Curia Hostilia, Consulate of Scipio/Saturninus

[Winter]

All that remains of the port of Carthage

MAGISTRATA IN ANNO 486 A.U.C.
(Magistrates in the year 486 ab urbe condite - 267 B.C.)

CONSULES

CAIVS SCIPIO ET MARCUS APPVLEIVS SATURNINUS

CENSOR
MARCVS ATIVS BALBVS

PONTIFEX MAXIMUS
CAIVS FLAVIVS CRASSVS

PRAETORES
MARCVS CLAVDIVS CLARVS ET TVRNVS SAEVUS

TRIBUNIS PLEBIS
TITVS AVRELIVS COTTA ET DECIMVS IVNIVS AQVILIA

QUAESTOR
DECIMVS AVRELIVS COTTA

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Save advancement schedule for this term:
Monday 1st, Friday 5th, Monday 8th, Friday 12th

[Sir James the Good]

A new year with new challenges. Let's get moving.

[Pontifex Maximus]

I believe this is a good point to start on- Senators,all of these motions have passed and will be implemented shortly (as soon as I get the save)

Senator Celsus, we wish you luck on your journey, and for Jupiter's sake stay safe.

I. Senator Celcus shall be sent to Greece by land through Illyria at the head of a diplomatic envoy with intent to establish peace and trade with Makedonia, Epiros, and the Koinon Hellenon. If senator Celsus is unable or unwilling to travel to Greece, then another senator may put forward his name.

II. The soldiers of Legio I shall be honorably and evenly discharged throughout Etruria, Arretium, Latium, and Campania.

III. The Praetor Caius Maxim Scipio shall be awarded an ovation by the Senate.

IV. The Consul Balbus shall be granted the cumulative annual sum of 1,000 mnaii to spend on the recruiting of troops for the war in Sicily.

We need to discuss the war in Sicily. Given the fact that Balbus' Imperium and consulship has expired, he should be allowed to storm Messana but then should be recalled. Given the amount of casualties we sustain at that point, we shall determine if the legion needs to be retrained or receive additional support. I anticipate that we will sustain a moderate amount of casualties and should plan to send several units to strenghten the legion.

I also request of the Quaestor a drawn up plan to use an allocated 5,000 denarii to be invested in infrastructure. It is time that we start investing more directly in favor for the plebs.

As an aside I humbly thank everyone here for granting me an ovation. I am sure any of you would have done the same in my position, but I thank every one of you nonetheless.

[Xavier Dragnesi]

Was Balbus meant to be recalled at the end of his Consular term? I remember some discussion about Balbus being given proconsular imperium until he finished the war in Sicily. Perhaps this should be confirmed, or rebutted?

[Lord Kal]

Let me bless each Senator in the house for his continued contribution to our efforts, and wish them the strength of Mars in their endeavours.

I believe it would be prudent to allow Senator Balbus to maintain control of the legion in Sicily until he has achieved his objective. Whether by extending his consular powers or however it is done, I would strongly advise against changing commanders at this vital point.

[Pontifex Maximus]

We are not at a vital point. It seems to me that if there was to be any changing in commanders it should be done after Messana is taken. It was Balbus' disregard for his original mission that made this take so long. If he had followed the senate's orders, he would be taking Lilibeo now and his mission would be accomplished. He has been in control of the same legion since I embarked to destroy the rebels in the north, this is too long for one man to have overwhelming power not only over a legion, but the entire south.

Additionally, Balbus is registered as the Censor, not a proconsul. We acknowledge his efforts in the seige of Messana, and he has my full blessing to capture it, but the fact remains that he is no longer Consul and shouldn't act as such. We need to call into question the legality of this.

[Elendil of Númenor]

Celsus stood up, took a deep breath.

Thank you, Senators, for your kind wishes. I wish the best luck here in Rome and in the South too.
I will send you a message from time to time. I wish to be back before the Ides of October (OOC: about Thursday, next week, 11th of December).
I am honoured to be given such a task. I shall not fail you.

