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+---- Thread: The Eagle Has Fallen (/showthread.php?tid=22340)
The Eagle Has Fallen - BrianY - 03-17-2013
HI all,
I have written a new book about the disappearance of the Ninth Legion in Britain.
its called "The Eagle Has Fallen."
you can find out details at www.eaglehasfallen.com
Like many of you I read Rosemary Sutcliffs the Eagle of the Ninth and became obsessed about finding out what really happened to the Ninth Legion.
Brian Young
The Eagle Has Fallen - jvrjenivs - 03-17-2013
Quote:Like many of you I read Rosemary Sutcliffs the Eagle of the Ninth and became obsessed about finding out what really happened to the Ninth Legion.
Brian Young
So you have been reading Duncan Campbells perfect overview of the history of the ninth in Ancient warfare magazine?
The Eagle Has Fallen - Flavivs Aetivs - 03-18-2013
I thought they were transferred to Raetia or something right after they "disappeared" in britain.
The Eagle Has Fallen - Alanus - 03-18-2013
Hello, Brian
Sounds like we're getting a new theory on where the Ninth went. Well, we'll never know from the mute Russian babe in Centurion, or the last member of The Eagle's Ninth, who ran back into the woods and fell in love with a witch. I don't suppose you have any "seal people" drinking a strange brew.
Just kidding. :whistle:
I thought they were transferred to China.
illy: How about giving us a clue.
The Eagle Has Fallen - BrianY - 03-20-2013
I have written two big replies here and when I submit them they simply disappear!
(a bit like the Ninth)
so I am going to keep this short:
I really liked what Duncan Campbell had stated. My own thoughts are of course different in terms of the dates of graves and working back someones career from this.
These are highlights of a persons career and not necessary their full CV.
From my research we seem to forget just how much conflict we British had with the Roman Legions.
Letter to Emperor Lucius Verus:
"as many roman soldiers were killed by the Britons at the start of Hadrians reign as by the Jews"
The Britons could not be kept under Roman Control" Historia Augusta
" Nasty Britons"- Vindolanda Tablets
Clearly this direct first reference shows that the british tribes caused a similar level of damage to the Legions as the Jews did.
Bearing in mind the Jews inflicted several thousand casualities on the Roman Army as they tried to take Jerusalem.
My thoughts cover a broader area in terms of Tombstones found in Italy and Vindolanda (where officers died in that area), tiles found in Nijmegen, pottery found in York,the state of the Roman Empire as a whole and the circumstance of politics which Hadrian found himself in.
It was an incredible period of time for the Roman Empire and one that would open your eyes.
Hopefully after reading my book you might think differently about the fate of the Ninth Legion.
Best wishes
Brian Young
www.eaglehasfallen.com
The Eagle Has Fallen - D B Campbell - 03-20-2013
Quote:Letter to Emperor Lucius Verus:It's not a letter to Lucius Verus; it's addressed to Marcus Aurelius.
"as many roman soldiers were killed by the Britons at the start of Hadrians reign as by the Jews"
It doesn't specify "the start of" Hadrian's reign.
It doesn't claim that "as many Roman soldiers" were killed by Britons as by Jews. (And it mentions the Jews first -- do you think that might be significant?)
With the best will in the world, I'm afraid it doesn't "clearly show that the british tribes caused a similar level of damage to the Legions as the Jews did" -- that is your (and others') interpretation.
Quite a weight of responsibility for one little Latin sentence to bear?
The Eagle Has Fallen - BrianY - 03-20-2013
Indeed I stand corrected Mr Campbell ,
The correct quote is:
In a letter written to Marcus Aurelius, in 162, Marcus Cornelius Fronto comments:
“... under the rule of your grandfather Hadrian what a number of soldiers were killed by the Jews, what a number by the Britons!”
This line shows that a similar number of soldiers were killed by the Jews and Britons.
Perhaps not even similar but a great number were killed -enough to mention in a letter to the Emperor of the time.
My other details regarding conflict in Britain come from these details:
Hadrian transferred Quintus Pompeius Falco, the governor of Moesia Inferior, to Britain in 118. An inscription, from Ferentinum in Italy, records the involvement of thousand-man detachments from the VII Gemina, VIII Augusta and XXII Primigenia legions in a “British expedition” at about this time. Coins issued in 119–120, for the first time depicting the figure of Britannia.
A fragmentary inscription from Vindolanda – on a tombstone which had been incorporated into the fabric of a later (4th century) phase of construction – seemingly, records that T. Annius, a centurion acting as commander of a cohort of Tungrians, was “killed in the war”. There was, then, certainly warfare in the vicinity of the Stanegate, and Hadrian's actions would seem to add substance to the notion that this area was the seat of the British wars alluded to in the various literary and epigraphic references.
Brian
The Eagle Has Fallen - Alanus - 03-20-2013
To Brian, to Duncan, and EVERYBODY else,
Well, now we can argue over the content of a NOVEL!-- and the author and recipient of a letter.
I find this entire thread ridiculous. It's about a NOVEL, not a non-fiction history book.
Frankly, I don't care who wrote the letter to whomever, nor do I care about who was fiercest, the Jews or the Britons. Not in a novel, I don't. 8)
I have read, or have tried to read, several Roman army-type novels. Most of them lack convincing and endearing characters. Good characters are plot. Weak characters are drudge. So, I'm waiting for a GOOD Roman novel, one that drives me to turn pages, one that actually has a woman in it (and not a shadow of a token woman). I don't sit in my man-cave and dream of men, men, men, men (hup, two, three, four).
