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//-->Under The Eagle( Cato - 1 )Simon ScarrowSimon ScarrowUnder The EagleThe Organisation of a Roman LegionThe Second Legion, like all legions, comprised some five and a half thousand men. The basic unitwas the century of eighty men commanded by a centurion with an optio acting as second in command.The century was divided into eight-man sections which shared a room together in barracks and a tentwhen on campaign. Six centuries made up a cohort, and ten cohorts made up a legion, with the firstcohort being double-size. Each legion was accompanied by a cavalry unit of one hundred and twentymen, divided into four squadrons, who served as scouts and messengers. In descending order the mainranks were:The legate was a man from an aristocratic background. Typically in his mid thirties, the legatewould command the legion for up to five years and hope to make something of a name for himself inorder to enhance his subsequent political career.The camp prefect would be a grizzled veteran who would previously have been the chief centurionof the legion and was at the summit of a professional soldier's career. He was armed with vastexperience and integrity, and to him would fall the command of the legion should the legate be absent orhors de combat.Six tribunes served as staff officers. These would bemen in their early twenties serving in the army for the first time to gain administrative experiencebefore taking up junior posts in civil administration. The senior tribune was different. He was destinedfor high political office and eventual command of a legion.Sixty centurions provided the disciplinary and training backbone of the legion. They were hand-picked for their command qualities and a willingness to fight to the death. Accordingly their casualtyrate far exceeded other ranks. The most senior centurion commanded the first century of the first cohortand was a highly decorated and respected individual.The four decurians of the legion commanded the cavalry squadrons and hoped for promotion to thecommand of auxiliary cavalry units.Each centurion was assisted by an optio who would act as an orderly, with minor command duties.Optios would be waiting for a vacancy in the centurionate.Below the optios were the legionaries, men who had signed on for twenty-five years. In theory, aman had to be a Roman citizen to quality for enlistment, but recruits were increasingly drawn from localpopulations and given Roman citizenship on joining the legions.Lower in status than the legionaries were the men of the auxiliary cohorts. These were recruitedfrom the provinces and provided the Roman empire with its cavalry, light infantry and other specialistskills. Roman citizenship was awarded on completion of twenty-five years' service.********Prologue'It's no good, sir, the bastard's well and truly stuck.'The centurion leaned back against the wagon and paused for breath. Around him a score of bone-weary legionaries stood up to their waists in the foul-smelling ooze of the marsh. From the edge of thetrack, the general followed their efforts in growing frustration. He had been embarking on to one of theevacuation ships when news arrived that the wagon had run off the narrow path. He had immediatelytaken one of the few remaining horses and galloped it back through the marsh to investigate thesituation at first hand. Weighed down by the heavy chest resting on its bed, the wagon resisted everyeffort to wrestle it free. There was no further help available now since the rearguard had finishedloading and put to sea. Only the general, these men and a thin screen of the last remaining cavalryscouts stood between the wagon and the army of Caswollan snapping at the heels of the erstwhileRoman invaders.The general let slip an oath and his horse raised its head in alarm from the nearby copse where ithad been tethered. The wagon was lost then, that much was evident, and the chest itself was too heavyto carry back to the last ship waiting at anchor. For security's sake the key to the chest had remainedwith the quartermaster, now well out to sea, and the chest was so constructed as to make it impossible toopen without the right tools.'What now, sir?' the centurion asked.The general looked long and hard at the chest, in silence. There was nothing he could do – nothingat all. Wagon, chest and contents were not going to move. For a moment he dared not contemplate that,since the loss of the chest would set his political plans back by a year at least. In that agonising momentof indecision a war horn blew close at hand. With terrified expressions, the legionaries started to wadeback towards their weapons lying on the track.'Stay where you bloody are!' the general roared. 'I haven't ordered you to move!'The legionaries paused, even with the enemy close at hand, such was the depth of their awe andrespect for their commander. With a last look at the chest, the general nodded as he made his decision.'Centurion, get rid of the wagon.''Sir?''It'll have to stay here until we return next summer. Drag it a little further in so it sinks, mark thespot and then get back to the beach as fast as you can. I'll have them hold a tender ready for you.''Yes, sir.'The general slapped his thigh angrily, then turned to mount his horse and set off back through themarsh towards the beach. Behind him came another burst from the war horn and the sound of swordsclashing as the cavalry scouts fought it out with the vanguard of Caswollan's army. From the momentthe Romans had landed, to their present flight back to Gaul, Caswollan's men had dogged them everystep of the way, harrying stragglers and foragers day and night, and showing no mercy to the invaders.'Right, lads!' the centurion bellowed. 'One last heave… Get your shoulders to the wagon. Readynow… Heave!'Slowly the wagon sank further into the mire; dark brown marsh water flowing up through theseams in the bed of the wagon and rising up the sides of the chest.'Come on! Heave!'With a last combined thrust the men eased the wagon further into the marsh and, with a softgurgling plop, the wagon disappeared beneath the dark water leaving a faint swirl rippling across theoily surface, broken only by the long wagon shaft. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |