Season of the Gladiatrix Read online

  THE SEASON OF THE GLADIATRIX

  David Adkins

  © David Adkins 2015

  David Adkins has asserted his rights under the Copyright, Design and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work.

  First published 2015 by Endeavour Press Ltd.

  Table of Contents

  Rome – Autumn AD87

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Brindisi – Autumn AD87

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Ephesus – Winter AD87

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Byzantium – Winter AD87

  Chapter 11

  Philippopolis – Winter AD87/88 and Spring AD88

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Petrila – Summer AD88

  Chapter 15

  Singidunum – Summer AD88

  Chapter 16

  Rome – Summer AD88

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Aqueem Tuticum – Autumn AD88

  Chapter 27

  Tibur – Winter AD88/Spring AD89

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Surrentum – Spring AD89

  Chapter 30

  Tibur – Spring AD89

  Chapter 31

  Rome – Autumn AD87

  Chapter 1

  I ducked furtively behind a tree when I saw her talking to the guards at the large iron entrance gate. I had found myself waiting for her yet again and then watching her, as I had on her last few visits to the palace. I had just observed her each time as she crossed the grounds and gardens of the Emperor’s grand residence but I had never spoken to her. How could I, for she was the Emperor’s concubine and I was a mere member of the Emperor’s Praetorian Guard. She was the great gladiatrix, Corelia, and much to my pleasure she was a regular visitor to the palace but, much to my dismay, she was also a regular visitor to Domitian’s bed. I tried to persuade myself that it was infatuation and that I could not possibly be in love with her. I had never even spoken to her. Her beauty, however, had captivated me and unfortunately I was increasingly intrigued by a woman who was most definitely beyond my reach. Each time I told myself that this would be the last time I would spy on her but, when I knew her arrival was imminent, I was drawn like a moth to a flame.

  This time to my horror she stopped halfway across the grounds and changed direction. She was now heading straight towards me. I stepped out from the cover of the tree, for she had obviously seen me, and tried to look official though my nerves were jangling; I knew that if she reported me then I could be in serious trouble.

  “Is there something I can do for you?” she inquired with a smirk on her pretty face.

  I hesitated. “No, mistress, I was just patrolling the grounds.”

  “And you were doing that from behind a tree? And do not call me mistress, my name is Corelia.”

  “I know your name,” I responded.

  “Then I am at a disadvantage,” she smiled, and it was such a delightful smile I suddenly felt more at ease.

  “I am Hylas, a member of the Praetorian Guard.”

  “So you are a warrior then, Hylas.”

  “Hardly,” I replied. “But you are a warrioress.”

  “Have you seen me fight in the arena?”

  “No, I have not had that pleasure.”

  “Then you must. We should chat again, Hylas, but unfortunately I am not only a warrioress but also the Emperor’s playmate, and it is not wise to keep him waiting – one never knows what mood he might be in. Until next time, farewell, Hylas.”

  “Farewell, Corelia,” I replied.

  I watched as she walked away to her assignation with our mad Emperor. She had spoken to me and she had said we must speak again. I really could not believe it. I felt exalted and breathless.

  *

  A voice from behind startled me. “I am not sure it is wise to be speaking with the fair Corelia out in the open like that. Domitian may see you and he is very possessive when it comes to his gladiatrix. By all accounts he is prone to irrational fits of jealousy.”

  I turned around to face Macro, my immediate superior, and tried to gather myself in order to give nothing away. “She spoke to me, so I could hardly ignore her.”

  Macro shrugged. “Paulinus wants to see you. Follow me.”

  I followed him into the palace through a small, inconspicuous door some distance from the main entrance and then down a poorly lit corridor until we reached the office of Paulinus, the head of the Praetorian Guard. He was sitting at his desk working and indicated that I should take a seat opposite him. Macro sat down as well and we waited for Paulinus to give us his attention. Eventually he looked up from the manuscript he had been studying and seemed to scrutinize me before speaking. “Hylas, how are you getting on?” he asked.

  “I am doing fine – at least I hope so,” I answered nervously.

  “Indeed you are – Macro here speaks highly of you and Macro, I can tell you, is miserly with his praise. I therefore considered that promotion might be a fitting reward for your fine efforts.”

  “Thank you, sir,”

  “Do not thank me yet, Hylas. You are an intelligent young man and capable of more than just mundane guard work. With that in mind I have a proposal for you that is more important than mere promotion.”

  “May I ask what it is?” I was getting very curious.

  “Not yet. Are you aware of what is happening tomorrow in our great city?”

  “It is the final day of the trial of the traitors who conspired against the Emperor. It will take place in the forum and the senatorial judges will reach a decision.”

  “What do you think the verdict will be, Hylas?”

  “Guilty – I know they are guilty, as do the senate and the people of Rome.”

  Paulinus sighed. “It is not as simple as that. Marcus Gracchus, the co-leader of the conspiracy, is one of the richest men in Rome. He is also my enemy and if he walks free tomorrow then I am in grave danger.”

  “But he is guilty. I was at his villa.”

