Check out these brilliant Roman Mystery stories.
By Callia
Scroll I
Maria Cittina Avitus solved her first mystery on the Ides of June in the tenth year of the Emperor Vespasian. She always had a knack of finding things her father misplaced: his best glass pottery, the sandals Maria gave him and even once his ceremonial dagger! But this time there had been a real crime, with a real culprit. It was a hot, still afternoon, for the sea breeze had not yet risen. Maria had just settled down in the garden, with a cup of pomegranate juice. Just as she started reading, a shrill scream cut through the air causing Maria’s peaceful reading coming to and end.
Scroll II
In the living room, Maria’s father was lying on the prosperous sofa with wine. Alma, the cook, Petra, the nurse and Caudex the slave were surrounding Maria’s father with worried faces. “Oh pater. What happened?” Maria said trying to keep the impatience out of her voice.
“Where has it gone?” cried Oppius Marius Avitus, Maria’s father.
“Pater, what is it? Do tell me.”
“The family painting.” Maria’s father said quietly biting his lip. Maria’s face went pale as a cloud.
“You mean, the family painting is gone!?” Maria said horrified. The family painting hung on the wall and the frame was decorated with Nubian Amethyst, Greek Gold and Roman Ruby.
“What will I do? It’s one of the few things that keeps your mother with us!”
“Okay.” Maria winced. Her mother had died five years ago from cancer. “Tell me exactly what happened” Her father eventually sighed and nodded reluctantly. He started re-telling everything that happened from when he went out.
Scroll III
As Maria listened to the story, she carefully kept a record of anything which might help her dad find the missing painting. It looked like her father had taken the usual route to a rich merchant to sell his products. Maria gradually nodded her head. There was an awkward silence that filled the air. Eventually, Maria questioned, “Was there anyone you saw coming close to the house?”
“Well, now you mention it there was a man slowly coming towards the house.”
“Did you see anything suspicious about this man ?”
“Yes I did. He was limping and seemed to be covered in soot.”
“ Oh, I see” Maria mumbled. After making sure that her father was calm and had settled down, Maria went to go get a large cloth sack from her room. Slipping quietly through the back door, Maria had begun her quest to locate the precious painting.
Scroll IV
It was the ninth hour when Maria left the house. She decided to take the Via Cassia to the charcoal makers factory. She asked one of the soldiers where the charcoal workers lived and the soldier pointed to a place where many huts gathered together. She decided she would peer through the window to check if a man was limping.
She looked in every hut except for one. The hut was covered in soot and the windows were mouldy. She peeked into one of the very dirty window and found a man limping inside! She had to think fast. She was going to wait until the thief was sleeping and then she will look around.
One hour past and the culprit was fast asleep. She tiptoed to the door and opened it gradually. She slowly step foot into the tatty, little house. She started looking around. She walked fast just I case the the thief woke up. Then, she noticed something odd. On one side the carpet was fraying and there was a large dent in the middle of the rug. Maria crept towards the end of the carpet and steadily lifted the rug and looked below. There! She had found the family painting. It was in the dent far below her feet. She silently made a grab for the painting and quietly slipped the family painting into her large cloth bag. She made her way out of the door and peeked into one of the filthy windows to make sure the thief was still fast asleep. Quickly, she made her way back to the Via Cassia.
It took more than a hour for Maria to finally return home. As she went inside her house, Maria let out a deep sigh of relief. She had done it! Maria Cittina Avitus had located and retrieved the family painting! Noiselessly, she carefully placed the precious painting back to its original spot it had been before it was stolen. After ensuring that the painting wouldn't fall, Maria headed back to her room to read her favourite scroll for the rest of the day.
It was a hot, still afternoon in the port of Ostia when Maria Cittina Avitus was busy drinking honey water and reading one of her precious scrolls when a loud scream could be heard from miles away. Immediately, she jumped up from her chair and her next investigation began...
Sanaiya
The Murder Mystery Of Ostia
Scroll I
Close to the River Tiber, in the massive city port of Ostia, the wealthy Cassiana family could be found. Velia Vincentia Cassiana, the daughter of the well known Captain Amulius Cassiana, was reading through her favorite scroll, when a piercing scream cut through the air. Her father had invited over an old friend for lunch. Velia had always thought he looked shifty, like he had something pestering at his conscience. It was a hot still afternoon that day, yet the scream sent a chill down her spine. So she decided to check it out, and what she witnessed left her in a state of horror…
Scroll II
As she entered through the door, she saw her father half splattered in blood. His friend lying in a pool of blood on the cold marble floor. “ Pater what happened? Are you okay?” Her father turned to her blankly. As if he had seen a ghost.
