Cvria Ivlia, Consulate of Brvtvs/Pvblicola (II)

[Maxinius Scipio]

"I have an economic report from my brother, Proconsul Marcus Valerius Corvinus."

TRINAKRIE ET MALTA
PROVINCIA SICILIA

Syracuse

Farming Income: 1414 denarii
Mining Income: 2812 denarii
Tax Income: 1152 denarii
Trade Income: 2898 denarii

Troop Expenditures: 6274 denarii
Corruption: 1158 denarii

Total Profits per half year: 814 denarii

Catana

Farming Income: 1036 denarii
Mining Income: 0 denarii
Tax Income: 799 denarii
Trade Income: 757 denarii

Troop Expenditures: 1780 denarii
Corruption: 362 denarii

Total Profits per half year: 148 denarii

Messana

Farming Income: 832 denarii
Mining Income: 0 denarii
Tax Income: 1065 denarii
Trade Income: 1761 denarii

Troop Expenditures: 3334 denarii
Corruption: 0 denarii

Total Profits per half year: 24 denarii

Agrigentum

Farming Income: 915 denarii
Mining Income: 0 denarii
Tax Income: 946 denarii
Trade Income: 1375 denarii

Troop Expenditures: 3127 denarii
Corruption: 0 denarii

Total Profits per half year: -378 denarii

Panormus

Farming Income: 950 denarii
Mining Income: 0 denarii
Tax Income: 834 denarii
Trade Income: 965 denarii

Troop Expenditures: 2950 denarii
Corruption: 137 denarii

Total Profits per half year: -559 denarii

Lilybaeum

Farming Income: 998 denarii
Mining Income: 0 denarii
Tax Income: 1563 denarii
Trade Income: 837 denarii

Troop Expenditures: 2095 denarii
Corruption: 0 denarii

Total Profits per half year: 1299 denarii

Melite

Farming Income: 432 denarii
Mining Income: 0 denarii
Tax Income: 1378 denarii
Trade Income: 1144 denarii

Troop Expenditures: 2874 denarii
Corruption: 0 denarii

Total Profits per half year: -5 denarii

Total Income from Sicily per half-year: 1343 denarii


The extra income from our governors' own administrative talent and their wages were not included in this report.


Finally, since we are still at war with Carthage, I propose that we use the money in the Syracusan's treasury to help fund our own treasury.

"I can assure you that my brother is not involved with any form of corruption. Though I can't say the same for his prefects, allied rulers, and minor governors."

[We shall fwee...Wode]

I feel the pittance they offer of little use. Let them keep it for the locals sentimental value(public order bonus).

The issue of the navy is long gone now, and my opinion useless and i would be happy if it was not mentioned again, but I would ask the Censor to investigate and see whether he believes the Consul has broken the laws of this house and should be tried, and until then, no inflamatory remarks or attempts to coerce him by any side of the debate.

As for the African dogs? They have shown use a complete lack of respect, and the gods do not appreciate being made to look like fools by these disgracefully corrupt "people". As such, action needs to be taken.

At the moment however, I wish to see the transition to our new professional army completed, and so I wish only a 'scolding' for the fat and opulent children of Baal. I suggest either a raid on Africa by a small military force, or a blockade of her ports and destruction of her navy. I do however feel that any attack and land gained would be foolish to hold until the new armies of well trained professionals are ready to be sent in number. Maybe the fools can see sense by then.

[We shall fwee...Wode]

I would also like to announce the senator Quintus Equestris Julius as the princeps senatus, may he serve you well senators.

[Xavier Dragnesi]

ooc: Can someone please answer my question as to what I should do about the population decrease problem of Rome? Should I just leave it as it's not in my sphere of influence, or can I get the approval of the Senate to build a village.

[The10thLegion]

build baths and aqueducts senator.

[Maxinius Scipio]

ooc: Can someone please answer my question as to what I should do about the population decrease problem of Rome? Should I just leave it as it's not in my sphere of influence, or can I get the approval of the Senate to build a village.

"Consul Decimus can handle it. Plus, Rome's population is huge. Everyone is cramped in their little apartments, and a few people moving away won't hurt."

[Xavier Dragnesi]

Thank you for the advice Senator Equestris, however, I am not asking how to stop the population falling, but rather am I allowed to. Because if you remember, my current sphere of influence is Corsica and Sardinia, and technically, I shouldn't be minding affairs in mainland Italy.

As for Proconsul Valerius, if the Consul was to take care of it, he will have to wait until I have finished my report. I just didn't like the look of seeing Rome getting smaller in terms of people.

[Gaius Julius Civilis]

A messenger arrives on behalf of Marcus Lucretius Falco

Salvete senators,
I have heard of the treatment the Carthaginians gave our esteemed diplomats, and of their rejection of our generous offer. May I once more suggest an aggressive negotiation strategy. If we destroy their navy and disrupt or even stop their trade they'll come begging us for peace.
My regards to all senators, M. Lucretius Falco

[The10thLegion]

Thank you for the advice Senator Equestris, however, I am not asking how to stop the population falling, but rather am I allowed to. Because if you remember, my current sphere of influence is Corsica and Sardinia, and technically, I shouldn't be minding affairs in mainland Italy.

