Legions Forward! The last battle of the legion of crass Legion of crass.

Igor Agafonov

Legions Forward!

Part one

They had been walking in the desert for the third day. Seven legions of Marcus Licinius Crassus, proconsul and triumvir. They went to conquer the rumored rich Parthia. But so far, instead of wealth and an easy victory, they saw only one sand. Somewhere ahead there was the Parthian army with its heavy, armored cavalry, but now the main enemy of the legionnaires was not she, but the terrible heat and lack of water.

The quaestor Gaius Cassius Longinus, holding the restive horse, looked at the legionnaires wandering on the sand and wondered how much longer they would endure. Of course, they, the soldiers of Great Rome, and not a bunch of barbarians and iron discipline makes them obey the orders of the commander, even if these orders seem completely insane. Cassius himself was a soldier, and therefore did not grumble, although in his heart he did not approve of the path chosen by Crassus through the desert. Anyway, this whole campaign seemed to him a dubious undertaking.

Less than two years later, they left Rome. The war conceived by Crassus seemed then an easy walk. It seemed that all that was needed was to disperse the crowd of barbarians fleeing from one species of Roman eagles, and all the untold treasures of the East would belong to them - the legionaries of the Great Crassus. But then there were already those who warned the triumvir ... But what is there! The tribune of the people Atey generally wanted to prohibit Crassus from starting an "unjust", as he said, war against the Parthians. When he failed, he cursed the leaving army. Cassius knew that some of the soldiers still remembered this "curse of Atey", and he himself felt some kind of shock when the tribune of the people, setting a brazier at the city gates, began to burn incense and invoke terrible unknown gods, uttering monstrous curses.

And how many bad signs have already been! As they crossed Zeugma, a storm destroyed the bridge, and lightning struck directly into their camp. Then, making a cleansing sacrifice to the gods, Crassus dropped the liver of the sacrificial bull from his hands. Then he joked, saying: “Such is old age! But my hands will not drop weapons. " Cassius, being an educated man, did not give of great importance fortune-telling, but still, nevertheless ... As one of the leaders and quaestor of the army, he knew that all fortune-telling of the augurs is unfavorable and the priests, on the direct order of Crassus, hide it from the soldiers.

Admiring, quaestor?

Cassius turned around. Publius Licinius Crassus, on a magnificent Gallic horse, rode up to him. The triumvir's son took off his helmet and smoothed his sweat-soaked hair.

What is there to admire ... I just saw the Aquilifer of the Third Legion. The eagle barely drags along the sand.

Why didn't you ask him for that?

They will manage without me there. Lucius seems distracted by something.

I do not envy the guy!

Both chuckled. The old veteran Lucius Caecilius, conciliated the Third Legion, managed to become a legend by his strict adherence to the military regulations.

And yet, friend Publius, the spirit of the legionnaires is undermined. This desert is not for the Romans. Here I completely understand the soldier. And we are vulnerable here. See how the columns are stretched out? If the Parthians attack on the march ...

Abgar says there are no Parthians here. They run east.

Cassius spat angrily.

Do not say that name in front of me, Publius! You know how much i hate arab dog! Oh, why did Crassus trust him ?! Why didn't you go to Armenia ?! King Artabaz would have provided us with everything we needed, would have given his heavy cavalry, and we would have struck right in the heart of the Parthians! What are we doing here ?!

Publius sighed and touched his shoulder lightly.

Calm down, Guy. You know, I am on your side and I think the same as you. If you remember, I supported your proposal at that council. But my father did not want to listen to me. The decision was made by him. What is left for us now? Only to fulfill the duty of a Roman and a soldier.

You're right. Right, of course. And yet, a couple more days of such a march, and the Parthians will not have to fight. The sun and lack of water will do all the work for them.

Indeed, the passing legionnaires now and then kissed the bucklags, but the warm water badly quenched their thirst, and how much of it was left there? Many had already finished their last sips and looked longingly at the wagon train.

Tomorrow we will reach the oasis, ”Publius answered uncertainly.

Cassius chuckled.

Sure. This is what Abgar says. Oh, I will one day get to this "friend of the Roman people"!

For some time they silently looked at the passing legions, then Publius put on a helmet, preparing to go to his cavalry, but then he noticed a contubernal hurrying towards them.

The scouts have returned, valiant Publius! They have important news.

With apprehension, Cassius set out with Publius. As it turned out, the commander of the cavalry showed great foresight and two days ago sent a turma forward under the command of Mark Fulcinius. Cassius knew this Fulcinius a little. Coming from the lower ranks of Roman society, he had a dark past, but for ten years he was a confidant with the younger Crassus. According to Publius, Fulcinius distinguished himself back in Gaul, being an unsurpassed scout and master of special assignments.

Having barely greeted the commanders, Fulcinius got down to business.

We saw the Parthian army, - he said. - There are a lot of them. There was no way to count, but there were at least fifteen thousand of them. And with them the iron cavalry. Not a dozen of Surena's guards, as Abgar assured, but thousands. We also saw the oasis to which the Arab is leading us. It is much further away than we thought, but we still won't find water there - the Parthians poisoned the wells.

Cassius involuntarily broke a curse, and Fulcinius fell silent.

I thought so! Go on, Fulcinius.

You are right, quaestor. But I have not yet said the main thing - after leaving the oasis, we stumbled upon a detachment of Parthians that was pursuing the fugitive. His horse was exhausted, and he himself was wounded by an arrow. We dispersed the Parthians, but, unfortunately, we did not save the fugitive, he died in my arms. It was Gaius Cominius, the tribune who had been captured by them last winter. How he managed to escape - I don't know. Before his death, he managed to tell what he had heard in the enemy camp. The Parthians mocked the Romans, said that our army was being led by a traitor, luring us into a trap where Surena would kill us all. And this traitor is a certain Arab leader ...

By Jupiter, Publius! This is Abgar and no one else! I will personally kill this viper!

We must immediately stop the legions and gather a council. I will gallop off to my father, and you will take care of the traitor.

Upon learning of the treason of the Arab, Marcus Licinius Crassus fell into a rage. When Cassius returned, unsuccessfully searching for the traitor throughout the camp, the proconsul spat in annoyance:

The cursed Arab rode away with his fellow tribesmen shortly before Publius came to me with his news. He said that he was going on reconnaissance, and I let him go. He must have seen how our scouts returned and sensed something was wrong with their hide!

No need to talk about him now, '' Octavius, the legate of the Third Legion, remarked judiciously. - We have been warned of betrayal and we should think about how to save the army.

Lost in the desert, the Roman army suddenly lost its guides, and it was unclear how

Haste preparation. Finally, after long days of an exhausting march, when the army had just passed the city of Carry (ancient Harran) occupied by the Roman garrison, several scouts returned to it, who reported that their other comrades had been killed and a huge enemy army was rapidly moving forward, hoping to catch the Romans by surprise. Completely stunned by this news, Crassus began hastily to build an army in order of battle. First, on the advice of Cassius, he tried to deploy it along the front in order to prevent a possible flanking by the enemy. Thus, the 70 legion cohorts he had were to be located in one line, 10 rows deep. This maneuver was advised by Roman tacticians to be done when the army was threatened with an attack. large masses cavalry.

However, the army, stretched out in a marching column for 21 km, could not quickly form a battle line of 12 km along the front. In the middle of the maneuver, Crassus lost patience and ordered the formation of a square - a closed rectangle of four head legions: 12 cohorts with cavalry attached to each of them along the front (24 on two wide sides of the square), 8 on the flanks (16 on both narrow sides of the rectangular formation) ... Three legions remained in reserve behind the square. He entrusted the flanks to Cassius and his son Publius, and took direct command of the center.

