XI
Aspis sub Planta
‘Asps Underfoot’
The town of Aquae Sulis slept in a haze of mist and smoke that hovered about the multi-hued, tiled rooftops of the town, nestled as it was in the crook of the river. A steady flow of traffic in and out of the town indicated that it was very much alive with Romans and Britons seeking solace, healing and help at the sacred springs.
The domes and arches of the great thermae could be seen above all else, as could the pediment of the great temple of Sulis Minerva, the goddess who kept watch over that ancient place.
Despite the Januarius chill, the streets were full of vendors, each utterly attentive in trying to catch the eyes of the wealthy men and women who passed by in perfumed litters. Aquae Sulis was a place to which the wealthy villa owners and bo