  “Indeed you were, Hylas, as was Macro and as was I. However, we were outside the villa and did not see what took place inside.”

  I started to protest but Paulinus put up his hand for silence.

  “Gracchus’s money has bought him the services of the best lawyer in Rome, Marcus Cocceius Nerva. That great lawyer has had the upper hand these past few days while the trial has been taking place in the law courts. Tomorrow the trial transfers to the outside, in the forum, so the final day becomes a spectacle for the whole Roman populace. Nerva expects to win in front of his adoring fans. My advocate, Pedius, is good but he is not as good as Nerva. They may be guilty but the verdict is very much in doubt.”

  “What about the Emperor? Surely Domitian must want to be rid of those senators who conspired against him. Surely he must want them found guilty. Can he not use his influence?”

  “A good point, Hylas, but unfortunately I am afraid our Emperor has other things on his mind, such as a certain gladiatrix and questions as to what will be the next innovation at his famous games. He is also happy to sit on the fence. He does not want to upset me because I protect him from all the conspiracies his head dreams up. It is ironic that when there really is a conspiracy he is content to do nothing. Of course, it is also something to do with Marcus Gr
acchus. The Emperor has suddenly benefited from a sudden increase in funds to finance his schemes and it is not difficult to guess where this extra revenue has come from. The Gracchi are a very ancient aristocratic family and have great influence in the senate and with the other aristocrats. The Emperor is not prepared to alienate them.”

  “I see,” I muttered, shocked by this revelation from Paulinus. “Then where do I come into all this?” I inquired.

  “I want you to go to the trial tomorrow and listen carefully to all that Nerva and Pedius have to say. I want you to listen to the verdict and see how popular feeling reacts to it. I wish to know whether the people support me or Gracchus. I will be sitting next to Pedius throughout the proceedings.”

  “And then?” I asked.

  “And then you will report back to me the day after the trial and we shall speak again about your future, but, for now, you are dismissed.”

  I walked out of the office and returned to my duties but the words of Paulinus kept going around in my mind. What did he want of me?

  I did not sleep easy that night. I had a recurring nightmare that if Marcus Gracchus was found not guilty then Paulinus would want me to assassinate him. What other reason could he have for wishing me to attend the trial? I could not think of one.

  I got dressed, had a small breakfast and prepared myself mentally for a day in the forum at the biggest trial in the city for many years. I stepped out into the palace grounds and caught a glimpse of Corelia exiting through the large iron gate back into the city. She had only spent one night with the Emperor; I felt ridiculously relieved. I knew that on some occasions she spent several days and nights with him. I tried to pour disdain on my jealousy but this did not stop me increasing my pace to keep up with her. Why I was following her I did not know, for I knew that I had only one possible destination and that was the forum.

  Chapter 2

  I followed Corelia down the path leading from the palace to the Via Sacra. I carefully kept my distance while formulating in my mind what I would say when I caught up with her. I then harangued myself for my own stupidity – I was going to the forum and she was no doubt returning to the gladiatorial school. I sighed; I knew I must get Corelia out of my head and concentrate on what was about to take place in the forum. My fixation with her was so pointless and I knew that I must not let it get in the way of my work for Paulinus or I would find myself in trouble.

  To my surprise, when Corelia reached the Via Sacra she turned left towards the forum instead of right towards the Colosseo and the school. I realized that she must be going to the forum to watch the trial and I increased my pace to catch up with her. We could watch the trial together. Unfortunately the Via Sacra was filled with vast numbers of people, all intending to have a day out in the forum, and Corelia disappeared into the crowds. This was one of the biggest trials since the days of Cicero and the spectacle was drawing crowds in the sort of numbers you would expect to see at the games in the Colosseo. I searched for Corelia in vain, not really knowing why I was doing so and then, unable to see her, I continued to make my way through the throng and into the forum.

  It was not easy to find a vantage point close to the action where I could both see and hear the lawsuit but my guard’s uniform helped me in this exercise. I saw Paulinus and Macro sitting on a bench with the lawyer, Pedius, surrounded by some of our guardsmen. It would perhaps have been easier if I had gone with them but Paulinus had wished me to mingle with the crowds and gauge popular feeling. Opposite to them, also on benches, were the three senators being tried for treason, Marcus Gracchus, Canius Rebilus, and Tovanus Polla. Further back were seated the nineteen senators who would act as judges and give the verdict. The great lawyer Marcus Nerva had not yet made his entrance. I spotted the praetor Marcus Appius Bradua pacing up and down. He had the unenviable task of keeping order and passing final judgement. He then went into deep and impassioned conversation with Volusuis Saturninus, the tribune for the current year. They were surrounded by their own bodyguards who seemed poised for trouble and it was not difficult to imagine, in this tense atmosphere, that there could be public disorder. The Emperor, Domitian, was conspicuous by his absence. It seemed that because of the delay from forcing my way through the crowds and watching out for Corelia I had only just reached the forum in time to witness the beginning of the end of this historic trial. At last Marcus Nerva entered the scene draped in a spotless white toga with a wide purple band. Now the final day of the trial could begin.

