Marching With Caesar-Sacrovirs Revolt by R.W. Peake

Author:R.W. Peake
Format: epub

Chapter 7

It is only now, these years later, that I offer the full story of what actually transpired, but first, I will relate the version that became the official description of the end of what is now known as Sacrovir’s Revolt, although this was not the case in the days immediately after the final battle. Initially, we called it the Aeduan Uprising, or the Revolt of the Aedui, but within a month, a couple weeks after our return to Ubiorum, Macer returned from the Praetorium and called a meeting of all the officers, including Optios.

“From now on, whenever the boys are out in town and talking about where we’ve been, they’re to refer to our bit with the Aedui as Sacrovir’s Revolt,” he announced, squinting as he read from his tablet. “Or the Revolt of Sacrovir. Same with the Treveri and Florus. Call it Florus’ Revolt. Actually,” he snapped it shut, “I think all the Imperator cares about is that the tribes aren’t referred to in any way. The way the Praetor put it, Rome wants people to know that this wasn’t an uprising by the tribes but by a few disgruntled members of the nobility who managed to attract a gang of debtors and assorted malcontents to join their cause.”

Honestly, this was close enough to the truth as we saw it that it was not difficult to get the men to go along, although it took a few swipes of the vitus for the more forgetful among them. Accordingly, we heard there was much rejoicing in Rome, mainly due to the fact that, as the mob is likely to do, they had convinced themselves that every tribe had risen up, and Tiberius was hailed for his swift and decisive action in suppressing the rebellions. Unknown to us, the downfall of Gaius Silius had already begun, the seeds of which were planted during the campaign. What I am about to relate is not the official version of the ending of Sacrovir’s Revolt, which is that he was tracked down to his hunting lodge, which is true, with the lodge being surrounded and, when he refused to surrender, set afire, whereupon he burned to death, which is not. No, what happened was set in motion by the Prefect, after his half-brother made his offer, when he took me aside.

“Gnaeus, I’m going to kill this cunnus,” he began, which I expected, and wholeheartedly agreed was the desired outcome, but he was not through. “But I’m not going to leave this lodge alive either.”

I was so shocked that I could not find my voice at first, instead staring at him in disbelief before I finally managed, “Gerrae! Why are you talking this nonsense?”

“It’s not nonsense,” he replied sharply, as if he were offended. “I’m serious, Gnaeus. I know what the future will hold for me now that he,” he jerked his head in the direction of his half-brother, who was now standing there, watching us, “has done what he’s done. I’m a Camp Prefect, and I’m also seen as an ally of the Praetor.

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