Assassination of Emperor Valentinian III
Emperor Valentinian III is ambushed and killed by supporters of Petronius Maximus during a military drill on the Campus Martius, marking a violent end to his reign.
Setting
The open military training grounds of the Campus Martius in Rome, specifically near the site of the Ara Pacis. The area is a vast, dusty expanse of packed earth surrounded by aging marble monuments and the distant silhouette of the Pantheon.
Characters
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SELECTED
Valentinian III
primary
A man in his mid-thirties, with a slender but somewhat frail build. His face is pale, marked by the stress of rulership, with deep-set eyes and a weak chin. His dark brown hair is neatly trimmed in the Roman style, though slightly disheveled from the sudden attack.
Petronius Maximus
primary
A well-built man in his early 50s, with a sharp, angular face that bears the marks of age and ambition. His dark hair is streaked with gray and cropped short in the Roman style, and his piercing brown eyes are filled with calculating intelligence. His posture is upright, exuding the confidence of a seasoned political player.
Praetorian Guard
secondary
A seasoned soldier in his mid-30s with a rugged, sun-weathered complexion and a thick, dark beard trimmed in the style of the late empire. He has a muscular, athletic build, though his face is marked by a jagged scar running across his left cheekbone, a testament to previous border campaigns.
Assassin
secondary
A wiry, sinewy man in his late 30s with sun-weathered skin and deep-set, calculating eyes. His dark hair is cropped short in military fashion, and he has a jagged scar running from his left temple to his jawline—a remnant of past battles. His hands are calloused, gripping his weapon with practiced ease.
Military Tribune
background
A man of sturdy, athletic build with weathered skin and a salt-and-pepper beard. His eyes are wide with the realization of treason, and his face is dusted with the grit of the Campus Martius training grounds.
Dialog
Valentinian III
Optio! To us! Why do the ranks break? We—We are your Augustus! Stand back!
Petronius Maximus
Indeed, Caesar, the ranks are merely... adjusting. One finds that even the most rigid structures must eventually yield to a superior design.
Valentinian III
Maximus? You! Call them off! By the Lares of the palace, I command—ungrateful dog—!
Petronius Maximus
It is perhaps more fitting to call upon the manes of Aetius, whom you so clumsily butchered. Justice, like a fine vintage, requires a certain patience to reach its peak.
Valentinian III
No! Not like this! Not in the dirt! Treason—sacrilege! Guard! Help us!
Petronius Maximus
The gods are silent, Valentinian. Rome requires a hand that does not tremble. Pray, let the ground drink deep; it has been thirsty for a true successor.
Chat with Characters
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