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Southern Dalmatia
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The luminous rays of the dawning sun crept over the horizon as a bitter coastal breeze enveloped the military encampment. The men of legion XXXIII though, were accustomed to such conditions, paid no attention, and slumbered soundly
in their tents. THUMP! THUMP! THUMP…. Suddenly, a loud resonant sound
echoed across the establishment. It was the rapid beating of drums that could
only mean one thing.
“We’re under attack!” shouted Titus, an older legionary as he scrambled out of his bedding in his undergarments. Pandemonium ensued as men burst out of their tents, grabbing their equipment as they went, in order to form some kind of a defensive formation. After several minutes the men resembled a legion, as they had donned their equipment and had taken station.
The legion's trumpeters then sounded "Legion assembly" and the troops moved to the parade ground that was employed for legion assemblies.Yet the only unusual thing they can find, was the undaunting stair of a young officer and their Legion general, overseeing the evolution. The men, confused, turned their eyes upon the unfamiliar officer as he confidently made his way to the front of the ranks. “SOLDIERS OF ROME! I am Officer Marius Maximus Appus, and I will be making sure that the XXXIII is the best damn legion in Rome’s army.”
Mumbling sounds came from the ranks of men. Many still unsure exactly what had taken place; were trying to make sense of the situation at hand. Before they had time to ponder their thoughts Marius spoke again. “I hope you soldiers like training, because Magister Tacitus, the general and I love it! Now get your gear together and make it back here Double Time!”


Hours later, a young legionary remarked to his fellow comrades as he wiped the sweat from his brow, “We’ve been marching in circles for hours now, what does looking pretty in formation have anything to do with how well I can thrust a sword?”
On cue, Marius dismounts his horse, marched in-step with the nearest rank of men and shouts out: “Marching in unison teaches us all discipline and cohesion. Without cohesion there is no legion, only a mass of individuals.like the Barbarians we face. One man cannot win a battle! Your life depends on the man next to you!”
The Centurion muttered quietly. "Yes but battle formations are not this kind of thing. He would know the difference if he had served somewhere but the Campus Martius!" Several soldiers laughed at the comment, but remained studiously in step.


Numerous hours of forced marching would make even the most battle-hardened man weary, they were a part of every Legionary's weekly calendar. The fact that legionary Lucius had 60lbs.of dead weight on his back only multiplied his dislike for this event, and his new officer.
His mind knew he had to keep going but his legs trembled with the enormous
weight and he couldn’t keep up. It wasn’t long before he fell behind, staggered, and fell flat on his face. The Marius Maximus Apppus was furious at Lucius, shouting all types of profanities and threats, but it wasn’t until the young drill commander started to take physical action, that the legionnaire's Centurion got involved
Officer Appus had ordered the legionary to halt, instructed Lucius to remove his burden. "You are the laziest man of my Cohort and you will learn to perform batter!"
Appus then proceeded to beat him with a vine staff he affected like the Centurions of the legion. Centurion Sextus Maxus stepped forward as the Officer was about to strike a third blow upon the exposed bleeding head of the legionary.
The Centurion quietly told the Officer to leave. Then he had the nearest two legionaries carry him to the infirmary. The soldiers stood silently in their ranks, but they fumed that a mere strap of a man thought to tell men with up to 21 years service how to perform their duties.

So the weeks passed, with Officer M. Marius Appus trying to insinuate himself with his general and at the same time bearing down on the centurions and legionaries of the Cohort under his charge. the Centurions, always the professional core of the Army, had decided they were dealing with a young man who had ideas that exceeded his experience. The common soldiers simply bore the pressure that Officer Appus placed upon them.
Nothing he was doing was in itself new, or original. The legion had not gained anything from the experience that it would not have gained in a training cycle that had not been graced by Officer Appus.
It remained to be seen if the Officer would retain the confidence of his general, but many soldiers looked forward to a chance to follow Appus in to battle, although for what purpose it was hard to tell.

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By: Marius Maximus Appus & Tiberius Tomidius Appus


AD 40