"Like flame" Parthians. Moving forward in this order, the Romans came to a small river and were very happy about it. Most of the officers believed that it was necessary to set up camp here, to rest, and at dawn to move on the enemy. However, Crassus took a different decision: ordering the soldiers to quench their hunger and thirst, staying in the ranks; he, without giving them any food or rest, led them forward without stopping until they saw the enemy. At first it seemed that the Parthians were few and did not look very impressive: by order of the Suren, their heavy cavalry covered their armor with cloaks, and the Parthian main forces were not visible behind the horsemen of the vanguard.

Finally Crassus's dream came true: the enemy no longer shied away from battle, but, on the contrary, went to rapprochement with the Romans. But then surprises began. There was a dull rumble of Parthian drums, depressing the ear of the Romans.

Plutarch's story about the beginning of the battle. Plutarch describes what happened next: “Having frightened the Romans with these sounds, the Parthians suddenly threw off their covers and appeared before the enemy, like flames - themselves in helmets and armor of Margian, dazzlingly sparkling steel, their horses in brass and iron armor. Suren himself, huge in stature and the most beautiful of all ...

The first intention of the Parthians was to break through with spears, upset and push back the front ranks, but when they recognized the depth of the closed formation, the stamina and solidarity of the soldiers, they stepped back and, pretending that in confusion who was scattered where, imperceptibly for the Romans, they covered the square with a ring.

The campaign of the Roman army in Parthia and
the battle of Carrami in 53 BC

Crassus ordered the lightly armed soldiers to rush at the enemy, but before they had time to run a few steps, they were met by a cloud of arrows; they retreated back into the ranks of the heavy infantry, and laid the foundation for confusion and confusion in the army, seeing with what speed and force the Parthian arrows fly, breaking weapons and piercing all protective covers, both hard and soft, in the same way.

And the Parthians, having opened, began to shoot arrows from a distance from all sides, almost without aiming (the Romans were so crowded and crowded that it was deliberately difficult to miss), abruptly bending their tight large bows and thus giving the arrow a huge impact force. Even then, the position of the Romans was becoming disastrous: while remaining in the ranks, they received wound after wound, and trying to go on the offensive, they were powerless to equalize the conditions of the battle, tk. the Parthians fled without stopping to shoot arrows. "

Thus, in the first phase of the battle at Carrhae, the Roman system was attacked by the armored cavalry of the Parthians, armed with spears. When the attack failed, their light cavalry, the horse archers, joined in. Attempted counterattack by Roman forces light infantry proved to be completely ineffective, and the Parthian cavalry began to flow around the Roman battle formations.

Trap. Crassus realized too late what a trap he had fallen into. The Roman heavy infantry, strong in hand-to-hand combat, could not force an army that consisted exclusively of cavalry to him. If it was started by the enemy, then in the armor-clad Parthian cavalry the legions met an equal, if not superior, enemy. In the face of such an army as the Parthian, the Romans were at a strategically disadvantageous position. the cavalry controlled the routes of communication and could easily cut off Roman communications.

The situation was also losing tactically, because Roman weapons were designed for close combat and could not compete with the long-range bow of the Parthians, unless it came to hand-to-hand combat. The maximum concentration of troops - the basis of the Roman method of waging war - here only worsened the situation: the closer the ranks of the Roman military formation were, the more irresistible its onslaught, but the easier the projectiles hit the target.

In the conditions of warfare familiar to the Romans (densely populated area with natural obstacles), one cavalry was not able to act against the infantry, but on an even, like a table, Mesopotamian terrain, where the army did not meet a single foothold for many days of travel, the conditions were for this application, the cavalry proved to be ideal.

Advantages and disadvantages for the parties. The historian writes: “Here all the circumstances developed against a foreign infantryman and in favor of the local cavalry. Where a heavily armed Roman infantryman trudged along the sand or steppe with difficulty and on his roadless path, marked only by sources far apart from each other, died of hunger or even more from thirst; there the Parthian horseman, from childhood accustomed to sitting on his fast horse or camel, almost living on it, easily rushed through the desert, the difficulties of which he had long learned to reduce, and if necessary, to overcome.

There was no rain here, which would temper the unbearable heat and loosen the bowstrings and belts of enemy shooters and spear throwers; here, in the deep sand, it was hardly possible to dig ditches and fill up the ramparts for the camp. Human fantasy could hardly come up with a situation in which to such an extent all the advantages would be on one side, all the disadvantages - on the other. "

An inexhaustible hail of Parthian arrows. So, the Parthian light cavalry approached, its arrows fell through its own heavy cavalry in a curve, striking first the first and then the rest of the ranks of the Roman system. Crassus and other commanders tried to maintain the spirit of the soldiers, assuring them that at such a rate of fire, the enemy would soon use up all his arrows. The Roman commander also tried to move his cohorts to the enemy, but the Parthians fled at the same time, continuing to shoot arrows at a gallop. The cohorts were forced to retreat in square, which continued to fall in a relentless rain of arrows. The Parthian quivers seemed inexhaustible.

The Romans finally noticed the camels looming on the horizon, which from time to time approached groups of horsemen, who then returned to the others circling around the Roman square. It became clear to them that the camels were loaded with bundles of arrows and the archers were replenishing their stock there, which is why it seemed inexhaustible. The legions, idle and the target of a murderous barrage of arrows, lost their courage.

Crassus orders an attack. Crassus finally decided to break this terrible ring of people and metal that surrounded his army. He ordered his son to take 1,300 horsemen, including 1,000 Gauls, 500 archers and the next 8 legion cohorts, and by all means attack the enemy, who was already entering the rear of this wing. When the detachment separated from the square rushed to the Parthians, they hastily turned their horses and galloped away. The Romans, deciding that the enemy was fleeing, rushed after them. Soon, both of them disappeared behind the horizon in clouds of dust.

The onslaught on the main forces of the Romans noticeably weakened: part of the Parthian horsemen disappeared somewhere. Crassus seized the moment and led the army to a nearby hill. Considering the battle over, he more or less calmly awaited the return of his son. However, soon the messengers of Publius, slipping through the enemies with difficulty, reported that Crassus's son was in danger, asked for an early help and would inevitably be crushed if she did not come in time.

Another act of drama. Meanwhile, another act of drama was unfolding over the horizon. The Parthians fleeing from Crassus the younger suddenly turned around and rushed at him. The Romans stopped, hoping that the enemy would engage them in hand-to-hand combat. However, the Parthians, having surrounded the Roman corps with cataphracts, once again set in motion horse archers: "Blowing up the plain with their hooves, the Parthian horses raised such a huge cloud of sand dust that the Romans could neither clearly see nor speak freely. another and, being struck by enemies, died not an easy and not quick death, but writhed from unbearable pain and, rolling with arrows stuck in the body on the ground, broke them off in the wounds themselves; while trying to pull out the jagged points that penetrated through the veins and veins, they tore and so many died, but the rest were unable to defend themselves.And when Publius urged them to strike at the armored horsemen, they showed him their hands, pinned to their shields, and legs, pierced through and nailed to the ground, so that they were not capable of either escape or defense "(Plutarch).

