The Gladiator by Simon Scarrow Read Free Book Online Page A

debris washed up from the port. Instead most of the houses had just collapsed, on top of those inside. Others were partially damaged and a few seemed to have suffered no damage at all. It was the same for the larger buildings. Some of the temples were little more than piles of rubble surrounded by broken columns that now looked like bad teeth. Others were intact, standing defiantly above the ruins. There were far more people visible here than down in the port. Hundreds were picking over the rubble, rescuing what they could from their homes, or liberating the possessions of the houses of the dead. Little clumps of humanity lay scattered across the slopes of the hill, and on the plain, a short distance from the city. Thin tendrils of smoke drifted up from small fires that some ofthe survivors had lit to warm themselves through the night.
    On a large mass of rock stood the town’s acropolis, relatively untouched by the disaster. The walls still stood, although one of the squat towers had collapsed down the small cliff on to the town below, flattening several houses. A squad of soldiers stood guard at the end of the ramp leading to the gates of the acropolis, and beyond the walls they could see that the main administration building was still standing.
    ‘That looks like our best bet, ‘ said Cato. ‘We should head up there. ‘
    Sempronius nodded and led the way down the main thoroughfare that stretched through the town towards the acropolis. Once, the street had been fifteen paces across, but now the sides had been buried and only a thin path through the rubble remained. They reached the ramp and started up the incline towards the gates. T h e sentries immediately stirred and moved to bar their path. Macro eyed them coolly. The men carried the oval shields of auxiliary troops, but they looked nervous and out of condition. Their leader, an optio, stepped forward and raised his hand.
    ‘That’s close enough. W h o are you, and what’s your business?’
    Sempronius cleared his throat and stiffened his posture. ‘I am Caius Sempronius, senator of Rome. These are my companions, Centurions Macro and Cato. We must see the senior official in the town. At once. ‘
    The optio cast his eye over the three men before him. Certainly the man who claimed to be an aristocrat had the right bearing for such a rank, and the shorter of the other two men was scarred and burly enough to be a soldier. But the other was thin and young, and did not exude any obvious authority. Besides their army pattern swords, there was no other proof of the first man’s claims. The three wore simple tunics and their skin was grimy and their chins stubbled.
    ‘Senator, you say?’The optio licked his lips nervously. ‘Forgive me for saying so, sir, but can you prove it?’
    ‘Prove it?’ Sempronius frowned and thrust out his hand to show the gold senatorial ring that had been passed down to him from his father. ‘There! Good enough?’
    ‘Well, I suppose… ‘ the optio answered cautiously. ‘Is there anything else?’
    ‘What do you want?’ Sempronius answered irritably. ‘The ring is enough. Now, let us in and have someone take me to whoever is in command here. Before I have you placed on a charge for insubordination.’
    The optio stood to attention and saluted. ‘Yes, sir. Open the gate!’ Two of his men sprang towards the heavy wooden timbers and thrust them back. With a groan the door swung open. The optio detailed four of his men to stay on guard and then ushered the senator and the two centurions inside the acropohs. Beyond the gate there was a small courtyard, on either side of which stretched store- houses, and ahead of them lay a basilica. Some of the tiles had fallen off and the roof had collapsed at one end. Otherwise the building was intact. More auxiliary troops squatted in the shade of the walls ofthe acropolis and some watched curiously as the optio and four of his men escorted the Romans across to the entrance ofthe