|
|
Post by rhapture on Oct 30, 2021 14:27:30 GMT -5
The Ides of October marked the traditional end of the campaign season, and on that day a race was held of the grass fields of the Campus Martius, just outside the Servian Walls of Rome.
The year's best war horses were harnessed in pairs to chariots driven at all out pace around the Campus, with the right-handed one of the wining pair becoming the October Horse. Which was then ritually killed with a spear by the Flamen Martialis.
This year's candidates are a sleek looking Numidian stallion nicknamed Pius and a Macedonian steed nicknamed Nike
After the Race the decorated head of the winning horse was fought over among the members of the Subura district and Sacra Via district.
|
|
|
|
Post by rhapture on Oct 30, 2021 14:32:28 GMT -5
A small station is set up to take wagers on the race and the tribal battle Odds : Pius 3 to 2
Nike 2 to 1
Subura 2 to 1 Sacra Via 5 to 1
bets are limited to 1000 denarii
|
|
|
|
Post by Gandalf on Oct 30, 2021 18:32:56 GMT -5
Pius puts 1000 on his namesake, the Numidian steed.
Sulla puts 1000 on Nike.
|
|
|
|
Post by Magnate Lucius on Oct 31, 2021 14:45:21 GMT -5
Atellus puts down 1,000 on the Numidian steed as well.
|
|
|
|
Post by FieldMarshal Bismarck on Oct 31, 2021 17:15:55 GMT -5
Lepidus puts a thousand on the outsider.
|
|
|
|
Post by rhapture on Nov 2, 2021 18:59:17 GMT -5
The crowds had gathered early that day on the Campus Martius. Not as early as all the merchants and workmen and slaves though. Booths and stalls were set up from the walls of Rome to the far side of the fields. There were trinkets and toys and statuettes from all over, especially Greek and Asian varieties after the victories by the proconsuls this year. There were make shift stables set up featuring horses from all over the Mediterranean , children were given short rides led by the handlers. Small stages were constructed for mocking plays of Mithrades and Greek tragedies. Jugglers, comics, and flame breathers mingled through the crowd, impressing small kids and scaring others. Food and drink were available all over the campus featuring local delicacies like licker-fish, honey covered apples, and then asian and even Egyptian specialties. It was an especially vibrant and energetic crowd after a successful campaign season, with hope growing that some soldiers would be coming home soon.
There were many small races before the main event, compacting the track before the October Race. The hordes started gathering around the course once the races started, fifteen to twenty deep in some places where the ground elevated.
Two veteran charioteers had been hand selected to pilot their teams. The Numidian horse was sleek and black and had powerful hindquarters. It was a truly magnificent beast and was paired with an equally sized numidian horse. The Macedonian was powerful all over, and appeared to be able to run through a wall. The African horse was dressed in orange and blue, while the Grecian was adorned in black and green. Wagers and bets were placed an argued over all day , as money exchanged hands from the early races. There would be large amounts placed on the final event.
As the people continued to gather along the course, the proper religious rites were practiced by the Flamen Martialis and other attending priests.
Soon it was time for the race to begin, the two chariots brought side by side at the starting line. Attendants trying their best to continue the beasts, who luckily were used to battles and lots of people, though not quite being hooked up to chariots, which were only used in the flat plains of the east now.
A banner waving man stood a hundred paces out from the two riders, a large flag standing straight up in his hands. The crowd hushed in anticipation , small children still making noise , but the rest of time seeming to pause. The flag crashed down in one swift motion, and the charioteers released primordial yells and whipped their teams sharply to dash off. Quickly the crowd roared in reaction , with arms raised and hoots and howlers being heard from all sides. The Macedonian chariot jumped out to a quick lead, the powerful legs surging the cart forward with impressive power. The numidian also got off to a good start, but still fell behind , its legs moving in swift and smooth strides.
The greek team increased their lead for the first fifteen seconds or so, the crowd surging closer to the track , cheering wildly. But soon the african pair started to catch up, their pace appearing to quicken as the race progressed. As they reached the first turn, the greek team still held a lead by a couple lengths, the dust and dirt flying from hooves and wheels. The drivers were putting both pairs hard to the whip, encouraging and urging the horses for all they could give. Not like the winner would survive in any case. Too soon they were headed down the back straight away, the numidian still closing the distance. The yells from the onlookers was deafening, attendants struggled to keep them from engulfing the finish area, as the horses could not stop so suddenly. People began to look to the finish line, then back to the teams, judging whether the orange and blue could pass the black and green in time.
The macedonian now led by barely a horse length, less than one hundred meters to go. It would come down to the wire..
|
|
|
|
Post by rhapture on Nov 2, 2021 19:31:45 GMT -5
As the trails of dust swirled in spirals behind the chariots , the swiftly closed in on the finish, the Numidian hurtling like a thunderbolt as the Greek tried to hold on to his lead. The last whips and shouts of encouragement rang out over the noise of the crowd anticipation. A large ribbon was tied across the finish, covered and dyed in the dark red blood of pure white sheep. The last meters suddenly seemed to slow time, as the drivers looked each other in the eyes as they whipped their steeds again and again, urging whatever strength they had left.
And then just as soon as it seemed time would pause, the chariots finished in a blinding flurry of horses, and sweat and dirt and tears.
The crowd hushed in sudden quiet, there was no obvious winner , it was so close. And after what seemed to be minutes, but was hardly more than a second or two, the first assistent priest screamed out "THE ORANGE NUMIDIAN!!""
And cheers leaped out from all over. Although the favorite, it was in the fates hands, and he had persevered. A mob rushed forward to congratulate the winning driver, and workers began to unharness the wining horse, sweat covering its massive body, its sides heaving in and out, gushing each mouth full of air into its over worked lungs. After a few quick pats from the soon to be famous driver, the horse was led towards where the Flamen Martilias stood.
The horse stood towering over the crowd of men. With attendants holding his still, a quick prayer was said to Mars and Jupiter , and then a sudden spear strike right into the horses heart, quickly ended its life. The October's horse and genitalia were amputated quickly. The genitals were rushed to bleed on the sacred hearth in the Regia, Rome's oldest temple, after which they were given to the Vestal Virgins to burn to ashes in the sacred flame of the Vesta. Later these ashes were baked into cakes offered on the anniversary of the founding of Rome.
The decorated head was tossed into the mist of the two teams from Subura and Sacra Via. It was a rough and tumble affair, with the head appearing to charge possesion multiple time before one team won it outright. Then it was guarded like the most prized crown in all the world as it was taken and nailed to the outer wall of the Regia, signalling that the Sacra Via team had won the day.
|
|
|
|
Post by rhapture on Nov 2, 2021 19:33:23 GMT -5
Metellus Pius, Lucius Sulla and Atellus all take home their 500 denarii winnings , while Lepidus owes 1000 to the aedile Drusus.
|
|
|
|
Post by FieldMarshal Bismarck on Nov 3, 2021 12:04:21 GMT -5
Marcus was in attendance. Sadly his gamble didn't even remotely pay off. It was a rather sad affair, lpeidus his gamble didn;t even lead the race once. He sighed as the others finished the race. Boiicus brought the Aedile his coin. "Well hosted affair Drusus, my compliments" he said as his slave gave a slave of drusus his coin.
|
|
