Roman Soldiers #1

" Veni, vidi, vici. "

Julius Caesar

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Publius Horatius Cocles :

I was a man of noble birth, born to the Patrician house of Horatii during the reign of Tullus Hostillius. The third ruler of Rome, the city was young and underdeveloped, compared to the one Caesar himself had ruled. It's walls towering into the sky, the soldiers armored differently. The plates segmented compared to a single breastplate like the Greeks.

I had been a officer for the forces of Rome, leading a small force of my own. And I had excelled at such duties for I was a Horatii. My name Cocles had came to being due to my lost eye, that had happened during the battle for Sublician Bridge. However it seemingly has healed since my arrival in this new Rome.

I and my men had held off the entire of Lars Porsena forces, allowing our own to regather themselves before destroying the bridge I had stood upon. Swimming back to shore in all my armour, the times of insulting Lar Porsena had also brought smiles to me.

The world has became so advanced since I had died of old age, my statues erected in my honor. The man Vaion had spoken highly of me as if I was a mythical creature, before telling me that I shall serve Rome once more. he had also been the one to heal my eyes since my arrival in this new Rome. To serve in the army once more for my new king Gaius Julius Caesar. 

When the man had snapped his fingers, I had appeared in the barracks surrounded by Romans alike. They acted normally simply cleaning their gear or making sure their straps on the armour was working fine. As if I had not just appeared from thin air. Their duties were strange, they worked like ordinary citizens when their duty did not call, returning to the barracks late at night to start training, which would proceed into the next day. They had only slept for three hours a day.

My life had been fine since I appeared, The emperor was a man by the name of Gaius Julius Caesar. He was young, a mere fourteen years of age and he had been ruling a empire with such great efficiency, with the senate even openly liking the boy. The soldiers smiled at the mere sight of him and the people would drop their day to bow to the boy. I had served under a legio called Ephesius Sergianus, many believing it to be a false name of his but we could never really know as his friend had not been here. Staying in the city of Sparta when it had collapsed.

Many had thought Caesar to be invincible, It was as if the people had thought of him to be a great ruler, my mind had still remained unsure and unchanged until I had witnessed that day. The day he had fought a Lion bare handed and left with the lion whimpering tied to a leash.

Last I heard of it, the beast had died of old age. It was a large beast, had beat some of the best according to my companions. The boy had been gifted strength similar to that of the gods, I had seen a stone wall shake under his punches. Large dents forming with each hit.

He was a warrior not a King, his eyes had said it all. He had yearned for the battlefield not of politics but of bleeding men and flying corpses and I can't say I would disagree. At least in the battlefield you know who kills you, In court it could be anyone even those you hold dear. 

They were all scheming cunts, should get removed the lot of them. Although it has seemed like they had calmed down after the marriage of him to his wife Irene, a cold and calculated woman.

There had been some cold tales where she had killed a senator for simply looking at our Emperor with a scowl. Although the Emperor had seemed oblivious to such thing, whether it be a act or he was simply unaware. We would not know, they had been married only a year and they act as if they have been with each other for centuries. 

The boy was sixteen now, his control grew even stronger over the city of Rome. The Games was to be organized for his birthday. He had grew into a good looking man, even his wife has grown into a beauty of her own. No wonder they had a celebration of the beauties, that the nobles of Rome had celebrated in. This Rome had been relatively young, men and woman barely reaching their twenties, The legio and senators only being older. Thirty at most.

The Emperor and his wife had two children, a daughter and a son. Their names are both unknown, as Julius and Irene had hoped to keep it secret. The son was most likely being trained to be the next ruler of Rome, once Caesar has passed.

The Games were too soon start, chariot racing being one of the first of this month. Last time a man had got kicked off his own chariot, I wonder how the one this time would go. Hopefully not as boring or as dangerous as the previous ones had been on the contestants.

The Emperor had been a staunch blue supporter, his wife a green. I truly do not understand how they get along, as the greens and blues had a long history of fights if one or the other had won. I was one of the thousand guards meant to fill out the colosseum and to keep an eye out for any fights that may start.

It had only been the Empress here, The emperor in a campaign to reclaim old roman territory according to our legio. Staring back into the crowd, I couldn't help but release a heavy sigh.

The romans had always been a warrior people that it would have been more of a surprise if they had not even tried to fight each other at least once. The Chariot racing would start once the sun had reached halfway into the sky, the blues had a man named Maximinus Procillus riding. The Greens were ridden by Rudolphus Verrucosus. His name was untrue as he was not a peaceful man, having killed the previous Red chariot rider.

Maximinus had a high chance of winning this game if everything proceeded calmly. However knowing Rudolphus, I had come to learn a clean race was off the tables and any dirty trick should be used for victory. 

The sun raised, people filled the colosseum. It had been the start of the games so most jobs had been closed to allow its workers to watch the games. A arrow struck the ground before the horses initiating the race.

