The Sword of the Emperor: The Riders

By Javier Ruiz

Gaius Galen is a legionary assigned to a legion at Germania, the Northern Frontier. Rome is attempting to conquer the Germanic tribesmen and make them part of the Roman Empire. During the final battle, when the two great armies clash, Galen saves the life of General Petronius Valens, the commander of all the Roman legions. After the great battle, General Valens and Galen are called back to Rome. In Rome, Galen saves the emperor, Marcus Aurelius from an assassination attempt. The emperor makes Galen one of the Riders, exceptional men who answer only to the emperor and ride to hot spots throughout the empire, fighting bandits, murderers, and thieves who are victimizing the local population. They do the job that a clumsy large legion cannot do. Riders have the power of life or death. If they cannot bring the evildoers to justice, then they are to kill them, thus ending the problem.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 21, 2020
• ISBN: 9781684569021

Book preview

Chapter One

Afrustrated and angry Marcus Aurelius sat at a large table in his private library. On his table were stacks of requests for help from cities, towns, and villages throughout the Roman Empire.

Holding a handful of requests in his hand, the emperor said to his scribe, Look at these! My legions have made the empire safe from attack from other hostile nations. Yet my subjects continue to devour the empire from within. All these requests are for help from raiders, bandits roaming the empire, murdering and robbing at will. It never ends. My legions can stamp out revolt and insurrection, stop riots, and patrol the streets of the empire, but they are almost useless when it comes to stopping the many crimes occurring in cities and villages throughout the empire. Where are my Riders?

Publius, the emperor’s chief scribe and aide, answered, Most of them are with General Valens fighting the barbarians at the Northern Frontier. We know Marcus has been killed. Cassius is recovering from the wounds received in his battle against Egyptian pirates. Two, Varius and Gallus, we have not heard from in many months. I fear they may also be dead.

Hopefully, General Valens can end this war quickly and I can once again find brave men to ride throughout the empire for me. We must have law and order.

On the Northern Frontier, the land known as Germania, the Roman legions of Emperor Marcus Aurelius were facing stiff resistance from the many tribes who inhabited the land. They saw these people as uncivilized barbarians. The barbarians saw the Romans as invaders and conquerors. Giaus Galen and his men were being used as bait to draw out the barbarians.

I was leading a platoon of Roman legion cavalry into the beginning of a dark forbidding forest. We were on the trail of a band of barbarian marauders who had been attacking Roman legion supply trains. They would wait in ambush until the last wagon passed, then they would attack it. Rather than lose the entire supply train, we would let them have the one lone wagon. The attacks were increasing; General Titus, the commander of all the Roman legions on the Northern Frontier, had had enough and wanted these attacks stopped and the marauders killed. Entering the forest, my men and I expected an ambush. I could see the tension and strain on my men’s faces.

These men were experienced veterans. I had confidence in them. They would not falter. Sweating hands held spears and the round shields of the cavalry. The men pulled their shields closer, trying to protect as much of their bodies as possible. More than one man wished he had the large rectangular shield of the infantry.

Once the barbarians attacked us, we would keep them fighting until the three platoons of Roman cavalry riding about a mile behind us could catch up and enter the fight. Even though we had been expecting an ambush, still, when it came, the suddenness of the attack caught us by surprise. Barbarian archers hiding in the forest let loose several volleys of arrows. An arrow hit my iron helmet and bounced off. We Romans wore iron armor that barbarian arrows could not penetrate. Barbarian archers had learned to shoot their arrows into the unprotected areas of the body. I drew my sword, rallied my men, and pulled them back. Barbarian warriors armed with swords, spears, and axes emerged from the forest. Seeing their hated enemies retreating, they attacked.

This was exactly what I wanted. Heavily outnumbered, I ordered my men to dismount and form a fighting square. The barbarians en masse attacked the fighting square. Roman shields held the square, while Roman spears killed barbarians. If a barbarian warrior was able to penetrate the square, a gladius, the deadly Roman short sword, killed him. More and more barbarians came out of the forest eager to kill Romans. I feared that soon we would be overrun.

