reason for it to be generous.’
‘Maybe the Romans have made a formal complaint to him,’ said Vistaspa. ‘Maybe he wants you both there to explain yourselves. You’re a fool to go.’
I was amazed at the way Vistaspa addressed my father, but then reminded myself that in such meetings all those who attended were free to express their views regardless of rank. My father told me that there was no point of having a gathering if those present were not allowed to give their views.
‘Were you commanded to attend?’ asked Assur.
‘We were requested,’ replied my father.
‘Then you are free to refuse, though I would judge such an action imprudent,’ said the priest.
Vistaspa shrugged and looked out of the window. Bozan placed his elbows on the table and rested his head in his hands.
‘They want their eagle back,’ he said.
‘What?’ I uttered, somewhat in surprise. It was the first time I had spoken and I felt myself blushing.
‘That’s right, Pacorus,’ said Bozan, looking directly at me. ‘You stole their eagle and they want it back. I reckon that they sent an embassy to Sinatruces, groveling at his feet and spinning a tale of how we entered their territory and massacred their men.’
‘That’s a lie,’ I said.
Bozan laughed. ‘Indeed it is. But the Romans are lying bastards as well as greedy ones.’
‘They can’t have the eagle,’ I said. ‘It’s mine.’
There was a ripple of laughter around the table; even Kogan smiled.
‘You took it, boy,’ said Vistaspa,’ but can you keep hold of it?’
‘Enough,’ said my father, clearly irritated by such trivia. ‘We will go to Ctesiphon and see what Sinatruces has to say for himself. Meanwhile, I intend to enlarge the army.’
‘Good idea,’ said Bozan.
‘That will be expensive.’ It was the first time that Addu, a gaunt man in his fifties with thinning brown hair, had spoken. His voice was slightly high-pitched, giving the impression that he was in distress.
‘But the treasury is full, is it not?’ queried my father.
‘Indeed, your majesty,’ replied Assur, ‘ but military spending drains it like water running out of a broken cup.’
‘Those chests of Roman gold should be used to pay for more heavy cavalry,’ remarked Vistaspa.
‘Or more troops for the garrison,’ offered Kogan.
‘Why does the garrison need more troops?’ asked my father.
‘There are Romans in the city, majesty,’ replied Kogan. ‘They may be fomenting rebellion.’
Kogan was right, but then there were many nationalities in Hatra. Indeed, there were the offices of many foreign trading companies in the city, all organising the commerce between the east and their home countries, including Rome. As long as they paid their taxes and caused no trouble they were left alone, as were the many temples that had been established throughout the city. A host of different gods were worshipped in Hatra, including Al Lat, Mithras, Maran, Shiu and Saqaya. Again, as long as they paid their taxes and incited no trouble, the temples were tolerated. Assur and his priests were vociferous in their opposition to the city allowing alien religions within its walls, but were partially soothed by the generous donations made to their temple courtesy of the foreigners’ places of worship. An offshoot of this religious tolerance was that Hatra was known as Bet Alaha , the ‘House of God’. This in turn resulted in a healthy traffic in pilgrims, who in turn brought more wealth to the treasury.
‘You are our eyes and ears in the city, Kogan,’ said my father, ‘and I have every faith in you to maintain security. However, only an army of horsemen can defend the kingdom from outside enemies. Pacorus and I will go to Ctesiphon. Bozan, you will organise the raising of an additional five hundred heavy cavalry and a thousand horse archers. We will leave in three days.’
In the interim, Vata and I took the opportunity to pay a visit to the city. Though we lived in Hatra, our
‘Maybe the Romans have made a formal complaint to him,’ said Vistaspa. ‘Maybe he wants you both there to explain yourselves. You’re a fool to go.’
I was amazed at the way Vistaspa addressed my father, but then reminded myself that in such meetings all those who attended were free to express their views regardless of rank. My father told me that there was no point of having a gathering if those present were not allowed to give their views.
‘Were you commanded to attend?’ asked Assur.
‘We were requested,’ replied my father.
‘Then you are free to refuse, though I would judge such an action imprudent,’ said the priest.
Vistaspa shrugged and looked out of the window. Bozan placed his elbows on the table and rested his head in his hands.
‘They want their eagle back,’ he said.
‘What?’ I uttered, somewhat in surprise. It was the first time I had spoken and I felt myself blushing.
‘That’s right, Pacorus,’ said Bozan, looking directly at me. ‘You stole their eagle and they want it back. I reckon that they sent an embassy to Sinatruces, groveling at his feet and spinning a tale of how we entered their territory and massacred their men.’
‘That’s a lie,’ I said.
Bozan laughed. ‘Indeed it is. But the Romans are lying bastards as well as greedy ones.’
‘They can’t have the eagle,’ I said. ‘It’s mine.’
There was a ripple of laughter around the table; even Kogan smiled.
‘You took it, boy,’ said Vistaspa,’ but can you keep hold of it?’
‘Enough,’ said my father, clearly irritated by such trivia. ‘We will go to Ctesiphon and see what Sinatruces has to say for himself. Meanwhile, I intend to enlarge the army.’
‘Good idea,’ said Bozan.
‘That will be expensive.’ It was the first time that Addu, a gaunt man in his fifties with thinning brown hair, had spoken. His voice was slightly high-pitched, giving the impression that he was in distress.
‘But the treasury is full, is it not?’ queried my father.
‘Indeed, your majesty,’ replied Assur, ‘ but military spending drains it like water running out of a broken cup.’
‘Those chests of Roman gold should be used to pay for more heavy cavalry,’ remarked Vistaspa.
‘Or more troops for the garrison,’ offered Kogan.
‘Why does the garrison need more troops?’ asked my father.
‘There are Romans in the city, majesty,’ replied Kogan. ‘They may be fomenting rebellion.’
Kogan was right, but then there were many nationalities in Hatra. Indeed, there were the offices of many foreign trading companies in the city, all organising the commerce between the east and their home countries, including Rome. As long as they paid their taxes and caused no trouble they were left alone, as were the many temples that had been established throughout the city. A host of different gods were worshipped in Hatra, including Al Lat, Mithras, Maran, Shiu and Saqaya. Again, as long as they paid their taxes and incited no trouble, the temples were tolerated. Assur and his priests were vociferous in their opposition to the city allowing alien religions within its walls, but were partially soothed by the generous donations made to their temple courtesy of the foreigners’ places of worship. An offshoot of this religious tolerance was that Hatra was known as Bet Alaha , the ‘House of God’. This in turn resulted in a healthy traffic in pilgrims, who in turn brought more wealth to the treasury.
‘You are our eyes and ears in the city, Kogan,’ said my father, ‘and I have every faith in you to maintain security. However, only an army of horsemen can defend the kingdom from outside enemies. Pacorus and I will go to Ctesiphon. Bozan, you will organise the raising of an additional five hundred heavy cavalry and a thousand horse archers. We will leave in three days.’
In the interim, Vata and I took the opportunity to pay a visit to the city. Though we lived in Hatra, our
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