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=== Ten Miles West of Valentia; Mid Januarius 137 AD ===

An army of Freigoths was marching West. Most were covered as villagers or peasants, as merchants or as simple farmers to hide their true intentions. They traveled in small bands, barely the size of a legionary cohort and were unquestioned as they were passed on the highway that led from Valentia to Equestris. The leader of the army, who was leading the most Western of the warbands, was Thaurismers. He was an enthusiastic and handsome warrior from Regnum Gothiae- rumored amongst those who knew of the story to have killed a man named Radulfr, who at the time was a ferocious antagonist of the peace between the Goths of Theodoric and Rome. This rumor, and the attention lavished on him by the late Queen Amalafrida, won Thaurismers the coveted position of Freigoth leader. With no Queen to follow, and no heirs to admire, the patchwork nationalities that made up the Freigoths clung to Thaurismers leadership quickly.

Riding alongside Thaurismers was his brother, Ahtabairhts. Thaurismers brother was the architect of their mission, a cunning and ruthless advisor to the late Amalafrida. He had pushed her South instead of heading to Moesia, and had planned her downfall once the dust was settled in Hispania. It was he who took her life, and he who passed her children willingly on to Lucius Tacitus Vitellius. Thaurismers knew nothing of those facts, but trusted his brother’s plan to eliminate the influence of the Valenii Juliani in Hispania implicitly. Thaurismers was told countless times by Ahtabairhts that if they wanted to remain untouched and free within the empire, they would need to remove Rome’s favorites in the region and set themselves up in their stead- a tact that could only be fulfilled by battle.

Others felt that Ahtabairhts just wanted to spill Roman blood as retribution for decades of slaughter in his homeland. Those same people felt that Thaurismers was hypnotized by his brother’s charisma on the subject, but were appeased by the acceptance of Wulfaswinths and Hildegais as co-Generals in the action against Equestris. Both men were of respected Balthi nobility, and equally as important to Queen Amalafrida during her lifetime. Unknown to their supporters however, they were co-conspirators in the Queens death. Neither shared Ahtabairhts lust for Roman blood, but simply wanted to live in peace within Roman lands without the constant controversy that the Queen seemed to surround them with. They viewed her and her progeny as a liability to their peace... and were now tasked with ensuring that Ahtabairhts and Thaurismers didn’t run amuck around Hispania turning the rivers red.

Wulfaswinths rode a few miles East of Thaurismers and Ahtabairhts, with Hildegais a mile or so behind him. They would rendezvous in a preplanned position, a gully within sight of an eagles eye of Equestris, where they would shed their cover and form up as larger units for the assault. They knew that the city was still under-defended and in the process of rebuilding from the Hispanic rebellion, so gaining entrance would be easier than winning the battle. They would reach the gully within a week of leaving Valentia, blessed by the Wittans of the Amalafrida and with the praise of their people. Their mission was simple: Take Equestris.

=== Equestris, Hispania Province; Late Januarius ===

Two days before ProPraetorian Legate Carus Valens Julianus had been woken up in the morning by news that the Goths were on the march and were heading straight for him. Equestris had stone walls under construction but they were far from complete, trying to defend them would be difficult. Therefore Valens had been given no choice but to fight the Friegoths in the open.

Valens had deployed his army on high ground leading to Equestris. The ProPraetorian Legate was in his late twenties, considered witty and somewhat of a comedian. Today he was telling few jokes. His narrow blue eyes looked out across the field of battle. On his left flank he’d deployed half of his cavalry consisting of both 750 heavy cavalry and 750 light cavarly . Then came Legio V Probi Mulorum, Legio VI Vasconiorum and Legio VII Lusonicorum amounting to 16200 legionaries, including artillery pieces and every man that could be found, these three legions were deployed in two lines in the center. Then on the right 750 heavy cavalry and 750 light cavalry. Finally 2000 auxiliary slingers screened the army from the front.

Against them were arrayed two Friegoth divisions one of about 13500 warriors the other 12600 warriors amounting to 26,100 Friegoths. It was a dangerous amount of men to be facing. For even the veterans of Legio VI Vasconiorum and Legio VII Lusonicorum would rather have avoided fighting such hardy warriors from the north. As the Friegoths came over the ridge opposite Valens’ ridge and represented themselves waving their standards it was a horrible spectacle, and even yet they were still to give their war cries. ProPraetorian Legate Carus Valens Julianus gritted his teeth and tried to keep his horse under control as the mass of men marching towards his army shook the ground.
Almost as soon as they saw the Hispano-Romans, the Friegoths seemed to know what they were doing. One division began moving towards Valens’ soldier forming up opposite, while the other continued to march as if to outflank them.

