To see the previous installments, click on the following links: #1, #2 , #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11, #12

The next day, under a pale sky and without the oppressive heat of the previous day, I made my way to the imposing villa of Gaius Flavius Sabinus, father of Lucius Flavius Crispus, whose body was still awaiting final preparations for his funeral. As I crossed the threshold of that patrician house, the thick air of incense was already beginning to waft through the corridors. In the background, amid whispers and veiled figures, the shadow of tragedy was evident. Sabinus greeted me with the haughty look of a man who believed that grief, the death of a son, should never touch his lineage.

"And who are you to come here?" he asked, his voice laden with contempt, not even disguising the rejection he felt at my presence. "I see in you no sign of authority; you are not a magistrate, nor a senator, nor a soldier. Why should I answer your questions?"

With a studied and almost ritual calm, I slid the parchment that the duoviri had handed me. "I come in the name of the magistrates of Pompeii, by mandate of the duoviri, under the vigilance of the Empire. I have been charged with uncovering the truth about the murder of your son, Lucius Flavius Crispus."

Sabinus took the parchment without haste, examining the magistrates' seal in detail. He did not seem satisfied, but he knew that the duoviri had the backing of Rome. He turned briefly to the funeral arrangements and, as his gaze was lost in restrained sadness, I took the opportunity to offer my condolences.

"Lucius was a young man and full of life. I am sorry. I offer my condolences for the loss of your son, Gaius Flavius Sabinus. There is no greater grief than that of a father who outlives his children."

Sabinus nodded, his jaw tensing, as the air charged with a pent-up energy that seemed ready to burst. With a slight tremor in my voice, I dared to ask him the question I knew might enrage him, "Could you help me understand who might have wanted to harm your son?"

"Questions?!" roared Sabinus, banging loudly on a nearby table. "I should be gathering my men, marching on the house of that merchant of rancid oil and salted fish, and killing them all. That's what I should be doing!" The fire in his eyes seemed to light up the room, and for a moment I feared that he might actually carry out his threat.

I raised a hand gently, a gesture to calm him. "If you do that, it will all be in vain. Imperial justice is the only one that can make the guilty suffer in the proper manner. My report will be delivered to Emperor Vespasian and I assure you that whoever perpetrated this crime will pay with his life."

The emperor's name achieved what I alone could not. Sabinus closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to regain control of himself. "Very well," he said in a more controlled voice. "Ask what you need. But remember, there is a limit to my patience."

"Know that I need to know if Lucius had enemies."

Sabinus sighed, almost resignedly. "Enemies... None that I know of. I don't believe Marcus Varius killed my son; he was in his office, attending to a client when it happened. If anyone did it, it wasn't him directly."

I was silent for a moment, pondering his words before proceeding to the question that really interested me. "What about the origin of Marcus's fortune? You know more about his rise than anyone else. Could there be some resentment in the relations between your families?"

Sabinus seemed lost in thought before replying. "That man... he was a slave, you know? He was Titus' personal aide in Judea. He accompanied him in the brutal campaign against the Jews, and for his loyalty and service, he was rewarded. Titus granted him his freedom, and with the support of the empire, he began his life as a merchant in Pompeii. He bought a villa from a patrician family of Rome, who left the city after the earthquakes of 62. He has built his wealth by selling garum from Hispania across the Mediterranean, always under the protection of Titus."

He paused for a moment, before adding disdainfully, "My family has always supported Domitian as the rightful successor to Vespasian. He, on the other hand, is one of Titus' many sycophants. That has been a source of tension between us, but not enough to kill my son - at least, I didn't think so."

The revelation of the tensions between the two families was a fact I could not ignore. However, I still needed to know more. "Any idea who else might have wanted your son murdered? Perhaps his friend, who often accompanied him?"

Sabinus frowned. "That young man... I know they both intended Marcus' daughter, but I don't know if that was motive enough. Perhaps... I can't say for certain. I have no certainties, only suspicions."

I nodded silently, aware that this new information only added more layers of mystery to an already complex crime.

To be continued

Header Image:

Hispania in Roman times. Source: Wikipedia