caldrail

Probably, though I admit I haven't heard of this one before. The defensive and consolidation strategies of hadrian have led some people to think that the empire was effectively being turned into a fort. Thats wrong in my view. Walls were used to control traffic across a border, although the defensive qualities might also prove useful. They were security barriers rather than elongated castles, and some scholars regard hadrians wall as 'over the top' for precisely that reason. However, bear in mind the visual impact of a whitewashed defensive work of that size. It suggested power, it said Rome was the other side and staying put. Hadrians wall travelled from coast to coast because the length is short enough to complete that task and provide full coverage against scots who wanted to supply rebellious english with weapons for instance. In other places a complete wall wasn't considered necessary. We see this phenomenon in africa, where there are isolated sections of wall to control the comings and goings of nomads. Given the peaceful strategies of hadrian it was also necessary to keep troops busy, and what better than major engineering projects like border fortifications?

No, it wasn't. Mithraism was a popular religion for soldiers at this time and christianity always suffered from behing ostensibly against violence, something the romans were known for. In fact, one man refused service with the legions because of his christian beliefs and was treated harshly. I'd need to look that up but I'm sure that wasn't the only instance. There was a strong pacifiist movement in early christianity that didn't sit well with military service.

thats roman six feet, about 5'9" in our measurement.

Some setbacks were. The emperor Valerian attempted to negotiate with the persians, got captured, and was enslaved for the rest of his life, then stuffed and put on display after he died. In terms of territory, under Shapur I the persians occupied Syria, yet during the same period prior to the Palmyrene Revolt there were instances of roman armies conquering as far as the Euphrates, reaching the shores of the Caspian Sea under Trajan, although these territorial gains (on both sides) were short-lived.

Roman plumbing was quite advanced. Bronze fittings of standard sizes were used to connect lead pipes. Regarding the burying of pipes under the floor, it must be remembered that wealthy people were quite willing to pay for another mosaic if need be. Mosiac artists were skilled and used prefabricated patterns, so it wouldn't take as long as you might expect - very important for an artist seeking clients who don't want their homes disrupted for months.

Here I must beg you to differ for armies after Marius were still disbanded after they had served their purpose, the roman state could not afford to keep armies on permanent basis until the time of Augustus. The only unit of that period I might consider as professional ( that is, in my view, constituted of men whose bisness all year long is war and only war ) is that famous unit called the Valerians made of soldiers raised during the civil war who then served under Lucullus and later under Pompeius Magnus. But even those had periods during which they were not under arms or command, discharged by the state. Earlier we also see professional or near professional units ( like that centurion of the first half of the second century BC whose story is told by Livius ). But the professional army will only come when Augustus raise Caesar's soldiers and use them and deploy them in the provinces. So we're arguing the level of professionalism really. Augustus introduced a regimental system that made individual legions lasting entities with traditions, but even he disbanded some thirty legions at the start of his reign. Disbandments does not imply a lack of professionalism - thats merely economics and relative security level. Modern professional armies get regiments disbanded often enough don't they? Professional status in military matters is the result of paid vocation - that its a way of life rather than simply following the drum in emergencies or being a military retainer of some dignitary. Thats what Marius introduced, and although many of the legions of his time didn't last, that does not preclude professional status. Nor does the matter of booty. This was used shamelessly as a 'carrot' for troops on campaign but not in peacetime. Whilst reprehensible, it does not preclude professional status either. These men were paid according to a fixed rate and schedule for a length of time agreed by contract. How professional do you need to be?

