Londinium Lite

MILITARY DISPATCHES –EVENTS AFFECTING LONDON:

AD208 Tough on crime...

...tough on the perpetrators of crime.

The military police serving in Londinium have a hard task monitoring the criminal elements of a big town. Read about a day in the life of military policeman, Rubrius Pudens.
Roman legionary soldiers re-enacted by the Ermine Street Guard
Here I am with my comrades-in-arms

Salve!
My name: Rubrius Pudens
My rank: speculator of the 2nd legion Augusta Antoniniana.

My main task is to act as bodyguard to the governor, Lucius Alfenus Senicio, and I’m also one of the public executioners.

These days I have a set of new duties now that we’ve overseen the building of the stone city wall and have moved out of the stone fort in the northern settlement. They’ve already dismantled the fort – shame! Now that’s what I called a fort - somewhere any soldier seconded to Londinium would understand.

Now we’re all billeted south of the river, all over the place, with our headquarters – it’s that fine building overlooking the river – that’s where we have to report to our centurion.
Roman bronze phallus belt mount
I lost my lucky mascot last night

Early Ante Meridiem

This morning’s early duties were the usual – cleaning out accommodation, checking and cleaning kit ready for parade. I needed to see the armourer as I had lost some belt mounts and my lucky mascot that I have fixed on my belt. Must have been that bit of trouble we encountered last night! I have left a gift to the gods for the return of my brass phallus mascot – it brought me luck with the ladies, if you know what I mean!!

Mid Ante Meridiem

We accompanied the governor who was attending a court case at the Basilica - he rarely goes anywhere without his bodyguard. Time was spent standing to attention while a lot of legal talk went on – we’re trained not to listen but it resulted in some criminals being condemned to death.

Post Meridiem

After a noon-time bite to eat, we marched the same criminals from the lock-up to the amphitheatre – we carried out their death sentences in the arena. Public executions don’t bother me – they’ve committed crimes and deserve to die. How else can we maintain law and order?

Evening

Off duty, I’ve built up quite a thirst and appetite and have met up with my comrades, Celsus, Dardanius Celsor and Probus and we are now sampling some of the local hostelries! 
Vale!

THE FACTS BEHIND THE STORY

  • A tombstone, dedicated to Celsus, was erected by his fellow military policemen of the 2nd Legion. One of the group was Rubrius Pudens. Such policemen would have acted as the governor’s bodyguard. These military policemen were also the public executioners and the arena of the amphitheatre would have been a suitable place for execution.
  • Not all the governors are known but Senicio was the last governor before the province of Britannia was split into two.
  • The fort had gone out of use by this time and we can only assume that the impressive military-built building in Southwark must have been the military headquarters in the 3rd century.
  • Soldiers often wore mounts and fittings on their leather straps and belts that were sometimes of a sexual nature.

[Londinium Lite is a fictional newspaper with a factual base]

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