At once all the talking stopped and everyone in the tent quickly rose to their feet as Caesar entered and strode over to a parchment map that hung on a wooden frame. He stood to one side and nodded to the veteran who had announced him. ‘Thank you, Camp Prefect.’

The older man remained on his feet by the entrance to the tent, while Caesar turned to survey his officers and glanced at Marcus with a quick smile. ‘Please sit down, gentlemen.’

The benches creaked and there was a brief shuffling as the officers made themselves comfortable. Marcus sat at his table and picked up his stylus, preparing to take notes. Briefly, Caesar collected his thoughts before drawing a deep breath and beginning in a clear voice that carried to the back of the tent, above the sound of the rain now drumming on the roof.

‘At dawn tomorrow we will leave the camp to march into the Apennines. There we shall hunt down the rebel slaves and destroy their army, and kill or capture their leader, Brixus. You men have been handpicked for this task. Some of you know and there’s a handful have fought alongside in the past, like Centurion Corvus there.’ He gestured to a sinewy officer in the middle row and they exchanged a smile and a nod before Caesar continued.

Marcus, already struggling to keep up, knew that he must confine his notes to only the most important points raised.

‘The rest of you have been recommended by Labienus, and I will expect you to justify his choice. Any man who fails to give me good service will be dismissed from the army and sent home. I will not tolerate cowards, fools or idle hands. Think of this as a chance to test yourselves, and the men you command. There is no better preparation for what is to come when I lead the combined army against the Gauls. I know that some of you think the rebels and brigands of the mountains are only a minor nuisance. You are content to dismiss them as starving wretches, poorly trained and armed, and no doubt the less experienced of you think this will all be over quickly.’ He paused and Marcus hurriedly caught up, then sat ready, stylus hovering over the unbroken wax surface of another tablet.

‘The truth of the matter is that we are in for a hard fight. My bodyguards and I ran into a handful of the rebels on the road from Rome a few days back. They were clever and boxed us in before we were aware that we’d been trapped. Cleverness is not the only advantage they enjoy: they know the mountains. They know all the paths and will use them to outmanoeuvre us. Therefore my plan is simple: we must send out two columns. One to march south to Corfinium ...’ He turned and indicated the town on the map. ‘That column will be commanded by Legate Balbus and most of the Ninth legion will go with him. While Balbus goes south, I will lead the main force north to Mutina, here.’ He tapped the map and turned hack to his audience, his hands held out wide until he slowly moved them towards each other. ‘From either end we will push the rebels back until it is their turn to be caught in a trap.’