More about The Governor's Man and his world
Bonus material for lovers of the Quintus Valerius mystery series
Hello, lovely readers!
As an extra resource to help you navigate around the 3rd century world of the Quintus Valerius novels, I’ve added here some helpful (and beautiful) additional material we couldn’t fit in the books. I’ve arranged items in reverse chronological order, as the books are published, and will add more as time goes by. There are a few suggestions for further historical reading at the end of each book.
I hope these extras add to your enjoyment of my books; please do let me know!
Maps are all courtesy of Chris Fothergill, artist and architectural drawing specialist, whose wonderful work you can find at chrisfothergill.co.uk.
The Loyal Centurion (summer 2023)
List of characters in The Loyal Centurion
(characters marked * have some historical basis)
LAGENTIUM (Castleford)
Quintus Valerius: senior beneficiarius consularis (crime investigator) to Governor Aradius Rufinus.
Tiro: optio to Quintus Valerius, a Londoner.
Lossio Veda*: a native Caledonian who lived and died in Colchester. A senior speculator, or spy.
Nicomedes: a horse-boy, aged 13.
Sacra*/Aine: murdered in Lagentium. We know nothing about this lady, but her name was scratched on a shard of pottery found in Lagentium (Castelford).
EBORACUM (York)
Julia Aureliana: wife of Quintus Valerius, British noble and healer.
Britta: housekeeper and close friend to Julia.
Corellia Velva*: inspired by Julia Velva, Roman lady of York.
Placidia Septimia*: young African wife of Legate Marius Crescens. Inspired by the beautiful Ivory Bangle Lady, whose skeleton and exotic burial goods are on display in the Yorkshire Museum.
Gaius Laelianus: tribune of the Sixth Victrix legion.
Fronto: Julia’s doorman in Eboracum.
Salvia: personal maid to Placidia Septimia, also African.
Flavius: baby son to Quintus and Julia (named after Quintus’s dead brother.)
Marius Crescens: legate of the Sixth Victrix legion, and governor of Britannia Inferior.
Antonius Gargilianus: camp prefect (praefectus castrorum) of the Sixth Victrix.
Veloriga: wetnurse for Flavius.
Pegasus: a horse.
Sextus: slave to Antonius Gargilianus.
Marcellus Crispus: centurion, deputy to Quintus in Aquae Sulis (Bath).
Aurelius Mercurialis*: wealthy merchant, husband to Corellia Velva.
Aradius Rufinus: governor of Britannia Superior.
VINDOLANDA (Hadrian’s Wall)
Litorius Pacatianus*: a real beneficiarius consularis centurion attested to in the early 3rd century. I have used author’s licence to move him from his actual base of Housesteads (Vercovicium) to Vindolanda. Not thought to have killed his daughter.
Aila: a teenaged Pictish girl.
Camilla: a dog.
Marcus: optio to Litorius Pacatianus.
CAIR POL (Horrea Classis/Carpow)
Kian mac Dougal: a Gael, from the west of Scotland.
CASTLELAW
Bedwyr: a Pict, nephew and heir to the Great Pict.
Athair: the Great Pict, king of the Pictish people.
Stella*: the dead daughter of Litorius Pacatianus, inspired by the skeleton of a little girl dating to around AD 220, uncovered in a Vindolanda barracks block.
The Carnelian Phoenix (summer 2022)
List of characters in The Carnelian Phoenix
[By location of first introduction; actual historical people in italics]
Londinium, Britannia
Governor Aradius Rufinus: governor of Britannia Superior.
Servilia Vitalis: wife to Governor Rufinus.
Augustodunum, Gaul
Locinna: Dobunni tavern maid, working in Augustodunum.
Lugdunum, Gaul
Centurion Felix Antonius: officer of the Londinium cohort; close friend and mentor to Tiro.
(Gaius Trebonius: former Governor of Britannia Superior; attempted usurper.)
Massilia, Gaul
Vibia: illegitimate daughter to Bassianus by his lover Fabiola.
Lascius: auctioneer in the slave market.
Hortensia Martial: mother to Quintus and Lucilla; wife to Bassianus.
Tribune Justin Petrius: officer in the Praetorian Guard; childhood friend of Quintus; husband to Lucilla.
Cassius Labienus: younger brother to Antoninus Labienus (deceased in The Governor’s Man); co-conspirator in the plot to usurp Britannia (The Governor’s Man).
Gades, Hispania
Fulvia Pompeia: wealthy shipowner and native of Massilia.
Artemidorus: captain of the Athena, and lover of Fulvia.
Rome
On the Quirinal Hill
Senator Bassianus Valerius: father to Quintus, husband to Hortensia.
Silenus: freedman steward to Hortensia. His wife Drusilla.
At the imperial palace
Ulpian: jurist, Senior Praetorian Prefect and chief councillor to Emperor Alexander Severus. Officiate at the Mithraeum (Leo).
Julia Mamaea: Augusta, mother to the underage emperor.
Emperor Alexander Severus, 15 years old.
