Just a little back ground story I cooked up for my character, hope you enjoy. :)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Caius Aemilius Mamercus rode at a steady walk south towards Rome with his bodyguard of two dozen equites singulares in a double column behind him, the summer sun reflecting brightly off their red and gold hexagonal shields and polished iron helmets. These were the best riders and swordsmen from around his family’s estates on the southern coast of the Lacus Sabatinus (Lake Bracciano) north of Rome and some of them had been training with Caius since he had become a man and citizen at age 16. Caius had many fond memories of growing up on his family’s estates, riding horses along the beach of the lake and walking through the huge vineyards that supplied the Aemilia wineries with some of the finest grapes in all of Italia, even the long hours of studying Greek and mathematics with his tutors now seemed idyllic in hindsight.

The Gens Aemilia was an ancient family, prominent in both the leadership and military of the Roman Republic back even to its founding. Caius’ father Quintus had died 22 years ago in 462 since the founding of Rome (291 BC) at the end of the Third Semnite War leading one of the assaults on the walls of Venusia the last Semnite stronghold when Caius was two months old. He had been raised by his uncle Lucius, it was Lucius who had taught him how to use the sword that hung at his side now. Lucius had represented the Gens Aemilia in the Roman Senate until this last year, but now with age taking its toll his uncle was retiring to oversee the Aemilia estates and Caius was to take his place as the Aemilia representative in the Senate.

And so with his brand new title of Tribunus received at Fort Latium, Caius was riding south towards Rome for his first Senate session. As he topped the last hill and came into sight of the glorious city Caius felt distinctly the weight of his noble ancestors and the great responsibility that he carried to help guide the Roman Republic into the future.