Originally Posted by
Lucilius Hortensius
Imperator,
I must write this letter and it grieves me to do so. My brother, Marcus, was slain by Vandals at our estate south of Corduba while waiting on word of that city's fate.
We had just arrived, returning to that place, to find that our retainers and servants were living in an old hovel outside the estate. They informed us that a group of Vandals had come, led by a noble, and taken up residence there.
We moved quickly down and Marcus assessed the situation to find that there were only a dozen Vandals living there. We overcame the guards and slew the men inside, and sent the woman of the family to wherever the main Vandal camp was.
Two mornings later, our Bucellari informed us that one of the grape-picker's sons had seen dust on the horizon, and a raiding party of Vandals was assumed to be coming. We instantly armed ourselves in panoply of war, mustering ten armed men of the estate, six bucellari, Marcus and myself and five young men of the locale, armed with bows.
The construction of our villa, fortunately, allowed us to defend the gatehouse and walls, which are some 3 meters in height, and it was apparent the men were on horse with no machines of war.
The leader of the Vandal party, which numbered almost a hundred, at once demanded that we hand over the man responsible for the death of his cousin (who was myself, as I had slain the young noble). Marcus refused, and told him to vacate not only his estate but Roman lands, or he would pay dearly.
The Vandal chief then proceeded to take the crane arm from our well and they assaulted the gate, using it as a battering ram. The youth archers killed many, and the darts we sent over killed more, but we were few and they many. The wooden gates crashed down, and our shield wall was put to the test. We were driven into the villa, although we hewed down a great many of them. We checked them at the doorway for some time, until they slipped into the courtyard; the young men with bows cut down many of these, but several made it through and foolishly tried to butcher the women who had taken refuge in the cellars.
These three barbarians were overcome by the women, girls, and old men and were in turn butchered, their bodies so mangled that when one managed to crawl up the stairway, his naked form looked more like an undead dog than a man; a young girl named Lavina followed him up and, with his own sword, began to hack at him until his innards fell from his backside. His shrieks disheartened his comrades at first, and they gave us a momentary reprieve.
However, They soon returned, angered and in a state of bloodlust, and drove us back. A body of them gained entrance to the rooftop and there the young archers were slain, although they took with them many of the enemy; we now only had two of our bucellari and six of the men, and though better armored, were not a match for the two-score men still fighting us.
Marcus ordered me to take the women out the back corridor, and in a slight break from the battle prepared to make his stand with the bucellari. Having snuck out the back doorways, we were able to make our escape on the Vandal's horses, killing as many as we could so they could not give chase, and as the din of battle died, I realized the Vandals had finished their task.
We arrived in the relative safety of New Carthage, and from there went to the newly taken Narbo, where we are now.
I will travel with what is left of our household to Illyria, where our families await, and there will recover until sufficient emotional strength has returned to again give my service to Rome.
Sincerely and Humbly,
Lucilius Hortensius
Senator
Villa of Marcus Hortensius Castus
Protector Domesticus
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