With the despair of the doomed, the Roman light cavalry led by their commander, leaving the infantry in place, attacked the Parthian cataphracts. The Gauls, who made up the majority of the Roman cavalry, performed miracles of courage in hand-to-hand combat. But they struck with their light, short spears into leather or metal shells, and they themselves received blows from the heavy spears of the Parthians into weakly protected or open parts of the body. Having lost almost all the horses in the attack, the remnants of the Roman cavalry retreated, taking with them the wounded commander. Seeing a sandy hill nearby, the Romans retreated there and lined up around it. But on an elevated place, all the ranks were open to the deadly Parthian arrows ...

Crassus Jr. kills himself. Finding himself in an absolutely hopeless situation, the son of Crassus found a truly Roman way out of it. According to Plutarch, “under Publius there were two Greeks from among the inhabitants of the neighboring city of Carré ... They urged him to secretly leave with them and flee to Ikhny, a nearby city that took the side of the Romans. would have left the people who perished because of his fault, and ordered the Greeks to flee and, having said goodbye, parted with them. He himself, not owning the hand that was pierced by the arrow, ordered the squire to strike him with a sword and offered him a side. " Following the example of the commander, other Roman officers also committed suicide. “The rest,” Plutarch concludes the story about this episode of the battle, “who were still fighting, the Parthians, climbing the slope, pierced with spears, and they say they took no more than five hundred people alive. Then, cutting off the heads of Publius and his comrades, they immediately galloped off. to Crassus ".

Meanwhile, Crassus Sr. made an attempt to move the army forward to help his son, but suddenly everyone saw that the Parthians were returning. The front rider carried a black object at the end of the spear. As the enemies approached closer, the Romans saw that it was the head of Publius Crassus. The army shuddered, but Crassus did not lose heart even now. He drove through the ranks of soldiers, telling them that the death of his son concerned him alone, they must fulfill their duty and repel new attacks of enemies.

New attacks. Indeed, the time has come for this: the Parthians turned around and, placing heavy cavalry in the center and horse archers on the flanks, swept the Roman formation in a semicircle. Again, a rain of arrows fell on the heads of the Romans, and the armored cavalry, in waves that followed one after the other, rolled over the Roman square. The battle went on until nightfall, with the same fury, with the same monotony. At nightfall, the Parthians departed, shouting to the Romans that they would grant Crassus one night to mourn his son.

The Romans retreat to Carry. For the Romans, the first day of the battle gave reason to consider themselves defeated. At night, Crassus, who had energetically commanded throughout the battle, lost heart and could not make any decision. Then his legates Cassius and Octavius, on their own initiative, convened a council of war, which decided to immediately retreat to the Carrahs. Throwing 4 thousand wounded, the army set out and safely reached Carr, in which the Roman garrison was stationed.

In this city, the army could rest, reorganize and return back along the same road along which it came. The Parthian commander was very afraid of this. However, oppressed by the losses of the previous day and night, the soldiers and officers did not understand that the main danger had already passed. Their fear of the Parthians was so strong that they did not want to leave the city. Therefore, the military council decided to ask for help from the Armenian king and wait for it in Karrah, and after receiving it, retreat through the mountains of Armenia.

The trick of the Parthians. When Surena learned that the main forces of the Romans, along with Crassus, were in Carrhae, he tried to trick what he had begun by force, and offered the soldiers a free exit on condition that they hand him Crassus and Cassius. The calculation was subtle: if the rebellious army fulfilled this demand, it would be easy to cope with the crowd of soldiers who had lost their most capable leaders.

Betrayal of Andromache. However, Roman discipline was still too strong: the treacherous demand of the enemy was rejected. Nevertheless, it played its fatal role: the officers lost confidence in their soldiers and, according to Plutarch, “advising Crassus to cast aside distant and vain hopes for the Armenians, they were of the opinion that it was necessary to flee, but so that none of the inhabitants of Karr did not find out about that until the time. But Andromachus learned about everything, of them the most treacherous - Crassus not only revealed the secret to him, but also entrusted him to be a guide along the way. Thus, nothing was hidden from the Parthians: Andromache informed them about every step of the Romans " ...

Attempts to escape. The Romans set out at night when the Parthians preferred not to fight. Crassus decided to go along the mountain road, through Armenia, choosing the most difficult roads and the most swampy places, where the Parthians could not move their cavalry. One more last effort - and the Roman army would be saved. But along with fatigue, the soldiers 'nervousness and the officers' irritability increased. Crassus lost his influence over the commanding staff. One day there was a stormy explanation with Cassius, and Crassus allowed him to act as he saw fit. Cassius accepted this offer, returned to Carry, and from there with 500 horsemen on the same road returned safely to Syria.

The second legate of Crassus, Octavius, who had reliable guides, reached the mountainous terrain before dawn and, together with 5 thousand soldiers, was safe. Crassus found the day among the swamps, from where it was possible to get out on the road only with great difficulty. With him were only four cohorts and a handful of horsemen. Here they were attacked by their pursuers, and before joining with Octavius, there was still more than 2 km to go. The Romans retreated to a nearby hill and prepared for what would be their last battle. But here help suddenly arrived: "Octavius ​​saw all the danger of his position and the first rushed to his rescue with a handful of people, and then, reproaching themselves, the others rushed after him. They threw the enemies away from the hill, surrounded Crassus and protected him with shields. , boasting that there is no such Parthian arrow that would touch the commander before they all die fighting for him "(Plutarch). This, as it turned out, was the last manifestation of the soldiers' courage, then they behaved in a completely different way.

New trick of the Parthians. The Parthian leader saw that the prey was ready to slip away from him, and set out on a new trick. He released some of the prisoners, and then himself, accompanied by the higher commanders, drove up to the hill on which the Romans had fortified, and on behalf of the king offered to conclude an armistice and discuss its conditions.

Fearing an ambush, Crassus, who now saw a secured retreat, refused and began to confer with the officers. But the soldiers, who accepted the Parthian proposal at face value, could not resist: "The warriors raised a cry, demanding negotiations with the enemy, and then began to revile and blaspheme Crassus for throwing them into battle against those with whom he himself did not even dare to join in negotiations, although they are unarmed. Crassus made an attempt to convince them, said that after spending the rest of the day in the mountainous, rugged terrain, they would be able to move at night, showed them the way and persuaded them not to lose hope when salvation was near. But as they went into a rage and, clattering with weapons, began to threaten him, Crassus, frightened, yielded and, turning to his own, said only: "Octavius ​​and Petronius and all of you, as many of you are here, are Roman generals! You see that I have to go, and you yourself are well aware of the shame and violence I have to endure. But if you are saved, tell everyone that Crassus died, deceived by his enemies, and not betrayed by his fellow citizens. "

The perfidy of the Parthians. Then he, accompanied by several officers, descended the hill to meet the Parthians. What happened next is impossible to reconstruct with certainty: there were no witnesses from the Roman side. In any case, Crassus and his retinue were killed either as a result of a misunderstanding, or as a result of the deliberate treachery of the Parthians. When it was all over, Surena announced to those who remained on the hill that Crassus had been punished according to his merits, and the rest could go down without fear of anything. Some believed him and surrendered, others tried to hide at night, but were tracked down and killed.

Tragic results. Of the more than 40 thousand who crossed the Euphrates with Crassus, about a quarter returned to Syria. 10 thousand prisoners were, according to Parthian custom, settled to carry out garrison service in the extreme northeast of their state, in the Merv oasis. The killed, thus, the Romans lost at least 20 thousand. The severed head of Crassus was thrown at the feet of the Parthian king.

