Life of a Roman: An AAR

[johnhughthom]

Life of a Roman: An AAR Chapter 7

The Iberian Conflict

I hate boats almost as much as I hate Carthaginains, Gauls, Germans, Greeks and any other funny foreigner you can think of. If the Gods wanted us to take to the seas they would have given us fins. I have almost gotten over the cramped two week trip to Bochorria, now I have another trip to look forward to. This time to Iberia, the fabled land overflowing with silver and gold that the Carthagians have been raping for the last fifty years. Another Legion is already there, beseiging the Punic capital of the country. When we get there the fighting better be a hell of a lot better than the battle for Bochorria, less than a thousand Punic citizens donned their armour to challenge us in the city and were slaughtered. Most of the populace were happy to be liberated so the city has been left pretty much as we found it. A puppet regime loyal to Rome will be established then we leave for Iberia proper.

I march as a Princeps, as a Roman citizen I have to devote sixteen years of my life to the army and my time with the Nuraghi doesn't count. I spent six years as a Hastatus so ten years as a Princeps it is, actually I could afford the panoply of a Triarius but I'm too young-another six years service before I'm eligible. If I live that long that is, gives me something to look forward to I guess.

I was able to spend two years at home in Mediolanium, I actually live in a small mansion in the city and leave the farming to my slaves. I made the acquaintance of another citizen in one of the local whorehouses, he was a fomer Quaestor who had stayed in the city after his term there had come up. He had no desire for further political offices and his farms there made him rich. He only returned to Rome a few times each year to show his face in the Senate. After we had double teamed an exotic Persian whore he mentioned to me that he had an unmarried daughter, would I like to meet her? So things went from there and now I am married to the daughter of a Senator. She is flat as a German's shield with a nose like a bent arrow, but I didn't marry her for her looks, that's what slaves and whores are for. She doesn't have a clue how to run a household or a farm, but again that's what slaves are for. As long as she can bear me healthy Roman sons thats all that matters. I already have one son and she was pregnant again when I left, she would be due to have the baby any day now. I have sent letters back to her, but by the time she replies I will not be here. I may not know if I have a son or a daughter until my ten years are up.

I should be in Iberia by the end of the year, surely the stories on putting a pan in a river and bringing up nuggets of gold can't be true? Every man in the Legion from the lowliest Accensii to the richest Equite dreams of coming home from Iberia loaded with riches. To be honest I am already rich enough for my liking, I could actually join the Equites if I wanted. A true Roman doesn't fight from horseback though. Of course a succesful time in Iberia could leave me rich enough to join the Senate...