The World of Killing the Hydra - Part I – Leptis Magna: The Jewel of Roman North Africa

Killing the Hydra – Eagles and Dragons Book II has been unleashed!

In honour of the occasion, I’m going to be writing a series of posts called ‘The World of Killing the Hydra’.

As I did with Children of Apollo, this blog series will take a look at many of the people and places that the series protagonist, Lucius Metellus Anguis, encounters throughout his journey.

So, let’s step back in time to the early 3^rd century A.D., and explore the first place Lucius comes to in Book II.

The ruins of Leptis Magna are located at what is now Khoms, a site by the Mediterranean Sea at the northwestern corner of Libya. As a Roman city and archaeological site, it is not really familiar to the average person. Mainly academics have studied it, and excavated its wealth of cultural treasures.

Aerial view of the site

It was founded around 1000 B.C. by Berbers and Phoenicians. Later, Carthage held sway over the polis until that great civilization finally succumbed to the Roman war machine at the end of the Third Punic War in 146 B.C.

It was during the reign of Emperor Tiberius (A.D. 14-37) that the city was officially incorporated into the Empire’s province of Africa Proconsularis. In A.D. 110, the Emperor Trajan (reigned c. A.D. 98-117) made Leptis Magna a colonia, an official settlement for retired men of the Legions and Roman citizens. From then on, the city experienced a period of growth and success, making it the third largest city of Roman North Africa after Carthage and Alexandria.

The theatre and surrounds

It had a theatre that was built during the reign of Augustus (27 B.C. – A.D. 14), and one of the most flourishing North African markets of its day. In Leptis Magna, you could buy slaves, exotic animals, olive oil from the rich estates that surrounded the city, garum (Romans’ favourite fish sauce), salted fish, ivory, precious gems, spices, etc. etc. etc.

There was also a forum, the heart of every city, which had a curia, a basilica, a Temple of Liber Pater, a Temple of Hercules, and a Temple of Rome and Augustus.

Finally, what’s a Roman city without a bath complex? In A.D. 126, on his tour of the Empire, Emperor Hadrian had a huge bath complex with a palaestra (exercise field or hall) built for the city. It certainly seemed like the emperors paid attention to this hot, wind-kissed settlement on the south side of the Middle Sea.

Emperor Septimius Severus

But the real heyday for Leptis Magna came when her own favoured son, Lucius Septimius Severus, became Emperor (reigned A.D. 193-211). It was through this half-Punic (Carthaginian), and half-Roman ruler that the city truly felt the warmth of the sun on its face.

You can read more about the Severus and his family HERE. 

Septimius Severus did what most rulers will do for their favourite cities – he gave it infrastructure, and he gave it beauty. Give a city these two things and it will attract population, trade, and the Empire’s attention.

Around A.D. 203 the imperial family and court descended on Leptis Magna; the Emperor had returned home and there were festivals, banquets, and the unveiling or dedication of monuments.

Severan Basilica 

The ruins that have been uncovered in Leptis Magna reveal an ancient city that was wealthy, efficient, and enjoying the good life.

Among the things that Severus built in Leptis Magna were a new harbour and docks, complete with a lighthouse, warehouses and a Temple of Jupiter. For a city involved heavily in trade, this was a big bonus.

Leading from the docks to the nymphaeum (a monument, spring, or fountain dedicated to the Nymphs), Severus ordered the building of a long colonnaded street that was sixty-five feet wide.

Medusa Head from Forum

He added many new public buildings too, including a large basilica which was decorated with red granite columns with white marble capitals. And even though Leptis Magna already possessed a forum, Severus built a new one that was graced with the enormous Medusa heads that remain to this day.

One of the most interesting pieces of new architecture that appeared in the city during Severus’ reign was the four-sided Arch of Severus. Its design was something new, the friezes and political and religious scenes displaying an artistic style that had not been seen before.

It must have felt like a true ‘Golden Age’ to the citizens of Leptis Magna.

Four-sided Arch of Severus

You can imagine the palpable excitement among the people in the streets as the Emperor, Empress and their sons disembarked from their ship in the harbour and processed to their palace. The entourage would have been enormous, as well as the force of Praetorians who would have followed the Emperor. After all, Gaius Fulvius Plautianus, Prefect of the Praetorian Guard, was also a son of Leptis Magna.

It is in the midst of all this excitement, among all these powerful and wealthy people, that Lucius Metellus Anguis’ journey in Killing the Hydra begins.