“Take twelve cohorts the right flank and form at an angle to the flanking Goths, Legate Sabaco.” Valens ordered Legate Darius Julianus Sabaco, his second in command. “I don’t want the bastards getting around our flank.”

Legate Sabaco a man who had served in the last Persian war, nodded and sped off towards the right flank intent on saving the army from being flanked or even worse- encircled. Almost as soon as Valens had dealt with one situation another occurred, the first Gothic division came forward, Spanish slingers fired away their stones and began falling back as the Goths brushed aside the missiles and casualties, and moved steadily forward.

Then as if from sheer enthusiasm or a cunning plan, a large force of Goths broke forward and attacked the cavalry on the flank. The Hispano-Roman light cavalry was charged by over 200 Gothic nobles mounted on their warhorses and heavily armored; they turned their mounts around and fell back throwing javelins at their pursuers. While the Hispano-Roman heavy cavalry was hit by a force of Goths armed with two handed axes numbering 1600. This was too much for the heavy cavalry which was paralysed by the sudden attack; it quickly broke and fled off towards Equestris.

As Valens tried to wheel six cohorts from the left flank back to close up his open left flank, the Gothic heavy cavalry on the left turned and charged his slingers, routing them before smashing into several cohorts of legionaries. Valens kicked his horse and charged towards the Gothic cavalry and hit them in turn, the light cavalry which had fallen back now returned and with much effort the force of Gothic heavy cavalry was destroyed.

But while Valens was distracted on the left the flank, the Friegoths began their cavalry assaults on the right flank defended by Legate Darius Julianus Sabaco and Legate Cadevrn Lóegaire of VII Lusonicorum. “Fire javelins!” Centurions yelled across the lines as the head on cavalry attacks against Legio VII Lusonicorum and parts of Legio VI Vasconicorum were met by slingers and pila. Many horses and riders fell before hitting the legionaries.

But the poor use of heavy cavalry by the Friegoths was only a diversion or some strange custom of getting their second and third sons of nobility killed. Soon the real Gothic warriors came forward, in fierce warbands; many warriors were bare-chested other wore animals skins and their leaders wore stolen or purchased Roman armour from either their time up north or their settling of the east coast of Hispania.

They hit the legionaries of Legio VII Lusonicorum so hard that soon legionaries began to waver. There were too many recruits, the veterans from the Great Northern Rebellion of 128 and from the civil war of 134-136 were not enough to keep them inline and soon entire sections of the line melted away as the recruits ran for their lives. The cavalry on the right flank broke or withdrew. Then the Goths simply turned the flank of Legio VII Lusonicorum, and as one cohort routed, the next cohort routed. Before anyone knew it the entire legion was running for its life.

ProPraetorian Legate Valens Julianus formed up his cavalry and rushed towards the other flank attempted to save the day. Instead all he could see were great and honoured men like Legate Darius Julianus Sabaco and Legate Cadevrn Lóegaire running for their lives. Panic bred mass panic, and this was mass panic like the army of Hispania had never seen before.

“We must get out of here, Legate!” Shouted one of Valens bodyguard cavalrymen. “If we stay here we die the army has already broken!”

Valens attempted to give orders to the routing soldiers but he and his own bodyguards were hit by Gothic heavy noble cavalry which was careening forward on the heels of the routing legionaries of Legio VII Lusonicorum. It was as if he’d lost control of himself and his horse, one minute Valens and his bodyguard had been heading towards the routing men to restore the situation the next he and his men were fleeing with them being chased by Gothic cavalry. Valens cursed himself but he could do nothing the panic had even spread to himself and his bodyguard.

Seeing the ProPraetorian Legate Valens Julianus and her sister legion fleeing, the soldiers of Legio VI Vasconicorum now also began to break. Legate Áedán Áedh attempted to rally his legion around the standard, but as Friegoths poured into their crumbling left flank and rear it was all over. The men dropped their shields and ran in the direction of Equestris with the Friegoths in pursuit.