The romans used recruitment details to find recruits around the province. If you wanted to join up, you simply approached the centurion or one of his crew, and they gave you a basic interview. If you were the right size and your family wasn't from a trade the romans considered a little pansy, then you were considered. The romans preferred aggressive, artisan, or labouring backgrounds. A medical examination was next. If you were reasonably fit and healthy then you were in. The recruits gathered were given a few coins for their expenses, escorted by a few regular troops (who may well try to con the recruit out of his money), and marched off to the legionary base where the training began. Slaves and criminals were not acceptable, although petty thieves no doubt got through the vetting process. Letters of recommendation were useful. Higher status people would be assigned as tribunes or senior officers, but everyone else went in at private soldier level. A fit, vigorous, healthy background and some sign you have the guts to actually do it. There was no cost to joining as such, although you may have to travel to find a recruiting team. If you want a cost breakdown of roman recruits in training, I don't have one, and to be honest, I haven't seen one either. Plebs join as private soldiers. Senatorial class didn't usually join up as such, they were often invited or assigned. The equites changed as time went by. During the course of the empire they were given better starting positions. At the legionary base. You trained with heavy wooden swords and wicker shields, against each other or a palus (upright log). Troops were expected to conduct an overnight route march of at least twenty modern miles every week including camp building. Drilled at least once per day, fatigues assigned pretty much like a modern army. Those who couldn't hack it were sent home (and probably humiliated too although I don't have any direct reference for that). Troops would learn to clean their kit which was given to them by the state and paid for by stoppages in their pay, which they received three times a year at a special parade. They would be expected to run for long distances in armour, with a possibility of learning to ride, to swim, to use artillery, and for those with desirable artisan skills, a chance to get some easy duties if you couldn't afford to bribe the centurion. Thats different. Troops of that period were levied, not recruited as later. The men sent to find soldiers would scour the area for some likely lads and drag them off to serve for the campaign. Training wasn't so organised or thorough although essentially similar.

Yes, after a service of 25 years the soldiers at the auxiliaries and navy would receive a Roman citizenship, which was highly sought after. It was also a steady job, and for an out-of-work soldier (albeit a foreign one) the prospect of long term military service was attractive to the warrior mentality.

In the marketplace of Gabes, the hot african sun was shaded by the multitude of awnings spread over the wares on offer to the argumentative buyers. This was not a great commercial center, so understandably the market was modest and its wares equally so. All the more reason that a gaulish woman attracted attention. She reclined on staw bales, securely tied. A few passers-by noted her beauty, and although she bore obvious signs of harsh treatment, the owner refused to consider offers. "Hekaimon! My old friend. What are you hiding from the sun back there?" Hekaimon sighed at the approach of Sulinos, a greek merchant, who swatted aside flies and strangers with equal distaste. His corpulent belly had not gotten smaller, a sure sign he had profitted since their last meet. "Sulinos... Your appetite has not abated then?" The fat greek chuckled, clutching his belly instinctively. "Well... Its paid for, isn't it? Enough jollity. The woman..." "Not for sale Greek. Get your slaves elsewhere." "No no no, my friend, where there is beauty, there is wealth to be had, and I have taken a shine to your possession. May I take a closer look?" Hekaimon sighed and shook his head, a gesture that the stubborn Sulinos ignored. He leaned closer to the gaulish woman who promptly kicked his shin. Sulinos yelled in suprise more than pain, and was further shocked when the woman tried to bite him. He withdrew, staring at the pair in alarm. "Feisty little vixen isn't she?" Hekaimon laughed, " Used to be consort to a roman general so I gather, at least until she tried to kill him! I told you she wasn't for sale. This woman goes to Lepcis Magna on the next caravan. I have done a deal with a lanista there." Sulinos wasn't amused, neither at the threat of physical harm nor the lost opportunity of a trade. "Oh? Well... Perhaps the woman is troublesome and not worthy of my attention.... But forgive my curiosity. To which general did she belong?" "Ralla. Marcus... ahh, what was his name?..." Now Sulinos laughed again. "Ralla? The very same Ralla I used to cheat in Ostia? Ha! The man has no wits whatsoever." "Perhaps. But I hear he rises to greatness in Syria. He has married royalty, and many say he is another Marc Antony. Then again.... Look over there... No, past the butcher stall.... There! You see those soldiers? Notice the black shields." "I don't recognise the symbol." Hekaimon lowered his voice. "The scorpion. Symbol of Romanus Darkus. His men are everywhere in Numidia these days. Tribes in the desert have begun flocking to his standard. Mauretania and Cyrenaica will not be free for long. Soon Africa will be his. Sulinos... We haven't always been friends, but... Watch yourself. People vanish and houses burn very quickly these days." Sulinos grimaced, acknowledged the advice, then waddled away with a quiet farewell.

As an addition tio some of the points raised before, I refer to A Guide book to Arthurian Britain by Geoffery Ashe. Ambrosius Aurelianus (according to legend) is the uncle of Arthur and the brother of Uther Pendragon. Arthur is associated with battles fought in scotland and the north of england, yet its only the west of england that maintains traditions of his birthplace. Its also intersting that Plutarch relates a tale about britain, whereby a benign british god had been banished to a western island where he sleeps until he returns. After the christian domination of the british isles, this legend, now effectively forbidden to pagans, was transferred to Arthur instead thus we have the tale of the king who will one day return.

