Harry Sidebottom - Fire and Sword

HarperCollins Publishers

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

www.harpercollins.co.uk

Published by HarperCollins Publishers 2016

Copyright © Harry Sidebottom 2016

Maps © John Gilkes 2016

Jacket design Claire Ward, © HarperCollins Publishers Ltd 2016 Jacket photographs © Stephen Mulcahey /Arcangel Images (army, sword); Shutterstock.com(all other images)

Harry Sidebottom asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

While some of the events and characters are based on historical incidents and figures, this novel is entirely a work of fiction.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books

Source ISBN 9780007499922

Ebook Edition © MAY 2016 ISBN: 9780007499946

Version: 2017-01-19

To Richard Marshall

An empty pageant; a stage play; flocks of sheep, herds of cattle; a tussle of spearmen; a bone flung among a pack of curs; a crumb tossed into a pond of fish; ants, loaded and labouring; mice, scampering and scared; puppets jerking on their strings – that is life.

MARCUS AURELIUS, M EDITATIONS VII.3

Table of Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Epigraph

Maps

Cast of Main Characters

Prologue: Africa

Part I: Italy

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Part II: Italy

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Sword, Part III: The Provinces

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Part IV: Italy

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Part V: Rome

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Part VI: The Provinces

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Part VII: Ravenna and Aquileia

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Part VIII: Aquileia and Rome

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Part IX: The Provinces

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Part X: Rome

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Epilogue

Historical Afterword

Thanks

Fire & Sword Glossary

About the Author

Also by Harry Sidebottom

About the Publisher

Pupienus: Prefect of the City

Pupienus Maximus: His elder son

Pupienus Africanus: His younger son

Balbinus: A patrician of dissolute ways

Gallicanus: A Senator of Cynic views

Maecenas: His intimate friend

Tranquillina: Ambitious wife of Timesitheus

Maecia Faustina: Daughter of the late Emperor Gordian the Elder, and sister of the late Emperor Gordian the Younger

Marcus Junius Balbus: Her young son

Caenis: A prostitute in the Subura

The Die-cutter: Her neighbour and client, a workman in the Mint

Menophilus: A Senator of Stoic persuasion, co-commander of the defence

Crispinus: Another Senator with a philosophical demeanour, the other commander of the town

Maximinus Thrax: The Emperor

Caecilia Paulina: His deceased wife

Verus Maximus: His son and heir

Apsines of Gadara: Secretary to Maximinus

Flavius Vopiscus: A general

Anullinus: Praetorian Prefect

Volo: Commander of the frumentarii

Julius Capitolinus: Equestrian commander of the 2nd Legion Parthica

Dernhelm: A young barbarian hostage, beginning to be called Ballista

Timesitheus: Equestrian official, a prisoner on his way to Maximinus

Honoratus: Senatorial governor of Moesia Inferior on the Danube

Iunia Fadilla: Wife of Verus Maximus, on the run

Priscus: Equestrian governor of Mesopotamia

Philip: His brother

Catius Clemens: Governor of Cappadocia, long-term supporter of Maximinus

Ardashir: Sassanid King of Kings

Africa

The City of Carthage, Eight Days before the Kalends of April, AD238

‘Lay down your arms!’

As he spoke, Capelianus turned in the saddle, took in the enemy. On both flanks their levies were running, back under the aqueduct, pelting through the tombs towards the illusory safety of the walls of Carthage. His own auxiliaries, all discipline gone, were chasing them, hacking at their defenceless backs. Here in the centre, half of their regulars had put down their standards and weapons, and stretched out empty hands in supplication. Only a thousand still stood against him; the Urban Cohort, and the young men formed into the sham Praetorian Guard of the two usurpers. Win them over, disarm them, and victory was complete. Africa would be won back for Maximinus, the revolt of the Gordiani crushed. Not a battle, but a massacre.

‘Lay down your arms, fellow-soldiers. Your fight is done and over.’

Frightened eyes stared at him over the wall of shields a few paces ahead. They were outnumbered two to one. These locally raised Praetorians were not real soldiers. There was no sign of the younger Gordian.