Long centuries of confrontation. Since the defeat of Carrhs, revenge for Crassus has become one of the most popular slogans in Rome. However, the repeated attempts of the Romans to implement this idea ended, as a rule, to no avail. The Roman-Parthian border stabilized for centuries along the Euphrates, outbreaks of confrontation were replaced long periods more or less peaceful coexistence. The system of Roman-Parthian dualism in the Middle East was destined long life, later it was inherited, on the one hand, by the New Persian kingdom of the Sassanids, in the III century. which replaced Parthia, on the other - the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire. It began to collapse only from the 7th century. AD, the time of the great Arab conquests. Thus, the confrontation between the civilizations of the East and West in Asia Minor ultimately ended in favor of the East.

Seleucia, capital of the Parthian Empire, summer 53 BC NS.

Life in a round enclosure, where Romulus and several hundred other soldiers were imprisoned, became almost familiar to them. The walls of the prison, made of thick logs, located near the huge arch of the city gates, were twice as tall as Brenn. People sat on the bare ground, killed to stone hardness, there were so many people that it was not always possible to stretch their legs. Among the captives, there was talk that the rest of the former comrades-in-arms were kept in the same pens scattered around Seleucia. The Parthians were not going to allow the Romans, even unarmed, to gather in too large groups.

Against the backdrop of further misery, Karra and the nightmare southbound became distant memories. Cold nights gave way to exhausting hot days, less sympathy remained for the wounded. There was no roof over our heads. In the dark, the Roman soldiers huddled together, and during the day they roasted in the sun. Almost all the officers were taken somewhere, leaving only a few of the most junior commanders who were obliged to maintain order.

Tarquinius didn't seem to be too worried about the future. Of the rest, no one could even imagine what fate awaited them. For the time being, they were spared, but still it seemed that sooner or later the Parthians would execute everyone. Everyone suffered from shame that thousands of corpses of comrades were left to rot in the desert. According to Roman customs, the dead had to be seen off with honor and lavish ceremonies. Usually only criminals were left without burial; Romulus could easily remember the sickening smell that emanated from the pits on the eastern slope of the Esquiline Hill. The gods alone knew what the surroundings of Carr were now.

The prisoners were fed very sparsely, just to keep them alive. Whenever guards appeared in the fence to put food on the ground, chaos reigned there. People, like wild animals, fought for dry crusts and musty water. It was only thanks to the ever-growing authority of Tarquinius that his friends generally had the opportunity to eat and drink. Etruscan tirelessly fiddled with the wounded, washed their wounds and applied some herbs from a leather purse, which in some unthinkable way he saved from the victors. Romulus constantly helped him in this. Gradually believing in the mystical talent of the Etruscan, the soldiers respected him even more and even saved food for him. A man like this haruspex, they hoped, could help them get out of even the unthinkable horror in which they found themselves.

Many of the wounded were gradually suffering from the lack of water. The Parthians removed the corpses that began to swell only if the Romans brought them to the very gate. To protect the nearby city from infection, the guards set up a huge fire, which had to be maintained constantly, otherwise they would not have been able to burn so many corpses. At night, his restless light illuminated the faces, which were haggard with hunger. Everything around was saturated with the stench of burning flesh, and this made people even harder.

It would be better if these scoundrels executed us! - Romulus flared up at dawn on the twelfth day. - Another week or two, and it will be the same with all of us.

On the ground were half a dozen dead legionnaires.

Patience, said Tarquinius. - I caught the movement of air. We'll find out soon.

Romulus nodded uncertainly. But Felix was infuriated by the sight of his dead comrades.

I would have at least some weapon! - he exclaimed and put his hands on the logs.

The guard noticed the behavior of the undersized Gaul and expressively threatened with a spear: they say, step back and calm down.

Calm down! Brenn hissed. He was willing to wait as long as Tarquinius saw fit. “You don’t want to end up like that legionnaire.

Bloated in the heat human body hanging on a post with a crossbar near the corral in which the prisoners were kept, served as a cruel example of Parthian discipline. Two days earlier, a veteran of the Sixth Legion, a mighty man, had spat on a guard's leg. He was immediately dragged out and crucified on the cross.

His feet and hands were pierced with thick iron nails, so that from the terrible pain he could neither stand nor hang. Trying in vain to choose a less painful position, he twitched desperately on the cross. Soon his will ran out, and he began to yell. The brutal show went on for several hours. Then, deciding that the captives had firmly learned their lesson, one of the guards, walking in passing, with a blow of a spear, ended his suffering. The corpse was left on the cross as an illustrative example.

Felix sat down on the ground.

The spearman continued his walk around the fence.

We are still alive, which means that they are up to something, - said the Etruscan.

Public execution, ”growled Felix. “The Gauls would have done just that.

Not with ordinary soldiers.

Romulus was not convinced by his words.

In Rome, we would end up in the arena. Are these savages any better than ours?

They have neither gladiators nor animal fights. We're not in Italy, ”said Tarquinius weightily. - Do you hear?

The gongs and drums of the Parthians have been thundering since dawn. The noise of popular jubilation had hardly subsided since the day they were driven under the walls of Seleucia, but today the sounds were different. They grew louder and seemed somehow ominous. As the sun rose to clear blue sky, the heat increased rapidly. The soldiers, drenched in sweat, began to worry.

Brenn got to his feet and looked in the direction where the streets snaked into town.

The sounds are coming closer.

The noise outside the fence grew louder, but inside it, on the contrary, everything became quiet. Wrapped in bloody rags, dirty, sunburned former warriors of the Sixth Legion rose to their feet, and the guards, ignoring them, were talking excitedly about something.

Tarquinius, what's going on? “Like many others, Felix had no doubt that the Etruscans knew the intentions and deeds of the Parthians.

Many people immediately addressed them.

Tarquinius rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

After all, they have not yet arranged a real holiday ...

What about Crassus? Romulus asked curiously.

After the battle, there was not a single word about the Roman commander. But no one doubted that in the upcoming celebration he would be assigned a noticeable role.

Etrusc was about to answer, but then a detachment of fifty unusually tall warriors emerged from the arch of the city gates onto the paved area in front of the prison. They wore new mail, helmets polished to a shine, each armed with a heavy spear and a round shield. The detachment was followed by several dozen Parthians, dressed in robes; these played musical instruments. The procession stopped, but the intimidating music continued to thunder.

The Romans hastily overshadowed themselves with signs that ward off evil.

Royal guards, muttered Tarquinius. - Orod decided our fate.

Do you know that too? - Romulus glanced at the Etruscan, but he, as usual, answered with an enigmatic smile.

The young man gritted his teeth.

Have you seen anything else? Brenn asked.

I told you more than once: we have a long march to the East.

Alarmed by the prediction, the soldiers, not hiding their fright, looked at the haruspex.

To the places where Alexander led the greatest army the world has ever seen. - During the time spent locked up, Tarquinius told his comrades in misfortune many stories about the legendary campaign into the unknown, made by the Greeks three centuries ago.

Many of the faces were quite elongated. Romulus always admired these legends. And the blood in his veins seethed with joyful anticipation.

We should be glad that they have come this far. Tarquinius patted the leather pouch hidden in his bosom where the herbs and ancient map, which he showed to friends only once. After they were taken prisoner, of all the meager belongings, only this koschel, a ring with the image of a scarab and a lituus were preserved. “It was drawn by one of Alexander's soldiers. And it fell into my hands, of course, not without a reason, - he added in a whisper.

