Jimmy Loong
Mid April 2018
Antoinine Wall
The Antonine
Wall (known to the Romans as Vallum Antonini) was one of the two walls build by the Romans
during the earlier occupation of Britain.
Pressure from the Caledonians may have led the
then Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius to send the empire's troops further north.
The Antonine Wall was enacted and stretched across the isle between the Firth
of Forth, and the Firth of Cylde, a distance of over thirty nine miles. It was
protected by sixteen forts with many small fortifications.
The Wall was built on
stone foundations, with a ten feet high and sixteen feet wide wall with a deep ditches on the northern
side. The garrison troops built wooden palisade on top of the turf to add to their
defences.
The wall was however abandoned
only eight years after completion, and the garrisons relocated back to main
wall named the Hadrian's Wall.
In 208 Emperor Septimius Severus re-established
legions at the wall and ordered repairs; this has led to the wall being
referred to as the Severan Wall.
The occupation ended a few years later, and the wall was never fortified again.
Most of the wall and its associated fortifications have been destroyed over
time.
Roman Fort
A typical fort
layout are as above.
The background of
the tale.
Centurion Lucius
Artorius Castus is a real person personified by the fables of the ancient Roman
tales. The Centurion was also linked to the myth of King Arthur who was
considered as the greatest King of the Isle. This tale may be linked to the
fable of King Arthur, but it’s more of the fictional accounts of the Roman troops
then at the wall, and their heroic efforts.
The Wall
1.
The Decurio,
commanding officer of the mounted cavalry unit of twenty four horsemen, partial
strength from the total cavalry units of a hundred and twenty riders in the
Legion. The leader of the smaller unit sat up in his stirrup with his eyes
scanning the target ahead of him. He felt uneasy on the lack of view seen
blocked by the high walls. Sections of the wall have collapsed with over growth
taken residence there. The Decurio signalled the halt sign and then called on
his best rider to come forth.
“Percival, I fear
the walls does not give me comfort. Can you scout it, Galahad? Take the
brothers with you.”
Percival heard the
command and signalled the trio of brothers who had enlisted in the Legion. He
held his faith in the trio for their archery skills will mattered most in an
ambush. Percival himself have been in the Legion for over twenty years, himself
enlisted then as a young man of eighteen and rose in the ranks. He flexed his
shoulders to ease the strain there from the long ride and then adjusted his
seating to ease the cramps there. He was dressed in the standard issued body
armour of metal strips fastened to leather straps across the chest and secured
by brass hooks. The upper body was protected by the shoulder straps and back
plates. It was cushioned by the woollen knee length tunic worn beneath it to
add comfort to the user. He wore no greaves on his arms but he had on the shin
guards and then the leather sandals with the laced leathers to his ankle. The
helmet he had on was conical shape with a raised central knob, with a
protruding neck guard and cheek plates. His weapons were the long two spears he
carried; both fastened to the saddle on the right and the rounded shield on the
left side. His sword named the Gladius was on the right side of his waist belt
while the dagger ‘pugio’ was on his left front right side for easier
withdrawal. He rode the dark mare that had been his for over three years and
then still snorted on the smell of the enemies they were to engaged together.
“I heeded your
command, Decurio.” The other rider acknowledged to the leader of the cavalry
unit. Galahad spurred his own dark mount to call on his other two brothers,
Gaheris and Gawain. Unlike the Decurio, Galahad had on only his woollen tunic
covered with weathered leather covers as his armour. His preference for the
leather covers gave him faster access to the quiver of arrows and the bow he
had slung over his shoulders. He rode to the rear and met his other two
brothers.
“Brothers! We ride
to Hell once more.” It was his greeting to the other two of his blood. He
smiled when he saw Gawain roared out his approval before kicking the mount to
move forth. That roaring brother of his was the reason he had joined the
Legion. Gawain had dragged the youngest, Gaheris to enlist without the
knowledge of the eldest. They were neither drunk nor being coerced but the
aggressive Gawain had decided to fight for the conqueror of their land.
“Heck, Gaheris. We
have no King to serve for. Even our own brother, Galahad rides for himself.” Gawain
had told the youngest. “He will soon have his fill of the farm while we do what
he done before.”
It was true then
that Galahad had enlisted in the King’s army for it was to protect his family
from being called in to do so. He had served the King well and got the honour
of commanding a detachment of archers while his brothers remained with their
mother at the farm. With her death and the defeat of the King’s army, Galahad
had lost touch with them for over two years. He was pardoned and returned to
the farm. He was annoyed then that Gawain had enlisted and took his other
brother then. The eldest went after them and could not get them delist so he
joined in to protect them. He worked his way up and soon commanded the same
rascals he was trying to save then.
The other two have
on the same armour but the bow carried by Gaheris and Gawain were the shorter
version favoured by the Persians.
“We ride in like
before.” Galahad had fashioned that move when they were hunting at the younger
age. It was always to form a pincer move; Galahad in the middle and the other
two taking the horns edge. Gaheris and Gawain rode to the wall and then wide to
find new gaps. Galahad reached the collapsed wall and held his mount reins. He grabbed
his bow and then notched an arrow. His bow was the long side favoured by the
hunters made by yew and the string was hewn. He had fashioned his arrow with
improvisation. He had cut in hollow points to mimic sound. And the sound attracted
the preys. Including ones waiting to ambush.
