JULY 26 th :
Ludi Circenses Semifinals Certamen Historicum Daciae 3
VICTORIAE LUDI CIRCENSES - SEMIFINALS.
Presented by : A. Tullia Scholastica.
Races calculations : C. Curius Saturninus.
Once again the air is crackling with excitement as the
denizens of Rome hasten to the Circus Maximus for their beloved ludi--crackling
as much as air can, that is, when it is blazing hot and wringing wet, for it is
now midsummer, not spring as it was when last we met at the Ludi Megalenses.
The sun is fierce, and the humidity is high; at any moment, the few puffy clouds
might spread and darken; at any moment, the oppressive haze might thicken and
become a soaking shower.
The crowds throng to the Circus nonetheless; the women are colorful, attired in
their lightest summer clothing, but even so, many will arrive at the races
soaking wet--and the men are even worse off, enveloped in their woolen tunicae
and yard upon yard of woolen togae. At least the freshening breeze will help
cool them--so long as it doesn't portend an episode of
Jupiter's wrath, that is.
The spectators rush to find seats, then quickly settle in when they do, set to
enjoy the usual preliminaries as well as the races which follow.
Many, however, seem surprised at the announcement that there will be no
quarterfinal races, and but two semifinal ones; these ludi follow closely on the
heels of the Ludi Apollinares, in which some of the contestants for today's
races also competed. Too little time remained to repair the chariots (it is,
after all, so difficult to get anyone to do anything, especially in a
hurry) and to rest the horses and drivers; this has reduced the field for
today's race card quite substantially. Still, all four racing factions are
represented, and despite the cost coupled with the brevity of the interval
between ludi, some of the finest aurigae, known all over the Roman world, have
returned for the Ludi Victoriae--the redoubtable Petronius Gnipho, the fearsome
Spandex the Vandal, and the up-and-coming impubes, Crassus, will vie with
unknowns. Who will win? The cavea is a sea of color: red here, blue there, green
and white interspersed as the partisans of the various factions show their
support for their favorite teams.
The magistrates make their way to the pulvinar, their special skybox, and settle
down into their curule chairs; praetor T. Octavius Pius Ahenobarbus seems
particularly distressed by the heat, whereas his colleague Ti. Galerius Paulinus
seems better adapted to it, as does the exalted Censor Marinus, resplendent in
his purple and gold toga picta, sitting alongside
his new colleague, M. Octavius Germanicus, a man said to have remarkable skills
with newfangled calculating devices as well as with the traditional abacus. They
are joined by Consules C. Fabius Buteo Modianus and Pompeia Minucia Strabo, the
latter of whom will do the honors this time. She has, of course, brought her
usual battery of bandages and medicinal potions, but all of us can hope that she
won't need them today, especially since the field is so small and the likelihood
of injury thus reduced. The Vestals take their places as well, more relaxed than
they were in the just-concluded Apollinares, in which Vestal Maxima Valeria
Messallina followed her triumph in the Megalenses by capturing second place; she
decided to give horses, driver, and chariot a rest, and will sit this one out.
Censor Marinus, on the other hand, is fresh from his victory in the Apollinares,
and has entered one of his chariots, Vita Brevis, here as well...and is quite
intent on the proceedings. Curule aediles T. Iulius Sabinus, whose son is racing
today, and C. Equitius Cato are no less interested...after all, they're footing
the bill for the show.
The procession is over; the trumpet sounds, and the contenders for the first
missus, or heat, enter the track. There's no shortage of excitement in the
stands as the chariots appear. Their pace is leisurely to conserve energy and
avert overheating, but both horses and drivers are ready for the contest.
First comes Marinus' pride and joy, Vita Brevis, albata, driven as usual by that
trusty old salt, the veteran Petronius Gnipho. As Gnipho and his team make their
way around the track, a rumor starts to spread that someone was observed trying
to tamper with Vita Brevis, but slunk away unidentified, possibly
unsuccessfully; hearing this, our senior censor turns a bit pale, having
expended a huge sum on replacing his other chariot, Ars Longa, which, as some of
you will no doubt recall, was utterly destroyed earlier this year in the
Megalenses. Next to emerge into the blazing sun is Erebus, a russata entrant
belonging to C. Arminius Reccanellus and driven by one Poncianus, about whom
next to nothing is known, though perhaps he was involved in painting slogans on
buildings, or so word has it; last in this group is another apparent unknown,
Velox Puteolanus Sors of factio veneta, the property of L. Vitellius Triarius,
driven by Felix Celeris.