Castra Peregrina, on the Caelian Hill
Commandant Licinius Pomponius: former commanding officer to Quintus; senior officiate at the Mithraeum (Pater).
Centurion Martinus Lucretius: frumentarius on secondment to the Praetorian Guard.
Senator Proculus Caecilius: old friend of Bassanius Valerius.
Marcus Aurelius Epegathus: Prefect of the Annona.
Julius Paulus (Paul): jurist, colleague of Ulpian.
Cassius Dio: senator and historian.
Appius: street rat
Burdigala, Gaul
Lucius Claudius: nephew of Claudia (sister-in-law to Julia) and son to Claudius Bulbo (deceased in The Governor’s Man).
Summer Country, Britannia
Bo Gwelt
Quintus Valerius, the Governor’s Man: Italian, now living in Britannia and beneficiarius consularis (Governor’s Man) to Governor Rufinus.
Lady Julia Aureliana: noblewoman of the Durotriges tribe of the Summer Country; skilled healer.
Tiro: optio to Quintus Valerius, a Londoner, pancratium champion.
Lady Aurelia Aureliana: natural daughter of Quintus Valerius and Lady Julia Aureliana; adopted daughter of Julia’s elder brother Magistrate Marcus Aurelianus (deceased in The Governor’s Man).
Demetrios: Greek tutor to Aurelia, and trained doctor.
Britta: housekeeper and close friend to Julia.
Rufus: senior groom at Bo Gwelt.
Morcant: estate manager at Bo Gwelt; brother to Britta.
Enica: cook.
Narina: daughter to Morcant.
Cerberus: Aurelia’s dog.
Bawdrip
Decurion Agrippa Sorio: neighbour and friend to the Aureliani.
Drusus Sorio: his son, friend of Aurelia.
Aquae Sulis
Centurion Marcellus Crispus: commander of the statio cohort at Aquae Sulis, deputy to Quintus Valerius.
Fulminata: British actress and co-conspirator in the plot to usurp Britannia (The Governor’s Man).
Medicus Anicius Piso: surgeon in charge of the hospital at Aquae Sulis; colleague of Julia.
The Governor’s Man (2021)
Character list for The Governor’s Man
Rome
Quintus Valerius, Frumentarius of the Castra Peregrina in Rome, former Praetorian Guard.
Senator Bassianus Valerius, dead father of Quintus, Flavius and Lucilla.
Lucilla Valeria, sister of Quintus.
Flavius Valerius, dead younger brother of Quintus.
Justin, Praetorian Guard, friend of Quintus and husband of Lucilla.
Silenus, steward to Quintus.
Calpurnia, Quintus’s estranged wife.
Gnaeus, groom/stator to Quintus.
Aquae Sulis (Bath)
Lady Julia Aureliana, tribal noble of the Durotriges tribe of the Summer Country, healer, sister of Marcus, aunt to Aurelia.
Britta, housekeeper at Julia’s townhouse in Aquae Sulis, and friend since childhood to Julia.
Senovara, cook in Julia’s house.
Velvinna, wise woman and healer. Friend of Julia.
Silvanus, steward to Velvinna.
Fulminata, actress.
Anicius Piso, head surgeon at the Aquae Sulis clinic.
Centurion Marcellus Crispus, commander of the Aquae Sulis cohort.
Decimus Senecio , Optio to Marcellus.
Messalinus, African soldier in Aquae Sulis cohort.
Iscalis (Cheddar)
Tertius, Syrian freedman and manager at Vebriacum mines.
Centurion Sextus Caesulanus, head of security at Vebriacum.
Claudius Bulbo, Gaulish owner of the Iscalis villa and lessee of the Vebriacum mines.
Lucius Claudius, son of Bulbo.
Catus, apprentice to Tertius.
Enica, sister of Catus and cook at Iscalis villa.
Londinium
Governor Gaius Trebonius, former legate of the Second Augusta legion in Isca Silurium, now Governor of Britannia Superior at Londinium.
Procurator Aradius Rufinus, head of provincial finance in Londinium.
Tiro, former optio in Londinium garrison.
Felix Antonius, Prefect of Second Augusta legion.
Roman noble Antoninus Labienus “Blue Cloak”, brother of Cassius Labienus.
Bo Gwelt ( Polden Hills, Somerset)
Magistrate Marcus Aurelianus, tribal leader of the Durotriges of Lindinis, owner of Bo Gwelt.
Aurelia Aureliana, daughter of Marcus and his dead wife, Albania.
Claudia, sister of Bulbo and second wife of Marcus.
Demetrios, Greek doctor, freedman Secretary to Marcus and tutor to Aurelia.
Cerberus, a dog.
Milo, a pony.
Morcant, estate manager at Bo Gwelt and brother of Britta.
Gwenn, wife of Morcant.
Narina, daughter of Morcant and Gwenn.
Rufus, groom at Bo Gwelt.
Decurion Agrippa Sorio, wealthy owner of the estate at Bawdrip and city councillor at Lindinis.
Drusus Sorio, son to Agrippa and friend to Lucius.