SPQR: Britannia (3 Viewers)

[Horus]

My second instalment from my thread "The Scout". With so many possibilities for scenes featuring Romans I thought I'd start again, but will keeping all my Roman Scenes under one title, SPQR. With various themes I'll like to cover, to start one of the stories of Britannia. As before part fact part fiction !

The Scout Pomponius comes to familiar ground on his way back to Deva and it's Legionary Fortress, but as he trots along he notices he is being shadowed on the other side of the river bank by a mounted native, soon this native is joined by another, who has one of their war horns. which he blows a sending a chill down the back of Pomponius and a call to the tribesmen in earshot to form at their sacred places in the woods.

Eventually Pomponius arrives at the Fortress gates of Deva passing some new recruits and a Centurion and makes for headquarters to report to Agricola that the Ordovices and Silures tribes have had an alliance forged by a Druid who has returned from the far North and that trouble is already happening and far worse is to come.

Agricola calls for all his officers down to Centurions to report at once to him and so newly arrived Centurion Lucius Appius Maximus reports.

Steve

 

[29 Let's Go]

Steve,

Yes, keep your story coming. Do you have more pics of your Roman fort?

Steve Y

 

[Horus]

Steve,

Yes, keep your story coming. Do you have more pics of your Roman fort?

Steve Y

Hi Steve

Where as I usually use my own photos for backdrops, in this instance the pics I've used of a Roman Fort are just off the internet.

Regards
Steve

 

[villagehorse]

Very good. Not a bad idea to save money by using internet back photos. Like the on going story. Robin.

 

[Horus]

Very good. Not a bad idea to save money by using internet back photos. Like the on going story. Robin.

Thanks Robin. Be great to have the room and money of course to have a scale Fort, Villa, Forum, Amphitheatre, City etc !{sm2}

The photos I've used look quite effective I think in helping the scenes I try to show, at least for the smaller scenes. Maybe next time I'll get a larger monitor !{sm4}

Steve

 

[Horus]

For the next few days life seems to carry on as normal outside the Fortress in its Vicus. the civilian settlement, which always pops up wherever the Legions go.

Some with more permanent buildings than others, from shacks to Temples, eventually grow into towns and cities with traders from everywhere in the Empire travelling to, to sell their wares, Unofficial wifes of the Soldiers, Bakers, cobblers Bars and everything needed to entertain the troops and part them from their hard earned Denarii.

Meanwhile the natives have not been idle, with a pair of returned Druids making mischief with the tribesmen encouraging and demanding Roman blood to appease their Gods and their victims heads as tribute to decorate the sacred groves again.

Pomponius and the other Scouts leave the Fortress and Vicus behind with orders to report back soon as the Rebels main force has been located. Pomponius mission takes him to a river barely a days ride from the Fortress and is seen by a group of tribesmen on the opposite bank, the river being to deep to ford the tribesmen settle to blowing their war horn and taunting him with evidently the heads of other Scouts that have not reported back.

Steve

 

[Horus]

Meanwhile back at the Fortress at Deva (Chester) the new recruits brought up from Rutupiae (Richborough) by Centurion Maximus have been assigned to him for the time being, along with the understrength Century of the previous Centurion who had served his time with the Eagles and now retired.

Recruits would drill for weeks before they did arms training and so Maximus is having a quiet word with recruit Festus in his shell like about facing the wrong way after his command to right face.

 

[sapper]

Looks like you put a lot of effort in to this thread, Steve. The excellent scenes and interesting story combine nicely. Your numerous contributions on the forum
are greatly appreciated. Regards Greg.

 

[Horus]

Looks like you put a lot of effort in to this thread, Steve. The excellent scenes and interesting story combine nicely. Your numerous contributions on the forum
are greatly appreciated. Regards Greg.

Thanks Greg. Late Republic and 1st and 2nd centuries A.D. in the Roman Empire have always been one of my favourite periods of history. Starting with learning about them at school and visiting places such as Hadrians Wall, The Roman villa at Fishbourne and the Roman Baths at Bath with my parents as a kid.
Oh and reading Rosemary Sutcliffs The Eagle of the Ninth was and is a great way to fire anyone's imagination and interest in the Romans.
So much better than the film of a few years ago. Even with it's dodgy sets and low budget, the BBC childrens serial of mid seventies told the story well.

These days I still like to visit ancient sites on my hols, following in Hadrians footsteps in many instances as he spent much of his reign touring the provinces from Britain to Egypt !

Now that would make for an interesting subject to cover for a manufacturer !

Steve

 

[UKReb]

Fine atmospheric work Steve. I particularly like the earth groundwork and also the close-up shots of the recruits-Kudos

Bob

 

[Horus]

Fine atmospheric work Steve. I particularly like the earth groundwork and also the close-up shots of the recruits-Kudos

Bob

Thanks Bob, trying improve on the ground work all the time, to emulate masters of dioramas such as yourself !{sm4}

Steve

 

[Horus]

The next morning having been put on a charge the previous day as punishment, Festus finds himself joining a fatigues party clearing out the latrines for the day, while the rest of his Century gets on with sword practice.

A few miles away the local chieftain is at the tribal sacred grove a place secret from the Romans, where a Spring rises amongst the ancient Oak trees bedecked with mistletoe, here two Druids, an older more experienced one and a young fanatical firebrand who seems to be in command of the two are cajoling the Chief into abandoning the tribes on going hit and run attacks, and going onto the offensive with open warfare, which the Chief knows would be disastrous.

As the haranguing by the Druids finish, a captive legionary is sacrificed as a gift and down payment to their local God of War as their sign of their good faith of the bargain they hope to strike for Victory.

To be continued !
Steve

 

[villagehorse]

Very creative Steve, a little scary where your mind can wander.^&grin, Robin.

 

[Horus]

Very creative Steve, a little scary where your mind can wander.^&grin, Robin.

Ha !^&grin But Robin I'm censoring the more scary stuff, so as to try and not scare the kiddies too much !

Of course History is written by the Victors and in those days, the victors were by and large, the Romans !

If you have trouble sleeping try some Horlicks (Other brands available !) ! ^&grin ^&grin

Steve

 

[Horus]

Robin in the last photo, it looks to me a bit like the guy behind the Chief is photo bombing and the younger Druid looks a little like Tom Cruise from that angle ! ^&grin

Steve

 

[jazzeum]

Those last two photos are great Steve. Scary indeed.

Brad

 

[Horus]

Those last two photos are great Steve. Scary indeed.

Brad

Yeah I agree Scary stuff ! And in Humanities timeline, that was only a blink ago for us. Similar stuff is going on right now somewhere in the World. Nothing much ever changes !


Steve

 

[Poppo]

Pomponius {sm4}{sm4}{sm4}{sm4}

 

[Horus]

Pomponius {sm4}{sm4}{sm4}{sm4}

Monty Python came up with some great Latin sounding names, such as :




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPGb4STRfKw


Steve

 

[Poppo]

Monty Python came up with some great Latin sounding names, such as :




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPGb4STRfKw


Steve

{sm4}{sm4}{sm4}{sm4}{sm4}{sm4}