Rome. Legion X Fretensis - The Helvetian Affair: de re Helvetian

THE HELVETIAN AFFAIR

Also by Ray Gleason:

The Gaius Marius Chronicle

De Re Gabiniana: The Gabinian Affair

A Grunt Speaks: A Devils Dictionary of Vietnam Infantry Terms

The Violent Season

THE GAIUS MARIUS CHRONICLE

BOOK II

THE

HELVETIAN

AFFAIR

De Re Helvetian

Ray Gleason

THE GAIUS MARIUS CHRONICLE BOOK II

THE HELVETIAN AFFAIR

De Re Helvetian

2016 RAY GLEASON.

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To BJ Rahn

Teacher, Mentor, Friend

Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world.
John Milton

Gaius Marius Insubrecus Tertius, our hero, known variously as follows:

• Arth Bek: Little Bear, by his grandpa
• Pagane: The Hick, by his Roman army mates
• Gai: by his family, close friends, and his few girlfriends
• Insubrecus: by his army colleagues and casual associates
• Blatta / Vermiculus / Bestiola: Cockroach / Maggot / Insect, by Strabo, his training officer
• Prime: Top, but thats much later in his military career

The Basic Training Squad:

Cossus Lollius Strabo, Squinty, an Eighth Legion optio, the training officer, later promoted to centurion in the Tenth Legion

The Veterani, Old Men:

Lucius Bantus, acting decanus, squad leader

Tullius Norbanus, Tulli, assistant squad leader

TheTirones, Rookies:

Mollis, Softy

Rufus, Red

Pustula, Zits

Minutus, Tiny

Loquax, Gabby

Lentulus, Slow Poke

Felix, Lucky

Gaius Iulius Caesar, Imperator and commander of the Roman legions in Gaul; proconsul of Cisalpine Gaul, Transalpine Gaul, and Illyricum; ex-consul of the Roman Repubulic and Triumvir with Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus and Marcus Licinius Crassus; Patronus of our hero, Gaius Marius Insubrecus

Caesars Legates in Gaul:

Titus Labienus, a professional soldier and Caesars right-hand man; second in command of the army; saves Caesars bacon at Bibracte

Caius Claudius Pulcher, Pretty Boy, a self-conscious Patrician and no fan of Caesar; he would probably have been involved in the plot against Caesarhad he the brains or the energy

Publius Licinius Crassus, one of the two sons of Caesars colleague and fellow triumvir, Marcus Licinius Crassus; appointed to Caesars staff as a favor to his father and sent to Gaul by his father to keep an eye on his partner, Caesar

Quintus Pedius, Caesars nephewneed I say more?

Servius Sulpicius Rufus, a lawyer in armor; every army has a few of these, unfortunately

Publius Vatinius, served Caesar in Rome as his pet tribune of the Plebs, a political appointment

Lucius Aurunculeius Cotta, serving in Gaul seems to have been his only claim to fame

Caesars Military Tribunes:

Lucius Vipsanius Agrippa, an Italian from Asisium; an equestrian; a social and political nobody, but a good officer; his kid brother, Marcus, will eventually make it big

Tertius Nigidius Caecina, an angusticlavus, a junior tribune; a Roman and the nephew of Senator Publius Nigidius Figulus, on whose support Caesar depends

Publius Considius, been around in the army since Romulus was a corporal; in bad need of a pair of specs, but they havent been invented yet

Fabius, a laticlavus, a broad-striper; a senior tribune assigned to the Eleventh Legion

The Centurions:

Decius Minatius Gemellus, praefectus castrorum, the prefect of camps of Caesars army

Tertius Piscius Malleus, The Hammer,centurio primus pilus of the Tenth Legion

Mamercus Tertinius Gelasius, centurio prior pilus, commander of the Tenth Cohort of the Tenth Legion and officer in charge of recruit training

Nerva, primus pilus of the Twelfth Legion

Sanga, centurio prior pilus, commander of the Third Cohort of the Twelfth Legion

Mettius Atius Lupinus, Lotium, commander of the Third Century, Second Cohort, Tenth Legion; no one dares call him Lotium to his face

Spurius Hosidius Quiricus, The Oak,centurio primus pilus of the Ninth Legion

Marcus Sestius, Iudaeus,centurio primus pilus of the Eleventh Legion; his nickname has nothing to do with his religious affiliation, but rather a wound he received in a rather awkward spot

Other Roman Officers:

Decimus Lampronius Valgus, Bowlegs,decurio in command of the cavalry of Caesars Praetorian Guard

Rubigo, Rusty,decurio in the legionary cavalry of the Tenth Legion

Flavus, Whitey, a Roman soldier from Cisalpine Gaul serving in the Twelfth Legion and briefly assigned to the Sequani Cavalry under Agrippa

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