Wallace Breem: Eagle in the Snow

Maximus bent down and then straightened up, the sword resting in the crook of his arm. He raised his head and turned his eyes upwards to the sun. He said, “What is the end of it all? Smoke and ashes, a handful of bones, and a legend. Perhaps not even a legend.”

They watched him go through the broken gate, heard his feet, heavy on the flint strewn path. “He is going to his temple in the woods,” said the tall man. “Listen.”

There was a long silence, and then a deep voice cried, “Mithras!” and the cry echoed back across the hill. And after that the silence went on for ever.

Those marked with an asterisk are known to history.

Aelia — wife to P. G. Maximus

Agilio — post commander. Thirtieth Milestone.

*Alaric — Prince of the Visigoths

Aquila — Chief Centurion, 20th Legion

Artorius — Curator of Augusta Treverorum

Barbatio — Praefectus of auxiliaries at Moguntiacum

*Chariobaudes — C. in C. the Army of Gaul.

*Constans — son to Constantinus

*Constantinus — Chief of Staff at Eburacum; later self-styled emperor

Didius — squadron commander, 20th Legion

Fabianus — son to Saturninus

Flavius — garrison commander at Augusta Treverorum

Fredbal — a prisoner of war

Fredegar — sword-brother to Marcomir

*Fullofaudes — C. in C. the Army of Britain

Gaius — 2 i/c the Tungrian cohort

Gallus — tribune of the Rhenus fleet

*Goar — Prince of the Alans; cousin to Respendial

*Godigisel — King of the Siling Vandals

*Gunderic — King of the Asding Vandals

*Guntiarus — King of the Burgundians

Hermeric — King of the Marcomanni

*Honorius — Emperor of Rome

Julian — cousin to P. G. Maximus

Lucillius — senior tribune, 20th Legion

Marcomir — Prince of the Franks

Marius — a tribune of the 20th Legion

*Mauritius — Bishop of Augusta Treverorum

*Maximus (Magnus) — Chief of Staff to Theodosius in Britain; later self-styled emperor

Maximus (Paulinus Gaius) — a Roman soldier

Optatus (Julius) — Quartermaster, 20th Legion

*Placidia (Galla) — sister to Honorius

*Rando — King of the Alemanni

*Respendial — King of the Alans

*Saturninus — Chief Centurion, Tungrian cohort

Scudilio — commander of auxiliaries at Bingium

Septimus (Julianus) — retired Curator of Augusta Treverorum

Severus (Marcus) — a tribune of the 20th Legion

*Stilicho — Military Master of the Western Empire

Sunno — son to Rando; later King of the Alemanni

Talien — King of the Quadi

Veronius (Quintus) — a cavalry officer

Vitalius — adjutant of the Tungrian cohort

353 — Martinus, Vicarius of Britain, “killed” by Constantine II.

364 — Valentinian I, Emperor of the West. Picts, Scots, Attacotti and Saxons raiding Britain.

367 — Picts, Scots, Attacotti and Saxons, in conspiracy, overwhelm the Wall and over-run Britain.

Fullofaudes, Duke of Britain, and Nectaridus, Count of the Saxon Shore, slain.

368 — Count Theodosius, sent by Valentinian I, reconquers Britain and restores the Wall.

375 — Death of Valentinian I.

Valentinian II and Gratian, Emperors of the West.

378 — Battle of Adrianople.

379 — Reign of Theodosius I.

383 — Magnus Maximus, military commander, acclaimed emperor in Britain; conquers Spain and Gaul from Gratian who is killed.

388 — Magnus Maximus defeated by Theodosius I, and executed.

395 — Death of Theodosius I.

Honorius, aged 11, Emperor of the West: Stilicho, the Vandal, appointed his guardian.

? — Stilicho improves the defences of Britain and withdraws some troops.

403 — Alaric, the Goth, invades Italy.

406 — Stilicho defeats Radagaisus who invades Italy.

Constantinus proclaimed emperor in Britain.

Coalition of Marcomanni, Quadi, Asding and Siling Vandals, cross the Rhine at Mainz and over-run Gaul.

407 — Alemanni sack Worms and annexe the right bank of the Rhine.

Constantinus, with his son Constans, crosses to Gaul with the last remaining troops in Britain, and establishes himself at Arles.

408 — Stilicho murdered at instigation of Honorius.

410 — Rome sacked by Alaric: Honorius bids the Britons look to themselves.

411 — Constans and Constantinus killed by Honorius’ troops.

Anderida

Aquae Mattiacae

Arelate

Augusta Treverorum

Bingium

Belgica

Borbetomagus

Borcovicum

Boudobrigo

Caledonia

Colonia

Confluentes

Corinium

Corstopitum

Danubius

Deva

Dubris

Eburacum

Germania Superior

Gesoriacum

Hibernia

Hispania

Illyricum

Isca Silurium

Lemanis

Londinium

Lugdunum

Mauretania

Mediolanum

Moenus

Moguntiacum

Mona

Mosella

Nava

Padus

Pevensey

Wiesbaden (Germany)

Arles (France)

Trier (Germany)

Bingen (Germany)

Belgium, N. France and a part of W. Germany Worms (Germany)

Housesteads

Boppard (Germany)

Highland Scotland

Cologne (Germany)

Koblenz (Germany)

Cirencester

Corbridge

River Danube

Chester

Dover

York

Upper Germany: a province on the west bank of the Rhine

Boulogne (France)

Ireland

Spain

Illyria (Yugoslavia)

Caerleon

Lympne

London

Lyons (France)

North Africa, from Morocco to Algeria

Milan (Italy)

River Main (Germany)

Mainz (Germany)

Anglesey

River Mosel (Germany)

River Nahe (Germany)

River Po (Italy)

Pannonia

Petriana

Ratae

Remi

Rhenus

Rutupiae

Richborough

Salisio

Segontium

Taunus

Ticinium

Vetera

Vindolanda

Vindonissa

Viroconium

Hungary and N.E. Yugoslavia

Stanwix

Leicester

Rheims (France)

River Rhine (Germany)

Salzig (Germany)

Caernarvon

range of hills and forests east of the Rhine

Pavia (Italy)

near Xanten (Germany)

Chesterholm

Windisch (Switzerland)

Wroxeter

ALA—a cavalry regiment, orginally 500 to 1,000 men, divided into 16 or 24 squadrons respectively.

AQUILIFER—the officer carrying the Eagle, the sacred insignia of the legion.

AUXILIARIES—originally provincial troops formed into cavalry regiments (alae) or infantry regiments (cohorts) 500 to 1,000 strong; later troops of the frontier army.

BALLISTA—a type of artillery for throwing heavy missiles. These varied in size and performance. The smaller ones were often called scorpions or onagers.

CARROBALLISTA—a type of mobile field artillery which fired 9 to 12 inch bolts with iron heads.

CENTURION—usually the officer commanding a century; a rank for which there is no modern equivalent.

CENTURY—the smallest unit (100 men) of the legion which originally contained 60 centuries.

COHORT—originally a tactical unit of the legion comprising six centuries; also an auxiliary regiment.