Wallace Breem - Eagle in the Snow - A Novel of General Maximus and Rome's Last Stand

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.

DIS MANIBUS

P GAIO MAXIMO FILIO CLAUDII ARELATIS

PRAEFECTUS I COH TUNG LEG XX VAL VIC

DUX MOGUNTIACENSIS COMES GALLIARUM

ANN LVII CCCCX ET Q VERONIO PRAEFECTUS

ALAE PETRIAE PRAEFECTUS II COH ASTUR

MAGISTER EQUITUM GERMANIAE SUPER ANN

LVI CECIDIT BELLO RHENO CCCCVII

SATURNINUS AMICUS FECIT

LIST OF PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS

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

HISTORICAL EVENTS

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.

PRINCIPAL PLACE NAMES

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

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

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.

COMES GALLIARUM—Comes (Count) was an honorary title often conferred upon senior military and civil officers. In some instances the title carried special duties.

COUNT OF THE SAXON SHORE—(Comes Littoris Saxonici) the general commanding the defences of the south-east coast of Britain.

CURATOR—a civilian official who fulfilled the functions of a mayor.

CURIAL CLASS—the provincial class from which municipal and local government officers were selected.

DECURION—a junior officer in an auxiliary cavalry unit commanding a troop.