The shrilling
noise from the arrow was also to signal the other hunters.
Galahad saw the
prey emerged from behind the wall. It was a barbarian coated in the torn tunic
and held a spear. It was a crude one and was fashioned by some farmers. Galahad
did what he had been trained for years. He released the arrow at the barbarian.
The figure went down but the alarmed was raised. Two more barbarians appeared
holding more crude weapons.
“Aye!” It was the
battle cry of Gaheris who had taken down boteh barbarians in a succession of
released arrows. The youngest rode towards the downed barbarians and was
surprised by the attack of a lady dressed in tatters. The lady of advanced age
charged at him with a wooden pitchfork. Gaheris was chivalrous and refused to
fight a lady had him thrown off the startled mount. He landed awkwardly on his
hind. He looked up at the senior lady then having placed the pitchfork at his
chest.
“Die, Roman!” The
evil namesake they have made of the Legion then. Gaheris drew his breath but
death evade him. The lady screamed out and it was then Gaheris saw his brother
had come to his rescue once more.
“I am glad…”
Gaheris crouched up and looked to the lady brought down by Gawain. The lady had
the arrow stuck on her left armpit; none fatal but painful.
“My lady….”
Gaheris was rewarded by the pitchfork swung into his face. He fell back and
then saw the lady attempting to stand up but she was taken down by the crude
version for a brother who had grabbed the lady to drag her some distance.
“Stop!” It was the
commanding voice of the eldest, Galahad who rode past the wall towards Gaheris.
He then looked at the arriving Gawain. “You are a beast to do that to the
lady.”
“Yea, my mae will
turned on her grave but pa will say aye to me.” Gawain rode up and then
dismounted. “It was a jolly ride.”
Galahad swung his
right fist at the rude brother and then looked to the injured lady. She had
crawled to the two bodies killed by Gaheris. She was sobbing at her loss when
the main contingent arrived. The fallen brother did not retaliate then but took
to his mount. He rode off to ease his anger then.
“Decorio, we have
secured the wall. I will send the other riders out to secure the perimeter.”
Galahad reported to the leader of the cavalry unit. The Decorio nodded while
his sight was on the sobbing lady. He then looked to Galahad.
“See to her aid.
Arrange the boys to be buried and then give her some coins to move on.” Decurio
Percival instructed the other. He then looked at the arriving cohort of a
hundred and sixty legionnaires. They were the first cohort; the prime mover of
any battle. The Legatus have assigned them there at the centre of the wall in
the event they were called to assist the others lined up across the wall. Even
his own units of over a hundred twenty riders in full strength were deployed to
act as couriers with their fast mounts.
“Decurio, do
report to me.” Decurio Percival turned to look at the senior officer who have
requested for his report. The officer was Centurion Artorius of the First
Cohort. Percival have served with him for over five years, watching the
Centurion rose in the ranks. He held his respect for the Centurion; he was tall
with his body moulded by the years of servitude and was a fine officer. He wore
his armour well, with the long sword on his waist belt while his official
gladius was kept with his other personal belongings.
‘We secured the
walls but the fort had yet to be verified its condition.”
To that, Centurion
Artorius who was also the Prime Pilus sat up with his back straighten to view
the remains of the fortress. He could make out from where he stood was the
Workshop, with most of the walls standing. He could make out the kiln and the
iron tools used to make the blades and the amours. It was unusual for such
items to be left there and were probably the ones brought in by the dead
occupants. He saw the two bodies by the workshop with the sobbing lady still
cradling the dead bodies. He turned his sight to the far right and saw the bath
houses were still very much intact but its kiln looked glum from the lack of
fire to heat up the water.
“Centurion, the
Headquarters is …” Centurion Artorius heard the Decurio and looked to the main
structure in the centre of the fort. The structure lacked the roofing with its
external walls crumbled at several sections. He rode towards it before he
dismounted there. He climbed in by the collapsed southern wall, and saw the
inner walls were intact. The Tesserarius, the ranking officer had four of the
legionaries was already clearing the place while another was setting up the
fire place. The fire will be a welcomed from the cold weather and the walls
will provide cover from the cold winds. There were hardly any cluster of trees
there for the during the construction of the walls some years back, the
builders have cleared the land for miles and towards the northern direction to
have a unhindered view of the northern boundary.
“Check the granary
for its structure and then locate the supplies there.” Artorius instructed the
Tessararius of the new tasks. “Get the Immunes on the roofing.”
The Immunes were
the legionnaires with the skills that could perform the task of repairs and
other works. They started work prior to the arrival of the supplies wagons led
by the Auxiliaries; the recruits from the non-Roman tribes or those which have
agreed to serve Rome. The Auxiliaries assigned to the First Cohort were forty
warriors of which ten were mounted riders. They guard the supply wagon of five
in the numbers, and in battle, they will be the forefront line. The Auxiliaries
had on the mail coat in place of the armour plates and were commanded by a
prefect.
In tow behind the
Auxiliaries were the elites or the non-combatants who had joined in to lay
claim on the land or enemies captured to serve as slaves. They are Roman
citizens with the wealth and influences to partake in the campaign. They may
consist of family members and their servants with a group of mercenaries to
defend them. There were three families that followed the First Cohort; the
Marcellus, the Augustus and the Mealegant.
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