Legio XVII: Roman Legion at War (17 page)

Manius closed his eyes and remembered.  He could see, hear, and smell the Legions as they approached the Carthaginian line.  The sun and dust were in their eyes – he’d forgotten that – the early “success” as the enemy was pushed back; the gradual loss of personal maneuver space as those on the left and right began to be squeezed into the center; he remembered how difficult it was just raising his shield to ward off spears; the pressure, the jostling back and forth; the feeling of being pinned and not able to move at all; then suddenly an open space to his front, pain in his leg, and then all was blank.  He realized that he had no memory of the blow to his head.  His next memory is of a searing, agonizing pain to his wounded thigh.  Lucani told him that that was probably when he removed the metal shaft and cauterized the wound.

As he looks around, he only had a very general idea of his specific location five years ago.  There are no landmarks, hills, trees or gullies, but the density of the bones gave him an idea where he may have stood.  As he selected a probably place, he realized that his bones, could just as easily be like these now spread out before him.  He was happy, very happy that he was alive; happy that he had Lucia and his children.  In time, he knew he would die, but that would wait.  He now had important things to accomplish before that day arrived.  The ride back to Rome passed mostly in silence, but Manius felt it was important to engage the young cavalry escort around the evening fire about what they had seen.  As expected, some of them saw without understanding while others surprised him with their perception and sensitivity.  These young men displayed insight and wisdom.  He noted their names.

Overall, Manius was pleased he had made the trip to Agnone and
Cannae
.  He was not sad; instead, he reflected on the joy of living and felt a renewed sense of purpose and perspective for his life.  He could not wait to share his observations with Lucia.

While the several Senatorial investigations of
Cannae
were proceeding, Manius began to sense a negative shift in the official sentiment towards the survivors.  Initially, the survivors were welcomed with open arms, but ever so slowly more and more critical comments were directed at them.  The blame for the disaster was now shifting from the two Consuls to the lower ranking survivors.  Negatives comments were muted at first and spoken in a whisper, but soon were spoken aloud and with conviction.

To Manius’ complete incredulity, the survivors were eventually formed up into two Legions and banished from Rome to Sicily.  The rational was simple: these men had failed Rome and,
ipso facto
, earned the opprobrium of defeat and need to be punished.  The Army also did not want them to negatively influence new recruits or cause them to question Army leadership.  Manius was never considered for exile because of his wounds and senior position in the army.  Besides, Levi was always there to speak favorable on his behalf should the need arise.

His report, which essentially identified poor Consular leadership on the battlefield as the principal cause of the Cannae tragedy, was rewritten, white washed, and forgotten.  The soldiers were blamed.  They had violated their oath to remain on the battlefield until death or victory.  Consul Varro even retained the confidence of the Senate and
Comitia Centuriata
and was awarded other commands.  No one who knew anything about
Cannae
believed the revised report, but agreed that it was the politic thing to do.  In time, Manius even had to incorporate new recruit training techniques to overcome Legionaire “shortcomings” displayed at
Cannae
.  Soldiers do what they are told and Manius was no different!

In 214, Consul Marcellus, who had earned the
Spolia Optima
at Clastidium in 222, was given the task to capture the coastal town of Syracuse in south east Sicily, which he did after a difficult two year siege.  Marcellus augmented his force by using the two Legions of banished
Cannae
survivors.  Despite their good showing at Syracuse, they were ordered to remain in exile in Sicily.  Unfortunately, when the city fell, the Greek mathematician and inventor Archimedes was killed by an unknown Roman soldier.

In 210 BC, Manius celebrated his 49th birthday and 32nd years of continuous Army service.  He was justly proud of his achievements particularly the last five years at
Campus
Martius
training new recruits.  But, it was getting a little too repetitious and predicable.  He would soon celebrate his 13
^th
wedding anniversary with Lucia.  That was still good and money was not a problem with his Tribune’s salary.  Decima had turned 15 and was strikingly beautiful.  He could expect suitors to come knocking soon.  Flavia and Titus were his joy.  He particularly liked to take Titus fishing in the Tiber and was always sure to compliment him on how well he fished!  Retirement had been softly beckoning for years.  These days, it was getting louder. “Next year,” he would say, “When I am 50.”

