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The sword of truth, in association with TOTAL WAR ROME II from SEGA ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
Dies Veneris
vi September MMXIII
the Roman
Published in Roma
and Arenacum
Rome will triumph! 200 years ago today Take the career quiz
Friends, we may have lost What lessons can modern Soldier, do you have what
the battle at Teutoburg, but Rome learn from Hannibal’s it takes to be a centurion in
we will NOT lose the war crossing of the Alps? the modern Roman army?
Great victory
in the east
The Danube has been secured
Ambushed!
dered to the Roman commander
Tiberius at Arduba, and now
awaits his fate. The Emperor Au-
gustus has awarded Tiberius a
Triumph for his victory in a war
that has cost Rome thousands of
lives and millions of sesterces.
Germanicus has been given
Brutal barbarians batter brave Romans in cowardly attack
M
a praetorship for his part in the
campaign against an enemy re-
ore than 20,000 of 1,000 gold aurei was immediately would join him on the march with nowned for ferocity. Germanicus
Roman soldiers offered for the head of the renegade the warriors of his tribe.” led the assaults on the towns of
have been mass- commander, Arminius, a prince of Instead, the renegade gathered his Splonum, Seretium and Raetium,
acred by barbarian the Cherusci tribe. tribesmen, along with 30,000 war- where the rebels poured liquid fire
tribesmen led by a In a statement, the Emperor called riors from the Chatti, Cauchi, Bruc- down on the attacking legionaries
renegade German auxiliary officer, for calm and said the defences on the teri, Marci, Angrivarii and Mattiaci and burned many to death.
in an attack in the Teutoburg forest Rhine would be strengthened to pre- tribes, and waited in ambush. Led on Victory secures the frontier on
beyond the Rhine frontier. vent rebel incursion into the prov- by Cheruscan guides, General Varus the river Danube and the loyalty
Three legions under the command inces of Gaul or Germania. and his unsuspecting troops were in of a people who it was once feared
of General Varus – the 17th, 18th and “General Varus was a fine leader marching order, with their swords had the strength and means to
19th – were lured into an ambush by and a brave soldier, but he was be- sheathed and their shields covered. march on the city of Rome.
trickery and deceit and, despite fight- trayed by a man he believed was his By the time they reached the Teuto- On his surrender, Bato blamed
ing with exceptional courage, the le- friend,” the statement said. “This burg forest, the column was strung Rome and the greed of previous
gionaries were overwhelmed and the Arminius, on whom we had con- out over many miles. governors for the revolt. “We are
legions’ eagles lost. ferred Roman citizenship, shared the Gaius Bracchus, decurion, first your flocks,” he said, “yet you
Emperor Augustus has an- general’s campfire and had gained his century, third cohort of the 17th, one didn’t send shepherds to tend us,
nounced 30 days of public mourn- trust. When word reached the camp of the few survivors, said: “On the you sent wolves.” New civil ar-
ing and an emergency meeting of of trouble in the north, Arminius third day of the march we reached a rangements are being put in place
the Senate has been called to discuss urged the general to act and assured to ensure there is no repeat of the
ways to quash the rebellion. A reward him the route was safe. He said he Continued on page 3 >> corruption that led to the fighting.
II THEGUARDIAN.COM/TOTAL-WAR-ROME-2 06.09.13
S
this defeat simply will not stand And that is only the start, for it is
known that beyond Germania lie
oldiers of Rome, do not other fertile lands, lands that are
be downhearted by this currently wasted on their barbarian
setback on the German owners. Soon there will be land for
Welcome to frontier. Our treacherous
barbarian enemies have
all, even the meanest beggar on the
capital’s streets.
