The Roman Gazette
The Roman Gazette
The Roman Gazette
The sword of truth, in association with TOTAL WAR ROME II from SEGA ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
Dies Veneris
vi September MMXIII
the Roman
Published in Roma
and Arenacum
Rome will triumph! 200 years ago today Take the career quiz
Friends, we may have lost What lessons can modern Soldier, do you have what
the battle at Teutoburg, but Rome learn from Hannibal’s it takes to be a centurion in
we will NOT lose the war crossing of the Alps? the modern Roman army?
Great victory
in the east
The Danube has been secured
Ambushed!
dered to the Roman commander
Tiberius at Arduba, and now
awaits his fate. The Emperor Au-
gustus has awarded Tiberius a
Triumph for his victory in a war
that has cost Rome thousands of
lives and millions of sesterces.
Germanicus has been given
Brutal barbarians batter brave Romans in cowardly attack
M
a praetorship for his part in the
campaign against an enemy re-
ore than 20,000 of 1,000 gold aurei was immediately would join him on the march with nowned for ferocity. Germanicus
Roman soldiers offered for the head of the renegade the warriors of his tribe.” led the assaults on the towns of
have been mass- commander, Arminius, a prince of Instead, the renegade gathered his Splonum, Seretium and Raetium,
acred by barbarian the Cherusci tribe. tribesmen, along with 30,000 war- where the rebels poured liquid fire
tribesmen led by a In a statement, the Emperor called riors from the Chatti, Cauchi, Bruc- down on the attacking legionaries
renegade German auxiliary officer, for calm and said the defences on the teri, Marci, Angrivarii and Mattiaci and burned many to death.
in an attack in the Teutoburg forest Rhine would be strengthened to pre- tribes, and waited in ambush. Led on Victory secures the frontier on
beyond the Rhine frontier. vent rebel incursion into the prov- by Cheruscan guides, General Varus the river Danube and the loyalty
Three legions under the command inces of Gaul or Germania. and his unsuspecting troops were in of a people who it was once feared
of General Varus – the 17th, 18th and “General Varus was a fine leader marching order, with their swords had the strength and means to
19th – were lured into an ambush by and a brave soldier, but he was be- sheathed and their shields covered. march on the city of Rome.
trickery and deceit and, despite fight- trayed by a man he believed was his By the time they reached the Teuto- On his surrender, Bato blamed
ing with exceptional courage, the le- friend,” the statement said. “This burg forest, the column was strung Rome and the greed of previous
gionaries were overwhelmed and the Arminius, on whom we had con- out over many miles. governors for the revolt. “We are
legions’ eagles lost. ferred Roman citizenship, shared the Gaius Bracchus, decurion, first your flocks,” he said, “yet you
Emperor Augustus has an- general’s campfire and had gained his century, third cohort of the 17th, one didn’t send shepherds to tend us,
nounced 30 days of public mourn- trust. When word reached the camp of the few survivors, said: “On the you sent wolves.” New civil ar-
ing and an emergency meeting of of trouble in the north, Arminius third day of the march we reached a rangements are being put in place
the Senate has been called to discuss urged the general to act and assured to ensure there is no repeat of the
ways to quash the rebellion. A reward him the route was safe. He said he Continued on page 3 >> corruption that led to the fighting.
II THEGUARDIAN.COM/TOTAL-WAR-ROME-2 06.09.13 ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE 06.09.13 III
S
this defeat simply will not stand And that is only the start, for it is
known that beyond Germania lie
oldiers of Rome, do not other fertile lands, lands that are
be downhearted by this currently wasted on their barbarian
setback on the German owners. Soon there will be land for
Welcome to frontier. Our treacherous
barbarian enemies have
all, even the meanest beggar on the
capital’s streets.
Rome, AD9
Romans ambushed!
How bad was it?
unpredictable as in, say, will destroy these murderers. His no Roman soldier need fear the As many as 20,000 Romans were
modern Syria or Egypt. legions will sweep across the river barbarian in open battle. When we
W
a battle that would prove opposes a Roman The fight After this defeat, the Romans largely hilly area, with deep gorges and along with a number of auxiliaries. for some time, but with supplies
pivotal for Rome. soldier, slavery for We will force gave up on Germany. marshes on the lower ground that Emperor Augustus pledged that hile his comrades running low and the fort crowded
This is how we imagine those who kneel before them to fight Why does it matter now? made it difficult to keep station. The the perpetrators of the atrocity would were being slaugh- with civilians seeking refuge,
him. For the renegade on ground of The most devastating defeat ever barbarians came out of the trees be brought to justice and subject to tered in the Teuto- Caedicius decided to break out.
a newspaper for Roman Arminius, a man this our choosing; suffered by Rome led to the erection without warning, supported by the full force of Roman law. burg forest, Lucius Under cover of a storm, the oc-
soldiers may have reported Empire took to its a battle where of a barrier between German and volleys of slingshots and throwing Caedicius, camp prefect of the cupants marched out through
heart, there can be only armour, and spears. Our javelins were tied with 17th legion, was saving the hon- German lines. Unfortunately they
WANTED
it. It is published with Latin cultures that endures. If Rome
one end: crucifixion. shields and a had won, Germany and the Czech our shoulder poles, so all we had our of Roman arms with a worthy were discovered and the barbar-
SEGA, whose new PC We have all heard the gladius with Republic might never have existed. were swords and shields. They’re feat of soldiering. ians launched a ferocious attack.
