Claudius' ban

6

Later that day, during midday, a large storm erupted in the region. Much rainfall and lightning as the result. At this time, Phillianna was bathing in the bath house. Aga joined her to keep the foreigner company. Later also several other women from the town joined them. They all welcomed Phillianna in their town. 

There was a Roman cohort of 100 soldiers led by a centurion, nearby, who had to hide inside their campsite. The campsite was only made for 200 troops. There were also chefs and physicians living there. The centurion, Gajus, was from Lower Germany, from a Frisian town near the Rhine. He joined the Roman army at age 11 as a means of his parents to gain acceptance by their peers. He grew to the rank of centurion quite quickly. He was stationed in the north of Corintania by his superiors to supervise the constructions of the roads. Furthermore, he had to report any form of civil unrest immediately. He was not permitted to act by his own volition. Emperor Claudius commanded the legions in Britain to behave towards the Britons. Claudius planned to annex Britain with the least resistance of it's population. This was needed in order to expand the Roman world into the British isles. Problems in Britain would cost the Roman treasury a lot of money. Money they didn't had. There were already civil uprisings in the South of Italy and in other Eastern provinces due to the big famine in the Eastern Mediterranean. The famine has been going on for quite some years now. The fame was first small in only Libya. But due to mismanagement of food resources by the Southeastern provinces, the famine spread around. This was also due to the mismanagement of the Empire's taxes by Claudius' predecessor Caligula. The invasion of Britain was also needed to pay off debts of the government and to confiscate grain from Britain for the Eastern provinces. And Claudius needed a distraction from the social unrest, that also manifested into the military. All these reasons motivated him to command the invasion of Britain. Gajus had a soldier in his charge named Jared. Jared was from Dalmatia. He was a run away slave boy who joined the army. He asked to be stationed in Britain. This because he hoped to start a new life in the new province, with the wages he collected past years. Three year and six months he was in military service. Most of the goods and food he needed was provided by the legionary camp. He saved around 600 Denarii. He planned to buy some land in Britain and to retire from the army. He didn't share his plan with anyone... neither that he had 600 Denarii. Jared was send in the afternoon to travel towards the bordering towns, near the district of the Paris people, to check if everything was all right. He was expected to return after two days. As a Roman soldier he could force hostels and Inns to give him a place to lay his head. It was still raining hard, yet he got on a horse and took the ride. 

After like three hours he arrived at a small Celtic town, which still had its own Celtic bath house. Due to the rain he parked his horse directly at a barn and he searched for a hostel. When he couldn't find one.. he turned to the Bath house. Inside he heard women chatting with each other. He chose not to invade but to look further. He then noticed a donkey which was parked at a building. The door was wide open. Inside he checked the rooms. It was a small hostel. One of the rooms seemed occupied. He chose to stay over there until the storm stopped. He had his 600 Denarii with him. He looked outside one of the windows. ''There's a lot of land unoccupied'' he thought ''I have to apply for this at the civil court.. maybe they'll grand me the land for free..''

He went outside to check on the other animals. While he was there, he saw two women, he thought they were siblings, coming towards the hostel. He stood beside the entrance. In formation. As he had learned. The women first ignored him. But later, the younger one, came and informed about what's going on.

''I'm Jaredus Octavius Serenius, beloning to the British legion, I'm serving Rome under the leadership of Augustus Claudius. I'm here to inspect whether everything is at peace''

''Everything is at peace here. Soldier! I'm glad that you guys are concerned with us. Get inside! It will rain for a long time!''