The circus echoed with waves of the cries
That were asking for freedom for Scipio...
Hand raised to the skies and a handkerchief waved...
Domitian's greatness we glorify now, oh, Romans!
No wonder we voted for he to be leader...

The beginning...

His history began on the day when Scipio Dias, like legendary Myrinium and Triumphum, got his rudis on the arena of the Coliseum...

The crowd that filled the walls of circus raged: they were calling the Emperor for freedom for the one whom they loved most and Domitian did not contradict them...

Domitian
A man who proclaimed himself equal to the Gods, always following to the stars' predictions, was using gladiator games as the means of control... He roused his own popularity, with seeming readiness fulfilling the crowd's will, foreseeing most vile desires of the ones who was hungry for "bread and circuses"... It was in the time of his reign when the first female gladiators went on the arena as well as the "dwarves", adding particularly cruel wicked taste to any spectacle... Watching the reaction of the noble audience, especially the senators, Domitian easily identified the dissenters, people who one way or another complained his actions and then was ordering to spy on them... As a result, he exposed several plots that can undermine his absolute power...

Only one stroke of the Emperor's handkerchief and the Equitis Scipio became a freeman... The people praised the greatness of Domitian and welcomed the Rudiarius... and the one who was joining his voice to the delighted cries was young Titus Flavius Virilus, the future general of The Ninth Spanish Legion, did not suspecting that this story will be continued... and what circumstances will lead him to the meeting with the son of the man that he was looking at now with a great admiration...

"He taught me how to fight, when to choose my battles."
Quintus Dias

Of gladiators' valor were enthusiastically spoken in modest workshops and in the luxurious houses of the Roman senators... Poets wrote about warriors of the arena, painters perpetuated the hottest combat moments… The Gladiators' Code of Honour (the one that was obliged to follow each man after entering the Gladiators' school and who was considered a "formally dead" since that moment) says:

"Only the one who is weak at heart thinking of death entering the arena...
If you feel that you are dying, open your face to the enemy for he could crush you looking into your eyes...
Remove your helmet and open your face and your eyes to the ones who are watching you for they could see that there's no fear in you, and then cut your throat...
You cannot choose your enemy...
A fight is not a revenge...
Fight, but do not square accounts... Never join the fight with someone who is weaker than you. There is no honour in such a fight...
Be greedy for danger for the path of Glory lies through this...
Remember that the fight is an art...
Be ready to fight every moment of your life, and no one could defeat you..."

Despite the fact that he had the name of the one of the best Gladiators and could get the higher fee for every entrance, Scipio Dias left arena after becoming Rudiarius... He was never ashamed of his profession; actually, he was proud of it, but now Scipio was happy to be a free man, to get married, settle down and have children that will become the free citizens of Rome...

The freedmen were able to hold a respectable position in the gladiators' schools. They were coaches, helpers, judges on the arena or trained the animals for bestiaries... Thanks to his authority, Scipio's was paid still high enough, even now, when he was not fighting, so he became quite a wealthy man in a short period of time...

It was very important for an ex-Gladiator... He was raising a son and now he had someone to share his love for the art of fight, for all his gratitude to this great country that made him free... In his most daring dreams Scipio had seen Quintus a legionnaire... a valorous soldier of Rome, the heir of his skills, who will be remembering that his father was a gladiator, gladiator who had the right to epitaph: "Not inglorious I am among the livings for no one can say that he defeated me..."

The father's authority is not a light burden...
It follows you like a shadow, giving a strange taste to all your actions... confusing dreams of your own glory with purpose to be worthy of the burden of someone else...
The lack of choice always gives rise to a lot of questions... questions in the dark... And when its number reaches the Legion only the faith can help you... Faith that you are accepting in the beginning of your way without any question marks...

Armed with his father's ideas as well as his own, Quintus Dias was walking along the road of life not knowing fear and doubt...
The choice of destiny was clear to him as well as his first sword, the same Rudis that gave freedom to Scipio one day and helped little Quintus to win in play fights with his peers...

Hardly waiting for his seventeen years Quintus along with the other young men came to the Capitol, where they were divided according their property qualification...
There was a universal conscription in Rome, but military service was considered an honorable one and it was not open to the poor...




The poorest were sent in the Navy, the next group was attached to the infantry; the wealthiest - to the cavalry...

During the Quintus' training period was accepted the tutorial system of Rutilius Rufus, the methods of teaching in it more resembled the ones that were used in gladiators' schools...
In the main principles was said:

"A roman soldier is well trained. He can overcome fear and get close to the enemy that is far outnumbering him...
Attack from the rear on the huge mass of the enemy and defeat him, feeling by his side only the cohort.
A roman soldier superbly disciplined. He will be executed if he will violate the discipline or will fail to fulfill a commanding officer's order... Even if he committed a brave deed, but the discipline or the order was violated and his friends' life was at risk, he will be executed all the same...
A roman soldier can be sure – the army will not leave him at the battlefield... Wounded or surrounded by enemies he must stay unworried, because his companions already are rushing to help him..."

All these rules are in keeping with things that Quintus had heard since he was a child, it helped him succeed in the school, and upon completion of training he was chosen as an optio.
According to the regulations this rank was given by Centurion (Primus Pilus) for bravery and courage.

After burying his father and placing the grave stone with the promised epitaph, Quintus decided that the most worthy deed for gladiator's son will be to protect of the boundaries of the Great Roman Empire in its most difficult area... Lymes in the North Britain was constantly attacked by the Picts...

to be continued...