And certainly I'm not looking for is another so-called piece of fiction that sounds like something written by Peter Heather or Edward Gibbon. :errr:
I clicked onto this thread to learn something about The Eagle Has Fallen, but evidently the Eagle fell by the wayside. :?
The Eagle Has Fallen - BrianY - 03-20-2013
Thanks Alan.My book is fiction and therefore not a reference book.
I have written it as accurately as possible and it is my first book.
I am aware that different people have different views about the Ninth legion.Its ulimate fate has been argued over by many people for hundreds of years.
I have posted some reviews which indicate the enormous interest in the subject of the Ninth.
And yes it does have a woman in it! :-)
“The author obviously has done his research and brings the times and politics of ancient Rome to life, but this is no dry history book but a page turning novel, packed with action and believable characters, well worth reading.” John A (on amazon.co.uk)
“Imaginatively structured ‘The Eagle has Fallen’ may be, but Young takes no undue liberties with history, giving his fiction a very high degree of plausibility . . . I have no hesitation in recommending this book, a crisp, engaging, intelligent, soundly researched and gripping story, one that is well-paced and easy to read in the best page turning tradition. For a first novel it’s a commendable piece of work. It’s a measure of the author’s success that I now want to find out more about the whole period.” - Anna The Imp (read her full comments here.)
“The Eagle Has Fallen” is a saga of the far reaching influence and power of ancient Rome.
Brian Young presents a credible plot with a plausible hypothesis of an enduring historical mystery.The narrative is presented as a fast moving tale that incorporates various themes including history, ancient politics, military stratagems, intrigue, adventure and romance.
The story is well told, easily read and worth reading.” – David McMahon (on amazon.co.uk)
“This is a great read! A real page turner and one that kept the bedside light burning well into the wee small hours! The depictions of the inner workings of Rome and its outposts together with the heroes and villains that unfold along the way draw you in to a long lost world and keeps you wondering, long after you’ve finished the book, is this what really happened to the ninth…?” - Gary S. (on amazon.co.uk)
“Really great first book – I can take or leave historical fiction, but this is LOVED! The settings and accuracy of the histotical content are superb. This has all the attributes to be made into a film (a la “The Eagle” & “Centurion”), only this is fact. Looking forward to the authors next novel.” - Pigface51 (on amazon.co.uk)
www.eaglehasfallen.com
Born by Caesar, Baptised in Blood, Crowned in Glory
The Eagle Has Fallen - D B Campbell - 03-20-2013
Quote:To Brian, to Duncan, and EVERYBODY else, Well, now we can argue over the content of a NOVEL! I find this entire thread ridiculous. It's about a NOVEL, not a non-fiction history book.Misread the original post -- didn't realize it was a novel. Thank you for pointing that out, in your own unique way, Alanus. ;-)
The Eagle Has Fallen - jvrjenivs - 03-20-2013
Quote:Well, now we can argue over the content of a NOVEL!-- and the author and recipient of a letter.
I find this entire thread ridiculous. It's about a NOVEL, not a non-fiction history book.
But still it doesn't help to get some some plain wrong facts out of the general publics 'klowledgebase'. People reading this books (and watching movies and series after these kind of storys) know caracters might be fictional, but do thing it's a plain fact the legion was lost that year in Britain.
The Eagle Has Fallen - Alanus - 03-20-2013
Hello, Jurjen, Brian, & Duncan
Quote:But still it doesn't help to get some some plain wrong facts out of the general publics 'klowledgebase'. People reading this books (and watching movies and series after these kind of storys) know caracters might be fictional, but do thing it's a plain fact the legion was lost that year in Britain.
Well, if you're a novelist you need to have the Ninth lost somewhere in the north of Britain, whether or not they were actually lost. The alternative might be they were transferred to Sogdiana where their camel-train was attacked by errant Chinese, which could actually make a riotously funny story. :woot:
As a reader and creator of novels, I expect believable and sympathetic characters. It took a lot of posts on this thread to get to the meat, but we now have it. The reason I asked if there was a woman in the story is simple-- 5 women read a novel for every man. When you have a bunch of manly men and no female character, or a weak one, you remove a large portion of a potential readership.
One of the reviewers mentioned "plausibility;" another noted "believable characters." Hopefully, they are characters the reader can connect with. I'm reminded of the Eagle in the Snow, which had a totally unsympathetic main character. I thought, "Screw that guy," closed the book and never finished it... after spending good moola on the hardback edition. :dizzy:
I wish Brian my best on this one.
mile:
The Eagle Has Fallen - Robert - 03-20-2013
I must say Brian has rounded up some very good critics! For a first book, I think that is exceptionaly well :woot: Yes, it is a novel, yes, reviewers know crap all about the actual history (nor do they care, for that matter), yes, there is a great degree of "artistic licence" but it also creates more enthousiasme for the Rome we all love. Any novel is fiction, even if based on (meagre) facts, which makes it fun to read. If you want actual history, there are plenty of books written by scolars, so my simple advice would be "Enjoy fiction and discuss fact"
The Eagle Has Fallen - Alanus - 03-20-2013
Quote:I must say Brian has rounded up some very good critics! For a first book, I think that is exceptionaly well :woot: Yes, it is a novel... but it also creates more enthousiasme for the Rome we all love. Any novel is fiction, even if based on (meagre) facts... If you want actual history, there are plenty of books written by scolars, so my simple advice would be "Enjoy fiction and discuss fact"
Kudos to Robert! :cheer:
The Eagle Has Fallen - jvrjenivs - 03-20-2013
One small note to my previous comments. Don't get me wrong, I like historical fiction and don't mind it being fiction. What I do mind though, is that the opening post (and thus maybe other texts/advertisements/etc) suggest it is the actual faith of the legion described.