any threat to the far more numerous imperial troops.
Every time he marched Vitalian had been required to raise a sizeable army from within the dissident Diocese of Thrace, a few trained soldiers but mostly idle or angry peasants. If most of those men were fired by their religion it still took great ability to tap into that zeal and gather them together to repeatedly disturb the public peace. Flavius, marching in the first rebellion, had carried his own purpose – he sought revenge for his family – but he well remembered how many of his compatriots were willing to risk their lives for the right to worship within the tenets agreed at the Council of Chalcedon. There were, of course, others who marched in search of plunder, men quite willing to cloak themselves in pious fervour to gain access to possible booty.
Flavius halted his party well beyond spear-throwing distance and, handing over the reins of his own packhorse, he rode forward alone to give his name and his purpose, first dismounting then seekingpermission for him and his men to ride on and deliver the message he carried to their general, that swiftly denied.
‘No force bearing arms is allowed to approach the main camp.’
‘I would not proceed without them.’
It was not just pride that had Flavius declare such a stance; once inside the perimeter created to protect Vitalian he would be at the mercy of the type of men before him and he was wary of trusting them. They might reckon to have more to gain by delivering his severed head than his whole person.
‘Then I bid you carry a message that the
tribunos
Flavius Belisarius wishes an audience with General Vitalian. He will know that his old enemy Anastasius is no more. I come on behalf of the Emperor Justin to offer peace and an amnesty for past misdeeds.’
‘I’ve heard that name, Belisarius,’ was the response, delivered in bad Latin.
‘Then you will know it as one who has fought at your side.’
‘Who perhaps betrayed us and now wears the armour of our enemies?’ There was no point in seeking to deny that so he sat in silence until the Gautoi spoke again. ‘Peace?’
That question set up a murmur in the whole file this man commanded, leaving Flavius to wonder if the notion of peace might be unwelcome to men who earned their living by war. If this lot had any religious feelings they would be pagan, not Christian, so they would be indifferent to either dogma. He had no right to make promises on behalf of Justin but he needed to say something reassuring, even if the amnesty he brought applied only to Vitalian, his sons and his officers.
‘It is time to welcome the Thracian
foederati
back into the imperial army.’
Which basically meant regular food and pay, as well as a chance offighting and spoils, which they would not be getting now. If it was a loose commitment it was sufficient.
‘Your message will be sent and you may wait within the stockade if you wish.’
‘We will wait where we are and I require that the general sends back to me an escort from his
comitatus
.’
Which meant his personal guard, not Gautoi. Once back with his own, Flavius increased the distance between his men and the stockade by several
stades
, and if they dismounted there was no relaxation. Two men were sent even further back with the pack animals while the remainder stood to with their spears at the ready, mounts by their side to give the impression they were prepared to give battle. Not that Flavius would do so; they might be matched in numbers but he doubted his Excubitors could stand in close combat against such fearsome warriors. Their horses were left saddled and ready for flight.
If the response was not swift there was no way of telling why. Was the man sent to advise him of this request just taking an interminable time or was the wily Vitalian deliberating, weighing the odds of refusal against agreement. Having been previously the victim of much imperial underhandedness he was bound to be cautious about
Every time he marched Vitalian had been required to raise a sizeable army from within the dissident Diocese of Thrace, a few trained soldiers but mostly idle or angry peasants. If most of those men were fired by their religion it still took great ability to tap into that zeal and gather them together to repeatedly disturb the public peace. Flavius, marching in the first rebellion, had carried his own purpose – he sought revenge for his family – but he well remembered how many of his compatriots were willing to risk their lives for the right to worship within the tenets agreed at the Council of Chalcedon. There were, of course, others who marched in search of plunder, men quite willing to cloak themselves in pious fervour to gain access to possible booty.
Flavius halted his party well beyond spear-throwing distance and, handing over the reins of his own packhorse, he rode forward alone to give his name and his purpose, first dismounting then seekingpermission for him and his men to ride on and deliver the message he carried to their general, that swiftly denied.
‘No force bearing arms is allowed to approach the main camp.’
‘I would not proceed without them.’
It was not just pride that had Flavius declare such a stance; once inside the perimeter created to protect Vitalian he would be at the mercy of the type of men before him and he was wary of trusting them. They might reckon to have more to gain by delivering his severed head than his whole person.
‘Then I bid you carry a message that the
tribunos
Flavius Belisarius wishes an audience with General Vitalian. He will know that his old enemy Anastasius is no more. I come on behalf of the Emperor Justin to offer peace and an amnesty for past misdeeds.’
‘I’ve heard that name, Belisarius,’ was the response, delivered in bad Latin.
‘Then you will know it as one who has fought at your side.’
‘Who perhaps betrayed us and now wears the armour of our enemies?’ There was no point in seeking to deny that so he sat in silence until the Gautoi spoke again. ‘Peace?’
That question set up a murmur in the whole file this man commanded, leaving Flavius to wonder if the notion of peace might be unwelcome to men who earned their living by war. If this lot had any religious feelings they would be pagan, not Christian, so they would be indifferent to either dogma. He had no right to make promises on behalf of Justin but he needed to say something reassuring, even if the amnesty he brought applied only to Vitalian, his sons and his officers.
‘It is time to welcome the Thracian
foederati
back into the imperial army.’
Which basically meant regular food and pay, as well as a chance offighting and spoils, which they would not be getting now. If it was a loose commitment it was sufficient.
‘Your message will be sent and you may wait within the stockade if you wish.’
‘We will wait where we are and I require that the general sends back to me an escort from his
comitatus
.’
Which meant his personal guard, not Gautoi. Once back with his own, Flavius increased the distance between his men and the stockade by several
stades
, and if they dismounted there was no relaxation. Two men were sent even further back with the pack animals while the remainder stood to with their spears at the ready, mounts by their side to give the impression they were prepared to give battle. Not that Flavius would do so; they might be matched in numbers but he doubted his Excubitors could stand in close combat against such fearsome warriors. Their horses were left saddled and ready for flight.
If the response was not swift there was no way of telling why. Was the man sent to advise him of this request just taking an interminable time or was the wily Vitalian deliberating, weighing the odds of refusal against agreement. Having been previously the victim of much imperial underhandedness he was bound to be cautious about
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