Curia Ivlia, Consulate of Scipio/Postumus

[Winter]

Dido Building Carthage

MAGISTRATA IN ANNO 475 A.U.C.

(Magistrates in the year 475 ab urbe condite - 278 B.C.)

CONSULES
LVCIVS SCIPIO ET QUINTIUS VOLERO POSTUMUS

CENSOR
SPURIUS HERRENIUS PICTOR

PONTIFEX MAXIMUS
CLAUDIUS VARIUS GALLUS

PRAETORES
MARCUS MANLIUS

TRIBUNIS PLEBIS
LVCIVS AVRELIVS LEPIDVS ET MARCVS CLODIVS MARCELLVS

QUAESTOR
GAIUS ATIUS BALBUS

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Save advancement schedule for this term:
Monday 2nd, Friday 6th, Monday 9th, Friday 13th


UPDATE YOUR ECONOMIC INFORMATION

[We shall fwee...Wode]

OOC: First post!

The Quaestor walks in and sits down near the centre of the curia. A perfect place to be heard.

[Hesus de bodemloze]

Quintus walks in and looks at the present senators. He noticed the Questor and asks him if he has a report to share.

[Junius]

One of the Tribunes arrives and takes his usual spot on the second rank of seats. He looks around, waiting for the Consul to make the opening address. For now though, he shuffles some legal documents, and waits for the term to begin in earnest.

[We shall fwee...Wode]

Gaivs says to volere

it's a bit soon, I have only just got in. Let the room fill first.

[Hesus de bodemloze]

Good Questor we will wait until the room is filled for 2/3.

Welcome to the senators who have just entered the Curia.

[Pontifex Maximus]

Scipio hobbles into the hall, taking note of the senators filling the seats, congratulating him as they pass. Lucius climbs the six steps and takes a seat where beside him a chair on equal plane would soon be occupied by Volero. Curse this luck. They have chosen an incompetent dotard to serve this term. No matter, I can handle this man.

After a sufficient number of senators had arrived, Scipio rose to address them.

Senators, welcome back to another session. We shall immediately begin discussing the state of the Republic in regards to the Carthaginian menace. We have eradicated them from our sight once again, but it is possible they will be back in number. We must be ready.

Additionally, I beseech the tribunes to allow us to expand the war northward, to secure vital Etruscan cities. If we do nto act quickly, we cannot protect the Etruscan Italics from the Gallic threat. Thousands of them will likely be slaughtered. We cannot stand idly by and let this happen!

You all should know, by now, that I have been left permanently crippled from injuries I sustained some years ago. As a result of this, I will be unable to carry out some of the functions of Consul. As a result, I have decided to appoint Crassus as my second. He will not only act as my aid, but as my hands as well, should he be willing to accept this role.

Rest assured that he will not assume any consular responsibilities or act as Consul, simply as my aid. As he is currently free from magisterial duty, it will not conflict with the senate proceedings at all.

Scipio eyed a surprised Crassus and awaited a response.

[Hesus de bodemloze]

occ : the pontifex maximus should be Claudius Varius Gallus he won with a 7 to 6 from Tullius

[Winter]

ooc: my mistake I'll fix it.

[Lord Kal]

Crassus stood.

"May I echo the honourable Consul's sentiments with regards to the north, and congratulate him on what will surely be a very successful term! I am only filled with regret that he cannot take to the field himself, and will act as his and Rome's hand and sword should I be called upon to do so."

Crassus took his seat and spread his arms wide, relaxing and enjoying the reaction from the Senate, a smile barely visible at the corner of his mouth.