Now the first group has completed its circuit of the track and retires into the
cool shade for a few moments while the second group takes its turn. First among
these is the well-known and rightly feared Velociraptor, belonging to C. Aurelia
Falco Silvana, the sole praesina entry; as usual, it will be piloted by the
formidable Spandex the Vandal. Next is Aprilis, a
russata chariot under the direction of the youthful T. Iulius Sabinus Crassus,
son of curule aedile T. Iulius Sabinus, who owns the chariot and hopes that
young Crassus' increasing experience will both avoid accidents and gain a place
in the finals. Last in this group is the unknown Circumtono, which means 'I
thunder around,' an albata rig owned by another
Silvana, L. Cassia Silvana, driven by Turbulentus, whose name may or may not
hint at his nature.
They finish their round, and withdraw into the blissful shade, while the
trainers, grooms, and aurigae make their final preparations for the first missus
of the day. They check the chariots, horses, and harnesses; when satisfied that
all is well, the chariots emerge into the sunlight, making their way toward the
carceres. The drivers draw lots for their gate
position, hoping that luck and victory will be theirs. Erebus has drawn the sign
of the Crab, Velox Puteolanus Sors has Pisces, and Vita Brevis has Aquarius.
They take their alloted places in the gate with minimal fuss; the attendants
check to ensure that all are properly restrained, and nod that all is well.
Consul Strabo rises and waves the mappa for attention. A hush falls over the
crowd, and all eyes are on the petite brunette consul and her unusually pretty
mappa. Consulis manu mappa decidit, the mappa falls from the consul's hand, the
attendants drop the restraining rope, and they're off!
No one seems eager to rush things today; all three drivers are maintaining an
even and comparatively slow pace as they round the meta for the first time.
Erebus, a chariot dark as its name, is, however, trying to work its way inside,
clinging close to the spina. Will this tactic spell doom for it and its driver,
Felix Celeris? Will he be as lucky and as swift as his name? Petronius Gnipho is
keeping the eager stallions pulling the gleaming Vita Brevis well in hand,
hoping that neither he nor the chariot nor the horses lives up to their
short-lived name. If he only knew that someone, probably someone associated with
the russata chariot he was facing in this very race, had been spotted attempting
to tamper with it...russata
does have a long history of this sort of thing.
The troika of chariots wends its way around the track, all maintaining a steady
pace as one dolphin marker after another is turned to signal the completion of
yet another lap. Now Vita Brevis leads, now Erebus, now Velox Puteolanus Sors,
as each driver takes a temporary lead. They are heading into the fifth lap,
however, and at last the pace is picking up. The horses
and drivers are glistening with sweat as the heat is taking its toll. The dark
sides of Erebus are hot enough to roast some nice honeyed glires (dormice) on
them, but the driver, Poncianus, seems to be impervious to theheat as he guides
Erebus ever closer to the spina, skimming the metae at each turn. Around the
track they gallop; another dolphin is turned, and they enter the sixth lap. The
horses are starting to lather; the drivers' tunics are darkened with patches of
sweat. The lash plies lightly over the horses' backs, and again they trade
positions: Vita Brevis overtakes Erebus, then is passed by Velox, which takes
the lead. Now they're coming up to the meta again; Erebus takes the curve so
tightly that sparks fly from its wheels (he must have been watching
Spandex...)--a dangerous move, but this time Poncianus got lucky; he and Erebus
garbed in darkness surge ahead.
The Veneta chariot, Velox Puteolanus Sors, is close behind, while Petronius
Gnipho in Vita Brevis inexplicably lags behind as they cross the finish line.
Gnipho doesn't seem happy with something about the way the chariot was running,
and the horses didn't seem quite as perky as usual--maybe the oppressive heat
had gotten to them as well as to him; he certainly didn't feel his best today.