Rome, AD9
W
hilly area, with deep gorges and along with a number of auxiliaries. for some time, but with supplies
marshes on the lower ground that Emperor Augustus pledged that hile his comrades running low and the fort crowded
made it difficult to keep station. The the perpetrators of the atrocity would were being slaugh- with civilians seeking refuge,
barbarians came out of the trees be brought to justice and subject to tered in the Teuto- Caedicius decided to break out.
without warning, supported by the full force of Roman law. burg forest, Lucius Under cover of a storm, the oc-
volleys of slingshots and throwing Caedicius, camp prefect of the cupants marched out through
spears. Our javelins were tied with 17th legion, was saving the hon- German lines. Unfortunately they
our shoulder poles, so all we had
were swords and shields. They’re
big men, the Germans, and tough
WANTED our of Roman arms with a worthy
feat of soldiering.
General Varus had given pre-
were discovered and the barbar-
ians launched a ferocious attack.
Caedicius used his soldiers to
fighters, and they were on us before
we could form a proper line.” DEAD, NOT fect Caedicius command of Fort
Aliso, one of a line of camps on
protect the unarmed civilians and
they fought their way through to
Decurion Bracchus said the fight-
ing lasted for almost four days, with ALIVE the Lippe river. By deception and
treachery all the other forts were
the Rhine. Senator Lucius As-
prenas, General Varus’s nephew,
the column gradually being depleted. This the head of the taken and burned, but the prefect had rushed his troops to Vetera
“We abandoned our baggage on and his men halted attack after at- and they were able to evacuate
the morning of the third day,” he re- traitor Arminius. tack by the barbarians, who suf- the refugees and the retreating
vealed. “By that time we were heavily Bring it to us and get fered heavy casualties. legionaries to the west bank.
outnumbered and the cavalry had run 1,000 aurei reward!
off. General Varus was wounded and
when he heard the eagles had been
lost he fell on his sword. Some of the
other officers decided to surrender,
but I managed to get out with a few of
my men and marched for the Rhine.”
Military commentator Velleius
Paterculus suggested General Varus
might have been wiser withdrawing
to a more defensible position.
“In a set-piece battle there can have
been no doubt of a victory,” he ex-
plained. “Of course, he was a Roman
soldier and it was a matter of honour
for him to continue.” He condemned
the officers who surrendered. “What
did they think they were achieving by
prolonging their lives?”
IV THEGUARDIAN.COM/TOTAL-WAR-ROME-2 06.09.13
Maintain morale
The alpine crossing was brutal.
These soldiers from North Africa
and Iberia had never seen snow
before. A landslide blocked
the way. The elephants were
starving, restless. But Hannibal
made one of those stirring
speeches for which he was
renowned, reminding his
men of the treasures awaiting
them in Rome, and they
pulled through for him.
He never did sack our
glorious capital, thank the
gods, but he put the boot
into Italy for years.
ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE 06.09.13 V
VI THEGUARDIAN.COM/TOTAL-WAR-ROME-2 06.09.13
Why a Roman
is better than
any barbarian
BECAUSE OF HIS SHIELD
A legionary’s scutum can be used
for defence or offence. It protects
him from the enemy’s spears,
swords and arrows, but it also has a
heavy iron central boss that can be
used to smash a warrior’s skull.
BECAUSE OF HIS SWORD
The gladius hispaniensis, a 24-inch
blade with a triangular point, is a
proven killer in the trained hands
of a legionary. It darts out from
behind the scutum like a striking
snake; three inches of iron is
enough to kill any man.
BECAUSE OF HIS SPEAR
The pilum is a heavy javelin with
a weighted point. Thrown with
enough power to pierce an enemy
shield and the man behind it,
the iron behind the point is soft
enough to bend if it hits armour, so
that it cannot be thrown back.
BECAUSE OF HIS TRAINING
A Roman soldier is as hard as
stone from marching, road making
and camp building, and any spare
time is spent training. Hours of
hammering at one another with
heavy wooden swords and being
screamed at by centurions makes
real battle almost a pleasure.