Rufus, the centurion leading the three platoons of cavalry, arrived in time. Rufus split his cavalry and surrounded the enemy. Those barbarians that could flee left the battle and disappeared into the forest. We Romans began killing our hated enemies with swords and spears.

Many barbarian warriors tried to surrender but were immediately killed. Soon most of them either were dead or had escaped into the forest. Fifteen men dropped their weapons then dropped to their knees in surrender. The battle was over.

I asked Rufus, What are you going to do with the prisoners?

Rufus answered, You heard General Titus’ orders. ‘No surrender.’ I am going to hang these prisoners as an example to the others. There are more than enough trees. Good job, Galen. This victory should make General Titus very happy on his last few days here. His replacement should be here any day now.

We gathered our dead and wounded, leaving fifteen barbarians dangling from trees.

General Petronius Valens and his entourage stopped to rest their horses. Their trip was almost over. A legionary rode up to them. Saluting, he said, General, the fort is about an hour’s ride from here.

I called my standard-bearer and said to him, Ride ahead to the fort. Tell them I am coming to take command of the army. Tell General Titus to muster the army for my inspection.

The standard-bearer saluted and rode off. I called out to a legionary, Bring my horse Hercules to me. While I waited for my horse, I took off my heavy travel cloak and put on a red cloak and plumed helmet. A few minutes later, my warhorse Hercules was brought to me already saddled. Hercules was a magnificent huge black stallion, bigger and heavier than the average Roman cavalry horse. Mounting Hercules and in my armor and plumed helmet, I was told I was an imposing figure. I gave the order to ride.

When we were approaching the entrance to the fort, an officer rode out to meet me.

Saluting, the officer said, General Valens, please follow me. General Titus awaits you, as does the army.

Leading the way into the fort, past the army standing at attention, the officer led me to where General Titus and his senior officers were waiting.

I rode up to General Titus, stopped, and dismounted. Dropping the reins to the ground, Hercules, like a well-trained horse, stood still. With a broad smile on my face, I greeted General Titus. Handing General Titus a scroll, I said, Ave, General, I relieve you of this command. I then clasped arms with General Titus. Congratulations, you are going back to Rome.

General Titus laughed and said, And you, old friend, have been given a most difficult task. These barbarians want nothing of a Pax Romana. They are happiest when they are free to butcher each other. Come let us inspect your army. Overall, I was pleased with what I saw. The men were fit and healthy. Some were even getting fat due to inactivity. I would soon fix that with hard work and drill.

After the inspection of the army, General Titus said, I leave for Rome in two days. I will need supplies, horses, and pack mules for me and the men I take with me. I take only personal belongings. I will leave you my tent. It is quite comfortable.

Take what you need. Leave me your chief orderly. He can show me the army’s paperwork. If you wish, I will send him to you later.

I turned to the six legionaries who had accompanied me from Rome and said, You may return to Rome with General Titus, if you so wish. An old veteran took a step forward and said, We wish to stay with you, General, except for Longinus. His woman is with child, and he wishes to return to Rome.

A man in a white tunic stepped forward and introduced himself. I am Calla, General Titus’s chief orderly and aide. What are the general’s orders?

Until General Titus vacates his tent, I will need quarters for me and my people. Pass the word, my servants and slaves are not to be molested or interfered with. Find a good groom for my horses. Send messengers to the legions under my command. I wish to meet with all the senior officers here in three days. After the noon meal, I will start examining the paperwork for this army. That is all for now. See to it.

I awoke at dawn, just as I had almost every morning for the last twenty-three years. My tent was warm due to two burning braziers. I stretched my arms, my neck and back were stiff from bending over requisition forms, enlistment rolls, list of supplies, and all the paperwork of a large army in the field, that and poring over maps of the area. I had been at the fort for three days and had examined every faction of the army. Thankfully, General Titus had kept accurate and complete records.

