General Gnaeus Iulius Agricola, one of my main characters in Book 4 of my Celtic Fervour Series (to be published in 2018), has kindly agreed to sit on my comfy interview chair. He's never ever seen anything like it - not on his Campaigns in Caledonia and probably not in Rome either - so, bear with him, he'll probably do a bit of swinging around on it!
I've tweaked the general author questions used for my Saturday Shorts interview to suit today's guest, though you'll read by only a little if you've been enjoying my other guests.
Welcome to my blog, General Agricola. Pop your helmet on the floor and please take a seat. I hope you can enjoy a little relaxation from your excessively busy campaigns during the interview.
Please introduce
yourself:
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My name is Gnaeus
Iulius Agricola. I was born and brought up in the colonia of Forum Julii in Gallia Narbonensis, Gaul .
I was educated at Massilia.
I have no
permanent home, and will have none while I remain in the service of the Roman
Empire- though I expect I may go back to Rome ,
or perhaps even Gallia Narbonensis, at some future date.
I am presently the
Governor of Britannia; Commander of all Britannic Armies and all vexillationes currently assigned to me.
When is your best
time to work?
There is no best time, I work all day long. If a critical situation
arises, I expect to be awakened from sleep. I plan and make decisions from dawn
till dusk- both military and civic. I think while I am eating, I plan while on the
march. On rare occasions, I am with my wife and…family but those are highly
private.
Which forms of
communication do you find most comfortable to use?
Communication? I wish I had regular communications. If so,
my daily task list would be so much easier. While on campaign, I prefer verbal
communication but sometimes details need to be recorded on wax: they are easily
transferred to permanent records if required. If the details are travelling a short
distance then wood is generally sufficient but coming from a long distance then
scrolls travel lighter on the horse. Here in Caledonia
the blasted problem is not the method of recording, or the weight of
communications a horse may carry- the problem is not having roads laid down!
Slow, slow, slow communications are the frustrating result!
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Please tell us what
your current campaign is about.
When I came into the post of Governor of Britannia, seven
summer seasons ago, my task was to ensure the tribes on the fringes of the Roman Empire ’s western boundary were subdued- especially
the Ordovices. When that was established my next task was to move northwards
and acquire more land and subsume more tribes into the Roman
Empire .
Was that a simple
process?
Simple? Nothing is simple about bringing the virtues and
values of Rome
to barbarians. The Brigantes and their neighbours still need to be monitored
carefully but by my third and fourth seasons the might of my Roman legions was
sufficient to cow the Selgovae, the Novantes
and those of southern Caledonia .
I had heard the
Votadini were easier to subdue. Is that correct?
Of course. My predecessors- Frontinus and Cerialis - had made seasons worth of treaties with
them, so yes, it was easier to march my troops up the east coast of southern Caledonia .
You mentioned you are
in your seventh summer of campaigning. Can you describe for my readers those
last few seasons?
Certainly. My legions now have control of the southern
Caledonian tribes, those of central Caledonia
not yet mentioned like the Damnonii and the Venicones of the east. I am
currently subduing the Taexali and
the Vacomagi of the Varar Aestuarium.
Did anything in
particular influence you to undertake this present campaign?
Of course. I want to extend the Roman Empire western
boundary and have every step of every mile of the island of Britannia
under Roman domination.
What has helped you
conduct these campaigns in Caledonia ?
Not a thing. I am the advance forces and I create the new
itinerary of Caledonia and its place in
Britannia. The barbarian north is unknown till I tame it and call it Roman and I
want to prove that the ancient seafarer Pytheas
was correct about Britannia being an island.
Who, currently, is
your main enemy?
Enemies. The craven Caledons and their allies- the Taexali,
Venicones, maybe Vacomagi and who knows who else – who skulk in the Craupian
mountains since the confrontation at Beinn na Ciche.
What’s the greatest
weakness of your enemies?
They have no structure. The have no proper army, or established
discipline, or civic awareness. They do not even have proper trade established
in northern Caledonia . They will have none of
this till after I defeat them!
What are your enemies’
greatest strengths?
They are sneaky, stealthy and - I really would rather not
admit it - good at petty raids and devious murderous attacks on my patrols. Their
cowardice in not capitulating is also a strange strength and until we have
treaties in place they remain a hidden threat.
Do you regularly report
your achievements to Rome ?
Of course I do, when I have something of merit to send. If the
Emperor Domitian acknowledged my success more often, I would report more
frequently to him. I fear that he is not particularly interested in Britannia.
Wikimedia Commons |
What’s your favourite
pastime?
Bathing. I have not had that pleasure for months now. I do
not expect such comforts while on campaign but my civic measures and
developments in subdued southern Britannia are already establishing daily Roman
rituals. The progress being made in the bath
complex at Aquae Sulis should make
bathing a safer occupation.
I’m confused. Are you
saying that bathing is not a safe occupation? Yet, you are promoting it?
Make no mistake. The bathing process is an excellent one.
Not only is your body exercised, massaged and well cleansed it is the opportunities
for social discourse that are also the huge advantages of public bathing. Civilised.
They are civilised proceedings. It is miscreants stealing the property of an
individual when he is bathing that must be stamped out. I have organised civic measures
to ensure this type of theft is eradicated.
Do you have a
favourite place to ‘hide’ out from life?
On campaign? – None at all.
Do you have a favourite
food and a favourite drink?
I suppose I’ve learned to suppress any craving when on
campaign because the likelihood of fresh grapes or the summer fruits of Gaul are just not possible. The wine transported to Caledonia by the Roman Army is inferior quality so again
it is wise to not think about a fresh white Baeterrae
wine from my near Gallia Narbonensis - but I do highly recommend
it!
Thank you so much for allowing me to interview you, today General Agricola. It's such a pleasure to meet you. I'll let you get back to the business of subduing the Taexali and Caledon barbarians.
Of course, my readers can look forward to a lot more of you in Book 4 of my Celtic Fervour Series - Agricola's Bane- when it's published!
Details are coming soon of huge changes to my Celtic Fervour Series- look out for that in a few days.
Slainthe!
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