Just to add my own two sestercii... Simply for that reason. The roman forces need to be trained in roman methods and so forth - it all takes time and money. On the other hand, there are barbarians across the border with all the skills you need. So pay them, offer them citizenship for loyalty and long service, and hey presto, instant units. It was risky. Arminius, Tacfarinas, Spartacus, for instance, were all trained in roman warfare and used that knowledge to good effect against Rome. But then, roman units were not noted for their loyalty anyway. many rebelled or mutineed. One famous legion, the XII Fulminata, served with Zenobia's army in the Palmyrene Revolt of the third century. Then they have no-one to trade with, no-one to watch their borders for them, no-one to ally with or apply political pressure, and no ready source of extra troops.

From The Roman War Machine by John Derrie. There is continuing debate about the manner in which these weapons were deployed. According to Vegetius there were ten onagers to each legion, a scale of one per cohort, and one carroballistae per century, but it is militarily difficult to believe that they could have been usefully handled individually in this manner; the distribution provided by Vegetius may perhaps simply represent a legionary scale of entitlement. The principles of of concentration of force and firepower would by themselves have demanded that weapons of this category be 'brigaded' (used together - Caldrail)... Again, in the set-piece battle, as we have seen above (discussing Caesar, Vespasian, & Arrian - Caldrail) , it was frequently mustered with the reserves, to the rear of a mass of infantry, or deployed to protect the flanks. Thus, in each phase of roman war, in columns of march, in defence, in set-piece battle, in siege warfare, and in the assault, artillery weapons were grouped for operations, an entirely logical arrangement, since it is not easy to judge that a solitary carroballistae could have offered much benefit to the century

The impression I got from Tacitus's account is that one was recovered early on, the remaining two were located by the defeated Cherusci and recovered from where they had been buried. Its interesting that there's a difference in the account.

"So, Lucius, what of Macers command?" The tribune looked up from his paperwork and grimaced. "He raises cohorts of Crupellarii. Other than that, we know little." Venetius Felix raised his eyebrows. "So he wants to hide his men behind armour does he? Foolishness. They'll be tired long before our men, and less able to run away. More sport for the auxillaries then?" The tribune chuckled. "Well. lets ensure to fight on a rainy day. With luck his troops will slip and struggle to rise. We know how deal with fallen men! You know, Tribune, I believe Macer has made an expensive mistake. It doesn't matter. I have the warrant for his arrest. Send a dozen good men and bring him in." "At once Legate..." ------======######======------ Zabbia Mahaballath was in an amorous mood. The cool night air had refreshed her and so too, she hoped, her new husband. He was a strange one this roman. "Marcus..." She whispered, then pulled herself across. Her weight pressed upon his left shoulder - He woke with a start, groaned sharply, and pushed her away. Ralla fell back upon the bed for a moment, then he reached for her arm and held it in something approaching apology. "Your shoulder? It still hurts?" "Yes, it does... More than you know." "Ahh" She nodded, "Some wounds hurt long after the pain has gone. I shall cure your pain Marcus, you will see, but you must forget the wife you left behind. I shall do my duty for Syria as you must do for Rome. Why make it a chore?" Ralla sat upright and held her face. "Zabbia... The world is turning to war again. I have set myself upon a path and cannot turn back. I am swept along by forces stronger than my will to fight. I..." She pressed her finger over his lips to silence him. "Marcus, do not be so foolish. We are all in the hands of gods who bend us to their will. Or dark men brought back from exile by chaldaean sorcerors... What? You think I don't know? What sort of princess would I be if I played the silly girl?... Tomorrow we travel to the Wells of Afqa. There we shall speak with tribal elders and raise the army you need..." She leaned back and laughed out loud. "Marcus you are so ignorant! The Priests of Baal foretold that the Dark One would walk among us and rattle the Wolf's cage. And also that the wolf's cub would be mine to keep. Why else do you think I agreed to this marriage? My father was killed by Marc Antony - I have no love of Rome. Our destiny awaits my little wounded cub. If you treat me well - I will tell you more. No... Rest. We have a long way to go..." She waited for Ralla to fall asleep before she slipped from the bed and went to the window. The city of Antioch was quiet before the dawn. Zabbia knew peace was slipping away so she stayed by the window and waited for the sunrise.