“ Lucius” he muttered “ he was just about to leave when a dark robed man with a gold tooth stormed in! He murmured something about money trading under his breath. Suddenly he thrust a silver dagger from a belt he was wearing over his robe into Lucius's back! I tried to chase him but he disappeared down the alleyway” Velia broke down into tears. She was sobbing her father’s arms when in the corner, the silver dagger! The one the assassin had. He dropped it!
Scroll III
In the atrium, Velia examined the knife carefully. Her reflection could be seen on the glistening blood splattered edge. She carefully wiped away the flakey dried blood with the hem of her soft, clean toga. However some stains were obstinate. Velia came to the conclusion that it had been used before. Suddenly her keen blue eyes noticed something peculiar. Shining in the daylight, she saw a colony of symbols engraved into the knife: LO55. Velia thought it looked somewhat like a code. However it wasn't clear. She also noticed black dusted fingerprints all over it. Immediately she knew where to go…
Scroll IV
Velia made sure her father was calm before she made her way upstairs. She got a wax tablet and a metal pen and then sprinted out the door towards the charcoal makers factory. She kept a watchful eye out for anyone who looked suspicious or had a black robe and a gold tooth. Velia decided to take the Via Cassia as it was the fastest route. Velia watched the diverse people as she passed. Gradually she made it to the front door. She heaved the door open without knocking. The large, brown door creaked as it opened. As she went in, a gush of dust combined with soot hit her face. The charcoal makers factory was a huge open space. It had dim, orange lights and was extremely smoky. It wasn’t a very busy as most people were merchants or captains. In Ostia it wasn't common to need soot as the scorching, hot sun did all the heat needed things even cooking… if you tried. There were three or four people working but they all over-looked Velia. The was no one suspicious looking around so she took no notice. She walked around the factory. It had staircases leading up to a crushed up pile of coal. Searching the factory, Velia began to lose hope. She had looked for hours on end! Tears rolled down her rosy cheeks, she was not getting anywhere with her investigation. Gloomily, she shuffled out with her head down. Outside, she started to sob a little louder.
Scroll V
Velia came to the gates of her house where her door keeper caudex was waiting for her. Caudex was a large, lazy man. He had very little hair and spoke in the funniest accent. He had seen her bolt out the door. He was confused as of why she did this so he had decided to wait by the gate for her to return. Caudex examined her carefully. She was covered in soot head to toe. “ what happened? “ he said sympathetically, but Velia didn't answer. She slowly walked into the vast house. She told her father the whole story. “ you didn’t have to do that for me my little angel” He said to her while running his finger through her soft, silky hair. Velia curled up into her father's arms. The mystery was truly unsolved...
Yuki
Scroll l
A girl named Cassia Cotta lived in Orchard street in Ostia. She was a smart and intelligent girl. Her father was a wealthy fish trader who owned many fishing boats. His name was Cassias Cotta. Cassia’s mother was Lussia Cotta. Lussia liked to go shopping because she liked fashion. One day on a hot, still afternoon, Cassia was reading about the great invasion of Britannia on her favourite bench in the secret garden. Suddenly, lussia came back from the warehouse where she always bought togas. Lussia screamed from the couch in the living room. Then there was silence...
Scroll ll
“Cassia,Cassia!” called her Mother.
“What has happened to you?” asked Cassia. Lucia was crying, Cassia was confused. “What actually happened?”
“The amber pendant is gone!” Her chain with the amber pendant’s lost, gone, disappeared and vanished!
Scroll lll
Lucia explained what she had done at the warehouse. She mentioned she had bumped into a man who she had never seen before at the warehouse. Strangely, he insisted that he worked at the warehouse. This man was wearing a dark red sash over his plain white toga. Instantly, Cassia noticed a red stain on her mother’s toga which smelt like wine. Cassia realised that he was a wine merchant. The very next morning, she left.
Scroll IV
She took her dog Scouto and started the search. She went to the Via Manna, the main street in Ostia. It was crowded and bustling with noises. Scouto slowly smelt the wineries nearby as Cassia searched for clues. Immediately, Scouto found the Via Savan, the darkest street in town. There were a group of filthy looking slave dealers hanging around an old looking tavern. One of the dirty slave dealers spotted her.
“Oh no!” shouted Cassia.
Scouto was frightened so he ran all the way back to Orchard Street. Cassia managed to escape from the ugly people kidnapper. A few minutes later, she found the doorway to a rundown winery. She sneaked in. Cassia heard loud snoring coming from deeper inside the shop. She hoped that he wouldn’t wake up as she got closer to him. Next to him there was a dark, wooden chest. Cassia opened the chest very slowly and quietly. She had found the amber pendant! As quick as flash, she rushed back out of the street and headed home.
Scroll V
It took more than an hour for Cassia to get home. As her hand touched the solid frame of her door, she breathed slowly. She had got back the amber pendant. Her worried mother was waiting in the eating area. “How on Earth did you get the amber pendant back?” shouted her mother. They were happy again. Cassia and her mother embraced and hugged each other.
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