Regina - Ancilla Romani (Slave Girl Of The Romans‪)‬

Regina – Ancilla Romani
Slave Girl Of The Romans

Sold as a slave to a Roman centurion, Barates, Regina arrives at the alien world of a Roman marching camp, increasingly puzzled that he hasn’t yet raped her, even when she was naked after bathing. Regina is relieved that one of the other centurion’s slaves, Aprilla, speaks Celtic.
The following day Barates still hasn’t raped her, and Regina begins to wonder why he has bought her - a peasant girl - when there are no fields - no work!
Then Aprilla explains to her that a famula (household slave) is scarcely worked to death, but that she will definitely be expected to please Barates in bed. Regina’s thoughts therefore continually turn to their coming sexual encounter. She also discovers the first clues that Aprilla is bisexual (!).
That evening Barates, knowing Regina thinks he is too kind to her, ties her hands to prove he isn’t, and to Regina’s utter disbelief and frustration fails to rape her yet again - despite her attempts to encourage him with her hands tied! She fails to grasp that he is besotted with her, although she is increasingly besotted with him.
The next day Regina makes an enemy of the tribunus’s slave, Helena, and ends up fighting another slave woman, the miserable Flavia. That night Barates finally gives in to Regina’s demands - and his own urges - and they have spectacular - if rather unusual(!) - sex.
The following day the legatus (commanding general) arrives. Barates and his men escort three slave women into the town to buy food for the coming feast. Barates has an altercation with the slave dealer who had told nothing but lies about Regina. Barates extorts a substantial ‘discount’ from him, and the slave dealer tries to have him murdered. Regina spots the slave dealer’s thugs approaching, calls warning, and so saves Barates’ life. Word of Regina’s part in this spreads amongst his soldiers and she is returned to the camp wearing a crown of leaves.
Escorted into the forest by some of those men, Regina carves Barates a staff to replace his vitis, broken in the fight with the slave dealer’s thugs. Because she calls upon Celtic gods, this new oak vitis is named the ‘magic staff’ by Barates’ men, and Barates is delighted when he discovers that ‘Magic Staff’ has become his nickname.
Pressed into serving as a table slave at the legatus’s feast, Regina finds herself commanded to dance in competition with the practised but stilted performance of Helena. After an abysmal start, she out-dances Helena - very erotically!
The legatus also explains his plan of campaign - the real reason for his visit - to crush the last sizeable force of Iceni rebels.
The 5th cohort now set off to establish a fort near the presumed rebel position.
On the way Regina befriends Flavia, and also escapes an attempted rape by some cavalrymen now attached to the cohort. She gets her first view of the sea, and discovers the horrific reason why Flavia is such a miserable slave. Later Flavia escapes by stealing a boat.
During this time, Regina and Barates imperceptibly shift from being slave and master to lovers.
Believing Regina is favoured by the local gods, the soldiers elect her to make a sacrifice to placate the Celtic gods for work they have performed on a local stream. Regina befriends a local girl, Caitir, and survives an attempt by the vicious Helena to get her publicly whipped for what looks like a lesbian episode with Aprilla.
Regina is walking with Barates when the rebels launch a night attack, and defends Barates when he is struck down. Although wounded, she succeeds in felling the Iceni chieftain. The 5th century rally to her calls for help. The rebels are defeated in a fierce battle, and Regina, who started as the dregs of a slave auction, ends as the mascot of the 5th cohort.
Regina and Barates are genuine historical characters. This is my take on their story - and the outcome is accurate, he freed and married her. Her tomb can be seen at Arbeia in England.