[Junius]

Consul, I as Tribune did not stand opposed to the motion for northward expansion last year. In fact, I have come to support it. I see it as a vital step as the Republic moves forward. You rightly talk of Carthage as a grave threat. We need the rich cities of the North, not only for what they can produce, but to secure them for our own use, and not that of our enemies, be they Gallic or Punic. That is why I will stand for this motion, and speak in proposition of it. We need to reorganise our legions, to prepare them for this campaign, if my fellow Tribune does not veto it again this year. I understand his concerns about such a war, and will do my best to placate them. But I urge him to think of the future, to think of the struggle which we will soon be involved in with Carthage. The small force they sent was merely a taste of the hordes they have at their disposal. The only way our little city on the Tiber can stand against them is if we have a united Italy at our back. That is why we need this campaign, that is why I shall vote yes for any such motion.

The Tribune sits down, and whispers to one of the many anonymous Senators who fill the seats of the Curia. He has gained some influence in the years that he has been in the Senate, and hopes that that can help him pass the motions that he wants passed.

[Junius]

Marcellus stands again, embarassed about forgetting one point.

I want to make it clear, though, that I shall support a war in which we have our Consul at the head of the army. It is not in their place, however, to appoint a suffect to act in their place. If Scipio cannot take to the field when needed, we should appoint the Praetor in command, as the generations of our countless forefathers would have done. If, again, we need a third commander in the field, I will be happy to see such an able and successful general as Crassus lead it, but there are magistrates before him who have precedent, because of their elected office, which allow them to lead an army.

Marcellus sits, and continues his conversation with his Senator friend.

[Pontifex Maximus]

Actually, Marcellus, I am well withing my rights to appoint a military tribune to command a legion should I so wish, to act in my stead.

[Junius]

Actually Consul, I don't think you are.

The CONSULS shall preside over the senate. They shall have the sole power to put up motions for vote, and shall decide what topic is up for debate.

The Consuls shall lead armies at the discretion of the Senate, and may veto each others' decisions.

The Consuls may overrule the decisions of the proconsuls, and may not be tried for a crime while sitting in office. They shall serve a term of one year.

There is no article in the constitution which allows what you say. A military leader must be given an imperium, and you cannot gain one and 'pass' it on to someone else. The imperium is only in effect for the magistrate it was appointed to.

[Winter]

Lepidus gets to his feet. Years in the Senate have left him tired and grizzled, the last years of debate contributing greatly. He stepped forward to speak, with a heavy feeling in his heart.

Senators, if you will permit me....

I am not a weak willed person. I do not bend easily. Some have considered this stubborness, I consider it a virtue, and at times, a weakness. However, one thing I have refused to bend upon has been a preemptive strike on the Etruscans.

I originally vetoed this war because I felt it to be morally wrong. We were under no threat, no enemy from across the seas or here in Italy was attacking us. We had simply the word of our leaders that these men had violated our borders and therefore must be destroyed. This, it turns out, was false. It seemed that I would be vindicated in the falsehood purpotrated upon the Senate.

This was not to be so. A new cause has emerged as the driving reason to annex this region, though I am very sure it is the original reason come out into the sun. Pure ambition, it seems, for more land for Rome has become the call to arms. Honorable Senators advocate war to the very alps, with the barbarian tribes of Gaul, in the name of prosperity.

Conscript Fathers, I am not an old man, but I feel myself holding true to the oldest tenets of the Republic in the face of opposition. The fact is, it is wrong, and against the mos maiorum and every tradition we hold dear that we should go to war for territorial ambition. Rome is not a machine for conquest, and it is not our business to wage war upon all peoples; we leave this to the uneducated and barbarian. We are Romans, and above this.

Rome finds herself in chaos, Conscript Fathers. We have seen invasion and blockade, with more to come. Gallic tribes make annexations in the Po basin. And yet we hold firm. I ask you, must we abandon our founding ideals in the face of terror and war? I think not, Senators.

My veto forbids the waging of war in the North without reason. I consider the northerners well equipped to defend themselves, and an attack on them would divert our attention at a time when we must be fully focused on the defeat of the Punics. I see no reason. However, I have felt an internal tempest of emotion; I have been so ostracized by my decision that I have begun to doubt myself.