Outside came the loud voice of the commander of the newly arrived warriors, calling out to the prison guards, and Tarquinius fell silent. Meanwhile, the guards quickly pulled out thick ropes from somewhere - the very ones with which they tied the defeated after the battle. Fear, which had not left the captives all these days, completely seized them. When one leaf of the gate was half-opened, the frightened lamentations of the legionnaires sounded louder. Being in a confined space, they felt some semblance of security. What awaited them now?

Accompanied by several stout warriors holding spears at the ready, the commander of the palace guards entered the corral and gestured to several of the prisoners closest to him to leave. They obeyed with apparent reluctance. As soon as they left the gate, rope loops were thrown around their necks. Soon, a long line of connected people formed in front of the prison. And the Parthians, counting out the same groups, drove more and more prisoners out of the fence, who were immediately attached to the tail.

One of the legionnaires decided that he had had enough. Although he wore a noticeable option cuirass, the Parthians for some reason did not take him home with the rest of the officers. Now, when the guard pointed to the exit with his spear, he stepped forward and pushed him hard in the chest.

What is he doing, such a fool ?! - whispered Romulus. - He knows how it will end.

Tarquinius gazed at his young friend.

He chose his own destiny. Each of us has such a right.

Romulus remembered Bassius - his mercy was manifested in the fact that at Carrami he killed two mercenaries, instead of throwing them to a slow and painful death. The ability to choose his own fate represented a powerful driving force in life, and he tried to comprehend his true intentions.

A short order sounded, and the guard with a swift movement drove the point of the spear deep into the Roman's stomach. He doubled up with a cry, his hands involuntarily grabbing the shaft. The prisoners saw the guard bent down and drew a short, thin dagger. Two more grabbed the hands of the option. He screamed loudly in excruciating pain, and the commander of the guards looked around the remaining prisoners with expressive gaze.

Meanwhile, the guard straightened up and, with a wide wave of his hand, threw something high. Two eyeballs with dangling strings of nerves fell near Romulus, and he involuntarily recoiled, wondering to himself that a person could voluntarily decide to go to such torments.

When the officer indicated the exit to the next group, no one thought to resist. Trying to step silently, Romulus passed the option; his head, as if by itself, turned towards the unfortunate man, writhing in convulsions, pressing his hands to his bloody eye sockets. The poor man's dull groan filled him with pity, and he clenched his fists.

No human deserves such a fate, ”he whispered.

Do not be in a hurry to condemn others, - said Tarquinius. - This option could now go with us. But I decided to do it differently.

No one can decide for a person which path to choose, - the Gaul supported him in a gloomy tone. In his memory, the image of his own uncle, who died in order to save the life of another, vividly surfaced. Him, Brenna.

Romulus glanced at his friends in turn. Their words sunk deep into his soul.

When the Parthians lined up and tied up fifty prisoners, their commander ordered that the others be left locked up. As on the day when Crassus sacrificed a bull, few were awarded the right to contemplate what was happening. And they had to retell everything to their comrades.

Following the cataphracts and musicians, the captives moved towards the city. The legionnaires were knocked into a pile and now and then urged on with kicks and blows from the blunt ends of their spears.

They passed the arch of the gate, which was not inferior in size to those structures that Romulus had seen in Italy. However, this turned out to be an exception to the rule. The streets with one-story houses turned out to be very narrow. Huts, built of sun-dried mud bricks, made up the majority of the buildings in the capital. The temples that came across from time to time, very simple in their architecture, were higher. As in Rome, houses were crowded together, in some places the alleys separating them were covered with rubbish and all kinds of other rubbish. Romulus did not notice any aqueducts or public latrines. The city was very primitive - the Parthians were clearly not a people of builders. They were desert nomads and warriors.

Only the arch in the wall and the building, which was apparently the palace of King Orodes, would be worthy to take a place in Rome. The high fortification walls of the palace were separated from other buildings of the city by a wide, flat space. Towers towered in the corners of the fortress, and archers walked along the walls between them. A detachment of mounted cataphractaries was on duty in front of the wrought-iron gates; they looked at the legionnaires with completely impassive expressions on their faces. Few of the Romans could look at the armored horsemen without fear. Tarquinius, passing by, gazed intently at what was behind the bars of the gate.

Don't get their attention! Brenn hissed.

They don't care about us, - the Etruscan calmly responded and stood up on tiptoe. - I just want to see at least a glimpse of that gold, for which Crassus was so eager. It seems to me that everything should just sparkle from him.

However, one of the cataphractarii nevertheless showed vigilance: he directed the point of the spear towards Tarquinius and made a sharp movement, as if piercing the enemy.

To the great relief of Romulus, the haruspex obediently bent down and wandered on.

The prisoners walked along a narrow passage between the long-awaited crowds. All the inhabitants of Seleucia were eager to enjoy the spectacle of the humiliation of the Romans. The prisoners walked with bowed heads, and exclamations flew into their ears, which were undoubtedly insults and mockery. Romulus stared at his feet, at the bumpy, unpaved road. A single glance into the dark-skinned face contorted with malice was more than enough for him. He was sure that something very bad was in store for them, and there was no point in attracting undue attention to themselves.

Lumps of dirt and stones flew into the captives, leaving bruises and bloody abrasions on their bodies. Rotten vegetables poured on them and even the contents of chamber pots were poured out. Children dressed in rags with snot smeared on their grimy faces now and then jumped out of the crowd to give a kick to one of the prisoners. One of the soldiers was ripped open by a skinny elderly woman with her fingernails. When he tried to push her away, the nearest guard hit him so hard on the head that he lost consciousness. The old witch yelled triumphantly and spat at the Roman. The legionnaires who were in the neighborhood with him hastily grabbed his comrade and dragged him further.

The beaten, dirty, humiliated soldiers were led through the streets, as it seemed to them, for an eternity, so that everyone could rejoice and gloat over the complete defeat of the mighty army of Crassus. Finally, they nevertheless came out into a huge square, similar in size to the Roman Field of Mars. There were no longer even those tiny patches of shadow that cast the shacks, and it grew even hotter. When the Romans were driven to the middle of this square, where the stones and other objects with which the triumphant inhabitants threw them no longer reached, and the angry cries were not so heard, few of them dared to raise their heads. The guards paved the way for the captives and mercilessly beat everyone who was foolish enough to block their path.

Several dozen Parthians were bustling around a huge bonfire, tirelessly placing thick logs in the raging fire. Not far from the fire was an empty platform. With kicks and jerks, the confused soldiers were forced to line up in front of him. They stood stretched out in an uneven, sparse chain, frightened, not knowing what else to expect. In the meantime, similar groups of prisoners began to be brought in from other prisons scattered around the city. Soon several hundred Romans gathered there, representing ten thousand captives.

Romulus decided that he would not allow anyone to see him frightened and depressed. If executed, he will face death with pride. Brennus, in turn, noticed that Tarquinius was not in the least frightened. Therefore, the young man and his mentors remained relatively calm and stood out sharply from the rest of the half-starved, sunburned legionnaires who were expecting imminent death. After the terrible defeat at Carr, they lost all faith in themselves and in the future. Almost all hung their heads, the weakest shuddered from ill-controlled sobs. For some, the fear turned out to be unbearable - this was evidenced by the suddenly erupted smell of urine.

The screams of the crowd gradually died down. Even the drums and gongs fell silent. And other sounds became discernible, which immediately attracted the attention of the captives. From the side where the cruel crowd remained, groans of genuine, heavy suffering were heard.