As for Proconsul Valerius, if the Consul was to take care of it, he will have to wait until I have finished my report. I just didn't like the look of seeing Rome getting smaller in terms of people.

well id talk to the senior consul for now. He would be the first person id ask if im allowed to. He will surely answer your questions, but if he doesnt allow you to have influence over rome then i would still give him any advice that you have on keeping a steady population.

[Xavier Dragnesi]

Sextus Julius hurries into the Curia bearing a scroll.
This is a despatch I just received from Quintus Marius:

Corsica et Sardinia
This is the situation in Corsica and Sardinia near the end of the the Consulship of Brutus and Publicola



As can be seen from this diagram, the city of Caralis is making a reasonable amount of profit. However, like much of our Roman cities at the moment, the population is growing greatly, and I have made use of 7200 denarii to begin construction of Proconsular Palace so the city can expand from a minor city into a large city.

For the moment, Carthage has not made any move to land any troops or sail any fleets close to Caralis.

The current garrison of Caralis is:
1 velite unit - understrength
4 hastati units - understrength
4 principe units - understrength
5 triarii units - full strength
2 equite units - understrength



Aleria is quite a bit more profitable than Caralis, mostly because of extra sea trade with mainland Roman cities. However, it's population growth is down to 0% even though it is still not big enough to become huge city. To try to make the population start rising again, I have made use of another 2000 denarii to create suburbs for the city and do increase it's productivity.

The other problem with Aleria (as it is with many other Roman cities at the moment) is that through adoption and marriage, there are now three family members currently residing in Aleria, and two of them have already gained the title "the Harsh" including the current governor. It is my belief that these generals should be given something to do out of Corsica.

The current garrison of Aleria is:
2 velite units - understrength
3 hastati units - full strength
3 principe units - full strength
1 triarii unit - full strength
1 equite unit - full strength

In addition, I have tried to make my contribution to the war effort against the Carthaginians. Utilising one of the Consul's new fleets and a Roman spy already situated on Sardinia, I infiltrated their capital - Carthage - and obtained some information on their current garrison, buildings, income and population.



I hope this will help the next Consul who will make the first moves against our enemies.

As for myself, I am tidying up the last bits of my Pro-Praetorship in Corsica and Sardinia, and will be on the ship home to Rome tomorrow in time for the next elections. So until then, vale!

[Winter]

ooc: Xavier, your Propraetorship is four terms. Also, if you want to keep your generals from getting the "harsh" trait, try moving them out of the cities every once in a while and lowering taxes, along with building temples etc.

Thank you for the advice Senator Equestris, however, I am not asking how to stop the population falling, but rather am I allowed to. Because if you remember, my current sphere of influence is Corsica and Sardinia, and technically, I shouldn't be minding affairs in mainland Italy.

Well since you found this I think you should have the honor of proposing a motion about this, no? Propose it!

IC:" If you want to 'scold' Carthage, attacking Africa is the wrong move. Any attack on what they see as their homeland will only bring their full might upon us. May I instead suggest that we attack Carthage's Iberian colonies?

While these colonies are out of the way, they provide a great deal of wealth to Carthage through the numerous gold mines. They are also Carthage's conduit to fearsome Iberian and Gallic mercinaries, which must be cut off to hurt their troop supply.

Finally, without Iberia, Carthage will lose a huge trading post in the Med., and the importance of the great city will no doubt dwindle, keeping them in check and providing the "scolding" they may deserve."

[Xavier Dragnesi]

In that case, I, Sextus Julius, on behalf of my mentor Quintus Marius, propose to the Senate for the use of 2000 denarii to build a village near Rome to allow continued growth of the populace in Rome.

My next point, is that to start the 'scolding' of Carthage, I fully agree with Tribune Lepidus about the idea to start with Carthage's colonies instead of Carthage itself. Since a lot of it's wealth is related to sea trade and navies, I also propose that we send someone, or give someone the task of capturing the Balearic capital of Palma on the Balearic Islands. This is one of the crucial places in the middle of the Mediterranean which controls many trade routes. I believe if we captured Palma, we could both gain a better position in the sea, plus smoother sea trading.

[Maxinius Scipio]

May I instead suggest that we attack Carthage's Iberian colonies?

"That is a good idea. Carthage would lose a large part of their yearly imports, and a series of victories against them would show them that Rome is not a Republic to be trifled with. However, what's stopping Carthage from putting all their Libyan mercenaries on a fleet and sending them to Iberia? An attack on Iberia may be unexpected, but surely we would face the full might of Carthage even if we didn't attack their homeland.

Perhaps my brother could lead a blockade of the Carthaginian-held Africa...That way, reinforcements could not be sent to Iberia and Carthage's income would decrease even more."

[Winter]

"After dealing with the Carthaginians, I believe that once they see we have the power to not only destroy their economy but take great tracts of land from them, they will be eager to accept terms of peace. The surprise will terrify these opulent men to their cores.

