Arthur II 2020 Introduction and Chapter 1

Jimmy Loong

Mid April 2018

Resumed Dec 2019

Renewed 5^th April 2020

Book I

Antoinne 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 Clyde, 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 ditch on the northern side. The garrison troops built a wooden palisade on top of the turf to add to their defenses.

The wall was however abandoned only eight years after completion, and the garrisons relocated back to the 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 is as below:

The background of the tale.

Prime Pilus 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.

Book One

The Wall

1.

Percival was the Decurion, 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. They were the Equities. The leader of the smaller unit sat up in his stirrup with his eyes scanning the target ahead of him. He felt uneasy about the lack of view seen blocked by the high walls. Sections of the wall have collapsed with overgrowth and have taken residence there. The Decurion signaled the halt sign and then called on his best rider to come forth.

“I fear the walls do not give me comfort. Can you scout it with Galahad? Take the brothers with you.”

The command was sent to the trio of brothers who had enlisted in the Legion. He held his faith in the trio for their archery skills will matter most in an ambush.

Percival himself has 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 armor 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 backplates. It was cushioned by the woolen knee-length tunic worn beneath it to add comfort to the user. He wore no greaves on his arms but he had on the leather shin guards and then the leather sandals with the laced leathers to his ankle.

The helmet he had on was a 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 had one another sword which was a scimitar given to him by a friend. 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 engage together. He does not carry a bow with the quiver of arrows, unlike his riders.

“I heeded your command, Decurion.” The eldest of the trio 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 Decurion, Galahad had on only his woolen tunic covered with weathered leather covers as his armor. 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 the 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 has 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 honor 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 into the Legion at Rome, and took his other brother then. The eldest went after them and could not get them delisted so he joined into the Legion 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 armor but the bow carried by Gaheris and Gawain was the shorter version favored by the Persians.

“We ride in like before.” Galahad had fashioned that move when they were hunting at a 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 favored 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 the sound. And the sound attracted the prey. Including the ones waiting to do the 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 and the alarm was raised. Two more barbarians appeared holding more crude weapons.

“Aye!” It was the battle cry of Gaheris who had taken down the 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 who had him thrown off the startled mount. He landed awkwardly on his hind. He looked up at the senior lady than 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 evades 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 (mother) will turn 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.

“Decurion, 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 Decurion 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.” Decurion Percival instructed the other. He then looked at the arriving cohort of a hundred and sixty legionnaires. Those were the First cohort; the prime mover of any battle. The Legatos have assigned them there at the center 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.

“Decurion, do report to me.” Decurion Percival turned to look at the senior officer who has requested for his report. The officer was Prime Pilus Lucius Artorius Cactus of the First Cohort, Legio VI Victrix.  Percival has served with him for over ten years, watching the Centurion rose in the ranks to Prime Pilus. He held his respect for the senior Centurion; he was tall with his body moulded by the years of servitude and was a fine officer. He wore his armor 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 of the First Cohort sat up with his back straightened 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 was probably the ones brought in by the barbarian. 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 bathhouses were still very much intact but its kiln looked glum from the lack of fire to heat up the water.

“Centurion, the Headquarters is …” Prime Pilus Artorius heard the Decurion and looked to the main structure in the center 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 were already clearing the place while another Tesserarius the unit was setting up the fireplace. The fire will be welcomed from the cold weather and the walls will provide cover from the cold winds. There was hardly any cluster of trees there for them during the construction of the walls some years back, the builders have cleared the land ahead for over a mile and towards the northern direction to have an unhindered view of the northern boundary.

“Check the granary for its structure and then locate the supplies there.” Prime Pilus Artorius instructed the Tesserarius 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 supply 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 eighty 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 armor plates and were commanded by a Prefect named Glasco Turin, an old veteran who was nearing retirement. They also held the bow with the quiver of arrows.

In tow behind the Auxiliaries were the camp followers 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 influence to partake in the campaign. They may consist of family members and their servants with a group of mercenaries to defend them.

There were also the freed slaves to work on the new tract of land there. There were three families that followed the First Cohort; the Marcellus, the Augustus, and the Meleagant.

Prime Pilus Artorius had assigned the land before the Wall to the families.

“Build your homes there. We will hold the wall.”

The work on the wall had started and the Legion was there to stay.

“Prime, words have arrived. There will be eight forts on the wall manned by the Cohorts and each Cohort is only a half day ride away by horses.” The Centurions reported in. “Cohort Nine will be on the reserve to reinforce any forts. We also hold an army of Auxiliaries of over five hundred men in reserve to the one hundred at every other fort.”