EPISTOLAE
IT’S ENOUGH TO
SOFTEN YOUR PILUM S-S-TAR LETTER
I hear there has been an Can I be the first to
addition to the Lex Julia, congratulate Claudius on
which already has a whole
his marriage to Plautia?
raft of measures to punish
Not just on his fine
adulterers. But what exactly
choice of bride, but on
is the point of the new Lex
finally managing to get
Papia Poppaea? It’s a bit rich
out the words “I d-d-d-
the Senate trying to promote
d-d-d-d-do!”
family values anyway – we
Titus Herminius
all know what they get up to
behind closed drapes! Sabinus
Besides, they need to Editor’s note: Pray that
Claudius never makes
Can you think like Caesar?
make up their minds:
on the one hand, the law Emperor, or you might
T
stipulates penalties for not get c-c-c-c-crucifixion!
marrying, and penalties for he late Julius Caesar’s 4. Heavy casualties
not producing children after tactical genius has The traps and spikes inflict heavy
marriage; on the other, it son? Yes, I have it on good never been more casualties on the Gauls, who
forbids senators to marry the authority that Quinctilianus is sorely missed than at retreat. They then attack by night,
children of actors, prostitutes the defeated general’s bastard, Teutoburg forest. Would you before gambling on an assault by
or gladiators. Some of my best but was then adopted by his have what it takes to step into 60,000 men on the north side of
friends are gladiators, I’ll have sister and brother-in-law. his sandals? See how you would Alesia, which is soon on the point
you know! As to prostitutes, How did Augustus punish have fared at the glorious battle of of collapse.
that’s between me and Venus. that? He only promoted Alesia, 61 years ago. What do you do?
But the worst of it is, it’s Quinctilianus to consul! A) Counter-attack the hill fort
one law for them, another Mamercus Herminius 1. The scenario B) Order your men to hold fast
law for us. We soldiers are Mancinus The year is 52BC. Caesar has C) Personally lead a cavalry
not allowed to marry at all! already suffered heavy losses at attack from the rear
Twenty years of service, with AVID FOR OVID the hill fort of Gergovia and now
no wife waiting for us at Does anyone now know has Vercingetorix pinned down in After Caesar's decisive action, the
home. How is that going to exactly why Ovid was sent the hill fort of Alesia. The enemy Gauls are slaughtered. The next
promote family values? And into exile on the direct orders forces number 80,000; Roman day, Vercingetorix surrenders
more importantly, after the of Augustus? A shame, as forces 60,000. unconditionally.
defeat we have just suffered, he was one of my favourite What do you do now? What did Caesar do and what
how is it going to help poets. Not so much the recent A) Attack would you do? See overleaf for
morale? Metamorphoses, but my B) Retreat the answers.
Numerius Nautius Ruso copy of the Amores is well- C) Lay siege
thumbed, I can tell you!
VARUS’S BASTARD A year on, all sorts of 2. Military genius
Does anyone else think rumours are circulating: that In just three weeks, Caesar’s
all this legislation about he was betrayed somehow troops build 18km of 4-metre
marriage coming from by general Marcus Valerius fortifications, backed by equally
the Senate is hypocritical? Messalla Corvinus (he’s deep trenches and man traps.
(Yes. See previous letter dead now, so we can’t ask Vercingetorix sends cavalry
– Ed.) Augustus’s own him!); that a poem of Ovid’s to disrupt the work; they are
granddaughter, Julia, was displeased Augustus; some repulsed, but many break through
recently exiled for adultery even say he caught Augustus the Roman line and are likely to
with senator Decimus Junius ‘with’ his daughter, but if you alert reinforcements.
Silanus. And now that sleepy believe that you’re losing your What do you do?
buffoon Varus has had his head (literally, so watch out). A) Give chase
head chopped off by the What is the real story? B) Prepare for battle
Germans, it’s safe to repeat Gnaeus Claudius Flavius C) Build further defences
the rumour that’s been Editor’s note: can any other
going round: did you know readers shed light on this? An 3. More building
that his ‘nephew’, Nonius amphora of wine for the best Caesar builds a second ring of
Quinctilianus, is really his response, but don’t be Juvenal! fortifications: this one to keep
out Gauls. A vast enemy force
of 250,000 men attacks.
What do you do?
A) Get out there and fight.
B) Sue for peace
C) Adopt a defensive position
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