Lilybaeum

Prologue

Praetor Amellius stood on the soft wooden deck of the ship that rocked gently as it moved graciously through the beautifully cool waters of Sicily. This would be an easy posting he thought, the biggest thing he would have to deal with was the occasional angry shepherd, a he smiled in the powerful midday sun as he sipped at a refreshing drink. This was what he needed after his arduous posting to the border with Gaul; he hated barbarians and their unkempt beards and blood curdling battle cries, after the havoc they had caused during his time there. He recalled the time when a Gallic horde had rushed from the forest near the fort; he quickly dismissed the thought as it brought back bad memories. Several small fishing ships lingered on the horizon as they pulled in net after net of fish that seemed ever abundant in Sicily’s crystal waters, several oyster divers were surfacing with bloodied hands after a quick dive in their delicate work. Startlingly bright white villas burst into view as the ship moved closer to the natural harbour in which lay the Roman fleet.

The towering hulls of the Triremes cast long shadows over the smaller Bireme that had transported him from Rhegium, he gasped as the lesser ship moved near the concrete bulk of the superior ships. The Carthaginian navy could not compare to these monsters of the sea, Sicily was safe as long as these beasts shadowed her Oceans. The Roman navy was relatively new and had been created during the first Punic War and had played a major role in it, it was now protecting Rome from the Carthaginian navy. Once Carthage was defeated Rome would become the most powerful on land and at sea. But many thought the navy was cowardly and that real men fought on land, Amellius thought different if they didn't have the navy then Carthage would have destroyed them years ago. He had been desperate for a military posting not wanting to stay in the confines of the Senate; this was the perfect opportunity as few people wanted the position as governor anyway. The noise of the docks could be heard over the crashing waves, traders yelled about their wares as sailors grunted as they carried heavy laden sacks to shore.

The Bireme gently docked and ropes were sent overboard to eager hands, to tie the ship in place, Amellius strode down the roughly hewn gangplank and onto the dark cobbles of the harbour of Sicily’s capital, Syracuse. Syracuse was not a Roman city but ruled over by king Hiero II, they had made a deal with him and let him rule the south-east while the Romans controlled the rest of the island. He looked up to see a small welcoming party of a few legionaries and a centurion.

“Greetings Praetor, I am Centurion Saturnius, I’m here to take you to your villa” said the centurion gruffly, the scarring on his forearms showing he had been in active service elsewhere before being posted here.

“Thank you Centurion is it far?” inquired Amellius.

“It depends on whether you can ride or not sir” smiled Saturnius

“Well get me a horse Centurion, I want to get home before the sunset”

The villa had recently been built especially for him; solid wooden beams lay above his head holding up the ceiling around him. The marble floor glistened as if liquid, cool to the touch yet beautifully soft. The ionic pillars that surrounded the ornamental pool were smooth and sleek; their subtle ornamentation on the capital reminded him of the great pillars of the Great Temple in Rome. It was a comforting idea to have a little piece of the greatest city in the world with him. The gruff voices of the guards could be heard roaring with laughter from the gate, their simple lives were seemingly bliss to Amellius they had no worries about the future and will continue living their peaceful lives till the end. Brand new bronze braziers warmed the rooms for the surprisingly chilly night. There really was no competition; Roman architecture was the best the world had to offer. The air still thick with the smell of plaster and fresh wood, he took in deep breaths and sighed, the last rays of sun faded over the horizon as his slaves hurriedly lit the torches as the Roman world slipped into night. He moved into the bedchamber and reclined, before drifting to sleep.