Dozens of crosses towered around the square. On each of them hung an officer of the Roman army. Their hands were tied tightly to the rungs with ropes. From time to time, one of the unfortunate people, trying to relieve the load on their desperately aching hands, leaned on their legs nailed to the pillar with thick nails. And then again, with loud groans, he sagged limply from unbearable pain. This terrible torment was to last until the victim dies of thirst. It took more than one day to wait for death, and the most terrible sufferings fell to those who were stronger and more enduring.

The crowd began to shout and laugh again, immediately forgetting about those prisoners who had been taken out of its reach. The stones now flew at the crucified. When they hit the target, screams were heard, which inflamed the tormentors even more. The guards poked their spears at the helpless officers and laughed joyfully when the blood was shown. Malevolent cries shook the air. And ordinary soldiers looked at what was happening in horror; their own future was presented to everyone in the blackest color.

Suddenly Felix pointed with a finger:

This is Bassius. Here is the poor fellow.

Romulus and Brennus stared at the crucified veteran nearby. His eyes were closed. In spite of terrible torment experienced by the centurion, no sound escaped his lips. Never before had Bassius' courage been so evident.

Brenn grabbed the rope around his neck.

I have to relieve him of his suffering!

Do you want to end your life on the cross yourself? replied Tarquinius.

Romulus swore. He thought the same thing. Only they would surely be killed before they could get to Bassius.

He won't last long, ”Felix interjected. - Those wounded on the cross quickly lose their strength.

It was the Romans who taught them to crucify people, said the Etruscan.

Romulus said nothing. He was ashamed to disgust that his compatriots were so calm about this truly barbaric torture. Although slaves and criminals in Italy were executed in this way quite often, he never saw so many crucified at once. And then he remembered how Crassus dealt with the survivors of the defeat by the soldiers of Spartacus. Rome was in no way inferior in cruelty to Parthia.

Brenn spat angrily and prepared to break the bonds. Once again, Conall appeared in his mind's eye, dying under the blows of the gladius of a dozen legionnaires. Today it was necessary to save another worthy and courageous person. He's been teasing enough already.

The giant turned to him, his eyes filled with anguish.

Bassius is a brave soldier. He saved us all! And does not deserve such a bestial death.

Then help him.

Brenn was silent for a long time, then answered with a deep sigh.

Ultan predicted a long journey for me. And you too.

Bassius will die anyway, said Tarquinius softly. “Conall and Braque were also destined to die. And no amount of effort could help you change that.

Brenn's eyes widened.

Do you know what happened to my family?

Etruscan nodded.

I haven't spoken their names for eight years.

Marriage was a brave warrior, like his father. But their time has come.

Romulus had the hair on the back of his head standing on end. Over the years, the Gaul has only briefly mentioned his past a few times.

Brennus seemed completely at a loss.

The day will come when your friends will need you, ”said the Etruscan quietly, but very clearly. “The time will come for Brenn to rise and engage. When it seems like you have no chance.

No one can win such a battle. Except for Brenn.

And this will happen far from here? the Gaul demanded, almost fiercely.

At the very end of the world.

Brenn smiled hesitantly and slowly let go of the rope.

Ultan was a powerful druid. You are the same, Tarquinius. The gods will take our centurion straight to Elysium.

Do not doubt it.

Romulus well remembered the look that Tarquinius cast at the Gaul during the retreat to the Carr. Now much of what he had seen and heard before had come together, and the young warrior's heart was filled with anxiety for Brenna. But then he noticed that Tarquinius was examining the fire.

What is this for?

Etruscan pointed to a wide iron cauldron hanging over the very fire. Several men in leather aprons, drenched in sweat, were putting firewood on to make the flames burn stronger. One of them now and then bent over and stirred the contents with a long-handled scoop.

An ingot of gold was recently thrown there.

Goose bumps ran down Romulus's spine.

The drums began to beat again, but this time they soon fell silent. A large, flat wagon, drawn by mules and surrounded by majestic cavalry in brightly polished armor, appeared. On either side were guards disguised as lictors. Each carried a fascia - a symbol of justice among the Romans. But unlike the real fascias, the ones with which the officials in Italy went, these were hung with leather wallets, and the heads of Roman officers were planted on the shafts instead of hatchets.

It was all premeditated, ”muttered Romulus.

This is a parody of a Roman triumph, - explained the Etruscan. - And a mockery of Crassus's desire for wealth.

And then the soldiers gasped in unison, seeing that Crassus was standing on the cart, tightly tied by the arms and neck to a wooden frame. He wore a laurel wreath on his head, and his lips and cheeks were richly painted with ocher and whitewash. To complete the humiliation, he was dressed in colorful women's clothing, which by this time were abundantly saturated with feces and covered with traces of rotten vegetables thrown at the Roman military leader. Crassus stood with closed eyes, with resignation on his face. His journey was very long.

And there were also prostitutes on the cart, whom the military leader took with him for senior officers. Stripped naked, with bodies covered with bruises and abrasions, the unfortunate women sobbed and desperately clung to each other. Romulus witnessed many rapes throughout the campaign. And every time in his memory Gemell appeared with deadly clarity, twitching at his mother with disgusting wheezing and wheezing. Rape was an integral part of the war, but now Romulus shuddered at the thought of what these women had to endure after Carr.

When the mules stopped, screams of terror resounded with renewed vigor.

The Parthian warriors jumped onto the cart, dragged the prostitutes by the hair onto the platform and forced them to kneel. Crying and screaming were suppressed by merciless blows. The women fell silent, only occasionally one of them sobbed loudly.

Then a tall, bearded man in dark robes climbed onto the platform and gestured to silence. The crowd obeyed, and the priest spoke in a powerful, low voice. Even without knowing the language, one could sense anger in his every word. The speech quickly enraged the assembled Parthians, and they rushed to the captives. To stop them, the guards had to really use force and even use spears; when the crowd left, there were many wounded.

He's fueled by passion, ”Brenn said. - Now the real show can begin.

He talks about what happens to those who dare to threaten Parthia - Etruscan quickly translated. - Crassus attacked her. But the powerful gods helped defeat the Roman invaders. And now they are demanding retribution.

Romulus glanced back at the dais and shivered. The campaign was cursed from the start, and only a fool could have overlooked the many bad omens. But Crassus ignored every single sign of the will of the gods and, in his incredible vanity, led many thousands of soldiers to certain death. Yet Romulus was deeply disgusted by the terrible fate that undoubtedly awaited their general. Moreover, there was absolutely nothing he could do. The young soldier forced himself to breathe deeply and evenly to calm himself.

When the bearded priest finished his speech, the audience understood what the ritual would be. The ominous silence that reigned was broken only by the groans of crucified officers and beaten prostitutes.

The eyes of all the legionnaires were riveted on Crassus and the unfortunate women. Smiling evilly, the priest drew a long dagger from the scabbard hanging from his belt. Stepping forward, he stopped behind one of the whores and spoke a few more words.

The crowd roared deafeningly.

Unable to contain herself any longer, the woman screamed loudly in horror and turned around. With a rough movement, the priest immediately turned her back, facing the crowd. And with a deft movement he cut her throat.

The scream ended.

The arms and legs of the murdered woman twitched convulsively, and blood gushed from the cut neck in a fountain, profusely splashing the guards and the soldiers standing in front. The priest released his victim, and one of the guards kicked the corpse from the platform. The Romans leaned back at once to avoid contact with the mutilated body.