Columbus blew the whistle. Whilst many ship crews may have sighted land in that region (or even landed) they hadn't told anyone for fear the secret would get out and some valuable resource lost to someone else. Cross-ocean trade was difficult then, and a possible source of great wealth - not the sort of thing to be shared. Columbus was after status as much as wealth, and chose to go public. He wanted a monopoly from the crown and the fame of finding the route to the east indies, the orient. As I mentioned, it seems even from the standard yarn that he was already aware of the existence of the landmass we know as the americas, that was the whole point of staging the expedition.

Sextius Flaccus laughed out loud at the antics of the comic gymnast, leading the applause and offering the man a donkey, so that he might not stumble on his way home. His friends appluded the jest. Livilla Piscatoria leaned over and plucked a grape from the bunch in Sextius's hands. He looked at her with a sly grin, she remained aloof. Ahh, the night was yet young... There was a rumour that Macer was gathering troops, but Setxtius remained unconcerned. His warrant for Macers arrest was already in the hands of the spanish legate, and very soon Macer would be joining his predecessor for a very special contest in the arena... Sextius gave way to temptation, dropped the grapes, and lolled over the couch with an unprotesting Livilla Piscatoria while her meek and mild husband gritted his teeth in the far corner...

The war with Germania is described in The Annals of Imperial Rome by Tacitus. The story is too detailed to reproduce here, but it amounted to a revenge campaign by Germanicus for the Varian Disaster and the loss of three legions at the hands of Arminius. However, on reading the tale there are some interesting aspects of roman warfare in the wilderness. The ability of roman legions to mount military campaigns is almost legendary, and their reputation as invincible soldiers survives to this day. We know of course that they weren't, and this is highlighted by the ambush of the 17th, 18th, and 19th legions in the Teutoberg Forest. The terrain of Germania in those days is somewhat different than the farmland we see today. This was a temperate rainforest. Tacitus described Germania as 'fearful forest, and stinking bog'. Everything was against the Romans. The waterlogged ground was to soft for a firm stand and too slippery for movement. Besides, they wore heavy armour and could not throw their javelins standing in the water. The Cherusci on the other hand were used to fighting in marshes. They were big men too, whose thrusts with their great lances had considerable range. Annals of Imperial Rome - Tacitus Then Arminius ordered the germans to attack. At the head of a picked force, crying that here was another Varus and his army caught in the same trap again, he broke through the roman column. His chief target were the horses, which slipped in their own blood and the slimy bog, and threw their riders, scattering everyone in their way and trampling on those who had fallen. Annals of Imperial Rome - Tacitus At first Vitellius had an easy journey. The ground was dry or only slightly waterlogged. But then at the autumnal equinox, when the North Sea is always at its roughest, his column was harassed and confused by a northerly gale. The country was deluged. Sea, land, and shore all looked the same. There was no way to distinguish solid from treachorous ground, shallow water from deep. Men were knocked down by waves and dragged under. Pack animals, baggage, dead bodies floated about and struck each other. Units lost their identity. Men stood up to the chest or even the neck in water. Then they lost their footing, and were carried away or went under.". Annals of Imperial Rome - Tacitus At first glance then the Romans were out of their depth (literally) in such difficult terrain. Germanicus refused to accept this. Tacitus reports a speech he made to his men in which he points out that with suitable tactics even forest and rough ground can fought over by roman soldiers. Open ground is not the only battlefield suitable for a Roman. Woods, wooded hills, are good too, if he acts sensibly. The natives great shields and huge spears are not so manageable among tree-trunks and scrub as roman swords and javelins and tight fitting armour.. Annals of Imperial Rome - Tacitus Because the usual march and countermarch of continental warfare is difficult across such forbidding terrain, we see the romans evolving strategy to cope. In the spirit of revenge the romans target german sites ruthlessly, settlements or religious groves, commiting their occupants to the sword regardless of age or sex, but the domination of area was more important than discrete sites by the end of the campaign. At one point Germanicus orders three of his commanders to construct a fleet of ships to carry men fro m the coast upriver into the interior of Germania. Tacitus reports a thousand vessels were constructed (Officers were sent to Gaul to raise funds for these) of various designs. Some flat bottomed, others double ended for manoeverability. This was amphibious warfare in its infancy, yet it seems a wasted opportunity because the troops disembarked short of their destinations and resorted to bridge-building. Since the romans were unwilling to leave such bridges undefeded, this slowed the roman movement. Since the lack of roads meant that travel had to be made by circuitous routes or by watercourses, speed of movement was a vital consideration. The ability of the german tribes to ambush and fight in these bogs and forests was not lost on the romans after the Varian Disaster. With resilience and no shortage of stubbornness, Germanicus defeated the tribes long enough to recover the three legionary standards captured from Varus.