Meanwhile in what remained of the left flank; Legio V Probi Mulorum had not been hit as hard by the Friegoths prepared for the worse. Tribunes ran back and forth, order, and counter order as its legate attempted to prevent his legion being destroyed or routed like every other unit around him. Then came the most strangest of orders: Tortoise. Fearing for his flanks he ordered the remaining six cohorts of Legio V Probi Mulorum on the field to form tortoise. If they had been defending against missiles, perhaps it would have been useful, instead the Goths simply marched up to the blocks of legionaries who’d hidden behind their shields and began chopping away at their formations with axes and swords. Soon the Goths were into the formations and the final six cohorts on the field of battle broke along with the rest of the army.

It had been a sad day in the Consular Army of Hispania. Three legions and several cohorts had been routed from the field. Legio VII Lusonicorum had shamed itself, directly being the cause of the armies rout. Legio VI Vasconicorum had not done any better joining them in flight, Legio V Probi Mulorum had stood the longest and suffered the worst as a result, but they too had run. Even their commanding officer ProPraetorian Legate Valens Julianus had not died on the field with his men, had been swept away along with the other four Legates present who also fled.

=== Northern Tarraconesis; Early Februarius ===
Legio I Hispanica was marching along, about four hours from Tarraconesis from the end of the legion column when the news came; A Freigoth army launched an unannounced attack on Equestris, routing the Consular army under Carus Valens Julianus. Legate Tullius Fortunus Julianus knew that the Roman representative- respected former Hispanian Proconsul Lucius Tacitus Vitellius- was out of the region, and would be of no use to calming the amalgamated army of the Freigoths. Tullius halted his legion’s march and yelled angrily into the air. He was headed for the North to train his legion further before heading off to Moesia, but this act of defiance couldn’t be ignored.

“Damn, Damn those wretched Freigoths! I will crucify every last one of them, they attacked Hispania while our back is turned! I will burn them to the ground before they even realise it,” Fortunas said with a fire in his eyes and a sharpness in his tongue. His face was torn with anger and hatred towards those who would attack his homeland. Fortunas’ pacing was now becoming uncomfortable for both Portos and Hortensius. Portos had just arrived back from the port after trying to gain some shipping but was unsuccessful, so it meant that the legion would have march its way back west towards the Freigoth homeland. The march would be long and arduous and will be a real test of Fortunas’ soldier’s resolve. It will also be the first real test of Fortunas’ leadership.

Fortunas’ pacing slowed and last a plan of action developed in his mind as though a slight dream had materialised. He slowed almost to a complete stop and looked at Portos and Hortensius, both men exchanged a look at each other. Daring to break the silence that Portos spoke…

“Fortunas, what are you thinking?” Portos questioned. Fortunas looked up at Portos and continued pacing.

“I am thinking that we will no doubt need all the help that we can get,” Fortunas said and paused to let it sink in, “Portos I want you to ride hard west to my fathers home, and deliver this personal message to him, I want you persuade him to aide me in raising men. To aide in the defense of our beloved Hispania,” Fortunas gave a hard stare at Portos which Portos understood immediately to mean that there should be no questions and that he should just go. Portos nodded and turned and left the tent. Fortunas then turned his attention to Hortensius.

“Hortensius, I want you to rouse all Tribunes and Cohort Commanders to assemble here as quickly as possible. I want the sounding of assembly made and I want all men in full battle dress and I want it to happen as though it was yesterday,” Hortensius nodded and also left the tent.

Fortunas stood alone feeling exilerated, he held out his hand. It was shaking; unsure whether this was fear he quickly called out to his slave. “Fetch me my armour I want to be prepared to leave at a moments notice” A few moments later the slave re-entered the room carrying the Legate’s armour. Fortunas stood with his arms stretched as his slave hurriedly worked to fit his armour. The slave continued to work away, several minutes had passed and talking could be heard in the next room. Fortunas hurried his slave along, very eager to get his legion on the move. Once his slave had finished dressing his armour he rushed to the flap where he paused, steadied himself and opened the flap in his tent. “Legate on Duty!” Came the call and all assembled stood to attention.

“I will make this very quick gentlemen, I have just received news from Hispania that a Freigoth army has just attacked Equestris,” Fortunas paused, looking at all those assembled. Several of the officers exchanged glances with each other and Fortunas continued, “As you can imagine this means a change in plan! We will no longer be continuing our march towards Moesia, instead we will head back towards Hispania gathering support as we go, we will march hard and fast with very little rest, gentlemen. It is quite obvious that the Freigoths will not just leave there assault just to Equestris- I firmly believe that they will try and take the rest of Hispania with it! So Tribune Falcin you are to take the cavalry; I want a full screen ahead of the legion, you are to advance as far as the Pyrennes mountain range. You are not under any circumstances to engage the enemy, and if you can no longer hold the position I want you to return to the legion- is that understood?” All eyes turned to Tribune Falcin.