One by one, the rest of the women were killed in the same way. Of those who were brought on a cart, only Crassus survived. The platform was covered in blood, corpses lay in a heap in front of it, but the crowd was waiting for something else.

Parthia wanted revenge.

Savages! Brenn growled.

Romulus thought of Fabiola. From what he knew, she might well have been among the murdered women. His feigned calm vanished as if by hand, he was seething. Suddenly he realized that he wanted only one thing - to be free. Do not call anyone master. Neither Gemella, nor Memora, nor Crassus, nor any of the Parthians. He glanced at the nearest guard, wondering how quickly he would react if attacked. He will be able to choose his own destiny.

You will be back in Rome, ”whispered Tarquinius. - I saw your fate. It doesn't end here.

They looked into each other's eyes. Meanwhile, the deafening rumble of the drums died down, announcing the completion of the ritual.

"To be strong. Like Fabiola. I will Survive".

Look. Gallus pointed to the platform.

The guards did not untie the last of the brought prisoners, but simply lifted the frame to which he was tied, and carried it along with Crassus to the platform. Their actions were accompanied by a surprisingly low rumble, as if not by human efforts.

It's time for Crassus to pay for what he did.

Sensing a terrible end, he screamed wildly and began kicking. However, the ropes with which they tied him turned out to be thick and strong, and soon Crassus, with his face gray with fatigue and fear, hung without strength on the uneven bars. During this futile struggle, the wreath slipped into one eye, and the Parthian warriors pointed their fingers at Crassus with mocking smirks.

The priest spoke again, turning angry tirades against the man who dared to invade Parthia. Saliva splashed from his lips, the audience howled with rage. The crowd again began to press on the guards, and they blocked her path with crossed spears. Tarquinius translated what the priest said, but the soldiers around him understood without explanation what was happening. And few of them sympathized with Crassus.

The priest finished his speech and waited for some time for silence to reign. Eventually the crowd calmed down.

The captive commander raised his head and saw a crowd of prisoners in front of him. By their clothes, he could not help but recognize the Roman soldiers, who now greeted him with only insults.

It seems that Crassus has just now realized that his fate is inevitable. Even the people he has commanded for so long will not come to his aid. And he dropped his head on his chest again.

And Romulus continued to boil with anger. He would have readily and even gladly killed Crassus in a duel, but to turn the execution into a humiliating public performance ... This was contrary to his nature. What happened in its cruelty was not inferior to the worst examples of those spectacles that were staged in the arena for the amusement of the depraved Romans. He glanced at Brenn and realized that he was thinking the same thing.

Only Tarquinius, as always, seemed completely calm.

The blacksmith bent over the fire and launched a long-handled scoop into the cauldron. When the ladle emerged, large heavy drops of molten gold dripped from its edges, miraculously not falling to the Parthian's feet. Holding the ladle in outstretched arms, he walked towards the dais.

The crowd screamed in anticipation of unprecedented amusement, and Romulus turned away.

Two guards lifted Crassus's head and pressed his chin to the bar. With the free end of the rope, they tied the head so that the face was turned up. The priest went up to the prisoner and, having unclenched his teeth, inserted a metal spacer between his jaws, turning his mouth open to the sky.

Realizing what was about to happen, Crassus screamed desperately. And he continued to shout as the blacksmith climbed the steps, holding a ladle of molten metal far out in front of him.

The priest waved his hand impatiently.

Gold cools quickly, said Tarquinius.

Crassus' eyes swung frantically in orbits, he continued to twitch more violently the closer the blacksmith came with his red-hot load, and the massive frame crackled with his jerks.

The scoop hung over his head.

To the shouts of delight, the bearded priest gave a long recitative in an echoing voice.

He calls on the gods to accept the sacrifice, muttered Tarquinius. - It should symbolize the victory over the republic. And to show that jokes with Parthia are bad.

The blacksmith was tired of holding the weighty ladle, his hand trembled. And suddenly a large drop of gold fell from the vessel and landed straight into the wide-open eye of Crassus. The apple burst, and a cry of excruciating pain shook the air like Romulus had never heard before. A trickle of eye fluid mixed with blood ran down the captive commander's cheek.

Crassus's whole eye bulged with pain and unimaginable horror. A pool of urine formed under his feet.

The priest finished his prayer and swung his right hand sharply.

A wild cry escaped Crassus's mouth as gold poured into it in a stream of liquid fire. With a loud murmur heard by everyone in the square, molten metal poured into his gaping mouth, and the former military leader fell silent forever. Only his body continued to beat in powerful convulsions from unbearable pain. A light steam rose from the instantly cooked flesh. Only the strength of the ropes and beams from which the frame was made did not allow Crassus to escape. Eventually, the precious metal reached the heart and lungs, shutting them down.

The body went limp and hung limply on the ropes.

Crassus died.

The Parthians, holding their breath watching the unprecedented execution, fell into a form of madness. Nothing could be heard in the storm of enthusiastic shouts, the ringing of gongs and the thunder of drums.

Many Romans began to vomit from what they saw. Someone closed their eyes so as not to see a terrible sight. Some were wiping away their tears. Romulus vowed to himself that he must flee, whatever the cost.

When the crowd calmed down a little, the priest jabbed a finger in the direction of Crassus's corpse and shouted something to the rest of the captives. As soon as his words were spoken, silence reigned again.

The show is not over yet.

Tarquinius leaned forward.

He offers us a choice.

The soldiers standing nearby pricked up their ears.

What's the choice? Brenn rumbled.

A cross for each. Etruscan pointed to the crucified officers. - Or a bonfire - who likes what.

This is great! Felix spat. “Better to die in a fight. He grabbed the rope that looped around his neck.

Many supported him with angry exclamations.

There is another choice.

Seeing that Tarquinius was translating his words, the priest grinned and pointed with the point of his dagger to the East.

Everyone turned to the Etruscan.

We can join the army of Parthia and fight its enemies.

Fight for them? Felix asked incredulously.

The owner is different, but the job is the same, ”Brenn said. After the spectacle of the gruesome execution, he was able to quickly calm down. - And where is?

On the distant borders of the empire.

Tarquinius nodded.

Romulus took the news just as calmly, but the rest of the legionnaires were seized with fear.

Can you trust them? - With a twisted face, Felix glanced at the guards, spears stabbing the corpse of Crassus.

Choose yourself, ”Tarquinius frowned. “It’s not for nothing that they left us alive and showed the execution of Crassus as an example. He turned to those behind and shouted at the top of his voice the translation of the priest's words.

He gave Tarquinius the opportunity to finish and added something else, referring only to him.

We must decide now! the Etruscan shouted. - Who chooses death on the cross, raise your right hand!

Not one hand went up.

Do you want to die just like Crassus?

Nobody moved.

Tarquinius was silent. Sweat was rolling down his face in large drops, but otherwise he was calm, as if he himself were offering an ultimatum.

Romulus frowned. It seemed to him that the Etruscan was too calm.

Who agrees to become a Parthian warrior?

There was a dead silence. Even the groans of the crucified officers subsided. The crowd watched the Romans with bated breath.

Romulus glanced sideways at Brenna.

Gallus raised his right hand first.

It's the only reasonable choice, ”he said. “This is the only way we can stay alive.

"And I will meet my destiny."

Romulus raised his hand too. Tarquinius did it almost at the same time.

One by one, the captives realized their fate and raised their hands. Hardly anyone could doubt that their comrades, who remained in the paddocks outside the city wall, would not want to agree with their choice.

