Arrival by Dirk van den Boom

Author:Dirk van den Boom [Boom, Dirk van den]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science-Fiction
ISBN: 9783864024061
Publisher: Atlantis Verlag Guido Latz
Published: 2016-08-19T23:00:00+00:00

14

It was cold and rainy despite being summer. There were various reasons why Magnus Maximus, Comes Britanniarum, more than just hated the territory over which he ruled. He stood on the parapet of the fortified garrison and stared through the haze to Hadrian’s Wall, whose imposing line was almost in sight. For three weeks now the British military commander rode from one frontier fortress to the next, met his officers, praised the men, visited the families. He had himself invited to dinner and brought fresh wine. He carried mail from Rome as far as it had arrived in London, he gave comfort to the injured and listened to the heroic stories of veterans at the campfire. Three weeks and another two months still lied ahead of him, because his goal was to visit every garrison personally, no matter how remote and small, in order to increase the morale of his men.

As much as he appreciated the respect of his soldiers and did everything to expand their loyalty, as much he hated Britain, why this island had once been conquered – or at least the southern part – no one knew for sure anymore. The times of Roman expansion were over since the great Traianus, already more than 200 years ago. Britain had never had anything that was necessary or helpful for the Empire. There were few natural resources, but there were many highly recalcitrant barbarians who showed little willingness to make friends with Roman civilization and way of life. The climate was harsh and wet and uncomfortable in every way. Hadrian’s Wall was built in order to pour the surrender of the Empire before the hordes of the North in stone and wood, and since then the Roman troops did nothing more than to defend themselves against the barbarians’ growing pressure. There was nothing of value for Rome but the prestige, and besides what the long Roman conquest finally had been able to establish, especially the provincial capital itself, that definitely was the only place on this inhospitable island which represented a hint of what Maximus and his men understood as Roman civilization.

Britain was a depressing place, and the men who served there tended to express this frustration. Desertions had increased before the arrival of Maximus, and morale was down. He had been appointed Comes by Valentinian in order to keep Britain for the Empire, and the situation since had improved recognizably. Maximus cherished his men, showed personal courage in numerous skirmishes with barbarian hordes and dispensed generous commendations and promotions. He was popular with his legions, for he had brought them hope in a dreary and gloomy situation.

The fine drizzle that had prevailed all morning was intense. Maximus pulled the cloak tighter around his shoulders and turned when he heard someone joining him on the balustrade. He knew the steps of his closest confidant, and he could distinguish them from those of thousand others. General Andragathius, Master Equitum, one of his highest officers, preferred to fight from horseback since an injury damaged his right leg slightly but permanently.

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