For several years, Manius had not felt particularly pleased or happy with the direction of his life.  He felt bored, trapped, frustrated, and even a little angry that his life was not more interesting, more exciting, or more fulfilling.  He knew he lacked a real purpose and a passion.  He wanted more.  He was dissatisfied.  He used to feel passionate about his job and the many mundane tasks of everyday living.  It gave him an outlet for his creativity, ambitions, and need for a greater purpose.  Now, it just felt stale.  He was constantly tempted to find his missing purpose and fun in things such as wine, sex, and gambling, but resisted their siren call.  He knew yielding could ruin him, his family, and jeopardize his job.  He also did not want to lose the peace, order, and stability that now framed his life.

Periodically, his mind would wander back to
Telamon
and one of the great regrets of his life.  He did not question the battle itself, but rather the subsequent expedition to punish the
Boii
.  He now knew his misgivings were correct.  It was a huge policy mistake to conduct that punitive raid on innocent women and children, but now, it was more than that.  What did it really accomplish?  He hated himself for not speaking up and telling the Consul his opinion.  But then he would rationalize that, back at
Telamon
, he was unsure of his position.  He really did not know what to think.  Today, things were clearer.  The love and gentleness of Lucia and the innocents of his precious children caused him to soften and see the world in a totally different light.  He would no longer look at
Boii
or
Insubres
women and children as enemies.  In fact, the cruelty and insensitivity he witnessed on a daily basis began to really bother him.  He valued life.  He needed a challenge at this stage in his career and, once again, fate was about to intervene.

A
fter Joseph completed his six months basic training and qualified as a Legionaire, he packed up his gear, crossed over the Tiber on the familiar
Pons Sublicus
[bridge on Wooden Piles] and walked towards the setting sun.  He quickly covered the mile and a half to the small community of Trastevere and the home of his father Levi.  Joseph was eager to begin the next phase of training that his father had planned for him.

Joseph was no stranger to Trastevere.  After all, he and his father were Jews and this is where the foreigners lived: Jews, Syrians, Egyptians, Greeks, all the non Latin’s were here.

He knew the community by heart from the families who earned their living on the river to the farmers farther inland, to the owners of the great estates nestled among the trees.  This was home and it was good to be out of basic training.  Above all, he craved his mother’s cooking.

As he walked, he recalled the five hour 20 mile marches in full armor, the mock sword fights against the never yielding wooden stakes, carrying the heavy 22 pound shield, and the one-on-one combat against his peers.  He particularly enjoyed throwing the light javelin and the heavier six foot
pilum
.  While some recruits could throw the
pilum
farther, only a few could beat him for accuracy.

He had one week to relax at home before reporting to the Tribune’s house, about a mile away, and planned to take full advantage of the time.  Besides eating more, he wanted to sit on the bank of the Tiber, just watching the activity on the river, and drinking more wine than he probably should.  He also could not wait to finds some friends to play his favorite board game
latrunculi
[chess].  But, above all, he wanted to show his father his new found toughness and skill with shield and
gladius
.

He enjoyed his time in basic training and even made good friends with two other recruits in his tent group of eight men:  Tertius, a farm boy, strong as an ox, honest to a fault, but not too bright and Accius a poor, quick witted city dweller always on the prowl for extra money, sex, and a chance to prove himself.  Joseph often wondered what they saw in him, but was happy that the three of them were tight friends.  His one regret was that he was different from the other recruits.  He worshipped only one god, was circumcised, and had dietary restrictions.  He was sorely tempted to renounce Judaism, but knew his father would be heart stricken.  His circumcision was his greatest visible shame.  He even tried to pull the skin over his penis, but that was painful and did not work anyway.  The other recruits noticed of course, but only Joseph was troubled by it.

