Five days later Cato and Macro were standing to one side of the makeshift parade ground outside the temple complex. It was late in the afternoon and the regular breeze that swept in from the desert was swirling the dust kicked up by the First Cohort of the legion as it tramped round the circuit, laden with full kit and marching yokes. A number of men had already collapsed from exhaustion and had been hauled aside to recover in the shade of Karnak’s outer wall. The stragglers were being driven on by the centurions and optios Macro had selected to act as his drill instructors. Some of them had served in other legions and still clung to the hard-won values that had been instilled before they were posted to Egypt. They shouted abuse and threats at the legionaries, and used their sticks freely to spur the men on.

Macro regarded the scene fondly. ‘Like old times. Nothing I like better than getting the men ready for battle.’

‘Nothing?’ asked Cato with an amused expression.

‘All right, there’s wine and there’s women too. I’m not that picky. Find me a boozy, belligerent Amazon and I’ll die a happy man.’

Cato laughed and then turned his attention back to the exhausted men as they paced past the two officers. ‘What is the condition of the First Cohort?’

Macro rubbed his chin. ‘Most of the men are sound enough. They struggled on the first two days, but they’ve rediscovered their marching boots. They’re ready for the campaign. Battle drill is another matter.’

‘Oh?’

‘The sword skills are there. They’ve had regular weapons practice at least. The trouble is that some of the formations are shaky. When I tried each century on forming a testudo there were gaps wide enough to drive a battering ram through. Looked more like an upended colander than a bloody tortoise. They’re getting better though, now that I’ve turned my best officers on them.’

‘What about the others?’ asked Cato. ‘Are some of the officers still claiming to be excused duties?’

Macro nodded sourly. ‘When I told ’em to join the men this morning, they refused. I gave them the order, and at once that fat git, Aescher, went straight to Aurelius and asked that he and the others be excused.’ Macro discreetly pointed out the officers sitting in the shade of a small shrine at the far end of the parade ground. ‘They came straight back with their permission in writing.’

A slave stood to one side cooling them with a large fan made from woven palm leaves while some women from the camp followers sat on their laps and laughed playfully as the officers fondled them. Macro sniffed. ‘Smug bastards.’

‘Quite,’ Cato agreed. ‘It does the men no good to see their officers sitting it out. And that includes us. I think we need to set an example, Macro.’

‘What did you have in mind, sir?’