Augurius Bucco Augurius Bucco was the commander of the Fourth Legion during the First Era . He was described as young and charismatic . Bucco was a popular figure in Cyrodiil ; his good looks and practiced oratory catapulted him through the ranks of the Legion hierarchy with unprecedented speed . By the time he was twenty - five he was already wearing the General ' s Diamond . Upon receiving his generalship he was offered legions in practically every corner of Cyrodiil . He chose the Fourth Legion of Black Marsh as his command . When the invasion of Black Marsh began in 1E 2811 , the Imperial Legion was confident of victory . Imperial forces had won a great and decisive victory in the Battle of Argonia , as well as in several other clashes . These battles were one - sided affairs , with Argonian s suffering significant casualties and Imperials hardly getting winded . By First Seed 1E 2811 , the Lizard - Folk were in full retreat — taking refuge in the shadowy depths of the region ' s interior . The Empire decided to press the advantage and mount a full - scale invasion before the Argonians could regroup . By 1E 2816 , General Bucco ' s legion had been depleted to a mere six cohorts — none of which were at full fighting strength as the campaign pressed on . Endless raids , disease , and mysterious disappearances were compounding on each other , creating a culture of utter hopelessness and cynicism . Seeing that the cause would be lost without reinforcements , Bucco called for an additional legion to be deployed to Black Marsh . Rather than shifting these fresh troops to the front to relieve his beleaguered force , he set them to work building the " Reman Way " ( later known as the Swamp Road ) . Almost no one knew where the road went or what purpose it would serve in future conflicts , but Bucco was convinced that a well - paved and well - defended road would aid the war effort and turn the tides of battle in the legion ' s favor . The Reman Way fell under attack almost as soon as the work began . Waves of Argonians crashed upon the workers day in and day out . Troopers who should have been armed with shield and spear were forced to defend themselves with shovels and lengths of chain . Soldiers also routinely succumbed to exhaustion and swamp fever . The road made it only half - way to the front lines before construction was abandoned . The Swamp Road project would long be remembered after the Black Marsh campaign came to a bitter end as " Bucco ' s Folly . " By 1E 2820 , General Bucco ' s Legion was utterly decimated . What few troops remained were completely unable to defend themselves . After a near mutiny almost saw Bucco ousted from his own command , he finally ordered his remaining soldiers to retreat and exit the Marsh ' s interior . His prevailing assumption was that if the legion left the swamp , the Argonians would not follow . After a withering ten - day withdrawal , what was left of the legion rallied at the foot of an ancient Argonian pyramid known as " Xi - tsei . " The force consisted of barely three - hundred - and - fifty swords by that point . Bucco hoped that after a brief respite in the shadow of the pyramid , his remaining forces could fall back to the relative safety of Cyrodiil . This wish went unfulfilled . On the night of the 14th of Last Seed , 1E 2820 , what remained of Bucco ' s proud Fourth Legion was annihilated .