game, Total War ROME stories. How our tribunes a strong arm big men, the Germans, and tough General Varus had given pre- Caedicius used his soldiers to
II, plunges players into an
were tortured and burned
alive. How our surviving
behind it
guarantee
it, will
The war in Pannonia is at an end,
fighters, and they were on us before
we could form a proper line.” DEAD, NOT fect Caedicius command of Fort
Aliso, one of a line of camps on
protect the unarmed civilians and
they fought their way through to
immaculately recreated
golden age of the Roman
soldiers were tormented
horribly by the barbarians,
victory. Your
javelins will
victory secured by Tiberius and
his nephew and brother-in-arms,
Decurion Bracchus said the fight-
ing lasted for almost four days, with ALIVE the Lippe river. By deception and
treachery all the other forts were
the Rhine. Senator Lucius As-
prenas, General Varus’s nephew,
even their women and scythe the enemy Germanicus. They march at the the column gradually being depleted. This the head of the taken and burned, but the prefect had rushed his troops to Vetera
empire, refighting key children, before being down before they head of no fewer than 15 legions, “We abandoned our baggage on and his men halted attack after at- and they were able to evacuate
slaughtered. What better way to reach your line and 75,000 veterans blooded against the morning of the third day,” he re- traitor Arminius. tack by the barbarians, who suf- the refugees and the retreating
battles and campaigns. Bring it to us and get fered heavy casualties.
repay the Cherusci, the Chatti the the iron of your swords the Illyricans and the Dalmatians, vealed. “By that time we were heavily legionaries to the west bank.
Cauchi, the Bructeri, the Marci, will give them a merciful the Dacians and the Sarmatians: outnumbered and the cavalry had run 1,000 aurei reward!
the Angrivarii and the Mattiaci end they ill deserve. enemies who make the cowardly off. General Varus was wounded and
Maintain morale
The alpine crossing was brutal.
These soldiers from North Africa
and Iberia had never seen snow
before. A landslide blocked
the way. The elephants were
starving, restless. But Hannibal
made one of those stirring
speeches for which he was
renowned, reminding his
men of the treasures awaiting
them in Rome, and they
pulled through for him.
He never did sack our
glorious capital, thank the
gods, but he put the boot
into Italy for years.
VI THEGUARDIAN.COM/TOTAL-WAR-ROME-2 06.09.13 ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE 06.09.13 VII
Why a Roman
is better than EPISTOLAE
any barbarian IT’S ENOUGH TO
SOFTEN YOUR PILUM
I hear there has been an
S-S-TAR LETTER
Can I be the first to
addition to the Lex Julia, congratulate Claudius on
BECAUSE OF HIS SHIELD which already has a whole
his marriage to Plautia?
A legionary’s scutum can be used raft of measures to punish
Not just on his fine
for defence or offence. It protects adulterers. But what exactly
choice of bride, but on
him from the enemy’s spears, is the point of the new Lex
finally managing to get
swords and arrows, but it also has a Papia Poppaea? It’s a bit rich
out the words “I d-d-d-
heavy iron central boss that can be the Senate trying to promote
d-d-d-d-do!”
used to smash a warrior’s skull. family values anyway – we
Titus Herminius
BECAUSE OF HIS SWORD all know what they get up to
The gladius hispaniensis, a 24-inch behind closed drapes! Sabinus
blade with a triangular point, is a Besides, they need to Editor’s note: Pray that
Claudius never makes
Can you think like Caesar?
proven killer in the trained hands make up their minds:
of a legionary. It darts out from on the one hand, the law Emperor, or you might
T
behind the scutum like a striking stipulates penalties for not get c-c-c-c-crucifixion!
snake; three inches of iron is marrying, and penalties for he late Julius Caesar’s 4. Heavy casualties
enough to kill any man. not producing children after tactical genius has The traps and spikes inflict heavy
BECAUSE OF HIS SPEAR marriage; on the other, it son? Yes, I have it on good never been more casualties on the Gauls, who
The pilum is a heavy javelin with forbids senators to marry the authority that Quinctilianus is sorely missed than at retreat. They then attack by night,
a weighted point. Thrown with children of actors, prostitutes the defeated general’s bastard, Teutoburg forest. Would you before gambling on an assault by
enough power to pierce an enemy or gladiators. Some of my best but was then adopted by his have what it takes to step into 60,000 men on the north side of
shield and the man behind it, friends are gladiators, I’ll have sister and brother-in-law. his sandals? See how you would Alesia, which is soon on the point
the iron behind the point is soft you know! As to prostitutes, How did Augustus punish have fared at the glorious battle of of collapse.
enough to bend if it hits armour, so that’s between me and Venus. that? He only promoted Alesia, 61 years ago. What do you do?
that it cannot be thrown back. But the worst of it is, it’s Quinctilianus to consul! A) Counter-attack the hill fort
BECAUSE OF HIS TRAINING one law for them, another Mamercus Herminius 1. The scenario B) Order your men to hold fast
A Roman soldier is as hard as law for us. We soldiers are Mancinus The year is 52BC. Caesar has C) Personally lead a cavalry
stone from marching, road making not allowed to marry at all! already suffered heavy losses at attack from the rear
and camp building, and any spare Twenty years of service, with AVID FOR OVID the hill fort of Gergovia and now
time is spent training. Hours of no wife waiting for us at Does anyone now know has Vercingetorix pinned down in After Caesar's decisive action, the
hammering at one another with home. How is that going to exactly why Ovid was sent the hill fort of Alesia. The enemy Gauls are slaughtered. The next
heavy wooden swords and being promote family values? And into exile on the direct orders forces number 80,000; Roman day, Vercingetorix surrenders
screamed at by centurions makes more importantly, after the of Augustus? A shame, as forces 60,000. unconditionally.
real battle almost a pleasure. defeat we have just suffered, he was one of my favourite What do you do now? What did Caesar do and what
how is it going to help poets. Not so much the recent A) Attack would you do? See overleaf for
morale? Metamorphoses, but my B) Retreat the answers.
Numerius Nautius Ruso copy of the Amores is well- C) Lay siege
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