With memories of Olenus uppermost, Tarquinius asked that his urge to discover more about the Etruscans' origins be fulfilled. Strangely, his once constant thirst for knowledge had been diminishing for some time and the haruspex knew it was due to the growing emotions he felt for his companions. Since Olenus he had loved no one. But without Tarquinius becoming aware of it, the brave, generous Gaul and the eager young man had become very dear to him. Romulus felt like . . . what? A son to him. He laughed. How very human; how very . . . ordinary; but how good that felt.
The others looked at Tarquinius questioningly but he was deep in thought.
How could he have forgotten Olenus' words? You will pass on much information. Romulus had been right there under his nose all along. Someone he could begin to instruct in the ancient art. A tiny sigh of satisfaction escaped his lips and he began to speak at last.
'Our journey will continue for years.' His eyes turned to the horizon, and their gaze followed his.
East.
'There will be more battles. And mortal danger.'
The hairs on their necks prickled, but neither Romulus nor Brennus asked more.
They were alive. For the moment, that was enough.
Author's Note
Interested readers may read that the more exotic classes of gladiators mentioned (dimachaeri, laquearii and scissores) were introduced in Imperial times rather than during the Republic. My use of them in this novel was merely to make the scenes in the arena more colourful. Although it is commonly thought that every gladiator fight was to the death, this is now thought not to be the case. In many cases, the fighters were simply too valuable to be wasted in such a way. It was more common for mortal combat to be reserved for special occasions or for the last bout of the day.
The Etruscans were a mysterious people who ruled large parts of central Italy from about 700 BC until they were overthrown by the Romans in the mid 450s BC. Although they owed much to Greek influence, many of their customs did not originate from there. They had a more eastern flavour. Many theories are still extant about the Etruscans' exact origins: the area of Lydia in western Asia Minor; Egypt; and even further afield in Mesopotamia. Fond of music, dance and feasting, the self-styled Rasenna also practised divination from the livers of sacrificed animals. Games such as horse-racing, wrestling and gladiator fights were very popular. Despite their subjugation, they were not to be forgotten. Many Etruscan customs were swiftly subsumed into Roman civilisation.
It is a matter of historical fact that Crassus led an enormous host all the way from Italy to Parthia, only for it to be annihilated. Rome rarely suffered such a comprehensive defeat, and the lesson was not lost on its leaders. Cavalry soon became a feature of every Roman army. The term 'parting shot' derives from the 'Parthian shot' that devastated Crassus' soldiers at Carrhae.
Many reports maintain that the arrogant general was killed during the supposed parley with the Parthians, but I have taken the liberty of having him taken prisoner. The manner of Crassus' execution matches his greed and is similar to that of an unpopular Roman governor in Asia Minor some years previously.
We also know from contemporary text that ten thousand legionaries were marched to Margiana to serve as border guards. One can only imagine what it must have been like to be so far from home, in a time when such distance was utterly final. Little information has passed down about the fate of the Roman prisoners, although some assert that they went on to serve as mercenaries for the Huns.