  *

  Bradua stood up and held up his hand for silence, and slowly the noise of the vast crowd seemed to diminish and melt away.

  “We are gathered here in the forum today in the presence of our mighty gods and of our great ancestors to pass judgement on three eminent senators – Marcus Gracchus, Canius Rebilus, and Tovanus Polla, who are accused of the heinous crime of treason and plotting to assassinate our illustrious Emperor. In the past days the lawyers Marcus Nerva and Gaius Pedius have presented us with a wealth of evidence for our consideration. The noble senators who make up the judices have listened to and deliberated upon this evidence. Now the time has come for this evidence to be made public and for the judges to decide. I will now call on the two lawyers, Nerva and Pedius, to sum up in detail their respective arguments relating to the charge. Pedius will seek to prove the guilt of the senators while Nerva will seek to prove their innocence. After that each member of the judices will vote for either guilt or innocence and the majority will prevail. The people, the gods, and our ancestors will witness that truth prevails and justice is fairly administered. Now I call upon Gaius Pedius.” Bradua sat down and the tension in this huge public place was tangible.

  Pedius was on his feet. “Senators, two months ago a foul conspiracy was unearthed against our noble Emperor.”

  “The conspiracy is a figment of your imagination,” Nerva intervened contemptuously as he lounged in his seat.

  “You will get your chance, Marcus,” Bradua reminded him.

  “Now, if I may continue without interruption,” said Pedius, frowning. “A foul conspiracy was unearthed at the home of Marcus Gracchus, at his villa on the coast near Surrentum. How was it unearthed? you might ask me. Well, three of his senatorial colleagues were involved with Gracchus in the plot to overthrow our beloved Emperor. Two of these men sit here next to Gracchus, also on trial for their evil machinations. These two men are the senators Canius Rebilus and Tovanus Polla. However, there was a fourth conspirator who is not here – another eminent senator, Quintus Fuscus. I call these men eminent because we once considered them distinguished, but now, certainly, disreputable would be a far better word. Quintus Fuscus had a son, Solanus Fuscus, and that son had issues with his father. Issues that made them enemies, and two months ago Solanus decided to settle these issues. It is just as well for us and for our great city that he did.”

  He looked at the accused with disdain to emphasize his words. “Solanus Fuscus blundered into a conspiracy against our Emperor. Of course our ever vigilant Praetorian Guard already had grave suspicions concerning these four infamous plotters and so Paulinus, the head of the People’s Guards, followed Solanus to the villa of Marcus Gracchus. Solanus arrived first, forced his way into the villa and found the five of them discussing their abhorrent objectives. Did you notice that I said there were five of them? There was another man there, and it is the presence of this man that proves their guilt beyond question. The fifth conspirator was Antonius Sabinus, the legate to the governor of Asia, Civica Cerealis. Now, as you all know, neither the governor nor his second in command is permitted to leave their province without the permission of the Emperor or the Senate. Sabinus’s presence in the house of Gracchus was quite illegal and very secret. I put to you that only one possible motive could have drawn Sabinus away from his province – and that motive was treason. The four senators would dispose of our Emperor by assassination and the legions of Asia would be ready to back them and to threaten Rome itself.”

  There were gasps from th
e crowds that had flooded into the forum.

  Pedius continued. “However, Solanus Fuscus had interrupted their scheming and he had an old score to settle. In the melee that followed Quintus Fuscus was killed and his son escaped from the scene, but not before he had told Paulinus about what he had seen and what he had heard. The attendance of Antonius Sabinus was living proof that the words of Solanus were true, giving indisputable credence to the strong suspicions which Paulinus already harboured regarding these fanatical senators.”

  Tovanus Polla rose and violently waved his fist at Pedius. Nerva tried to pull him back on to his seat.

  “Sit down, senator,” Bradua ordered.

  Pedius smiled. “The villain waves his fist at the laws of our great city. Every senator knows and every citizen knows that these men are guilty as charged. The evidence is undeniable. Many senators have come forward in the last few days to say that they too had suspicions. Valerius Messala has given evidence which informs us of the lofty ambitions of Marcus Gracchus and Quintus Fuscus, the two undoubted leaders of the conspiracy. There can be no doubt that these three men are guilty. Let us consider the consequence of their actions.”

  “Mere suspicions – and now we have speculation on top of this fictitious story. Do we really have to hear this nonsense?” asked Nerva.

  “I repeat, your turn will come,” Bradua responded.

  Pedia continued. “We have enjoyed twenty years of peace and prosperity since the last great wars. These men would have brought all that to an end. They would have murdered our Emperor – but do you think it would have stopped there? Other senators who were not of their faction would have been disposed of. Paulinus, the head of the Praetorian Guard, would equally have had to meet an untimely end. What if the opposition after the death of the Emperor had proved not so easy to overcome? That is when the Asian legions would have been needed and the country plunged into civil war. The legions of Civica Cerealis would have marched on Rome. Civil war would have ensued and the great city of Rome, your city, would have been in dire danger and the people of Rome would have been in mortal peril, and why?”