The restive crowd stirs in its seats; many beckon to the vendors seeking
refreshing drinks and some tasty snacks. Those honeyed dormice with a dash of
garum and a side order of fresh-baked bread are quite tasty, though thirst, not
hunger, is the main issue today. I swear that I heard some ruffian in the worst
seats claim that he would slake his thirst in the
Cloaca Maxima...well, you know these sorts will say anything, so matter how
disgusting it is.
The vendors are plying their trade in the stands, busy as the flies which
descend on any unattended wares, hastening to supply the multitudes before their
attention is diverted to the next race; word has it that there's even a towel
vendor, offering lemon-flavored water to slake the thirst as well as towels to
mop the sodden brows of the audience. Already the chariots for the second and
(alas!) final missus of the semifinals have emerged from their shady respite
area, and are approaching the carceres. The second albata entry, Circumtono, is
first in line; Turbulentus draws the lot for Gemini, and takes his place.
Aprilis, the second russata contender, selects Taurus, and the muscular and
long-braided Spandex the Vandal once again draws Scorpio. Word has it that
Spandex has a new love in his life, and is more impervious to the charms of any
female drivers than he was when his wandering eyes led to destruction in the
Megalenses--not that there are any today, for neither Herodias of Stella Iudaeae
nor Latina Harmonia of the Love Chariot is even in attendance a these games, to
say nothing of contending in them.
It's obvious that Velociraptor is new, built from the ground up after being
turned into kitchen kindling at the Megalenses, a sad end to a vehicle which had
survived a daring leap over the wreckage of Ars Longa on that occasion. There
seems to be some sort of strange bar welded to the chariot frame (some have
referred to it as a 'roll bar,' whatever THAT may be), and other changes have
been made to the sole praesina entry. There's a new horse, too, a Sarmatian, by
the looks of him; as you may recall, there was a slight injury to the left
funalis, Unguis, in that race as well; perhaps he was spooked by his collision
with the spina, and has become unfit for racing. That little accident cost
Spandex, too; not only was he knocked
unconscious, but his mistress was most displeased with his inappropriate
reaction to driver Latina Harmonia's unexpectedly bared bosom and the crash
which resulted, and docked both his pay and his rations for months, almost up to
the time of the just-concluded Ludi Apollinares. Now, however, he has a new
woman in his life, and a ready-made family, so even if there were any female
drivers or any similar subterfuges, he would be quite immune to such charms. He
is intent on the race, and no one should doubt his skill and craft in those
matters; he's both a master smith and a master horseman...he beams broadly as he
guides his rig into his assigned carcer, while Poncianus, the newbie, tries to
suppress a shudder as he takes his place.
His mistress and Spandex' may share a cognomen, but that's all they share, as
far as HE is concerned...and our boy soprano, Crassus, tries hard to put on a
brave front as he nudges Aprilis up against the restraining rope. He tries to
wipe Velociraptor's leap over the wreckage of Ars Longa, and its ignominious
end, out of his young mind--must concentrate, he says to himself...
Consul Strabo takes a quick inventory of her medical supplies, and hopes that
this race will be as accident-free as the first one, if more exciting;
Marinus sits a bit slumped in his curule chair as Vita Brevis didn't exactly
meet his expectations this time, though it was fresh from a stunning victory in
the recent Apollinares--what could have gone wrong? Was there anything to that
rumor? The crowd is buzzing, wondering what novelties these Velociraptor
innovations portend; the horses are champing at the bits, and the drivers keyed
up to start the race. Consul Strabo rises...the spectators grow quiet...she
drops the mappa...missi sunt! They're off to a slow start, but are keeping up a
steady pace. Oddly, Velociraptor is hanging back, and Spandex seems to be having
trouble with the new funalis, a fiery chestnut aptly named Ignis. Maybe he has
something in mind as he and his rig canter around the track well in the
rear...young Crassus, however, is pulling out ahead as they head into the second
lap; despite the meaning of its name, Circumtono is anything but thundering--and
so it goes as they circle the track again and again. Both Crassus and
Turbulentus, however, have noticed that Spandex seems to be experiencing
considerable difficulty with the new horse; they're falling back on the turns,
and Ignis seems rather nervous when approaching the metae. Velociraptor is
shifting from one lane to another like what in the distant future would be known
as a drunken driver; that new colt seems to be too much even for him to
handle--and he's not making it easy for the other drivers, either, as they must
dodge him now and again as he careens down the track. Is it a trick or is it
real? They're approaching the middle of the race now, and Spandex
wants to test the mettle of his steeds--and of the other drivers, whom he has
been studying as he hung back behind them. With only two competitors, it won't
be as easy to crowd the others as he would have preferred, but he wants to try
it nonetheless. He passes Circumtono, and catches up with Aprilis. Surely it
will be easier to take this mere slip of a lad
on...they're heading down the straightaway as the dolphin is turned for the
fifth lap; Velociraptor is burning up the track as it forces its way alongside
Aprilis as they head for the turn; Spandex maneuvers ever closer to Crassus, and
forces him ever nearer to the wall...ooh, that was close!
