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Author | Rosemary Sutcliff |
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Illustrator | Charles Keeping |
Language | English |
Genre | Children's, Historical novel |
Publisher | Oxford University Press |
Publication date | December 1957 |
Publication place | United Kingdom |
Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
Pages | 223 |
ISBN | 0-374-46648-3 |
OCLC | 27934892 |
LC Class | PZ7.S966 Shl 1993 |
Preceded by | The Eagle of the Ninth |
Followed by | The Lantern Bearers |
The Silver Branch is a historical adventure novel for children written by Rosemary Sutcliff and published in 1957, with illustrations by Charles Keeping. Set in Britain in the last decade of the 3rd century, it is the story of Justin and Flavius, two cousins in the Roman legions who find themselves in the intrigue and battle surrounding the struggles between Carausius, a self-proclaimed emperor in Britain, Allectus, Carausius's treasurer, and Constantius, emperor in Rome. [1] [2]
The silver branch of the title is an article in the possession of Carausius's slave Cullen, his eccentric fool who calls himself Carausius's hound and who wears a dog's tail as part of his motley. Subtle allusions to the silver branch recur in other novels in the Eagle of the Ninth series, and it presumably refers to the otherworldly musical instrument mentioned in the medieval Irish narrative The Voyage of Bran. The Silver Branch was also a symbol of authority and a temporary "pass card" used by the Celts, consisting of a sprig of mistletoe or an apple branch.
The Silver Branch is second in Sutcliff's Roman Britain Series, following The Eagle of the Ninth (1954) and preceding Frontier Wolf (1980), The Lantern Bearers (1959), and Sword at Sunset (1963).
The story is set in 3rd-century Roman Britain, when Marcus Aurelius Carausius (Curoi), the military commander, has rebelled against Rome and named himself the emperor of Britain and northern Gaul. After a series of naval victories, he is temporarily recognized by Rome's ruler Maximian.
Justin (Tiberius Lucius Justinianus), a shy young army surgeon who had just completed his apprenticeship in Beersheba, is posted to Britain for the first time, although his family has been connected with the island for years. On arriving at Rutupiae, he meets a young centurion called Flavius (Marcelus Flavius Aquila), who turns out to be a distant cousin, and they become fast friends. Upon overhearing a plot against Carausius by his finance minister Allectus, they try to warn the emperor but, due to their perceived disloyalty, are instead reposted to Magnis on the Northern Wall in disgrace. There, Justin and Flavius meet an exiled Dalriad hunter, Evicatos of the Spear, who tells them that Allectus promised to help the Picts against the Dalriads if they would help him overthrow Carausius. To save his own people from that danger, Evicatos urges the two Romans to write a warning letter to Carausius. On hearing that the letter was intercepted by Allectus's men, the two cousins know that they are in mortal danger, go into hiding and race south to warn Carausius. On their way they get the news that Allectus's Saxon allies already killed Carausius and that Allectus is the new emperor.
They now plan to go to Gaul, where the junior western emperor, Constantius, is gathering forces to overthrow Allectus. While vainly looking for a transport, they are found by Paulinus, the leader of a resistance group, who urges them to stay in Britain and help him with his work. When Paulinus is betrayed, the two young men must take over the banner of rebellion and continue his work of protecting and smuggling away people who are disenchanted with Allectus.
Finally, Constantius and his aide, the Praetorian prefect Asclepiodotus, sail to Britain to put an end to Allectus's misrule. Flavius and Justin assemble a ragtag group of people prepared to fight on their behalf, but are much derided for their shabby appearance. When they are hiding at their great-aunt Honoria's place in Calleva, they discover the lost eagle standard that was buried by their ancestor, Aquila, around which their small group rallies. Despite their looks, the new 'legion' helps the main Roman force find their way and defends the helpless inhabitants of Calleva from the fighting. In recognition of their help, the cousins are honoured by Constantius.
The motifs of the lost eagle standard and dolphin signet ring reoccur in this book.
The book is based around the 3rd century events of the Carausian Revolt, the subsequent life and death of Carausius and the defeat of the traitor Allectus.
Honorius was Roman emperor from 393 to 423. He was the younger son of emperor Theodosius I and his first wife Aelia Flaccilla. After the death of Theodosius in 395, Honorius, under the regency of Stilicho, ruled the western half of the empire while his brother Arcadius ruled the eastern half. His reign over the Western Roman Empire was notably precarious and chaotic. In 410, Rome was sacked for the first time in almost 800 years.
