Domina Victrix

Chapter 92: 37 AD, Lugdunum, Caesarea, and Rome

Artos looked around at the crowds lining the streets of Lugdunum, the Provincial capital of Gallia Celtica. Lugdunum had been a university town decades before the Romans arrived in Gaul. Situated in a hilly area where the Rhonor and Arar rivers converged, it was a Greco-Roman city. Its people spoke Latin and Greek, lived in insulae or domii, and went to races at the circus and games or plays at the theater. The one nod to the old ways was the temple to Lugh, the god of light, as Mercury, situated on a hill near the castrum. Only the poorest citizens still wore checkered wool and kept their long hair.

His formal entry into the City had been a long time coming. He had passed through Lugdunum on his way to Gergovia five years ago, and made a few private visits to the City. Now Caligula was demanding that he take a personal oath of loyalty to him as Emperor, and that the chiefs of the principal tribes do so, as well. Artos' initial idea was to make another low-key visit and get it done. He had already submitted a written oath and made sure the chiefs and chieftains followed suit. Now the August One was playing a new game and Castillus suggested a full state visit.

The people lined the processional route, staring at Iolarix and his retainers as though they had never seen real Gauls before. He carried rank as Prefectus Alae of II Matrona and had chosen to wear an officer's cuirass and custom double balteus, along with an embroidered tunic and braccaes of dark brown wool, and a plaid cloak with a jewelled brooch. His sword and dagger had belonged to Vercingetorix, and he wore his three eagle's feathers with a gold circlet and large spiral earrings. The people were curious about him, but did not clap or cheer.

The procession pulled up at the gates of the castrum, where Castillus and Beaky awaited, along with Lepida. Castillus had written his nephew, demanding royal behavior, not Artos' down-home silliness. No hugs and loud laughing, stories about Pannonia and Antioch, or dancing at banquets. Iolarix dropped down from his horse, a stallion, and approached Castillus and Beaky. A genuine smile lit his face as he clasped their hands. The three men led the way through the gates, with their wives following. As they sat down in Castillus' office, the Governor came to the point.

"The Emperor has taken ill and may not last long," he said.

Beaky pursed his lips as Artos put two and two together. Caligula had no children. His only heirs were Gemellus, a mental defective, and Claudius, with his lame foot, stutter, and monotone voice. On the Antony side, though, there were several capable men, the top contenders being Ptolemy of Mauretania and Young Marcus or Domitius Lepidus. The death of Caligula so soon after his accession could plunge the Empire back into civil war.

"Pray the gods nothing happens," Artos said.

.....

Victoria opened Ptolemy's letter, dreading what he might say. She scanned his words. All three boys were doing well and becoming more like Juba as they grew older. He then came to his point. He had possibilities for Selene. The new King of Armenia had two sons. The King of Palmyra had an heir, as did her cousins in Thrace and Pontus. The Emessans had two available princes. Ptolemy was inviting her input.

Victoria shut and locked the infirmary door and made her to the praetorium to wait for Flavius and Bolt. Cassillus and Aurelianus were there. Cassillus was short and husky, like his father, but he had the outgoing personality of the Crispinii. Victoria knew Selene was sweet on him and she would have to break her daughter's heart. But an even bigger danger loomed.

Tiberius had arranged Caligula's marriage to Junia Claudilla, a mousy young girl with ties to the Macros and the Claudii branch of the Imperial Family. Weeks after Tiberius'death, she, too, had died in childbirth to a stillborn girl. During the accession festivities in Rome, Caligula cast his eye on Livia Orestilla, a married woman who was a relation on the Livii side of the family. He demanded she divorce her husband and marry him. The marriage was solemnized and annulled on the same day, and Livia returned to her husband, one of the Pisos. Caligila banished them both for adultery with each other. Caligula was unattached, though in a relationship with either Julia Livilla or Julia Drusilla. Rome was shocked and cries grew for him to take a proper wife. He had already inquired about Selene, but Ptolemy evaded the question, saying she was immature for her age and not up to the strain of being an Empress. He did not state, although Caligula was likely aware, that Juba's will required Selene to be sixteen to marry.