The week flew by as all enjoyable things do.  He did most of the things he wanted and was most pleased that he got to impress his father with his muscular physique and accuracy with the javelin.  Even though Levi was extremely busy with affairs of State, particularly Rome’s seemingly endless struggle with Hannibal, he knew he had to take time off to allow Joseph to show off a little.  Successfully completing basic Legionaire training, after all, was no small matter for his 18 year old son.  The week passed; it was now time for Phase II of his training, which included shadowing Tribune Manius Tullus, Commandant of
Campus Martius
.

As Joseph walked up the long gracefully turning path that led to the Tribune’s house, he looked every bit the Legionaire in his helmet, armor, shield, and weapons.  Joseph wondered what the next year and a half was going to be like.  He knew the Tribune from his father who was a close personal friend and he appreciated the fact that the Tribune kept his distance during basic training so as not to embarrass him in front of the other young men.  But a one-on-one meeting with Tribune Tullus was intimidating to say the least.

The first thing he noticed were the Etruscan servants working in the Tribune’s fields.  He actually saw them before he heard them because of the huge cloud of wheat shaft they were pitching in the air.  He had learned their language as a child from Etruscan children seeking playmates that often wandered away from the farms that dotted the area.

He figured it best not to hail them.  He could always speak to them later if he wished.  He actually hoped the Tribune was still at
Campus Martius
with the new batch of recruits so he could get settled in before meeting him.  He wondered what the Tribune’s wife looked like.  He already knew they had a daughter Decima, who was reported to be very attractive and about his age, another daughter Flavia, and a son Titus.

The vestibule facing the path looked freshly white washed and proportional to the entrance.  “Simple, a bit too soldierly, but pleasing to the eye,” he said to himself.  It reminded him of his own house.  Levi did not believe in embellishment.  “Live simple, eat simple, and do your duty” ~ that was his father’s motto and from the looks of things, the Tribune’s as well.

Before he could knock, the door to the
ostium
[hallway] swung open and there stood a shapely, nicely dressed woman in her late thirties with her long hair piled neatly on her head. He immediately took her to be the Tribune’s wife, Lucia.  He guessed right. She said she spotted him as he approached the house and welcomed him with a wide smile.  Even though she doubled his age, he liked her, and knew enough to be very respectful, but not too familiar.  His father had coached him well!

Bringing in the crop meant a shortage of household staff, and, as he would learn later, Lucia was known to pitch in among the Etruscan servants in the field when the need arose.  She was also not adverse to doing her own cooking and cleaning when necessary.

She led him through the
atrium
, down the
fauces
[passage way] to the several
alae
[side rooms] off the
atrium
.  She stopped at one and indicated that this would be his room during his stay.  He quickly dropped his bag, helmet, shield, and weapons and followed her to the open
peristylium
[courtyard] at the rear of the house.  It was strikingly beautiful with its stately Doric columns, landscape frescoes, small orange trees, and flowering marigolds and violets.  His father’s house lacked a courtyard.  He made a mental note to someday build one for his father.

She indicated for him to sit and then disappeared to summon a kitchen maid to bring refreshments.  He was a little embarrassed when the servant asked him his preference and treated him as an honored guest.  He thought to himself that she must know he is no one important and is only doing her duty.

He and Lucia chatted for 15 minutes when he heard the sound of a horse trotting up to the vestibule followed shortly by the sound of a Legionaries’ armor echoing off the walls of the
atrium
and the click of metal hob nails striking the travertine floor.  The Tribune was home and Joseph’s heart raced.  He jumped to his feet knocking his drink to the floor in the process and stood at attention; his face flushed in embarrassment and anticipation.  He barely noticed the servant girl as she quickly blotted up the spilled drink.  Joseph had never been more uncomfortable.

When the Tribune entered the courtyard, Joseph gasped.  He had seen Commandant Manius Tullus many times before at
Campus Martius
during his six months there, but never this close.  He was scared and thrilled at the same time.  Lucia kissed her husband, the servant girl brought him a glass of wine, and the Tribune saluted Joseph.  This was the first day of what would be the best years of Joseph’s life, including a warm and enduring friendship between a wounded warrior of Rome and a future Plebeian Tribune.

