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Background to Vederius Ligustus
Vederius Ligustsus: c.64-c.143 AD Born in Spain. Father a merchant, mother from Belgic
Gaul. Lived most of his life in Herculaneum. Family killed in the eruption of Vesuvius 79
AD. Holds the gods in contempt for this, only worships the Roman god of vengeance
(Mars Ultor). Ran away to Sri Lanka (Taprobane). Returned and joined the army. Started
as a private soldier (Munifex), promoted to scout on pay and a half (Caligatus
sesquiplicarius of the Speculatores), promoted to soldier on double pay (Caligatus
Duplicarius), promoted to watch commander (Tesserarius), promoted to acting standard
bearer (Signifier). Decorated with a civic crown (Corona Civica) and a grass crown
(Corona Obsidionalis) – the highest award. Named as hero of Bodotria by General
Agricola. Becomes Regional Centurion of the Ninth Legion the “fighting Spanish” at
Eburacum – ancient York. He is summonsed back to Italy where Trajan promotes him to
First Spear (Primus Pilus) Centurion of the Thirtieth Ulpian Legion, third most senior
officer and top soldier in his family’s Legion at the start of the second century AD and
gives him a secret mission. Capable of great brutality he’s the servant of a code of
honour based on brotherhood, virtue and glory and sees himself as the father of a
military family that he deeply care for. He’ll take any step necessary, including deception
and murder to ensure orders are obeyed and virtue is maintained and his god is
worshiped.
The Dacian war:
The Dacian Wars (101–102, 105–106) were two military campaigns fought between the
Roman Empire and Dacia during Roman Emperor Trajan's rule. The conflicts were
triggered by the constant Dacian threat on the Danubian Roman Provinces of Moesia
and Pannonia and also by the increasing need for resources for the economy of the
Roman Empire.
Setttings:
•
Vederius’s journey from Eburacum to Dacia
•
Trajan’s Bridge across the Danube, site of Dacian attack
•
Advance of Trajan’s armies into Dacia
•
Battle for Piatra Cetatii
The diaries were discovered in the small cave at the
back of this photo
Historical note in relation to North of
Bodotria
What is history? Ask a group of friends to describe
their holiday together last year - there would be
several versions, so how on earth can we know what
happened nearly 2,000 years ago?
I have sided with the Roman Gask Project’s critical
appraisal that Tacitus’s On the Life and Times of
Julius Agricola was not a detailed historical account
but a document written for other purposes at the
end of Domitian’s reign. In essence, it’s a great story,
written as an hommage to Julius Caeser’s
Commentaries, but the provenance of the document
and the archaeology on the ground doesn’t support
a notion of historical accuracy and Calgacus was a
figment of Tacitus’s imagination.
For my story I have used Roman Scotland’s excellent
analysis of possible sites for the battle of Mons
Graupius and settled for the ‘Dunning alternative’
scenario. However, I have come to the view that
Mons Graupius did not actually happen, or if it did, at
best it was a minor skirmish, as attested to by the
behaviour of Agricola’s army following the battle. The
numbers of deaths described are reminiscent of the
US ‘body counts’ in Vietnam – hopelessly optimistic, if
not a downright fabrication.
It is unlikely any guerrilla force familiar with the
Roman army would engage them in open battle. It is
speculation on my part to infer the tactics of the
Caledonii from the battle of Dun Nechtain in 685 but
there is some evidence to suggest weapons and
tactics didn’t change much over this period. At Dun
Nechtain the Picts used their local knowledge to
choose an advantageous place to engage with the
invading Angles. The Picts, situated on a hill, engaged
the enemy in battle, gradually allowing their force to
be pushed back before they broke rank and
pretended to flee from the battlefield. As they ran
they drew the chasing Angles into a swamp where
the Picts sprang an ambush.
Jonathan Fear
Bibliography:
Adkins L, Adkins RA. Handbook to Life in Ancient
Rome. Oxford University Press, 1998
Callander JG. Notes on the Roman Remains at Grassy
Walls and Bertha near Perth. Proceedings of the
Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 1919; 5:137–52
Cowan R. Roman Battle Tactics 109BC – AD313.
Osprey, 2007
Goldsworthy A. The Complete Roman Army. Thames
& Hudson Ltd, 2003
Jones HR. Roman Camps in Britain. Amberley
Publishing, 2012
Roth JP. The Logistics of the Roman Army at War (264
B.C. – A.D.235). Brill, 2012
Townshend K B. The Agricola and Germania of
Tacitus. Methuen & Co. London, 1894 (accessed
November 2009)
Woolliscroft D, Hoffmann B. Rome’s First Frontier: the
Flavian Occupation of Northern Scotland. The History
Press, 2006
Vederius’s Journey from Eburacum to Sarmitzegetusa (interactive map)
Vederius’s Journey from Toprobane to Bodotria (interactive map)
Site of Battle of Mons Graupius (interactive map)