Five men walked along the dark streets of the Subura slum district of Rome. The summer heat could still be felt in the fetid night air. One of the Vigils sniffed the air, and his nostrils caught the smell of freshly baked bread. His stomach grumbled, not from hunger, he had his rations. But the political instability outside Rome had led to a steep increase in grain prices, of late as merchants speculated in the grain markets. There would be though, others in Rome who are and would feel real hunger in their bellies.

They were patrolmen of the Vigili Night Watch. Each was armed with a staff and a short gladius; the Vigiles served as the civilian police force and "fire department" under the Urban Prefect. They were prepared to deal with criminals and thugs, not riots or severe disturbances of the peace. Night watch duty was usually a boring, monotonous task. Julius Marcanus, the senior patrolman, yawned as he led his group into a narrow street that passed between two blocks of cheap, dilapidated apartments. Julius scanned the apartments and listened for signs of "troublemakers"... petty criminals. Anyone scurrying around at this time of night might be up to no good. "A few hours yet until sunrise," mumbled another Vigile. Julius suppressed a groan. For some reason, he was particularly tired tonight.

Then, he heard something: the dull sound of men's voices in the distance. Some "disturbance of the peace", perhaps? The Vigiles moved toward the source of the commotion. Soon, they encountered a group of about fifty men. Some of the men were shouting vulgarities, and Julius heard (to his consternation) some profanities directed at the name of the Emperor and the Vitellius family. The small mob was unruly and potentially dangerous; the five patrolmen were not about to start a brawl against a larger group of disgruntled plebeians. Julius Marcanus ordered his squad to monitor the disturbance from a distance. But when the mob began to move, Julius dispatched one of his men to fetch assistance from the Urban Cohorts. The paramilitary soldiers of the Cohorts were better equipped "to deal with this scum", in the opinion of the Vigile officer. His prudent decision probably saved the lives of the five Vigiles, because this "mob" was in an ugly mood.

Actius Vibinus, Urban Cohort commander in the Subura district, led two full centuries into the slums. The Vigiles had reported several disturbances throughout the district, and force was clearly needed to disperse the criminal elements. Suddenly, he noticed a luminous glare of red light in the distance... fire! "Fire, fire! Call out all reserves!" he shouted. The Cohorts mobilized, but they had no manner to effectively fight the fire. Instead, they merely attempted to keep it from spreading. By sunrise, the fire was gone. It had destroyed a butchery and an adjacent bakery. Both buildings had been the property of H. Suvius Janilus, a wealthy equite businessman who was a strong supporter of the Vitellius family. Upon hearing the specific reports of several Vigiles squads, Urban Prefecture and Praetorian officers both concluded that the mob action had been directed at the House of Vitellius. The perpetrators were not known.

Praetorian Officer Quinus Vesco shouted at the young plebeian. The boy, a mere fourteen years old, shuddered and whispered a response. "Enough! He knows nothing!". Quinus had questioned a dozen commoners who had been arrested on the scene... some admitted to participating in the mob action, but they insisted that they had been urged on by men offering money. Unfortunately, none of the apparent "agents" had been caught by the Praetorians. Later, Quinus noticed that several former clients of the deceased Prima Agrippa had been arrested by soldiers of the Urban Cohorts near the scene of the fire and released after questioning. Urban Prefecture officials had questioned them and concluded that they were innocent. But Quinus Vesco wasn't so sure... he spoke to the Secundo Legatus about his suspicions.

The rioters were emboldened by their seeming ability to vent their rage at the death of their "Patron" at the hands of the Vitellii. From the sordid depths of Rome's huddled tenements and slums groups of men poured forth to demonstrate their anger to those they blamed for this death. "Conveniently" there had always been someone caught for all these crimes of political violence.

While men shouted slogans in the approaches to the Forum Romanum, someone from the depths of the crowd shouted the name of the "Bitch Oracle Tara". Had not she claimed that it was her "rape" by Marius Manus (who was "known" to have been far from Rome) had caused the spate of deaths throughout Rome?

Those same sort of deaths had visited the city for several years. Had not their been comments in the Curia about the need for improved water supplies. The Sagest among the Rabble said the "Summer Sickness" was from fouled water.

This hue and cry led a group of several hundred to begin their menacing march on the Oracle's house a short distance from the Forum. This would be a time to settle scores. More Headed towards the gates of the Imperial Palace, close enough to overlook the Forum. Most of the Mob though began to fill the Forum Romanum with their bodies and shouts for "vengeance!". Non headed towards the far side of the city where the Praetorian barracks lay.

The time was shortly in to the first hour of the day. Civil disorder of the gravest sort was in breaking out in Rome. The Political leadership of Rome had to decide rapidly how they would deal with this disorder.

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By: Unknown