Manius immediately put Joseph at ease by asking him to do what all Roman soldiers did for one other ~ help him remove his armor.  Having done this countless times, Joseph easily and comfortably unbuckled the Tribune’s armor, removed it, and laid it aside.  One soldier to another; Joseph felt good and Manius was smiling broadly.  Manius immediately took to the young man and not only because his father Levi was a close friend.  Joseph was a respectful, polite fellow soldier, and as intelligent and thoughtful as his father.  For his part, Joseph felt he was in the presence of greatness.  The two took to each other on a basis of mutual respect.

When the servant announced dinner was ready and they assembled to eat, Decima entered Joseph’s life.  Earlier, Manius told Decima to stay out of sight until dinner so he could watch Joseph’s reaction to her.  He was not disappointed.  Joseph’s stared at her, his cheeks flushed, and his lips parted a little.  Manius laughed; Lucia made small talk to cover Joseph’s discomfort, and 11 year old Flavia teased Decima because she dressed especially nice for dinner.  For her part, Decima maintained a polite detachment throughout dinner.  She contributed to the conversation, but in an exaggerated rather frosty adult fashion.  Manius had never before seen this in his daughter and was beginning to wonder who she really was!

The Mission

When they had finished eating and the dinner was cleared away, Manius announced that he had some important news to tell them.  Life had been predictable and routine for the last five years so Lucia was taken completely by surprise when Manius said, “I was called to the Consul’s office today and met with several Senators and some of the Army leadership.”

Lucia blurted out, “Are they exiling us to Sicily?”  That possibility had never left her mind.  Things have a way of changing.  Guilty people are let off and the blameless are punished without time limit.

“No,” he said smiling, “Not that, but I will be leaving Rome for upwards of three years.”  Lucia’s face grew pale and she held her breath, but Flavia and Titus immediately began to cry.  “Where are you going daddy,” they asked.  Nine year old Titus was particularly shaken.  Manius saw the distress in his young son and said, “Come here Titus.”  He put Titus on his lap and continued.

“As you all know, for the last seven years, the entire Army, minus the Legions in Spain and Sicily has been in southern Italy keeping Hannibal bottled up.  Everything we have is down there: all the horses, mules, equipment; everything in the Roman arsenal.  This is an all out effort to get Hannibal out of our land.  Here’s what new.  Do you all remember me telling you about the time when I was in northern Italy fighting the Gauls?  That’s about the time when Decima was born.  Well, the Army wants me to take a Legion up there and just patrol around the countryside to let them know that we’re still interested in the area.  Then, when I finish that job, I’m to cross the Alps and go over the mountains into
Noricum
[Austria] to see what’s going on up there.  There shouldn’t be any fighting, so you don’t have to worry about that.  I’ll just be gone for a while and I’ll have great presents for you when I get back.”

Lucia asked, “When do you leave?”  The concern she felt was written all over her face.  Titus perked up when he heard the word, “presents.”

Before Manius could answer Lucia, Joseph said, “Sir, I’d be honored to accompany you.  I’ve been told I’m a good writer and I could record where we go and what we do for your reports to Rome.”

“Five months,” he replied to Lucia.  “They wanted me to leave earlier, but there’s too much to do.  Joseph, if your father approves, I’d be happy to take you along.  You’re a trained Legionaire and I could use your bookkeeping skills.  If you’d like to go now and ask him, you can come back in the morning.”  Joseph excused himself, took a sideways look at Decima, and left.  Manius saw the look; so did Decima and it made her face glow noticeably.

Joseph was out of breath by the time he burst through the front door and found his father and mother, Levi and Rebecca, in the
triclinum
[dining room] eating dinner.  In his excitement, he passed the Mezuzah affixed to the door frame.  Levi looked at him and raised his eyebrows.  Joseph immediately went back to the door and touched it.  “Our God is One,” he said.

When he reentered the dining room, Levi said, “Joseph what has got you so excited?”  Joseph sat down, took a deep breath, and began to explain the mission assigned to Tribune Tullus.

When he finished, Rebecca said, “You’re not going to go are you?”