Curia Hostilia - Consulate of Crassus/Pictor

[chaplain118]

Senator Ahenobarbus, there is a reason why I proposed this bill in its current form. If we build only one thing at a time, planning one thing per year, there is a high likelihood that we would forget to build something. I remember that several quaestors have been pushing for mines to be built in Croton for years and it is only now being addressed.

Leave the budget the way it is, and we will ensure buildings are built. Let it continue in the same vein as before, and we will relapse into the same state as we are now.

[Xavier Dragnesi]

"And, as I have said, that problem can be avoided, since we have excellent records of our Curial decisions, and your proposed bill shall not be lost in the pages of history. We may refer to it in the future one or two years. And with you here a remaining presence in the Curia, I am sure the next year's Quaestor would be hard pressed to forget to continue your mission."

[Lord Kal]

Crassus replied to the messenger,

"Does he have enough troops available to defeat the Agrigentine Army?"

[Hesus de bodemloze]

Senators i since the budget has been recorded i will leave for my province, however i do have one question.

What should we do with the pirates near Corsica and Sardinia? I would like to ask the senate to consider on destroying them as thy will raid our merchant ships and block the trade from the peninsula with the islands.

[Pontifex Maximus]

Lucius looks surprised.

How can he need more than 5,000 denarii? That is enough for this term I think. He can be given more later, but it wouldn't be wise to empty the coffers with war looming over us like smoke.

[We shall fwee...Wode]

My master would like to remind the senate that with a foreign force of noteworthy size in and around the province that 5,000 would barely cover the costs of any defence, let alone the investment and development that the island requires.

[Lord Kal]

The development of Sicily will pay off in the future. Now that we have peace with Carthage, the greeks are out of the picture, and the Agrigentines will soon be defeated, it is the ideal time to invest and develop there. In addition, the Proconsul may wish to levy some additional troops to bring about the defeat of Agrigentum. After that though, we can downscale the military force there, and that will pay back some of the money quite quickly. I suggest we give the Proconsul what he asks for.

[stormer]

I think we should fix the amount used by the pro-consul should be 8000 denarii, after all, the consul is more important than the praetor as there are no enemies on the islands.

[Gaius Julius Civilis]

Who are we to say that the proconsul can make do with 5000? The proconsul is right there in the Province, and we have no precedent to say he might deceive the Senate by taking money for himself. I trust the proconsul in this matter and will support his request.

[chaplain118]

If I may clarify my budget regarding our provinces.

15,000 will be initially set out this season for both provinces, with 5000 going to the propraetor and 10,000 to the proconsul.

In the next season, if our treasury permits, an additional 5000 apiece will be given to the provinces.

[romulus753]

We can't just blindly throw money at the provinces when we should be conservative with our money. We don't have infinite funds and we shouldn't be spending like we do.

Also, I speak on behalf of the Pompeiians who are within a few day's ride from Capua that we need to exploit the lands as much as we can. The lands are so rich that it would be ridiculous not to! And there are those who have served in the Pyrrhic War who are deprived of their lands, taken by aristocrats while they were defending Rome. I call for those lands to be returned by expanding the farming capcity around Capua, and consequently, Pompeii.

[Pontifex Maximus]

I am firmly opposed to sending 10.000 denarii to one governor alone. That is an outstanding sum.

[chaplain118]

If we wish to develop trade around Sicily, it would require us over 9000 denarii to build the port. As much as I'd rather not pour such money down Sicily, it must be done. We can add a stipulation that the 10,000 must be used to develop trade, but I stand by my decision.

[romulus753]

We can develop trade here can't we? The Proconsul has two years to fulfill his duties, if he is given 5000 a year, then two years ought to be plenty to secure the money he needs for harbors.

[Lord Kal]

Senators, I used even more money in my term as Proconsul, and nobody raised any objection to it.

[romulus753]

You... you what? How dare you take the money earned by hard working Romans without permission and use them in a far off province! This is madness! I ask the Senate strip Consul Crassus of his title and put him to trial for gross mishandling of his monetary needs, not reporting of a proposed budget, and a general break of the Constitution of our Res Publica!

[Lord Kal]

Crassus stood up and spoke loudly and sternly.

I WAS WAGING WAR, SENATOR. The regulations AT THE TIME said only that I needed to present my spendings to the Senate, WHICH I DID, to the result of no objection by any member of this house. I advise you to watch your mouth.

[romulus753]

War or no war, the law is the law. You can't bend it to your fancy.

[Lord Kal]

I wholeheartedly agree, Senator, which is precisely why I obeyed it!

[Xavier Dragnesi]

It must be considered, however, that last term, we neglected to set treasury allowance for the Proconsul, and that is fault on the Senate's part. War was urgent as so monetary spending was not put into such a high focus. I am sure that Crassus can be trusted to have put the money for good use, and he did faithfully report each of his spendings. He was given the imperium to wage war in Sicily, and therefore his use of the money is justified.