The shields of the Cilicians and Thracians had been collected to make individual pyres that had been soaked in oil, and now they were lit to consume the bodies on top of them. Thumelicus, tears streaming down his face, lit the pyre of Drenis while Domitus did the same for that of Kronos. I held a torch and lit the heaped shields beneath the body of Mardonius and then watched as the flames took hold and black smoke ascended into a clear blue sky as the souls of our comrades were welcomed into heaven.
Afterwards we marched back to camp to ponder our next move. The spirits of the army were downcast as both Drenis and Kronos had been popular figures. Nergal and Praxima were similarly dejected as they had both known Drenis from our time in Italy. Our mood was not improved when Byrd and Malik rode into camp just before sunset to report that an army was on the other side of the Tigris and was heading for Seleucia.
‘Our scouts ran into its vanguard earlier,’ reported Malik as we relaxed in my tent.
‘They come from the direction of Susa,’ added Byrd.
‘Did you see any banners?’ I asked.
Malik shook his head. ‘Only horse archers who shot at us from a distance.’
‘Does Mithridates have another army?’ queried Nergal.
‘Perhaps the eastern kings have renounced Orodes and are marching to put his stepbrother back on the throne of Ctesiphon,’ added a concerned Praxima.
I tried to allay their fears. ‘The eastern kings are as weary of war as we are. In any case we would have heard something from Khosrou if the eastern kingdoms were rebelling against Orodes.’
Their stern-looking faces told me that I had failed to reassure them and in truth I too was full of doubts. Why would they plunge the empire into another civil war, especially as both the Armenians and the Romans threatened Parthia? But then, the western kingdoms, my own included, had slaughtered many of their men over the past few years. Perhaps their only desire was revenge.
‘The only way to end our doubts,’ said Domitus, ‘is to march east to meet this new army and defeat it. I suggest we all get some rest. Tomorrow might be a long day.’
With that he rose, nodded to everyone and then took his leave of us. Looking at the tired faces and puffy eyes around me I realised he was right. We had not slept for two days and I suddenly felt very tired. I yawned and stretched out my arms, wincing as pain shot through my left arm.
‘Does it hurt?’ asked Gallia.
‘No,’ I lied, though at least the wound had finally stopped bleeding.
Nergal and Praxima rose and embraced us before they too left and rode back to their camp with their escort. Gallia kissed me and withdrew to the sleeping area, leaving me alone with Scarab who was clearing the table of cups and jugs.
‘You were victorious today, highness,’ he said, flashing a row of white teeth at me.
‘Yes,’ I replied, ‘though victory was bought at a heavy price.’
He looked concerned. ‘You lost many men, highness?’
‘Our casualties were light, but among them were two men for whom I would swap all my victories to have back.’
‘They were your friends, highness?’
‘Yes, they were my friends.’
‘Perhaps you will meet them again, highness, in the next life.’
I looked at him. ‘You believe that we all go on to another life?’
He stopped his cleaning and pondered for a moment. ‘When you are a slave, highness, the only thing that gets you through each day of torment is the thought that there is a better life after this one.’
I rose from my chair and picked up my sword that was leaning against it.
‘Let us hope you are right, Scarab.’
Chapter 5
The army marched two hours after dawn. I left Marcus and his machines behind and appointed him temporary governor of Seleucia in our absence, leaving him two cohorts of Durans to back up his authority. Nergal and his horse archers had left earlier with Malik, Byrd and their scouts, crossing the Tigris and striking southeast to intercept the army that had mysteriously appeared seemingly from nowhere. Vagises then led Dura’s horse archers across the bridge over the river followed by the legions. Finally the cataphracts in their scale armour, followed by their squires, the camel train carrying spare arrows, and wagons filled with supplies crossed the bridge.
It was another glorious day and many of Seleucia’s citizens had turned out to line the streets to see the army pass through their city. The legionaries marching six abreast and the cataphracts fully encased in their armour presented a magnificent sight, griffin pennants fluttering from every kontus and white plumes fixed to every legionary’s helmet. It was at times like these that I realised what a formidable machine Dura’s army was and it filled me with hope that we would be able to defeat the new threat that had appeared in the east.
After leaving the city and crossing the Tigris we headed in a southeasterly direction, following the churned-up ground made by the thousands of Nergal’s riders. Three hours later the King of Mesene returned with his horsemen in the company of Byrd and Malik and I halted the army.
‘It is Phriapatius and the army of Carmania,’ said Nergal.
‘So the mystery is solved,’ I replied. ‘How many men does he bring with him?’
‘Thirty thousand, perhaps more,’ said Byrd.
‘All horsemen,’ added Malik.
We marched towards Phriapatius for another hour and then deployed into battle order, the legions in the centre and the horse archers on the wings. Nergal’s men formed our right flank and Vagises’ men deployed on the left. In between the legions and Dura’s horse archers were my cataphracts arrayed in two ranks. To give the illusion of strength the legions were deployed in two lines, while on both flanks the horse archers were drawn up in their companies side by side. In this way our battle line had a width of over five miles. The camels carrying the spare arrows were deployed immediately behind the horse archers and the wagons holding spare shields, armour, helmets and javelins were sited to the rear of the legions.
I rode with Gallia, Vagharsh and the Amazons to the centre of the line, a hundred paces in front of the legions, and there we waited for Nergal and Praxima. Gallia and Praxima were dressed for battle like the Amazons: mail shirts, helmets with closed cheekguards and full quivers slung over their shoulders. The banner of Mesene fluttered behind Nergal and Praxima as Mesene’s king halted beside me. His wife took up her position next to Gallia. The Amazons raised their bows to salute their former second-in-command, now a god in Uruk.
The stoical Vagharsh held my griffin banner behind me as ahead a group of horsemen galloped towards us, their mounts kicking up a great cloud of dust as they hurtled across the parched earth. I looked into the cloudless sky and felt a trickle of sweat run down my neck. It was going to be another hot and bloody day.
‘It would appear that Byrd and Malik have found the enemy judging by the way they are riding.’ I looked down to see Domitus standing beside Remus, vine cane in his hand.
He nodded towards the black-clad riders who suddenly veered to the right while two of their number continued to head towards us, slowing their horses as they got nearer.
‘You and your scouts didn’t fancy fighting them, then?’ shouted Domitus.
Malik raised his hand in recognition of his friend while Byrd ignored him as they both pulled up their horses in front of me.