Chapter 18: Toward Emesa
Chapter 18: Toward Emesa
The next day, General Comazon took me to visit the barracks at the Campus Martius.
It was where the Praetorian Guard and the legions stationed in Rome trained.
“Be careful,” Comazon said quietly “This is Macrinus’s power base. If you say the wrong thing, it’s dangerous.”
We met Lucius Valens, a Praetorian centurion and Comazon’s old comrade.
He cautiously scanned the area and led us into a corner of the barracks.
“General, it’s been a long time. You have to be careful right now. Macrinus’s informants are everywhere.”
“What’s the mood like in the Praetorian Guard?” Comazon asked in a low voice.
“It’s complicated,” Valens answered honestly. “Soldiers who got a 2,000-denarius bonus naturally support Macrinus. With that money, they can buy land back home.”
“What do you mean, complicated?”
“But a lot of them feel uneasy. Our duty is to protect the emperor, and the fact that the emperor was assassinated is a disgrace in itself. And now there are even rumors that the man behind it was our own Praetorian Prefect…”
“What about the legions?”
“Even more complicated. The legions stationed in Rome have more or less accepted Macrinus. But from what I hear about the eastern legions… they’re extremely dissatisfied.”
“Because of the peace with Parthia?”
“Yes. They’re furious that we withdrew in humiliation when victory was right in front of us. They call him the ‘coward emperor.’” Valens lowered his voice further. “And worse—he paid bonuses to the Praetorians, but cut the legionaries’ wages, claiming the budget was short.”
“Huh… Is that true?”
“I’m telling you. Morale has hit rock bottom. And one more thing… there’s a strange rumor coming out of the Third Legion Gallica in Syria.”
“What rumor?”
“That Julia Maesa is in contact with the legion. They say she’s meeting commanders in Emesa, and sending gifts to the soldiers.”
It meant my grandmother’s moves were becoming more concrete.
On the way back to the residence, Comazon said, “See? Rome looks peaceful, but underneath, it’s boiling like a volcano.”
“It really is. Public sentiment is unstable, and the military is split.”
“Macrinus took power, but he doesn’t have the strength to keep it. He bought loyalty with money—but what happens when the money runs out?” Comazon sneered.
“Then what should we do?”
“We wait. We wait for word from Julia Maesa and watch for the right timing. If we move too hastily, we only hand Macrinus an excuse.”
“General. Now that we’ve confirmed the situation clearly, I think it would be better to go to Emesa and join my grandmother.”
“Hm? In what sense?”
“It’s true that if we move rashly, we could give Macrinus an excuse—but I think time is the key right now. With everything unstable… isn’t this exactly the kind of situation where you strike while the iron is hot? Moving quickly might actually make Macrinus even more anxious.”
“Hm… Now that you say it, you’re right. I almost ended up moving too cautiously. Fine. Let’s move fast.”
That night, we began preparing immediately.
Senator Sabinus helped us.
“Officially, it would be best to say General Comazon is going to inspect the eastern legions,” Sabinus suggested.
“If we give it the formality of a Senate order, Macrinus won’t be able to stop you casually.”
“Can that be done?”
“I’ll persuade the eastern-born senators. After the Parthian peace, the pretext of ‘checking the eastern legions’ morale’ will be enough to pass.”
Two days later, the Senate issued an official mandate.
General Comazon was assigned the task of inspecting the legions in Syria and Mesopotamia and submitting a report.
I would accompany him as his adjutant.
“Perfect,” Comazon said with satisfaction. “Now Macrinus has no grounds to block us.”
But we stayed cautious.
The night before departure, Praetorian centurion Valens came to us quietly.
“General, be careful. Macrinus’s informants are watching you. The moment you depart, a report will go up.”
“I know. That’s why we secured an official mandate.”
“Even so… be even more careful once you reach Emesa. Julia Maesa’s influence is strong there, so Macrinus will be watching it closely.”
“I will. Don’t worry too much.”
We headed to Brundisium.
The sea route was faster and safer than traveling by land.
It was a small party of seven—Comazon and me, plus five trusted centurions.
At the port of Brundisium, we boarded a merchant ship bound for Syria.
The captain was an old acquaintance of Comazon’s.
“General, ships heading east are crowded these days,” the captain said. “After Macrinus made peace with Parthia, trade has become active again.”
“Is that so? All the better. We won’t stand out as much.”
The ship departed around evening.
It cut through the gentle Adriatic waves and headed southeast.
Standing on the deck, I watched the Roman coastline recede into the distance.
I was heading east again.
But the situation was completely different from a year ago, when I went to the Rhine.
After three days, we docked at Crete.
We decided to resupply and rest for a day.
That evening, while eating in a small inn in the port city, a merchant approached us.