“Yes sir!” came the reply, and with that he left.

“The rest of you will march with the main body, and gentlemen- let’s inspire our troops, not demoralise them. Keep them going. That goes for all of you, lead by example and they will follow. That will be all.” With that all the officers left the tent. All the officers exited the tent and took there positions with the rest of the legion, which was in the process of turning around. Fortunas soon followed and stopped in front of the column. Camp Prefect Hortensius announced loudly, “Legion I Hispania attention!!”

The entire legion stood to attention, spears and shields grounded. Fortunas began to address them all:

“Soldiers of the First Hispanic Legion, as you may have heard our beloved Hispania has been attacked by the Freigoths!” Slight muttering could be heard amongst them, growing in loudness. Fortunas raised his hand to silence them “Now I ask myself what I, a son of Hispania and loyal soldier of Rome, should do? I say that we should march down there and show this Freigoth scum what we are made of! I say that we march down there and burn every town and every storehouse and we show that our beloved Hispania will never be attacked again! That while the first Hispanic legion is alive it will never fall, it will never surrender and I promise you before Jupiter and Mars that we will crush them!” Fortunas said clenching his fist in front of his face. The soldiers that could hear cheered with pride, excitement and support. “Now soldiers of Rome we must march back into Hispania, for honour! for glory! for Hispania!”

A mighty roar erupted from the legion and all soldiers began to chant, “Augusta, Augusta, Augusta!” Fortunas smiled and began to decend towards the ranks and towards Hortensius, who was waiting for him. Hortensius commented, “That was a fine speech sir.”

“Thanks Hortensius, but the real battle for there morale is not over yet. We need to keep them moving and fast.”

Hortensius nodded. “Shall I fetch your horse sir,” He asked.

“No, I will march with the men, I told you lead by example and I intend to do it from the top.” Fortunas said, smiling, with a resolve not yet seen. Hortensius smiled at the comment and simply nodded out of respect. Fortunas once again stood by the side and encouraged his men as they marched past, he knew how long and hard this march would be- through the deepening snow and cold of the Northen Hispanic winter- they would need all the encouragement they could get.


=== Colonia Floriana; Feburarius ===

Several weeks following the rout of the Consular Army of Hispania and the occupation of Equestris by the Friegoths, Valens and his army had first retreated away from the Friegoths army towards Narcas on the Equestris-Pertinaxus highway. The highway was chaos with a constant trickle of refugees from Equestris and fleeing soldiers. But after some order had been restored at Narcas, the Consular Army of Hispania had regained some courage and marched to Colonia Floriana.

Colonia Floriana had been established in Novembris 135 by then Consul Carus Florianus Julianus. It was founded in the center of former Oretani lands which were confiscated by the Res Publica Hispanica after they sided with Rome in the Great Iberian Rebellion of 134. The colony was located on the largest plain of the Iberian Peninsula; it was an arid yet fertile plain south of Equestris and north of the Sierra Morena.

Consul Carus Florianus Julianus settled over five thousand of the poorest Carpetani and Celtiberi tribesmen and their families, several thousand Oretani were brought to the colony as slaves and over five thousand invalid retired soldiers of the Army of the Res Publica Hispanica following the Battle of Pertinaxus. It is a military colony; with a small arena for five thousand people, a barracks, a small bath house, small temple to Minerva, a medium sized marketplace, a Fabrica Militari and stone walls.

It was at this young colony that ProPraetorian Carus Valens Julianus began rebuilding his shamed army. The Fabrica Militari had not been in operation for long but everything that could be gathered from its stockpiles was distributed amongst the soldiers who had earlier dropped their weapons and fled.

“What were our casualties at the Battle of Equestris?” Carus Valens asked his second in command, as they surveyed the army that had finally stopped moving after two weeks running.

Darus Julianus Sabaco brought forward a ledger and showed Valens the numbers. “3000 killed, 7000 wounded and-or missing. Altogether 10,000 men; half the Consular Army of Hispania gone. We only inflicted 6000 casualties on the Goths- so it is guessed. Perhaps half of them were wounded, but with Gothic medicine the way it is, most will probably die... at least we have that.”

