Silhouettes Beneath Vesuvius

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Lucius was born in Pompeii, 12 February, 40 C.E. to Titus Holconius Rufus, a consul of Pompeii to Rome and his wife, Cornelia Scipio, from a well-known and prosperous family of Rome.

The Holconii is an old, Pompeian family whose money came not from trade, but from land. The family are viticulturists, with vines so notable that a prominent writer on agriculture in the Roman Empire, Lucius Junius Moderatus Columella (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columella), notes that one variety, the Holconins vine is named after them. Grape growing and wine have made the Holconii wealthy enough to compete for power and influence in Pompeii’s local government, by winning over the town council and the electorate the traditional way: through municipal construction.

In 59 C.E., a riot broke out in the Amphitheatre between Pompeian fans and the people of nearby Nuceria, and as a result the Amphitheatre was closed by Rome for ten years – a hefty penalty for the crime. This, as well as tenuous pains of Pompeii being a former colony of Rome, kept the Pompeian people at odds with Roman politics. Though they did enjoy the wealth Rome brought to the area because of the resort they enjoyed.

Lucius was elected quinquennalis (chief magistrate) last year, circa 69 C.E, and he was the prime negotiator to reopen and refurbish the Amphitheatre just in time for Lupercalia in February, close to his birthday. With this victory, he begins to enjoy a prominent public life in Pompeii.
(Inscriptions on the bases of his statues around the city shows that he enjoys an unprecedented number of political appointments, and in his lifetime would be appointed duumvir- one Pompeii’s two City ‘consuls’- no less than five times. At his peak, Pompeii would award Holconius Rufus his highest monumentalized honor of all: a statue overlooking one of the most prominent parts of the city: the intersection between the Via Stabiana and the Via dell’ Abbondanza - two of Pompeii’s major roads. He was given all these honors by a city grateful for his municipal generosity).

Lucius, one of Pompeii’s local elites, (as they had been previously barred from local politics, for Pompeii’s role in the Italic Social Wars (90–89 BC)) was back in business after his time in Britain; and those that had lost, have been clawing back lost political ground by building. Lucius is particularly successful. One of his major Pompeian projects was the renovation of the large theatre. The town council was so grateful for his contribution that they awarded Lucius a permanent seat in the theatre with the best views of the stage- complete with a lavish bronze-lettered inscription.

However, Lucius was not just courting Pompeii; he was also courting Rome. Around the same time that he was rebuilding the theatre, Holconius also made some alterations to the sanctuary of Apollo. The alterations caused annoyance to some locals when one of the new walls obscured some of their light, obliging Lucius to pay the householders compensation. It seems strange that such a canny local politician would upset potential voters in this way- until you take all the issues into account. Lucius could afford some local ire, if he won imperial favor; even if he despised Rome. He was Pompeian you know; and even secretly held title and deed to some of the Roman nobility estates in Pompeii.

It was common in Pompeii to use the walls of houses and shops lining the town’s busy roadways as billboards for advertisements-especially at election time. Lucius paid signwriters to daub these election notices, which advertised the candidates, showed who supported them and often announced who had won. Many of the notices give us valuable information about the types of people running for election- and who succeeded in being elected.

However, Lucius made his money, the House of Lucius Holconius Rufus on the Via dell’ Abbondanza is generally agreed to be an impressive residence with an expansive peristyle garden and entertainment suite. Its main reception area was rather large - a clear indication that the house had been built for a politician. For the atrium was the place that important men received their clients – his reflected the importance of the master of the house.

Lucius’ atrium took up the entire width of the front of the house, and it is apparent that other rooms surrounded it. It made the house look large, raising Lucius in the eyes of his clients- most notably for a leading politician. Having redecorated the atrium and had door-shaped niches inserted into the atrium walls, connecting the rooms and corridors running off from the atrium. This made his house look more substantial than it was, allowing it to live up to its owner’s social aspirations.

Lucius’ tactics worked, and he gained favor from Rome. We know this because he was one of the few members of the local Pompeian elite to have acted as the town’s patron even Pompeii was a Roman colony. The patron was chosen to represent Pompeii’s interests in the capital, so they had to have connections and influence. So Lucius had won the ear of those in power - maybe the emperor himself. In this respect, Lucius was succeeding where his near-contemporary Balbus failed.

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Aerysticles, born in the month of Thargelion (around late May), in the village of Xanthi (Ξάνθη), in Thrace, some 33 years ago.

Repressed memory… forced or by choice, not much is known of his earlier life… As none of his village remained alive, and the memories of youth are non-existent, save for the nightmarish dreams of sleep. And the nightmares are of a village destroyed, family and friends killed outright, or tortured to death by Illyrian raiders.

He does remember the days when the Romans came… They wanted everything… and if they could not buy it, they took it by force… Upon entering the days of adolescence, he was handed a sword and shield by a Thracian conscript trainer, and in turn, would learn to use it… or die trying.