There had been skirmishes with the enemy, mostly ambushes, but no major battles. The army was at full strength and well supplied. The fort was well situated in a position easy to defend. The troops were eager for battle. General Titus had been a good general; he just could not find the enemy.

Rising from my cot, I went to the back of the tent to use the pisspot. When I returned, my manservant was already there laying out clean clothing. After a short conversation about what I wanted for my morning meal, the servant left. My two twin Greek slave girls entered the tent. Livi and Blossom were a gift from the emperor after my victory in a major battle against the Dacians. The two slave girls carried jars of warm water, soap, and clean towels. Moving to the rear of the tent, I removed my tunic and loincloth; the girls began to wash me. The two girls worked as a team to wash me, first my hair, face, and upper torso. Then Livi knelt in front of me to wash my abdomen, crotch, and legs. Blossom washed my back and buttocks. When done, the two slave girls stood up. Slapping each one on their buttocks, I sent them back to their quarters. My manservant entered with my morning meal. While I was eating, Calla, my aide, arrived with scrolls for me to read. I heard a familiar sound outside my tent: the clack, clack of the wooden swords the Roman army used to train with. What is going on outside?

Some of the men meet to practice before the morning meal several times a week. They have been shown how to fight with two swords by a legionary, Gaius Galen.

Standing up, I said, Come, I wish to see this. Exiting the tent, we walked to where about a dozen men were standing, watching, and cheering as two men with wooden swords went at each other. Seeing me coming toward them, they came to attention. The two men with the swords stopped. I told them, Do not stop. Continue. The two fighters saluted each other and went at it again.

After a while, they stopped, sweating profusely and breathing hard. I exclaimed Excellent! That was excellent! and approached the two fighters. As I got closer, I recognized one of them. Flavius, you old war dog! Is it really you?

Aye, General, it is me. Giving Flavius a friendly, hearty slap on the back, I said, It is good to see you are still alive. I am surprised some irate father or husband has not stuck a pugio through your ribs.

Happy with the attention he is getting, Flavius answered, I have one woman now. She does not allow that kind of nonsense. We are glad to see you, General. I told these cockerels that now we would see some action, now that we have a real fighting General. Looking at the other legionary, I asked, Who are you, lad? Where did you learn such swordplay?

I am Gaius Galen. My father is Lucius Galenus, who retired from the XXII Legion in Egypt. He now owns an inn in Rome. Legionaries, gladiators, and fighting men from many nations stay there when in Rome. I learned to fight from them. But mostly from Taurus, a retired gladiator who survived the arena and now works for my father.

Romans have been fighting with two swords for many years, but not with this style. It is of interest to me. Show me some more of this style. Galen and Flavius started to square off when I said, No, Flavius, you have had enough fun. Hand me the swords.

Galen looked concerned about fighting a general when Flavius said to him, Do not worry, Galen. The general knows how to use a sword. He was right. The General was an expert swordsman, fast, strong, and aggressive. At first, he was slow with the left-hand sword. With the sword in his right hand, he was deadly. He lunged, feinted, stabbed, and slashed, hitting fast and hard. As he became accustomed to having a sword in his left hand, that one also became deadly. He asked questions and seemed to understand the answers, never asking the same question twice. Galen began to tire. He had been sparring with Flavius and the general for over an hour.

I saw Galen getting tired. Stepping back, I said, Enough, lad. That is the best exercise I have had in months. I thank you. My manservant stepped out of the crowd with several towels for me to wipe the sweat off my face.

Taking two towels, I handed one to Galen. I hope I can join you and your comrades again. This type of swordplay is of interest to me. Calla, get these men’s names. See that they get an extra ration of beer for the next three days. This brought a cheer from the men. As they walked away, Calla told him, Your officers are arriving. They should all be here soon.

I met with my generals and their senior officers. I knew most of them by their first names. Many of them I had gone to war with; others I knew by reputation. These were the finest generals and officers in the Roman army commanding the finest legions.