The priest nodded with satisfaction.

Ten thousand legionnaires were to march to the East.

There is an interesting suggestion, as in ancient times in the first and last time two hegemons of their time clashed the blades: the Roman Republic and the Chinese Empire. This intriguing event took place in 36 BC. in our homeland, in the Talas Valley.

The precondition for this meeting was the ambitious and vain plans of Mark Crassus to conquer the Parthian kingdom. In his declining years, Crassus had enormous political influence in Rome and untold riches, but in the military field he distinguished himself only by suppressing the Phoenician slave Spartacus. For the victory over the slaves, the commander received the respect and gratitude of the Senate, but did not become a triumphant, since according to the canons of Rome, a military solution to the internal problems of the republic was not considered a great victory and a triumph was not relied on for them. In 54 BC. era Mark Crassus with an army of 40 thousand invaded the Parthian possessions, during the autumn period he easily conquered northern Mesopatamia and, pleased with the successful start of the campaign, returned to winter in Syria.

The turning point came in May 53 BC, under Karrah (Harran in modern Turkey), when the Roman legions led by Mark and his son Publius faced the Parthian army of Surena, the young but best commander of Parthia.

King Orod II allocated against the Roman invaders only 10 thousand elite horse archers and 1000 cataphracts (heavy cavalry). The main troops of Parthia left together with the king to the war with Armenia. The sweltering heat, the plain and the brilliant tactics of the Parthians, based on false retreats and rapid counterattacks, did their job: during the day the legions were defeated, half of the army was shot with impunity, a quarter deserted and a quarter were captured.

In this battle, Mark Crassus lost everything: name, army, son, ambition, head. For Rome, this day became a shameful spot in history, and for the captive legionnaires, a unique stage in life. 10 thousand prisoners were sent 1500 km from Karr, to Margiana (eastern Turkmenistan). The path was long and difficult, many legionnaires became food for the Parthian worms.

Meanwhile, the Hunnish state was torn apart by the feuds of two brothers, two leaders of the Huns - Huhanye and Zhi Zhi (names in the transcription of Chinese chronicles). The rebellious leader of the Huns, Zhi Zhi, fled to Central Asia and entered into an alliance with the Kangyuis. His rival Huhanye knelt before the might of the Chinese Empire, then called the Empire of the House of Han. The alliance with the Kangyuys brought the rebellious Huns a number of victories, the seizure local settlements made it possible to gain a foothold at the local level, and thanks to the raids on the Fergana Valley, an alluring ring of gold emanated from the Zhi Zhi bins. Intoxicated by Fortune, Zhi Zhi rudely separated from the Kangyuys and settled in the Talas Valley, where near the Dulay (Talas) River he erected a wooden fortress, unusual for these places, with a fortification characteristic of the Romans: the building was surrounded by a double palisade, watchtowers were erected and an earthen rampart was erected.

For the Han Dynasty, Zhi Zhi's body movements were an eyesore. And the end of their patience came with the cruel reprisals of the Huns over the Chinese ambassador. Chen Tang, a Chinese official exiled to the western borders of the empire for conscription, volunteered to lead a campaign against the daring leader of the Huns. Together with a huge army of loyal Huns and Chinese, Chen Tang reached the Talas Valley, where he was discouraged by the soldiers who built at the entrance to the fortress "like fish scales (the famous Roman turtle)." Sinologist, professor at Oxford University Homer Dubs writes in his works:

“The fish-scale formation is not an easy maneuver. These soldiers were to group up and cover themselves with shields. This maneuver, requiring the simultaneous action of the entire group, especially if it was carried out just before the attack, required a high degree of discipline, which is possible only in a professional army. The only professional, organized soldiers of the time, about whom there is data, were the Greeks and Romans - nomadic and barbarian tribes rushed into battle in disorderly crowds. For protection from arrows, the closing of the round or oval shields, which were used by the Greeks or other peoples, could not give much benefit; only the Roman scutum (shield), which was rectangular and with a semi-cylindrical surface, could give an effective result. The line of Roman scuta, stretching one after the other without gaps along the front line of the infantry, seemed to those who first saw such a formation, indeed "in the form of fish scales", especially due to their rounded surface. Therefore, in order to explain the formation "in the form of fish scales" when lining up the advanced units in battle order, we must assume here the similarity of Roman tactics and Roman legionaries in the depths of Central Asia. "

Soviet historian, archaeologist, orientalist Lev Nikolayevich Gumilyov shared the theory of Homer Dubs:

“The reports of the Chinese intelligence on the activities of Zhi Zhi contain information that he cherished plans to conquer the Yuezhi and Parthians. There is some kind of confusion, since the Yuezhi and the Parthians were enemies, and Zhi Zhi could always have one of these powers as an ally. Apparently, he made friends with the Parthians and received help from them in the form of a centuria of Roman legionnaires, who helped him build a fortified camp. Perhaps it was this alliance that led the Xiongnu Shanyu to break with the Kangyu king. "

One Roman unit was unable to reverse the deliberately stalemate situation, and after the first powerful volleys of Chinese crossbowmen, the "turtle" backed away from the gates of the fortress. During the night, the Chinese defeated the rebels: more than one and a half thousand Hun warriors were executed, about a thousand inhabitants were taken prisoner. Zhi Zhi, along with his wife and son, were beheaded. In the historical chronicle of the Han dynasty "Hanshu" it is noted that "more than a hundred people were seized with weapons in their hands." Presumably they were legionnaires.

Thus, the crushing collapse of Crassus under Carrh forced the Italians to defend other people's interests on the territory of our homeland, led them to China through Central Asia where they settled and assimilated. According to modern scholars, the descendants of captured legionnaires live in the village of Zheleizhai, Gansu province. There are two arguments in favor of this hypothesis:

1) In the population census for the year 5 A.D. among the cities of Gansu province there is the city of Li Chan, which in 9 AD. According to Emperor Weng Mang's remark, "All city names must correspond to reality" was renamed to Cheng Liu. According to the ancient Chinese historians Fan Ye and Yan Shigu, Li Chan in translation means "Greco-Roman world" and Chen Liu "descendants of captives."

2) Many residents of Zhelaizhai have characteristic Caucasian external differences: light, curly hair, large noses, pink skin color, sunken light eyes. DNA analysis by Chinese geneticist Professor Xi Siadong with the support of the Center for Italian Studies found that 56% of the villagers have European roots.

Yes, the battle of 36 BC. under Talas, it had an internecine character and did not affect the further culture of our ancestors, as the battle of 751 AD did. also held at the Talas River between Tang China on the one hand and the Abbasid Caliphate with the support of the Turgesh Kaganate on the other. This was the first meeting of the Chinese and the Arabs on the battlefield and it played a decisive role in further destiny Turkic-speaking peoples, namely the victory of the Arabs over China in the Talas Valley stopped the expansion of Confucianism and launched the Islamization of Central Asia. Also, the captured Chinese craftsmen were transported to Samarkand, where they discovered a perfect technology for the production of paper, after which they began to produce paper in all states. the ancient world... But for all its internecine nature, in 36 year within our homeland there was a grandiose clash of two civilizations, Rome and China, and who knows what would have happened if the Huns, led by Zhi Zhi, recaptured the Chinese and the Roman centuria remained in the Talas region? Perhaps this unit would also have influenced our culture, because after two years in the valley, they have already invested a part of their European civilization, building a castle for the leader of the Huns.