Intro, Turbator Germania

In 707 Ab Urbe Condita- in the Consulship of Quintus Fufius Calenus and Publius Vatinius, after years, decades even, of political turmoil as the mighty has struggled for power in Rome, the city craves peace. However, peace has not come, merely a vacuum of sorts as the Senatus Populusque Romanus awaits news from the East. Pompey has fallen, assassinated in Egypt and the undisputed (almost) master of the Roman world is his opponent Gaius Julius Caesar. Trouble in the East, in Egypt and Asia Minor, keeps him away from Rome and the city is thus breathlessly awaiting his return, dreaming of peace after almost a century of worsening internal disturbances started by the Gracchii and a city frequently in uproar and riots.

In Rome, like a lion in a cage, Lucius Cornelius Scipio seethes with frustration. At his lack of finances, at the wound received at Pharsalos keeping him from Caesar’s side (well… Caesar’s army), at… at everything, at Fortuna!!! Damn that tart for keeping him back. Had he been with the Army he could have distinguished himself and grabbed some loot, now his wound forced him to spend winter in Rome while Caesar campaigned in Egypt and the amateurish general Gnaeus Domitius Calvinus lost his army to Pharnaces of the Bosporan kingdom.

With a worse and worse mood and healing wound, Lucius Cornelius’ faithful friend Caius Caecilius Rufus convinces him to travel to the latter’s Villa Rustica near Misenum to relax and enjoy the sea air, women, food and wine. With them travels the legionary veteran Caius Cominius Dolabra with who they fought at Pharsalus and who saved Lucius Cornelius’ life at Dyrrhachium.

After a week of this and debating whether to rejoin Caesar in Egypt is worth it, and as a nice evening progresses as usual with slave women, food and wine (Caius Caecilius is quite a bit wealthier than Lucius Cornelius), they are disturbed by the Vilicus who says that the Magister Pecorum has something to report.