The 350s decade ran from January 1, 350, to December 31, 359.
The 290s decade ran from January 1, 290, to December 31, 299.
The 280's decade ran from January 1, 280, to December 31, 289.
Year 296 (CCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. In the Roman Empire, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Diocletian and Constantius. The denomination 296 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.
Year 293 (CCXCIII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. In the Roman Empire, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Diocletian and Maximian. The denomination 293 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.
Year 353 (CCCLIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Magnentius and Decentius. The denomination 353 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.
Flavius Valerius Constantius, also called Constantius I, was a Roman emperor from 305 to 306. He was one of the four original members of the Tetrarchy established by Diocletian, first serving as caesar from 293 to 305 and then ruling as augustus until his death. Constantius was also father of Constantine the Great, the first Christian emperor of Rome. The nickname "Chlorus" was first popularized by Byzantine-era historians and not used during the emperor's lifetime.
Maximian, nicknamed Herculius, was Roman emperor from 286 to 305. He was Caesar from 285 to 286, then Augustus from 286 to 305. He shared the latter title with his co-emperor and superior, Diocletian, whose political brain complemented Maximian's military brawn. Maximian established his residence at Trier but spent most of his time on campaign. In late 285, he suppressed rebels in Gaul known as the Bagaudae. From 285 to 288, he fought against Germanic tribes along the Rhine frontier. Together with Diocletian, he launched a scorched earth campaign deep into Alamannic territory in 288, refortifying the frontier.
Marcus Aurelius Mausaeus Carausius was a military commander of the Roman Empire in the 3rd century. He was a Menapian from Belgic Gaul, who usurped power in 286, during the Carausian Revolt, declaring himself emperor in Britain and northern Gaul. He did this only 13 years after the Gallic Empire of the Batavian Postumus was ended in 273. He held power for seven years, fashioning the name "Emperor of the North" for himself, before being assassinated by his finance minister Allectus.
Allectus was a Roman-Britannic usurper-emperor in Britain and northern Gaul from 293 to 296.
Julius Asclepiodotus was a Roman praetorian prefect who, according to the Historia Augusta, served under the emperors Aurelian, Probus and Diocletian, and was consul in 292. In 296, he assisted the western Caesar Constantius Chlorus in re-establishing Roman rule in Britain, following the illegal rules of Carausius and Allectus.
The Eagle of the Ninth is a historical adventure novel for children written by Rosemary Sutcliff and published in 1954. The story is set in Roman Britain in the 2nd century AD, after the building of Hadrian's Wall.
The Lantern Bearers is a historical novel for children by Rosemary Sutcliff, first published by Oxford in 1959 with illustrations by Charles Keeping. Set in Roman Britain during the 5th century, it is the story of a British Roman's life after the final withdrawal of Roman troops. Sutcliff won the annual Carnegie Medal from the Library Association, recognising the year's best children's book by a British subject.
The Carausian revolt (AD 286–296) was an episode in Roman history during which a Roman naval commander, Carausius, declared himself emperor over Britain and northern Gaul. His Gallic territories were retaken by the western Caesar Constantius Chlorus in 293, after which Carausius was assassinated by his subordinate Allectus. Britain was regained by Constantius and his subordinate Asclepiodotus in 296.
Events from the 3rd century in Roman Britain.
The Eagle is a 2011 epic historical drama film set in Roman Britain directed by Kevin Macdonald, and starring Channing Tatum, Jamie Bell and Donald Sutherland. Adapted by Jeremy Brock from Rosemary Sutcliff's historical adventure novel The Eagle of the Ninth (1954), the film tells the story of a young Roman officer attempting to recover the lost Roman eagle standard of his father's legion in Caledonia. The story is based on the Ninth Spanish Legion's supposed disappearance in Britain. Historically, the purported disappearance of the Ninth Legion in Northern Britain is a subject of debate.
The frontier of the Roman Empire in Britain is sometimes styled Limes Britannicus by authors for the boundaries, including fortifications and defensive ramparts, that were built to protect Roman Britain. These defences existed from the 1st to the 5th centuries AD and ran through the territory of present-day England, Scotland and Wales.