Senators, I no longer wish to suffer this. If the house is set upon a course of immorality and injustice, I will not stand in the way. However, if the Senate wishes to affirm our honor and morality, I will support it. War is at stake, Conscript Fathers. I advise you to choose wisely.

Lepidus pauses for a moment, then speaks, an audible waver in his voice.

I...I withdraw my veto.

Lepidus sits, the Senate silent in his wake. He places his head in his hands and does not stir.

[Lord Kal]

Crassus looked around the Senate nervously at this news, waiting for someone to speak. Would this tilt the balance of favour?

[Hesus de bodemloze]

Quintus looks at Consul Scipio and senator Crassus with suspicion.

Consul Scipio as you stated you will be limited in duties because of your injuries and there fore probably perform most of the in Rome it self, i am sure you will fulfil an excellent job because of your experience in matter of law and philosophy. However i would like to ask you what powers would you give Crassus who is at this time a Citizen without an office? We can not expect him to have the same powers as an Consul or Praetor, would he be under the command of a Consul or act as an dependent commander who does what he thinks is the best thing to do? An un - supervise tool that could do what ever he wants to do. Or will heb be controled by both Consul or under military supervision of the consul in command of the campaigns?

And as i recall we could summon a Praetor to do military duties as thy are being called on for such things. I say we should use a Praetor if we decide to filed a second legion if the Consul isn' t in shape to command one.

Our laws say this :

The Praetors shall also have the responsibility to command armies at the behest of the Senate, though this role should be limited to when the force in question is not deemed by the Senate to be worthy of Consular action.

Quintus looks at Scipio and awaits his answer.

[Lord Kal]

There is a Praetorian seat sat vacant, Consul. Perhaps you would prefer it if I were to occupy it and take the position from there? After an election, of course.

[Hesus de bodemloze]

I would not mind if you would take the position, but this is up to the other senators as well. As it is unusual to just hand out offices to senators who lost an election.

[Pontifex Maximus]

(let's try something different, RP in the first person! :O)

Lepidus has finally seen reason and caved to the majority, most excellent. Soon the northern provinces will be ours.

Excellent, Tribune, We should begin making plans immediately to crush the opposition in the north.

As Volero finished his last sentence, I was fighting the urge to knock him into his seat with my cane. He thinks a term as praetor makes him a law aficionado? We'll see about this.

Where does it say, gentlemen, that I may not appoint a suffectus? Praetors are to be sent to battle only when an enemy force is deemed unworthy of a consular command, which you gentlemen have already stated you deem the forces to be worthy only of a consular army, therefor the praetor cannot be sent. Either a consul or a consul mandated Military tribune may lead the army. In this case, I nominate Caius Crassus and move that he be given command of a legion and sent north immediately to do battle against the Etruscans. In addition, one legion shall remain garrisoned in Capua to aid in any defense of Italy should Carthage send over another boat load full of mercenary bastards under the command of our most esteemed Volero.

Crassus' military record speaks for himself. He is the most experienced tactician and general Rome has, next to Ahenobarbus, who has elected to take a term away from magisterial duty.

I shall, of course, accompany the tribune Cassius as far as I may, but I will not be in any condition to actually run a battle. We must move swiftly. Together we can make Rome stronger. These plans can be implemented immediately should the senate see the sense of them. After Italy is under one banner and Carthage has been subdued we will be able to tell our foes that they were crushed while a cripple was in the Consul's chair! Ha!

Turning to Crassus.

Sir, would you accept this appointment if it were to come? Rome calls upon you once again.

But you bring up a good point, Crassus. A praetorian seat yet remains empty! It would be a wise decision for the senate to appoint a praetor to fill it! There are those among us without magisterial responsobility that are willing to serve the republic as praetor, make yourselves known!

Scipio looked pleased, delighted even. Rome will become something under my direction. Volero can prove his worth in the defense of our Italian cities while we move to annex the north, from there who knows? Sicily has some fine economic prospects...