Valens nodded and sighed. He’d proceeded over the worst defeat since Emperor Calidus Raeus Vitellius had been destroyed at the Battle of Pertinaxus over a year ago. “I’ve lost half the army my brother left me with, Julianus. The men won’t fight under me again.”

Legate Sabaco patted the man on the shoulder. “We need to call for reinforcements. We can’t just run around in circles. Please send word for your brother in the Canaries and the soldiers in Southern Mauretania.”

The ProPraetorian Legate smiled. “I already have. The day we were routed. They should be in Gades next month.” Valens replied. “I know this defeat was my fault. I fought a battle I couldn’t win against my brother’s instructions. I will always hold the lives of those dead men as my responsibility. But I am of the Valenii Juliani and I do not intend to give up after one defeat. We’re countering attack once the reinforcements arrive.”
That morning Valens Julianus somewhat shaken addressed the veterans who’d been settled in Colonia Floriana. Five thousand soldiers of the former Army of the Res Publica Hispanica. Some were invalid, others too old, others had been to Persia and back and given dispensation to settle at Colonia Floriana. For whatever they were they now represented the only professional soldiers in Hispania which hadn’t been defeated.

“Honoured and settled soldiers of Colonia Floriana.” Valens called out to them as he rode up and down the line of retired veterans who’d formed up on his request. “I have come to ask you one last favour to save this region from destruction. Your replacements... and myself are not the men you fought with years before. We have been defeated by barbarians from the north.”

The retired soldiers of Colonia Floriana cried out at Valens. “Where is Florianus Julianus?! We want Ursus Hispanica! Where is Tacitus Vitellius?!” They chanted.

Valens was visibly shaken. “Soldiers I need you!” He cried out back at the them. “This army needs its veterans for one last campaign. Return to the ranks and you will be forever remembered as the saviours of Hispania!” He said louder this time.

“Were not rejoining the legions for twenty years!” One called out. “I have no arm for the sake of the Mars!” Another called out.

Valens thought for a moment. “Evocata!” He said, yelling out the term from the old republic. “If you join me for this campaign. I will honour you all as Cohors I Evocata and Cohors II Evocata. No camp duties, all the privileges of rank above your fellow legionaries, and promotions to the next level for any retired veterans who joins me on this campaign. All I ask of you is that you fight with me and these men who have fled in the face of the enemy the way.”

It took sometime before the first retired veterans signed up, but once they did the rest who could followed and in this manner 3000 veterans joined the Consular Army of Hispania for the duration of the campaign. The other 2000 although willing deemed to unfit for service due to missing limbs or age.

=== Gades; Martius ===

ProPraetorian Legate Carus Valens Julianus sat atop his Iberian mare watching down at the docks of Pertinaxus as the soldiers from Legio IX Classica Hispana, Cohors I Septem and the Equires Baetica began coming ashore, having just arrived from Africa. It had taken almost two months for them to receive news and get to Pertinaxus. It was an impressive effort Valens believed considering the shipping they would have had to acquire to move such men and without the support of the Classis Hispanica which was off in the east with his brother.

Praefectus Sentius Tutor of Cohor I Septem had a vicious scowl on his face as he approached the young ProPraetorian Legate. “Where are those bastard Freigoths. I am going to kill every last one of them.” The old veteran from the Iustian legions stated.

Valens, still nursing a wounded arm, was helped off his horse by his aid-de-camps. “I know Sentius.” He said respectfully to the soldier who had far more experience than himself. “We have four legions now, I must admit a bit under strength but with the local levies and the auxiliary cohorts we will give them a punch in the nose, as Florianus always says.”

“A kick up the ass is what those damn Freigoths will receive!” Sentius Tutor said angrily. “What of the veterans at Colonia Floriana?” He then asked, remembering there was a solid pool of soldiers there.

“Already done. I have reenlisted them as Cohors I Evocata and Cohors II Evocata for the duration of the campaign. I will release them once this crisis is over.” Valens said. He did not like having to go to his brothers veterans for help, but he needed the best soldiers he could get to fight the Goths, and although many were men who were no longer fit for military service due to injury and health or pushing on fifty and forty they still were a force that could give a good account of themselves in a battle.

“Then we go to Carthago Nova.” Sentius Tutor said. “No point lounging around here. We march on their capital and kill every last Friegoth. The Hispano-Romans will rise up along the way. Now we rid ourselves of this northern scum!”

Written By: Carus Florianus Julianus, Tullius Fortunus Julianus and Ferus Juventas
Edited By: Ferus Juventas
137 AD