The blues and greens left the start line incredibly fast, their speed kept increasing the dust of sand covering the reds and yellows. A team many had ignored due to their continuous losses to the greens and blues. 

A loud bang was heard, the blues had struck the greens in the turn almost sending Rudolphus flying. The blue supporters cheering, the greens seemingly upset at how they had almost lost their rider.

The race kept up its pace, the greens and blues clashing amongst eachother. The reds and yellows seemingly trying to keep up. Then I saw it, the first fight was about to break out. A older gentleman flying the blue flag around seemingly teasing the greens that had sat across from them.

Sighing I walked down the steps getting ready to break up this fight as soon as possible. The man had been struck by a younger gentleman, a large fight consumed the area both sides throwing punches, I had unsheathed my sword. " Cowards, must you fight in the day to honor your Emperor on his birthday! Do not defile these grounds with your petty hate amongst each other. " I smashed my gladius against my Scutum as I neared them, many backing off as they saw my cloak flow in the wind, my armour had been custom made due to my heroic status in Roman history. It was black with hints of gold a wolf carved in the front. A golden mask covering my face, equipped alongside a deep red plume.

A man was so drunk he even had the audacity to send a punch at me. It had landed causing my face to twitch, I smashed my scutum against his jaw the man collapsing to the ground. I repeatedly pounded him with the scutum, his face being turned to mush slowly with each strike.

I kicked his body down the stairs, " My Emperor may treat his people with respect, but I, his guard do not. " I sheathed my gladius walking up the stairs still incredibly pissed at how that bastard dared to punch me. Grabbing my neck I rubbed it, a tiny pain still in it.

Lifting my mask, I saw many of the men still looked at me frightened before returning to their seat. Watching the chariot racing, I saw it. Maximinus was about to clash with the greens once again. A loud bang was heard as their wheels collided. Maximinus sending out punches over his chariot at Rudolphus. Many of the punches had landed stumbling him, the Greens chariot crashing into a wall infront, sending Rudolphus head first into a stone statue.

A resounding crack was heard, his body falling limp on the ground. His horses pulling the Chariot still raced around the track as if he was not just killed. Staring at the emperors room, I saw Irene staring with displeasure biting the tips of her nails. The Praetorians around her seemingly twitching unsure of what to do.

The race had soon come to a end. The Blues coming first, the yellows second and the reds dead last. Even the damn greens horse beat them without a rider. Flowers thrown down towards the riders. Maximinus riding to the cubiculum, his face pointed up to the Empress, most likely knowing the displeasure he had caused her.

The voice of Irene speaking for all those to hear, " I would have you killed for killing a fellow green, However my husband likes you. So I will allow you to live. " Raising her thumbs up showing her approval. Maximinus simply bowed before leaving the Circus Maximus, racking up another victory around his belt.

A few hundred men lay dead around the centre due to the brawls that occurred during the race, although most had been caused by the guards stabbing at the side they disliked and simply tossing the casualty to the centre. The items on the corpses waiting to be sold to fill the Emperors pockets.

It had always been quite a effective method as the people would bring at least a gold coin to these games, either to purchase drinks and food or simply to use once the games has finished on a woman that could be found in a random alley.

They had always raised their price on game day, the prostitutes. And yet the damn people fall for their tricks. Did they not have wives that could please them once they had returned. I shook my head, entering the place of the Empress. Her face calm but the crushed items around her had displayed her anger she had felt.

The Praetorians looked at me before returning to their duty, one giving me a quick nod and a cheeky smile. It had been my friend Porphyry, he was a strong soldier having been the one that had fought a 100 foot snake a few years back with a group of 500 men.

I was unsure how they did it but they had the head as proof. It had instantly ascended him to the ranks of a Praetorian guard along with the other 499 men. They spoke of how easy such a feat had been due to how they had the jump on the beast. A pilum piercing its eyes and one that hit its upper part of the mouth.

Although it was funny how they had been assigned to Irene herself. A person many believe to be a venomous snake waiting to sink its fangs into Rome. A conspiracy that had made us all laugh, she may have seemed cold but when she was with her husband, she was anything but a cold woman.

I stood amongst the other guards, a duty assigned to me by Ephesius himself. To protect the Empress if the Emperor had not been there.

I was well known throughout Rome for my heroics, as a statue with my triumphs had been placed around the Colosseum similar to many others. One such being Titus Pullo and Vorenus, statues Ephesius seemed to care quite a bit about. 

Many had believed that they had a trio but the two had died during the collapse of Sparta, leaving Ephesius alone. His hands in constant prayers to the statue of his once friends that layed in the ashes of a city in central Sothoryos.

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More world building of the Roman's in Sothoryos. Seems like they were here before Caesar had even transferred over. But that can't be, he only summoned Rome when he came here.

Chapters may come out slower due to my exams. Or shorter