Be careful. Was the macedonian army simply paid for a campaign? The roman army after Marius was a permanent institution with units consigned to barracks when not campaigning.

Careful Augustus.. I sense a little hubris. Your arguement should carry weight, not your own description of your status and qualification. Plenty of people with letters after their name have made fools of themselves simply because they assumed they were right and could not be questioned. Actually I think your knowledge of astronomy is good.. But that doesn't mean you're right. However, since you've wiped the floor with my statement, dunked me in the bucket and cleaned off the dirt, I step back from the floor, sit down, and lick my wounds...

The republican armies didn't organise their troops by status, they did so according to experience. Hastatii in front were the least experienced and therefore the most expendable. The Principes were experienced and second. The triarii were the veterans and bolstered the line by being placed behind, where they were also conserved unitl the last moment. Those soldiers who did achieve elite status were given recognition by other means. Cronae (medals) for instance, or were grouped into a smaller category of those considered the best, but the organisation of the republican armies did not reflect this status.

Suetonius lists Julius Caesar as the first emperor. He does so deliberately, and for reasons I agree with. In the republic, there were checks and balances to ensure that no one man could dominate as an autocrat. Power was short, temporary, and by consent. What Julius Caesar did was not only to become Dictator (and thus autocrat by consent for up to six months), but dictator for ten years. This was a new precedent, but that didn't satisify Caesars lust for power and soon afterward he became dictator for life. That meant he was a permanent autocrat. The senators no longer had any route to power over Rome, because Caesar was in charge and wasn't going to move. It also smacked of royalty, something abhorrent to roman thought, at least for senior romans anyway. There was that incident at the lupercalia where marc antony attempts at least twice to crown julius caesar as king, and caesar steadfastly and publicly refused. A publicity stunt aimed at putting down rumours of Caesar becoming a new roman king. Did it work? Nope. As dictator for life, Caesar had all the power of emperor as we understand it. As previously mentioned, the romans did not use the term emperor. That is a modern corruption of the roman word Imperator, meaning military leader, a title conferred on a leader, not assumed by him. Was Julius Caesar the first Emperor? Yes, in real terms he had assumed that status by another name. In strict terms however he had been given a different title even though his power and status were essentially the same.

Yet on the plateau south of where I live, near the site of Wroughton Airfield, is where saxons fought the locals for control of the area. The remains, including saxon weapons, have been found. The hill-fort on the hill south of that was taken by the saxon leader (Bera) and used as a burial ground. A monk of the time writes that the saxons are 'a race hateful to god'. They did not mount a military blitzkrieg. What they did was colonise britain, especially after rising sea levels inundated their coastal settlements on the continent. They had become adept at using ships, and were commiting raids and acts of piracy in the english channel. We know they attacked the ex-roman settlement at Pevennsey and razed it. Once the saxons realised they could beat the brits they started expanding. It wasn't a short campaign of occupation. It was a slow intermittent take-over by people who wanted land for farming, or rather they wanted the land owned by the locals, and were preapred to take it by force. The vikings behaved in a similar way to saxon tribes except with a stronger emphasis on raids, and way back in the 300's BC the gauls had gone through a similar expansion albeit on land. This was a cultural expansion, by force if necessary. The result is clearly visible on the maps of britain as Pertinax points out, with saxon-derived place names everywhere.

Religion. It makes people do all sorts of daft things. No, the night was as dark as it is now more or less. But visibilty was usually better - weather and volcanic activity permitting, so the stars were more visible etc. A similar purpose, just like every other stone circle in britain and europe. The culture of the megalith builders is a curious one. Although a unsophisticated society they went to great lengths to create these monuments. Its pointless arguing that tribesmen just out of caves wouldn't waste time building them - they did - and we have the proof. Also, survival as a community is easier than survival as an individual. Think about it. On your own you have to do everything yourself, and much is wasted. As a community, tasks are shared, less is wasted, and more free time is available. You're going to have to accept that these people wasted time erecting a giant stone circle so they could tell the seasons, because no-one else could have. Their religious life was very important to them. Humans often build massive structures for religious purposes. Look at the vast medieval cathedrals for instance. Is that any less pointless? Ermm... no. The river flows past, not around, it doesn't flow particularly close, nor are there any signs of watercourses dug to employ the river defensively. Sorry, but stonehenge is almost indefensible. No evidence. Thats an opinion, but not good history and definitely not based on archaeology. Correct. They weren't. They are known to have competed for territory back then and that inevitably involves violence. Because they occaisionally fought tribal wars doesn't mean they couldn't feel close to nature or observe rituals. Didn't the native americans have a similar outlook on life? Ok, stick around and get murdered. The whole point of a hill-fort was a place to retreat to when times got tough. Most neolithic people lived in the surrounding area. They were also communal centers for gatherings etc, so they weren't just used for military defense. Thats because your theory isn't supported by the evidence. Stonehenge was not a military structure. Its design is not intended for protection, nor does the surrounding terrain show any sign of military work.

Describing Stonehenge as an astronomical observatory is laughable. These people were not studying the stars as we might today. It was a religious facility, whose rituals were intended to take place at certain times of the year and therefore it was necessary to mark these days. Human beings are good observers (even if their conclusions are sometimes odd) and they were well aware of the cycles of sky and season. All four events, solstice or equinox, were important. If there was any emphasis on one or the other we'll never know, but this druidic tradition survives from these times.

"Senators!" The powerful voice of Assinius Nepos cut across the general hub-bub of conversation. The talking died away with an occaisional cough as the assembled senate politely waited for Nepos to continue. "I think we all know why this session has been convened!" An eruption of agreement rose from the wealthiest and most powerful men in Rome. Assinius Nepos pointed with a scroll toward Augustus Caesar, who sat uncomfortably in the hostile atmosphere. "This man once came before us and told us he did want to rule as dictator. How we all begged him to remain in power. The threat of brutish Antony and shameless Cleopatra had been averted. The civil wars were finally at an end, and we could now look for someone to rule Rome in peace. I confess, like yourselves, my voice was raised in assent. Now - I raise my voice to condemn him!" Angry voices called from the Senate. Who called for or against? Rash men were at the forefront, others weighed the matter in their minds. "Senators! Some of us have had our children taken. Kidnapped! Houses broken into during the night, or pedagogues beaten and left unconcious.Where are the peacekeepers, the protectors, that Augustus gave us? The Vigiles? The Urban Cohorts? Praetorians? Has it escaped your notice, Senators, that many of these men are spending money liberally and sleeping off their purchases in whorehouses? Has it escaped your notice, Senators, that Augustus Caesar does nothing?" Assinius glared angrily toward Augustus with many voicing agreement. "This is intolerable! While our children disappear before our eyes, so do our provinces! Narbonensis! Numidia! Sicily, Sardinia, and Syria! All these no longer pay roman taxes, nor do they look to Caesar for leadership. While this man, Augustus Caesar, plays the conquering hero in Gaul a rebellion has broken out!" The Senate erupted in condemnation. They began clapping in unison. Assinius raised his hand to call for silence, and in command of the floor, turned to face Augustus. "This man thought he could buy off his generals with parades. We all witnessed Macer strutting across our floor like a stuffed peacock. Who has he conquered?... Senators, I put it to you that a tribe of gauls were deliberately slaughtered to take our attentions away from the collapse of the roman world. This man, Augustus Caesar, tries to fool us into thinking our lands and property are safe! And how we know they are not!... Yet one of Caesars generals saw things for what they were. Marcus Laronius Ralla, a mere haberdasher by trade. Such a humble man - who now works hard to protect Rome, refused the empty honour of a triumph. He chose to retain his legions. I have been told that he tries to secure Syria, while... this man... looks the other way. Yet Ralla does not assume the mantle of ruler. No. He has chosen to follow another, exiled for so long, exiled so unjustly, who has put aside his own grievances and works to save Rome from disaster. I speak of none other than Romanus Darkus...." Assinius noted the shocked hush that held everyone spellbound. "Senators... I speak of none other... than Imperator Caesar Romanus Darkus, Restitutor Orbis and Pater Maximus! Let us rally behind the man who fights for Rome, and throw aside the man whose mask has fallen!" Many in the Senate rose in approval and cheered. A few glowered from their seat, some left the Senate as discreetly as they could manage. Assinius stood with folded arms awaiting the exit of Augustus...