And he learned fast… and became good, mixing the Centurion’s Roman style of combat with his own Thracian skills. He had since earned his title as a Thracian Peltast. Soon he developed the craving for it… Battle became all he knew… and it provided him the accolades of life… The more he killed, the more honors and tributes were bestowed upon him by the Romans. And in receiving those tributes, he met Ariana in one of the support camps.

And in the months to follow, she taught him more about life, and love. And in the end, she convinced him to lay down his arms and marry her, and in turn she gave him a male child. Life was good… until….

Illyria was too small to go against the might of Rome… so they took to raiding the villages of Roman conscripts, to demoralize the ranks. And in a raid upon Xanthi, whilst Aerysticles was fighting near the forest, Ariana and Petrycles, his young son, were taken hostage. But knowing enslavement meant things far worse than death, Ariana killed one of her capturers, and in retaliation, his men killed Petrycles while she watched… then they raped and killed her.

Bereaved, Aerysticles disobeyed Roman orders and went after the Illyrians. In bloodlust, one by one, he killed the raiding party… until he was finally overcome and captured. For the days that followed, he was subjected to abuse… and in the end, in such irony as life of the times, he was sold as a slave to the Romans as a Thracian traitor.

Months of travel, his wrists and ankles scarred by shackles, and then came the ludus… a privately owned gladiator training school and 'stable'…. where in the months to follow, the Doctore introduced the whip to Aerysticles, and trained him in gladiatorial combat, destined to please the crowds of the Arena. Again he learned quickly… adding his own Roman and Thracian skills to those taught by the Doctore.

And over the next ten years, those honed skills as a Dimachaerus, advanced him in the Arena to the highest tier of gladiator, one considered the best skilled warrior to enter the arena… He was the one that the crowd roars to see….and the upper class wager on, or against. Plus, a Champion status also got him rewards such as coin, privileges, or women…

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Marcus Aquila is a member of a well-known Roman patrician family, the Julii. He has a distant connection with the famous Gaius Suetonius Paulinus, victor over Boudicca in Britain.

As a member, although disliked, he sits atop Roman society. Although in his youth, he enjoyed fabulous the life of a wealthy patrician son… wealth, power and privilege. But even those fine perks came at a price. As Rome’s leaders, his father, Gaius Julius Aquila, consul of Rome, could not avoid its dangerous power struggles; losing his father to assassination when he was 12.

As a member of the Julii of Rome and its enormous empire, Familia Aquila lived in suitable style; living in one of the finest villas, ate the finest food, and dressed in only the most magnificent clothes. His life was luxurious, extravagant, and indulgent – to a point. But his Father’s assassination forced his uncles and his mother to formulate a close-knit group of their own, no longer dependent upon the Roman Patrician… yet in his youth he could spend his days enjoying his favorite pastimes, like music, poetry, hunting and horse racing.

Constantly filled with political intrigue, males of well-off patrician families such as the Julii, potential heirs and their families always needed to be pushing their accolades, making their claim and hustling for position, keeping an eye on the rivals for the empirical throne – including members of his own family – and would need to keep tabs on the many political factions within the Senate. Knowing full well there were those who would ultimately succumb to betrayal, backstabbing and even murder to secure the ultimate prize. It all made for a very stressful life in which only the strongest and most determined could survive. And Marcus survived, thanks be to his uncles and mother.

Marcus would receive an extensive education; mostly after his father’s murder, from a private tutor. This enabled his tutor to focus on the subjects a sophisticated noble would be expected to know, as well as some required for his future career. Poetry and literature, history and geography, some mythology and important languages – like Greek – would all be taught. He also received lessons in law to be essential parts of a good education… and in public speaking; to which he became a finessed and forceful orator early on. But what favored Marcus was not a career in politics and government, but the military. So he started arranging lessons in military tactics, weapons employment, and aggressive strategy.

Prior to the revolt in 66-67 AD, Marcus was serving as a Primus Pilus (First File) Centurion in Judea. While he was there, the desecration of a synagogue that caused Jewish outrage and rioting, was not him, nor any of the men in his century, first cohort of the legion.

Within months, there was a full-scale rebellion as Judaea revolted against Roman rule. Now Marcus and his 100 men were involved. After a few months of battle and facing a battle-tested Roman army of the VI Ferrata Legion, the beleaguered Jewish troops shelter within the walled city of Jotapata. Legion VI Ferrata, as well as Marcus and his 100, surrounded the city and on the 47th day, just before dawn, Marcus and his soldiers scaled the city's high walls, and opened the city gates. Roman troops stream into the city, killing some 40,000 Jews.

For his diligence and honored service to Rome, Marcus was promoted to Tribuni angusticlavii, (Narrow Band Tribune), the administrative officer for supplies and logistics. Yearning for the field of battle, disregarding the political advantage of such service by his current position, he petitioned to return to the field as Primus Pilus; a demotion riled by his family.