“Are you General Comazon?” He spoke with a Syrian accent.
“I am.”
“Lady Julia Maesa sent me.”
The merchant carefully handed over a sealed letter.
Comazon and I went up to our room and opened it.
It was my grandmother’s own handwriting.
—To my beloved Varius (and to the loyal General Comazon),
I heard you are coming here by way of Rome. It is a very good decision. Time is not on our side. Now, while Macrinus’s power base is weak, is our chance.
When you arrive in Emesa, many things will be ready. The commanders of the Third Legion Gallica are on our side, and the priests of the Temple of Elagabal are moving as well. Notables across Syria are waiting for our decision.
But the most important thing lies elsewhere: legitimacy. The people miss the Severan dynasty, and the soldiers want a strong emperor. We can give them that. Hurry. But be careful. Macrinus’s eyes and ears are everywhere. Meet me in Emesa.
—Julia Maesa
As I read it, my heart pounded.
My grandmother had already prepared everything.
“Your grandmother really is incredible,” Comazon said in admiration. “She was exiled, but she didn’t give up—she turned it into an opportunity.”
Exiling her…Might end up being Macrinus’s blunder.
Later he would regret it with his teeth clenched.
On the way from Crete toward Cyprus, we encountered an unexpected situation.
At the port of Cyprus, a Roman warship stopped our vessel.
“Heave to! Inspection!” A centurion from the warship boarded. As he reviewed our papers, his gaze sharpened. “General Comazon? You’re going to Syria?”
“Yes. By Senate order, I’m on my way to inspect the eastern legions.” Comazon answered calmly and showed the mandate.
The centurion read it closely.
After hesitating for a long while, he returned it. “It’s an official Senate order, so we will let you pass. But General, be careful. His Majesty the Emperor is watching the East closely.”
“Thank you for the advice. I will.”
After the warship left, the captain let out a sigh of relief.
“That was close, General. If you hadn’t had that mandate…”
“That’s why we prepared thoroughly. But now Macrinus also knows we’re going to Syria.”
A week later, we reached the Syrian coast.
We docked at Seleucia Pieria, the outer harbor of Antioch.
To my surprise, soldiers in uniform were waiting for us at the port.
They were officers of the Third Legion Gallica.
“Welcome, General Comazon.” A tribune (legion officer) saluted. “I am Gaius Julius of the Third Legion. Lady Julia Maesa ordered me to receive you.”
“Is it safe to greet us this openly?” Comazon looked around.
“Don’t worry,” the tribune said confidently. “This is our territory. The Third Legion is loyal to the Julia family. Under the Severan dynasty, we had glory. Macrinus… has given us nothing.”
We took a military carriage inland, passing through Antioch.
All along the way, the tribune explained the situation.
“Macrinus’s influence is very weak in Syria. After the humiliating peace with Parthia, the eastern legions despise him. They call him the ‘coward emperor.’”
“How are the legionaries reacting?”
“They’re furious. We had victory within reach, and then suddenly the withdrawal order came down. And then we heard soldiers’ wages were cut… discontent has reached its limit.”
“Then if… a legitimate successor of the Severan dynasty appeared?”
The officer answered meaningfully. “The Third Legion would follow that person.”
After two days on the road, Emesa finally came into view.
The city on the Orontes River caught the sunset and glowed gold.
And on the hill stood the majestic Temple of Elagabal.
“There,” Comazon pointed at the temple. “That place will become the center of everything.”
[Thank heavens I get to see the temple again… It really hits me.]
“For you especially. Are you crying right now? Your voice sounds…
[How could I not? It’s already been nearly two years since I left Emesa.]
As we entered the city, people came out into the streets to welcome us.
They recognized me and General Comazon and cheered.
“Wow! The High Priest has returned. You’ve become such a fine officer!”
“General Comazon! You’ve come from Rome—welcome!”
“Lady Julia Maesa is waiting for you!”
The citizens’ reaction was hot.
They did not acknowledge Macrinus as emperor.
Here, the homeland of the Severan dynasty, Macrinus’s authority did not exist.
On the road up to the temple, memories from years ago surfaced.
Walking this path with my grandmother, and the moments in the temple when I prayed in rapture.
Everything felt as vivid as yesterday.
In the temple square, my grandmother, Julia Maesa, was waiting.
Wearing a white Syrian traditional garment, she still looked imposing and strong.
But sorrow lay on her face—grief for the sister she had lost, Julia Domna.
“Varius. Comazon.” She walked toward us. “General Comazon, you’ve worked hard coming all this way. And Varius—now you’ve become a man. You look splendid in uniform.”
I hugged her.
It was the warmth of my grandmother, for the first time in a long while.