Robert Fabbri - Tribune of Rome

‘A pleasant surprise, sir, I have much to tell you.’

‘All in good time. I will first tell you what brings me to this arsehole of the Empire.’ Asinius drained his cup and refilled it from a jug on a low table next to him. ‘Poppaeus’ much-exaggerated report of victory over the rebel tribes prompted the Senate to vote him triumphal honours. A little prematurely, it would seem, seeing as I hear that he is only now receiving the surrender of a small portion of the rebels who are still defying Rome up in their stronghold. Nonetheless, it has been done. The Emperor was only too pleased to confirm the honours, on condition that Poppaeus returns to Rome immediately for the investiture. I believe that Tiberius is anxious, as always, to part a successful general from his victorious army and get him back to Rome where he can keep an eye on him. Pomponius Labeo will take command in his stead.

‘I was due to leave Rome for my province Bithynia – I had hoped for Syria but an ally of Sejanus unsurprisingly received that particular goldmine. The Senate requested that I make a small detour and bring the good general the happy news of his award in person. They felt that an ex-Consul bringing the news would flatter his ego as well as taking the sting out of his recall.’ Asinius took another slug from his cup and then, remembering that his guest was without one, gestured to Vespasian to help himself.

‘In normal circumstances,’ he continued, ‘I would have wriggled out of such an onerous task, but your brother Sabinus brought something very interesting to my attention. Two months ago men bearing an imperial warrant took three chests from the mint. Between them they contained fifty thousand denarii. The warrant stated that the money was to be used to pay the legions here in Thracia. Not very unusual in itself. However, Sabinus noticed from the records that it was the second such payment in as many months. He was suspicious, so he cross-checked the amount of denarii minted that month with the amount of silver bullion in the treasury. Your brother has an eye for book-keeping, it would seem; whoever taught him should be proud.’

Vespasian smiled, thinking of the long hours that he’d spent forcing his unwilling brother to master the basics of accountancy; his efforts had evidently not been in vain.

‘Something amuses you?’

‘No, Asinius; please carry on.’

‘When Sabinus checked the bullion he found that there were exactly fifty thousand denarii too much, but the treasury’s accounts balanced and there were no records to prove that the chests had been taken. In other words it was as if that money had never existed; perfect for secretly financing a rebellion. I thought therefore that bringing the Senate’s message to Poppaeus would provide me with the opportunity to trace those non-existent chests.’

Asinius paused and refilled his cup.

‘Someone must have replaced the silver,’ Vespasian surmised.

‘Indeed, but who has access to that amount? Sejanus is not yet wealthy enough to give that much away.’

Vespasian thought for a moment. ‘Of course, Poppaeus!’ he almost shouted. ‘Paetus mentioned that Poppaeus’ family have made fortunes from silver mines in Hispania. He must have used his own silver to finance that chest.’

‘Poppaeus is Sejanus’ agent?’ Asinius exclaimed, unable to believe what he was hearing.

Vespasian then related everything that had happened since he and Magnus had arrived in Thracia, and all that Queen Tryphaena and Corbulo had told him.

‘How can I have been so stupid?’ Asinius mumbled as Vespasian finished. ‘It all makes sense now. Sejanus and Poppaeus have managed to create a crisis that cannot be traced back to them. Poppaeus will claim that he sent the recruiting officers to Thracia because he needed more troops to defend the Moesia’s northern border, and was therefore acting in the best interests of the Empire. There is no written or material evidence that links either of them to the money used to bribe the chiefs into rebelling. There is no money missing from the treasury. Poppaeus has acted quickly to contain the rebellion, while meanwhile Sejanus’ agents bribe other tribes into revolt, threatening our land route to the eastern provinces. Poppaeus comes out of it as a hero and Sejanus has what he needs, another distraction from his manoeuvring in Rome, and for what price? Free silver dug out of the mountains of Hispania. Brilliant.’

‘But why did they go to the trouble of converting that silver into coinage? Why not just use raw silver?’

‘I don’t know. Perhaps they judged that coinage would be harder to trace than bars of silver. There are, after all, very few families with access to silver mines.’

From outside came the sound of troops marching back into the camp and being dismissed.

‘There is one person who could link both of them to the money.’

‘I know, Rhoteces the priest, but how could we find him? And even if we could we’d have to get him to Rome to testify before the Senate, and then it would be the word of a barbarian against those of the Praetorian prefect and a governor.’

‘He’s here.’

‘Rhoteces here? Why?’

‘He’s been acting as Poppaeus’ intermediary with the rebels.’

Asinius laughed. ‘That priest’s duplicity knows no bounds – first he gets them to rebel, then he persuades them to surrender. What can he be hoping to gain?’

‘It makes no sense to me either.’

‘I think we should talk to the slippery little shit. Perhaps he can tell us the whereabouts of the other chests. I’m sure you and Magnus could manage to bring him here without too much trouble. Meanwhile I’m going to let Poppaeus know that I’ve arrived and wait to see what he does. How he chooses to see me, whether in private or officially, will say a lot about how secure he feels.’

Vespasian found Magnus waiting outside, amidst the hubbub of the cohorts returning to their billets. The legionaries’ brightly polished iron armour and helmets reflected the flickering flames of the torches that had been lit along the Via Principalis and the Via Praetoria. The men’s mood was upbeat, having just witnessed the surrender of a quarter of their enemies. The ensuing battle, should it come, would be so much the easier.

‘And so Asinius wants us to bring Rhoteces to him for questioning,’ Vespasian informed his friend, having brought him up to date.

Magnus grinned. ‘That will be a pleasure, and I look forward to slitting his throat after.’

‘Who said anything about killing him just yet? He might prove to be useful.’

‘Stands to reason, though, don’t it? If Asinius leaves him alive, he’ll go blabbing to Poppaeus that he knows about the chests, and then Poppaeus will have to kill Asinius to protect himself.’

‘You’re right. Still, it’s no bad thing, I suppose. But first we’ve got to find him.’

‘That’s easy, I saw him come back with Poppaeus; they’re in the praetorium. But he ain’t going to be easy to grab, he seems to have got himself a bodyguard of four of the Thracians who surrendered today. We’ll need a bit of help.’

‘Whom can we trust?’

‘Corbulo’s a possibility, but he may feel that he has more to gain by staying loyal to Poppaeus than throwing his lot in with Asinius. Gallus we don’t know well enough, so that leaves Faustus. I’m sure that if you told him that his general was happy to see him killed then he’ll come along, and bring some trustworthy lads with him.’

‘Let’s hope you’re right. You stay here and keep an eye out for that priest.’

A short while later Vespasian rejoined Magnus, with Faustus and two hard-looking legionaries from the first cohort.

‘He hasn’t come out yet, sir,’ Magnus whispered. ‘Evening, Faustus, come for a bit of revenge?’