Celsus looked around. He then slowly and nobly marched out of the Curia.

[Lord Kal]

What, at exactly the halfway point? Once a settlement has been captured, you wish to replace commanders with someone who is ignorant of the strengths of the particular troops, ignorant of the state of affairs of the army and the newly-captured settlement, and must rally anew his troops and inspire a weary army to press on and capture another city? We have debated Balbus' actions previously and you know my position on them, but it is of little use arguing what might have been, we must look at the present, and I cannot think of a worse time to change commanders than after Messana has fallen.

[Ozy]

After Messana falls there will most probably be a small period of time before the troops are ready to go on and take Lilibeo, and that time should be more than enough for any able commander to learn the "strengths of the particular troops, of the state of affairs of the army and the newly-captured settlement." Changing commanders after Messana is captured IS the best idea!

[Lord Kal]

Rubbish, Herrenius! Any commander worth his salt would know that in such a war the best way would be to quickly resupply and receive reinforcements, then march on to Lilibeo, mustering the momentum from the capture of Messana. We did not authorise, nor can we afford, a protracted war in Sicily against Carthage and her rebel allies. It is one we will lose.

[Ozy]

Still, bringing more reinforcements would take, at least, 1 or 2 seasons, which should be enough for the new commander to get to know the situation, the troops and get a strategy working.

[Elendil of Númenor]

OoC: Now I remember, I hope there's a diplomat ready in Rome that I will 'command'...

[Pontifex Maximus]

Crassus, you speak as if I have no comand experience to speak of. As of right now I have more than Balbus. Is it that you don't have any faith in me, or that you approve of power monopolies?

[Lord Kal]

A siege is a very different affair from a field battle, Senator. But I do not wish to belittle your achievements - I simply believe that it can only be detrimental to our army to change commanders at this point, and the reasons for doing so are none other than petty political jealousy

[Winter]

There is one small issue, senators,

Tribune Cotta stands to speak,

Giving Balbus his "Pro Consular Imperium" while he holds the office of Censor is most unjust. No Senator is allowed to hold office our power outside of their own. By all rights and law Balbus must return immediately to Rome and forfeit his Imperium over the south anyway. I propose we send the Consul Scipio in his wake.

OOC: You wont find it in the Constitution guys, but rest assured Wode isn't allowed to hold two offices at the same time. It's been that way since we started years ago. It's the same rule that prevents people from having two characters and having them both hold office.

[Pontifex Maximus]

I believe it is detrimental to Rome not to do so. Do not accuse me of political jealousies, I am not that ambitious. Were I in his place I would have offered to step down as I did after both battles in the north.

[Selifator]

Greetings senators. Senator Balbus has not run for Consul, thus he shalt not be granted the rights of one. Since he is with the army right now, allow him to take the city and then be recalled. We must asses the situation, and see who of our consuls shall go to Sicily.

[Winter]

Nay, senator, he must return to Rome this instant and discharge the duties of the office he was elected to. We must not be without a Censor.

[Pontifex Maximus]

I share Titus' concerns, but I am willing to compromise and let Balbus capture Messana.

(ooc: Didn't he say yesterday somewhere that he would post his report today?)

[Caesar Rex]

Gnaeus looks around at the senators gathered. Shouting from their seats across the curia. Sometimes he wishes that he were twenty years younger. Just to walk over and slap those inconsiderate fools who mumble this and that.

His appearance has changed little over the past 6 months since he returned to Rome. His stature changed little and unknown to even him when last he had a decent bath. The only reason he was tollerated was due to his vast estates outside of Rome which he cared little about. They managed to secure his seat no matter what limit they raised the bar to. One with so much land yet lived in a small run-down apartment with only one slave. No wonder his mind was wondering...

Senators, just send the consul, whomever, and stop this kak. We must bring our boys home, the countryside is without her sons, her fathers and her husbands. Stop this foolishness and war mongering. You are fools to think we will go unpunished for our greed.