But nearly two years after his petition, instead of demotion, he was promoted ahead of his superiors to Tribunus laticlavius (Broad Band Tribune); named for the broad striped tunic worn by men of senatorial rank. Marcus was appointed by the Emperor Galba, and the majority of the Senate, due to his popularity. Though generally young, he was more experienced than the tribuni angusticlavia; and now as Tribunus laticlavius, he serves as second in command of the Thirteenth Legion, behind the legate.

And by the end of 68 A.D., the era of Four Emperors, as it was soon called, Marcus Aquila, was promoted to Legatus legionis, (Legion Legate) by Vespasian; and now is the overall legion commander of the VI Ferrata Legion, based in Galilee and he Governor of Provence Galilee.

But his political aspirations were waning and his urge for battle resurged after a short peace. But his family came to his restraint and had him reassigned to Rome as commander of Vespasian’s Praetorian Guard.

A wealthy man of stature, Marcus makes frequent trips to Pompeii and Herculaneum.

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Gaius Valeri is a rich merchant, a keen businessman, and former soldier, and sits not among, as he is authorized, but behind the elite class, knowing power oft resides out of sight. Yet, he is an estranged member of the notable Valerii family as a merchant; and as a result his mind is towards coin and the procuring of it. Despite this, however, he is a man who loves his family deeply and will go to great lengths to ensure they are safe. He is very knowledgeable about the gambling scene, from high class events to underground fighting.

Historically, over the last five centuries, few gentes produced as many distinguished men, and at every period the name of Valerius is constantly found in the lists of annual magistrates, and held in the highest honor. Several of the emperors claimed descent from the Valerii, whose name they bore as part of their official nomenclature.

According to tradition, the Valerii are of Sabine descent, having come to Rome with Titus Tatius, shortly after the founding of the city. However, their nomen, Valerius, is a patronymic surname derived from the Latin praenomen Volesus or Volusus, which in turn is derived from “valere”, to be strong. Volesus, or Volesus Valerius, the eponymous ancestor of the gens, the powerful warrior in the retinue of the Sabine king. Several generations later, another Volesus Valerius was the father of Publius, Marcus, and Manius, three brothers from whom the oldest branches of the family claimed descent.

So one can note that the Gens Valeria is considered a patrician family at Rome, prominent from the very beginning of the Republic to the latest period of the Empire. Publius Valerius Poplicola is one family member of note, a consul in 509 BC, the year that saw the overthrow of the Tarquins, and the members of his family are among the most celebrated statesmen and generals.

Another member of the gens Valerii was Valerius of Ostia, an architect, who designed the covered theatre built for the games of Libo (Lucius Scribonius Libo who, while curule aedile in 193 BC, celebrated the Megalesia. It was he who perpetrated the lines of architects born into the gens Valerii.

Marcus Valerius M. f. Artema, a Roman architect, who had lived in Pompeii and hired out for jobs in Rome, is the father of Gaius Valeri… who’s name is a variation of the gens Valerii. Marcus Artema’s son, Gaius was born in doma Artema, but his mother, Arianna, was a slave. And as such, Gaius’ story is dramatic and coincidental.

Marcus’ sickly wife, Lycinia, could not bear children, so when Arianna became pregnant, the ruse was perpetrated between them… and all, free and slave, were sworn to secrecy upon pain of death… that their child, if it was male, would become heir-apparent to all Valerii Artema wealth. But under then-current law, the child could not if he was a slave, or freedman.

And so, the child was born the 3rd day of Septembris, 14 A.D., to Arianna, and claimed by Lycinia and Marcus… and to seal the deal for Marcus’ ploy, unbeknownst to him, Lycinia made the ultimate sacrifice for her beloved husband and House, killing herself… and in a letter to her husband, claimed that she had died in childbirth.

And so, Gaius grew up in a lavish household, and was educated as an architect and the fine arts. But Gaius had a propensity for mercantilism. And when he discovered the truth about his mother, he knew that notoriety as an architect would not be good for his future; so he began to make deals with a variety of mentors… His goal was to be one of Pompeii’s finest Mercator (merchant)…

And in with that goal he began to train, first as a seller of anything from fine silks, perfumes and jewelry to food and building materials, but the profits were slow, and he was eager. Next, he began selling weapons as an Armurarius (weapons merchant); his first customers were the lanistii of Campania, for their gladiators. Next, he began to learn the slave trade as a Mercatoriam Mancipium; a more lucrative trade.

Instead of joining the Publicani, those associations formed by elitist members of the mercantile class, often Equestrians, Gaius chose to work “for” them, and with his variety of important contacts, became their mercator, supplying essential goods and equipment to the Roman legions posted abroad.

On a more individual basis, be also took in a side trade, as an Argentarius, a private banker… that subset of Negotiatores, or part-time moneylenders, in addition to whatever commodities they traded. As an Argentarius, he loaned money, his money, at a modest interest rate and collateral, providing a windfall profit when they could not repay the loan.

A former soldier of the Roman Imperial Army, Gaius displays some combat prowess in Germania where he fought for 6 months… and solid skills with a sword. However, admittingly not comparable to that of a gladiator.