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Contents ( 111)
  1. BY ADRIAN GOLDSWORTHY
  2. CONTENTS
  3. MAP
  4. PROLOGUE
  5. I
  6. In the hill country
  7. Nearer the Euphrates
  8. The same night
  9. II
  10. The temporary camp of Legio VIIII Hispana, Fifty-five miles east of Cyrrhus
  11. Fifteen days before the Kalends of March
  12. III
  13. On the training grounds outside Zeugma
  14. Fifth day before the Nones of March
  15. In the house of Simon the merchant, Nicopolis
  16. The next day
  17. IV
  18. The temporary camp of Legio VIIII Hispana
  19. V
  20. Outside Nicopolis
  21. Eleventh day before the Kalends of April
  22. Nicopolis
  23. The same day
  24. VI
  25. On the road to the crossing at Zeugma
  26. Tenth day before the Kalends of April
  27. VII
  28. Zeugma
  29. Seventh day before the Kalends of April
  30. VIII
  31. The camp of VIIII Hispana
  32. One day before the Nones of April
  33. Nicopolis
  34. The same day, late afternoon
  35. IX
  36. Outside Nicopolis
  37. Eighth Day before the Ides of April
  38. X
  39. Near Nicopolis
  40. A little later
  41. XI
  42. In the plain in front of Nicopolis
  43. The Ides of April
  44. Nicopolis
  45. The same night
  46. XII
  47. In front of Nicopolis
  48. Eighteenth day before the Kalends of May First day of the siege
  49. XIII
  50. Outside Nicopolis
  51. Seventeenth day before the Kalends of May Second day of the siege
  52. XIV
  53. Outside Nicopolis
  54. Fifteenth day before the Kalends of May The fourth day of the siege
  55. Nicopolis
  56. The sixth day of the siege
  57. XV
  58. Up country
  59. Thirteenth day before the Kalends of May The eighth day of the siege
  60. XVI
  61. Zeugma
  62. That same night
  63. XVII
  64. The siege lines outside Nicopolis
  65. Eleventh day before the Kalends of May The tenth day of the siege
  66. XVIII
  67. The large camp to the east of Nicopolis
  68. Tenth day before the Kalends of May The eleventh day of the siege
  69. Nicopolis
  70. Late on the fourteenth night of the siege
  71. XIX
  72. Before Nicopolis
  73. Fifth day before the Kalends of April Sixteenth day of the siege
  74. XX
  75. Outside Nicopolis
  76. The Kalends of May The twenty-first day of the siege
  77. XXI
  78. Before Nicopolis
  79. The day before the Nones of May The twenty-sixth day of the siege
  80. Nicopolis
  81. The next day The twenty-seventh day of the siege
  82. XXII
  83. North west of Nicopolis, some miles from the road
  84. Fifth day before the Ides of May The thirty-second day of the siege
  85. XXIII
  86. In front of Nicopolis
  87. The day before the Ides of May The thirty-fifth day of the siege
  88. XXIV
  89. Outside Nicopolis
  90. The Ides of May
  91. The thirty-sixth day of the siege
  92. XXV
  93. The breach in the western wall
  94. XXVI
  95. Outside Nicopolis
  96. Seventeenth day before the Kalends of June The thirty-seventh day of the siege
  97. The prison at Nicopolis
  98. Three days later
  99. The forty-first day of the siege
  100. XXVII
  101. The citadel at Nicopolis
  102. The last hours of the fourteenth day before the Kalends of June
  103. The forty-first day of the siege
  104. XXVIII
  105. Nicopolis
  106. The same night
  107. EPILOGUE
  108. The next morning
  109. HISTORICAL NOTE
  110. GLOSSARY
  111. CAST OF CHARACTERS

‘Step forward, Caius Domitius Clemens!’ the praefectus castrorum commanded.

‘Go on, boy. Do it.’ Caecilius did not need to say the words aloud.

Domitius could not move.

‘Step forward!’

‘Come on, it’s nothing. Do it and forget it.’

‘I cannot,’ Domitius found himself saying.

‘This is an order, Clemens!’ the praefectus barked. ‘Step forward and make the offering.’

Caecilius’ face was white. Domitius had never seen him show fear before and this was somehow worse than when he was pleading. Yet how could he deny the truth.

‘I cannot,’ Domitius croaked. He licked his lips. ‘I cannot,’ he managed, louder this time and clear to the whole room. ‘I am a Christian.’

Caecilius shut his eyes. The praefectus castrorum, a solid, sensible man, stood up and came over to Domitius.

‘None of us heard that, lad,’ he whispered. ‘And none of us will remember, so don’t be daft and think of your own skin and the honour of the legion. It’s just words, nothing more. So pretend and no one will mind.’ He glanced back at the seated officers. The tribune who had pressed for the investigation was not there. Of the centurions, only Festus was hostile and he would not resist pressure from the praefectus. Yet where was Ferox? Even if there was no way out of this, he wanted to pass on all that he had learned.

The praefectus took a step back and gestured at the altar. Beside it was a cup filled and ready to be poured out in libation. ‘Do this and renew your oath to the princeps and Rome, and you walk free, honour and rank restored.’

‘What of the curse?’ Festus asked. ‘Should he not revile the name of this Christ?’

The praefectus stared at him. ‘That is not necessary. This is no civilian court with all its wiles and hypocrisy. We are a tribunal of soldiers and will act as such.’ He turned back to Domitius. ‘Let’s be done with this, lad.’

‘I cannot,’ Domitius stammered. He thought he caught a flash of hope from Caecilius. The desperation in his friend’s face made him choke and he could not speak, so shook his head.

‘For the last time of asking,’ the praefectus began, a mixture of sorrow and frustration in his voice, ‘make the offering and take the oath. That’s it, all you have to do, and no more will ever be said, not ever, so do as you are told and make the sodding offering! Now, boy!’ His voice was suddenly loud. ‘That’s a direct order, soldier, and you will do it!’

Domitius’ legs responded to discipline and he took a pace forward before hesitating.

‘Go on, boy, go on.’ Caecilius actually mouthed the words.

‘Obey me!’ the praefectus snapped. ‘Two paces forward!’

Domitius wanted to do as he was told. They were all watching, urging him on, even Festus seemed caught up with the general mood. He stared around him, seeing all their faces. His throat was parched, his heart pounding.