Salvatoria: The Memoirs of Lucretia Aurelia

ᑕᕼᗩᑭTEᖇ ᙭: TO TᕼE EᗪGE Oᖴ TᕼE ᗯOᖇᒪᗪ!

July 10, 55 B.C

Portius Itius, Morini Gaul

Caesar had assembled a force consisting of two veteran legions. His 10th and my 14th would take part in the expedition to Britannia. This total force consisted of around 12,000 men, and 100 warships and transporters. We had no idea what to expect from the expedition, but Caesar believed the Britons would submit after a short campaign.

I was less optimistic.

Such a victory would be another propaganda masterstroke, like the Rhine crossing had a couple of months earlier. Britain was on the edge of the world, and it was a land shrouded in mystery, and one that Rome would obtain tin from. Caesar claimed to the Senate that the Britons had been providing the Gauls with the materials required to make war and resist Roman conquest. We all knew it was a... weak excuse at best. But by now, Caesar was doing whatever he wanted with little oversight from Rome proper. He was in essence a free man.

As our ships sailed across the Channel, anticipation coursed through the ranks. We were eager for glory, eager to expand the boundaries of the Roman Republic under the leadership of our formidable general.

The shores of Britain loomed before us, rugged cliffs rising from the sea like sentinels guarding a realm unknown. With a sense of determination, we prepared to make landfall. But the Britons had different plans. Caesar and I took note that the Britons had amassed an army on the massive cliffs. They had infantry, cavalry, slingers and archers and something else that we had yet to face. War chariots. We only knew of them being used down in the rich lands of Egypt and Persia, not here in barbarian lands. Perhaps the Greeks had more influence on them than we previously thought.

Caesar and I agreed to continue down the coast to find a more suitable landing spot, however, the Britons followed us, surprising me. When we finally found a suitable spot, we had to anchor far away from the shore, given the warships had deep keels.

"Give your legion the order to disembark," Caesar ordered, his arms crossed.

"DISEMBARK!" I commanded and the men began leaping off the ships into waist deep water.

They waded forward, however, this gave the Britons the chance to attack. As our men got close to the beach, the barbarians pelted our soldiers with rocks, oysters, arrows and other forms of missiles. Even as the legionaries struggled onshore, the Britons cavalry would swoop in for the kill, the height advantage of being mounted on horseback proving too much for our men.

"Caesar, the Britons are racking up too many casualties, we need to do something," I stated deadpanned.

"Bring the shallow keeled ships forward!" Caesar ordered, and so our ships more well equipped to travel into shallow water began to move forward.

When we got into range, our ballistae and missile trips returned fire with arrows and javelins. However, despite this advantage, the casualties continued to mount, the legions wavering.

"You next!" I pointed to a group of legionaries.

"No way!" He shot back, his voice quivering, "I'm not going to face those... those... animals!"

"Are you disobeying a superior officer!?" I barked back and he looked terrified, conflicting his options.

Death or treason. Not really good options.

"If we continue this suicidal charge we may face mutinies," I said to Caesar, "I advise we withdraw, reorganize-"

"No. We can break them," Caesar sneered through gritted teeth, "We're Romans!"

"I'm not sure given the current face of the battle,"

Then an eagle bearer from the 10th legion leaped into the water and began wading towards shore. He called upon his fellow soldiers, waving the standard.