Entering the tent, I said, My generals, I have been given command of this army by the Emperor Marcus Aurelius. He grows weary of this war and its lack of progress. The emperor wants this war over with and won. That is why I am here. The army is at full strength. We will no longer wait for the enemy to come to us. We will no longer be satisfied with fighting skirmishes against the barbarians. We will force them to come out en masse as an army and fight us in one big final battle. We will begin by burning every village, driving them north. We will burn their crops and slaughter their livestock. As they head north to where we think their main army is, all those extra mouths to feed will become a burden. It will come down to fight or starve. They will have to gather their forces and come out to meet us in battle. I have read every report and account of our battles with these barbarians. What we know is that they have no regular army, no military structure, or military precision. They fight with their clans and tribes. Their main tactic is the ambush. They attack smaller units with overwhelming force. They have no war machines or cavalry to speak of. They prefer individual combat, fighting for honor. They wear little or no armor. Their shields are small and round, made of wood and hide. They prefer to fight with sword, spear, or long-handled ax. This keeps them from forming closed ranks. In battle, they form irregular lines, tossing spears and axes before they charge. The fastest get to the front first. They die first. That is their main weakness. That is why we will defeat them. When forced with a real threat from a large army is when they gather their tribes to fight this threat. We will force them into a major battle on a battleground of our choosing.

The following day, I ordered the Roman legions to begin to systematically destroy every barbarian village, farm, and crop. Livestock was confiscated for consumption by the legions or slaughtered. Villagers who fought back or resisted were also slaughtered. The inhabitants of the barbarian villages were being driven north. Cavalry patrols were sent out to follow the northern progress of the barbarians. More important, they were looking for a good location for the main battle that was sure to come.

Chapter Two

Calla and I were in the Praetorium, my campaign tent, when we heard a sentry announce the arrival of my brother, General Arminius.

General Arminius entered the tent. Saluting me, he handed me a crudely drawn map. I have received information and this map from one of my patrols. They think they have found the perfect site for the battle. I ride within the hour to verify this location. I am taking Severus the mapmaker and six legionaries with me. We will travel light and will be back in two days. I studied the crude map and said, Good, good. Be careful, my brother. If this map is correct, I will surely need you.

General Arminius and seven men left the fort. Each man carried water and enough provisions for several days. Each man was pulling a second horse; hard riding would take its toll on one horse. Riding steadily for several hours, they stopped only to rest the horses. Just before darkness fell, they stopped for the night. They made a cold camp, no fire or smoke to alert an unseen enemy. The men with General Arminius were seasoned veterans, hardened by years of war and living in the field. They could easily endure several days of hardship. There was no complaining from men such as these. As a precaution, a rotating two-man watch was set. This mission was too important to have it compromised by some enemy stumbling on to them. Rising at first light, they fed and watered the horses, and then they ate a cold morning meal. General Arminius gave the order to ride. Riding at a slow trot to let the horses warm up, they slowly increased the speed until they were riding at a full gallop. The map, though crude, was accurate. They easily found the site indicated; the site was a wide-open plain. Miles away to the north were snowcapped mountains. At the far edge of the plain was a thick forest stretching from north to east. The dirt road they had been traveling on continued north. That this place had often been used as a battleground was evident by the many sun-bleached bones of men and horses scattered throughout. Broken shafts of spears and arrows mingled with the sun-bleached bones. Scavengers had long ago picked clean the bloody ground of anything of value.

The men dismounted. General Arminius ordered them, Feed and water the horses, then rest. Later every man will ride in a different direction. Take note of any roads or signs of human habitation. Also look for water, rivers or streams. Avoid any contact with the barbarians. They must not know we are here. If there is danger of capture, use your pugio if you cannot escape. Do not be captured alive. If you are captured, you will suffer unspeakable torture. These barbarians can keep you alive in extreme agony for days. Be back before dark.

