standard broad bladed dagger of the Roman military.

Scorpion, Ballista amp; Onager: Siege engines. The Scorpion was a large crossbow on a stand, the Ballista a giant missile throwing crossbow, and the Onager a stone hurling catapult.

Signifer: A century’s standard bearer, also responsible for dealing with pay, burial club and much of a unit’s bureaucracy.

Subura: a lower-class area of ancient Rome, close to the forum, that was home to the red-light district’.

Testudo: Lit- Tortoise. Military formation in which a century of men closes up in a rectangle and creates four walls and a roof for the unit with their shields.

Triclinium: The dining room of a roman house or villa

Trierarch: Commander of a Trireme or other Roman military ship.

Turma: A small detachment of a cavalry ala consisting of 32 men led by a decurion.

Vexillum(Pl. Vexilli): The standard or flag of a legion.

Vineae: moveable wattle and leather wheeled shelters that covered siege works and attacking soldiers from enemy fire.