Crassus, however, stays steadier than one might have expected, though some
claimed that they saw him trembling--and his father, aedilis curulis Sabinus,
has leapt from his chair, rivers of perspiration pouring down his face, his
clothing soaking wet. Crassus' increasing strength and skill, however, have kept
him, the horses, and Aprilis safe. Possibly the hubcap may have touched the wall
briefly, but Crassus pulled away in time to take the turn--too wide, but at
least unharmed. His absent girlfriend will be proud when she hears about
this...Now Spandex slacks his pace a bit, and falls behind both Aprilis and
Circumtono. Turbulentus is intent on the race he now leads--and Velociraptor
comes up behind him in turn, trying to purée Circumtono on the spina. Well, no
such luck at present; Turbulentus may be a moody fellow, untested in the Circus
Maximus, but perhaps he has learnt his craft in one of the better provincial
circuses, and honed it in the larger Latin towns; he didn't even scrape the
spina. Spandex is continuing to change lanes, but has now moved to the inside on
the turns; he's taking them closer and closer to the spina. Coming into the
seventh and final lap, the horses covered with lather and the aurigae wringing
wet with perspiration, he's taking the turns so tightly that his crowd-pleasing
signature sparks are darting from the wheels, threatening to ignite Ignis'
unusually long and flowing tail. Neither young Crassus nor the tiro Turbulentus
wants to try these one-wheel maneuvers, however; Spandex redeems himself as
Velociraptor thunders to the finish line, followed by Circumtono and Aprilis in
quick succession.
The crowd shifts in its seats; some head for the caupones or the latrines;
others summon beverage vendors, and that novelty, the towel vendor, is proving
quite popular. Among the audience, the buzz is that the outcome of this race was
not entirely unexpected when a skilful veteran
driver is matched with a callow youth and a tiro; still it was exciting to
see the rebuilt Velociraptor and the new Sarmatian colt, Ignis....wonder what
will happen in the final race.
CERTAMEN HISTORICUM DACIAE III.
Presented by : T. Iulius Sabinus.
- Question no.V.
During the years 103-105 AD, Decebalus did not respect the peace
conditions imposed by romans. Then, Trajan decided to start the
second war ( 105-106 AD ), to conquest completely the dacian
kingdom .
1. How many legions were involved in the second dacian war ?
ANSWER : 11 legions.
2. Who was the commander of Legio I Minervia in that war ?
ANSWER : Publius Aelius Hadrianus, from 117 AD,
Emperor Hadrianus.
3. Which part of the roman military equipment was reinforced during
the war and why ?
ANSWER : The helmets. Because the falx dacica, the
dacians curved
weapon.
- Question no. VI.
The siege for Sarmizegethusa Regia conquering took place in the
summer of the year 106.
1. What the romans destroyed during the Sarmizegethusa siege ?
ANSWER : The water pipes to the city.
2. Who betrayed Decebalus and what romans discovered with the
traitor help and where ?
ANSWER : Bicilis. The romans discovered the dacians
treasure in the
bed of Sargetia River.
3. Who was the roman cavalryman who bought the Decebalus head and
right arm to Trajan ?
ANSWER : Tiberius Claudius Maximus.
