SPEARS AND SHIELDS – Gadara

Alto pointed at an area east of the sunken salt sea, “This is the region of Perea. With Herod as tetrarch of this region, the area had been experiencing frequent excursions by Aretas’ forces. Lately, these excursions were mostly raiding parties by tribal Bedouins loyal to him. Aretas had managed to annex three small outlying villages that were already allied to him. The Decapolis and Trachonitis regions up north have, so far, not been touched. But he does have his eyes on them.

“We have recently received some intelligence that he had acquired a mercenary force of five thousand Nubians. This can only mean he is planning something major. Our task is to offer a show of force along the eastern frontier of both Trachonitis and the Decapolis. However, if Aretas sends his mercenary force into our territory, we will respond with deadly force. Herod’s forces will handle the Perean region. The garrison at Caesarea Philippi will secure Trachonitis. For us, I have tasked our engineers supported by two cavalry units to build two forts; one – east of Gadara; the other east of Gerasa. They should be completed by week’s end.”

The rest of the meeting was mostly on logistics. When the meeting was finally concluded, Cornelius heard that Arturos’ two cohort units was to garrison the fort at Gadara. When he heard this, he sought out General Gaius Alto.

“Sir! I would like to go along with Tribune Arturos on this campaign.”

“Why?”

“Sir, two reasons – One, this will be Tribune Arturos first campaign. I would like to be there and help him out. Two, the man Jesus is hold up in Capernaum for the winter. He has no plans of going anywhere until Spring. Centurion Porcius knows all of my informants and they know him well enough. They can report to him and if need be he can send for me.”

“Very well, I will inform the Governor General.”
In two days, Arturos’ two cohorts, made up of fifteen hundred men, marched out of Caesarea heading east. Cornelius rode north back to Capernaum to organize his men and to bring extra supplies. He also wanted to talk to Jesus.

Upon arriving at Capernaum that night, he had set Cestus to get everything ready for the morning. Then, he went to Peter’s house to find that Jesus was expecting him.

“Lord, I have to join my cohort somewhere out east. I may be gone all winter.”

“Cornelius, I sense that you are still concerned,” Jesus said knowingly.

“Yes, Lord. You have told me that my task is tied to your task. At first, I thought I knew what I was supposed to do, but these past months I am not sure.”

“Cornelius, continue to seek the answer in the words of the Prophet Isaiah. But keep this in mind, as I only seek to do the will of my Father, you too must do the same. A choice you must make. This choice may change countless destinies.”

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