[Kritias]

The end of Decimus
---------------------

The time had finally come; That was it then, his own end. Brutus knew that after that incident with the fleet, his political enemies -- the same men that opposed him throughout his career -- would now do their best to have him banished or worse, killed. Brutus knew that if he was found guilty, a probable outcome of the Censor's investigation seeing that the Senate could not see the need for a strong fleet, and then banished from Rome or condemned to death(a tactic that was often used to hostile politicians), he would bring about the end of the Junii. His property would be confiscated, his sons would be banned from public life; that, he could not allow.



Brutus held the knife tight. He would die by his own hand rather than let his enemies humiliate him or his family. Death was the only way in which his sons would avoid any side affects of his error; who would be fool enough to speak ill of the dead? His death could rescue the family from the embarrassment and disgrace of prosecution or proscription for a crime against the Republic while making the whole city to love the Consul! It was perfect! He would go meet his ancestors as a Roman -- as a man -- and he would be loved by the people for that! How absurd thought, this prosecution was! A Brutus being an enemy of the Republic; it wouldn't look good with the People...

It was a nice day to die, he thought. "Lupercalia, an auspicious day indeed..." he said aloud, sitting in his bed. He had spent the entire evening reading Greek philosophy, Plato, trying to summon the courage of Socrates and 'drink the poison' -- to die by his own will. He looked outside the window; he saw the sun rising and that time he realised he had seen the best sunset of his life; Decimus loosened his toga -- he had to find the correct place to push the knife to make it both fast and efficient; Brutus would hate to be rescued on the last minute by a passing by slave of his; "no better place nor time to die" he said and in the calmness of the dawn, he left....
--------

The next morning, the lictors came outside the Consul's villa to escort him to the Senate, as usual. Only this time, the door was opened by his wife, a woman broken and filled with tears. Days before the elections, when his Consular Imperium would run out and he would be left unguarded for prosecution, the Consul committed suicide; the lictors were terrified as they heard what has happened by the mouth of his widow and by looking to his young boy, Lucius, filled with rage for those that drove his father to chose death. "Curse them" the boy said with righteous anger in his childish voice, revealing the hatred of the whole family to those that would prosecute Decimus. Further away was Caius Cassius, Decimus's brother in law who spoke for him in the Senate during the Sicilian campaign -- "He gave Rome Sicily, bringing down an enemy whom two consuls before Decimus couldn't and the 'thank you' was to have him prosecuted; some men are less than worms!", Cassius said to the lictors, enraged.

Now the responsibility for the Family fell to the new Pater Familias, the Consul's son in Sicily, Brutus Caepionis. He must lead the family to glory - to redeem their names and to avenge the death of his father. All those that defied his father would pay....

Four hours after the deed, the entirety of Rome was mourning the Conqueror of Sicily. The Plebes were crying with a passion for the leader Rome has lost and were filled with anger by the dark motives of the Consul's decision. His will was read in the Forum during the eighth hour with an attendance never to be seen before; as if the whole of Rome was gathered to witness the final words of Decimus Brutus. His funeral would be held the next marketday, in two days that was. It was the Consul's end...

Decimus Iunius Brutus. Two times Consul for the Republic, Decimus conquered Sicily over a term; later though, after the Consul managed to secure his second consulship, his enemies had the senate of the verge of proposing an investigation that would lead to his trial and conviction. Unwilling to be this his end, the Consul with bravery chose to take his own life by his own hand.

The newest Imago of my Imagines Room... The late Consul now sits with the rest of the Heroes of the Junii!

-------

PS: I know that I took it a bit too far with the suicide but WHAT an exit! Wasn't it just marvellous?

[Winter]

This is an unfortunate and utterly sad event. I move we declare a month of public mourning throughout the city for poor Brutus.

[Xavier Dragnesi]

All hail the now dead consul! "AVE!!!"

[Octavius-Augustus]

How did it come to this? Brutus was a fine politician and a great general. Upon death of the Consul, shouldn't elections be held?

[apple]

Finally, since we are still at war with Carthage, I propose that we use the money in the Syracusan's treasury to help fund our own treasury.

Thats a bad idea as it give the city 30% happiness.

[Maxinius Scipio]

Gaius was shocked to hear the news. But that's all he was, a little shocked. He did not know Decimus very well at all. He was too concerned with running his stalls and growing crops on his fields. He never payed attention to politics or really Rome at all, until his brother offered him a temporary spot on the Senate while he governed Sicily.

"Oh no..." he thought. He knew his brother wouldn't take this very well. "The drunkard might go out into the city with a bottle of wine and never come back..." he quietly whispered.

"It's a shame that such a beloved hero of the Republic had to die by his own hand. All he did was construct a fleet, he didn't harm anyone. He didn't break the law just to increase his wealth or power."

Gaius sat back down and rubbed his forehead. He thought again of what his brother might do once he's back in Rome. Hopefully another couple of years of sitting in Syracuse will calm him down.

As for Proconsul Valerius,

ooc: I think you got my two characters mixed up. When I'm talking in the Curia, I'm Gaius Valerius, brother of Marcus Valerius, the guy who's the Proconsul of Sicily.