Pointing to a large tree at the edge of the forest, he said, We will meet past that tree. Leave your spare horse. Do not get lost. The legionaries then rode off. Only Severus the mapmaker stayed with him. Together, they walked the area. Mapping the battlefield was an important part of planning for a battle. A good general picked the terrain his army would fight on. Knowing the terrain could decide the outcome of a battle. This terrain looked ideal, a wide-open area with solid ground. Summer had just ended. There would be no soggy ground to bog down the horses or the movement of the war machines.

Back on their horses, they rode to the edge of the forest. The forest was thick with trees but also deadwood and brush. Any spark would turn this forest into a burning inferno. Riding to the spot he had picked as a meeting place, they dismounted. His men had brought the spare horses here. They were now grazing contentedly on the rich grass.

Severus took out a long roll of linen and spread it out on the ground, with rocks to hold it down against the wind. With quick strokes, he began to sketch the probable battlefield and the immediate surrounding area. After several hours, he had sketched all he had seen. He would add to the map when the men rode in with more information.

Just before dusk, the men started to ride in. I listened as they pointed to areas on the map and described to Severus what they had seen there. After working diligently on the map, Severus stood up, saying to me, There! With the information we have, that is the best I can do.

Your map is excellent. Now we must get it to General Valens. When the ink dries, give it to me. I will carry it. I will rely on your memory to make another one if something happens to me. We will rest the night and leave at first light.

Several hours later, one of the legionaries woke him. It is almost first light. I was immediately awake. Wake the men. Have them eat a quick meal and then feed and water their horses.

Aye, General.

I joined my men who were huddled in a group. We leave soon. Saddle the spare horses. We will ride them, take the bridles off the other horses. Horses are herd animals. They will follow us. Mount up. Once on horseback, we rode south. The extra horses followed us.

At the fort, a sentry saw riders in the distance and shouted, Riders approaching! As the riders neared, he recognized General Arminius. It is General Arminius. Open the gates.

My men and I rode into the fort. I headed straight to General Valens’ campaign tent. Having heard of my arrival, he greeted me in front of the tent.

I quickly dismounted. A quick salute and a handshake, I handed the map drawn by Severus to General Valens. The site is ideal for us. It is a perfect place for a battle. Taking the map, General Valens reentered the tent. I told my men, Well done. Care for your horses, then get something to eat and some sleep. I will see to it that you get three duty-free days. I entered the tent.

The map had been pinned to a wall. General Valens and Calla were examining it. This map looks quite thorough. Now we can design a battle plan. I am going to call in all the legion commanders for final orders. In the meantime, I will start moving the war machines north with some infantry to protect them. Arminius, go get some food and sleep. I will need you in the morning to help with the planning.

General Valens, with Arminius and Calla, spent the next two days and nights in the campaign tent. Every bit of information they had was reexamined; maps were pored over and changes made to different units. The two units that would take the brunt of the barbarians attack were reenforced. Finally, the three men were completely satisfied with the battle plan.

The legion commanders should be arriving soon. I am going to meet with each commander and explain his legion’s position and what is expected of it. In the meantime, I will have all the units south of us come up to the fort. From here, we will move forward picking up the east, west, and northern units as we go. When we arrive at the barbarian army’s location, we will arrive en masse. When they see us, it will be the entire Roman army they see. We march in two days.

The Roman war machine was now on the move. As it moved north, other units joined it: cavalry, infantry, archers, and machines of war. A supply line was established and protected by cavalry. The cavalry also protected the marching army’s flanks from ambush by riding up and down the road. General Valens sent out scouts to find and kill any barbarians hiding in the forest, waiting for an opportunity to kill any stragglers. Calla and I watched as units of this massive war machine advanced to their assigned positions. This movement was time-consuming and would take the better part of the day.

The following morning, I and Calla, with a troop of cavalry, rode out to take a look at the barbarian village. The entire village was encircled by a wooden palisade. It had once been a medium-sized village. With the influx of barbarian warriors who came to join the war against