There is a lot going on in the world, and many dangers lurking in the shadows about Lucius.

He will have to tread very carefully indeed…

Thank you for reading!

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Killing the Hydra is now available!

If you’ve read Book I in the series and are now ready to move on to Book II, now is your chance.

Eagles and Dragons Publishing is running a special launch promotion until March 17^th, 2014.

You can get Killing the Hydra for a discounted price at the following places:

Amazon (paperback and e-book for Kindle)

Kobo(e-book for all other devices)

As ever, if you read and enjoy Killing the Hydra (or Children of Apollo) I’d appreciate it if you left a short review wherever you purchased the book. These reviews are incredibly useful in helping new readers to find the series.

Thanks again, and if you have any questions at all, just contact me!

In the meantime, here are a few more stunning photos of the magnificent artwork discovered at Leptis Magna:

Libyan and Italian archaeologists excavating a superb mosaic (National Geographic)

An magnificent array of more Leptis Magna mosaics

Site map of Leptis Magna ruins (Wikimedia Commons)

Londinium Resurrected

Londinium - Artist's Impression

This has been a truly exciting week. 

In my off time I’m constantly scouring the web for articles and videos on the latest archaeological and historical discoveries and theories. When I stumbled upon the news from London on the BBC website, I was totally blown away.

Our knowledge of Roman London, or Londinium, has increased exponentially of late with excavations at a site along Queen Victoria Street. This was the heart of Roman Londinium. The site has been dubbed the ‘Pompeii of the North’ due to the fantastic preservation of the finds.

How many finds? Ten thousand, to be precise. At least that’s the number that’s being given out. It could be more.

But Roman London wasn’t always the massive metropolis we know it as today. In fact, after Emperor Claudius’ invasion c. 43 A.D. Camulodunum (modern Colchester) was the administrative capital of the province.

Londinium was established roughly about the same year and by about 50 A.D. was a civitas, a civilian settlement.

Artist's Impression of Queen Boudicca

Then came Boudicca, Queen of the Iceni, who destroyed a Roman legion sent against her from Lincoln and set Camulodunum and Londinium aflame around 60 A.D. As many of the structures were likely made of wattle and daub, the fires would have been devastating. Here is a video on how structures in Roman London were made.

In the wake of the bloody Boudiccan revolt and the defeat of the tribes by General Paulinus, Londinium was rebuilt as a proper, planned Roman town and in a short time became bigger than Camulodunum.

At its peak in the early 2^nd century A.D., Londinium covered over 350 acres of land. Much of the buildings of this period were constructed for the Emperor Hadrian’s visit to the province and the town which was now the administrative capital of Britannia.

Londinium was later rendered more defensible between 190 and 255 A.D. when the Romans built the ‘London Wall’. This defensive work was 20 feet high, 8 feet thick and stretched for 3 miles. Some believe that it was begun by the Governor Clodius Albinus at the end of the 2^nd century when civil war broke out between him and the future emperor, Septimius Severus.

Excavations in London

These most recent excavations have yielded some pretty amazing finds that will expand upon our knowledge of Londinium and the picture we have of it.

This is exciting for the historic novelist as well. These are the sorts of things that can add detail to the world of a novel. The finds include writing tablets with the ink still legible, charms and talismans, a wooden door, the remains of timber buildings and yards, clothing, an ornate dish set, and ornate pieces of leather work. BBC has posted a slide show of some of the more beautiful finds HERE.

Also uncovered were part of a lost Londinium riverbed, entire streets of with complex Roman drainage systems, and part of a previously unexcavated section of a temple of Mithras. Part of this temple was discovered in 2010 during a previous dig. You can read that article HERE.

Find from the site

It will be interesting to see how and if the finds change the current maps we have of Roman Londinium and I, for one, am looking forward to getting up close to some of the finds. Someday at least.

London is one of those fantastic places where one can walk upon layers of civilization. Thank goodness there are strict laws in place that allow for excavations to be completed before building projects are allowed to continue. If these laws were not in place our historical record would be much the poorer.

Sadly, when Rome left the British to their own defences in the early 5^th century A.D. Londinium went  into decline. By the end of the 5^th century there were almost no residents.

Amber charm in the shape of
a gladiator's helmet

That’s why excavations and the finds that come out of them are so important. They can fill the gaps in our knowledge and preserve the historical record. These can also inform fiction which is, in my opinion, one of the best ways to resurrect and ancient city. 

Up for a bit of fun? Try the Museum of London's online game: LONDINIUM