Consulate of Septimus and Balbinus - 538 A.U.C

[Roxas]

Senatorial Magistrates

Consuls
N. Aquillius Balbinus
C. Julius Septimius

Praetor
L. Valerius Poplicola

[Crozimodo]

Previously on YATS...

Gerges stood, only recently returned from Hispania, Whilst we may well mourn the loss of a Roman, many of us here will not mourn the loss of a great Consul. Three days of votive games for a man who robbed a city of it's law and order, leaving a limited capability for control of the people in his wake. And what for? That he might have had a larger force in an attempt to gain greater glory.

Suicide would seem to be a likely solution, he knew there would be those amongst the Senate who would call him to account for his actions, let it be said that he chose an honourable way to end himself. This talk of murder is foolish, we are men of the law here.

With that Gerges returned to his seat.

[Ozy]

Herrenius enters the Curia, walking slowly to his seat, sporting his snow white toga, no doubt the work of the most expensive tailors. Now, after two years of virtually stalling the romanization of the East, he returns with more than a few extra coins in his pocket, leaving a drained region behind. Hopefully his career will take him to many other provinces in the years to come.

[AspisPhalanx90]

Senatores! While the death of the former Consul is indeed troublesome, it will in time be solved. However, we are in a war! we must continue to stay on top of things on our borders, as well as in Rome itself. Senatores, i would like to propose an expedition into northern Italia as soon as the Rebels are silent. We must secure our northern border, lest the Gauls, Boii, or even the Greeks begin moving into Cisalpine Gaul. We do not need the barbarian rabble encroaching so close to our borders.

The Consul slammed his fist onto his chair...clearly the man had a dire hatred of the Gauls...or perhaps an unfortunate memory of an experiance..he let out a sigh before continuing...

Men of Rome...we are not out of the woods just yet. While thoughts of glorious military conquest are satisfying, i believe we must enhance the infrastructure of Rome and our allies. This in turn will give us much more revenue to fund our war efforts. This matter is of course open to discussion, as has been the tradition of this great republic! as many of you know, even in times of trouble, i am a firm believer that the very fabric of the Republic and its Laws must be upheld.

the Consul sat down, looking weary yet invigorated somehow at the same time...he awaited the responses of the Senate..

[Nota']

Firstly, congratulations on your recent election consul.
However I have qualms with what you just said; how can you suggest we do both these things? What hidden revenue have we developed? I suggest we capture the northern italian settlements soon, which should be easy for our nation after facing the great Carthaginian empire. We should then enslave and tax the remaining inhabitants to insure a strong income from which we can improve our infrastructure.
We need priorities! Comprimise is not an option at the moment, better to succeed in one objective than to fail at both.

[AspisPhalanx90]

Senator your statements are true. However, you misunderstand me. I am not suggesting we do BOTH, i simply ask that we must make a decision, and soon. Northern Italy must be taken, and I ask the Senate to support this course of action. However Senator, we do have TWO Consuls, and as such we can divert attention to two areas. Senator, i am kidding with you. What say you Senatores? I for one plead with you all to support an attack into Northern Italy with all haste!

[Nota']

"Enslavement and taxation of northern Italy will provide much income for the republic. Before I support the consuls decision I must inquire into the situation in Spain. Have we consoladated our holdings there enough to allow us to divert our attention to our doorstep. I also enquire after the veterans of the rebellion and the spanish campaign. With their job done I suggest we disband them wherever possible and raise a new army of men who have not served Rome militarily. We cannot ask too much of the men we have already asked so much off."

[chaplain118]

I object to the disbanding of the Spanish garrisons on two grounds:

The first one has already been demonstrated by the revolt of Emporiae, and by Consul Imperious' gross miscalculation of the state of Romanization of the region. Currently, neither Emporiae nor Sangunton are even capable of levying troops even amongst its own populace for us to slowly relinquish our tight military rule over the region. In fact, their position as frontier regions surrounded by enemies warrants even more troops, not less.

[Rex Basiliscus]

Basiliscus, the ex-consul, rose from his seat.

I would like to congratulate the elected consuls. I hope you bring success in your mandate, as senator Scaurus and myself have done in the previous one.
I would like to remind you of the three priorities I think you will have at least at the start of your term.
1) the end to the rebellion
2) conquest of Liguria
3) defense of Hispania and Epirus

I have done almost all there is to do to destroy the Rebels, but unfortunatelly my term was over. The city of Crotona is still standing as an insult to the republic. However, the rebel army has been completely destroyed, so there will be not much work for the general to take on the task of eliminating and finishing this rebellion.

The Carthaginians are still present on the Italian soil, so we must strike at their base in Liguria. We must take the city of Genoa and end the invasion once and for all. I believe this will demand a large force and a capable commander.

But you must not forget about our holdings in Hispania and Epirus. Emporiae and Dyrrhachium, respectively. The enemies are at our borders. The Carthaginians and the Macedonians. Sagunton is at the very edge of our empire and needs quick reinforcements.

This will be a tough year for the two consuls, but we must not despair. We are sons of Mars and war is in our blood. If these barbarians want it, we shall show them Roman legions.
The time after the rebellion is ended is right to start improving our economy. Italy shall recover and Rome shall prosper. Trade negotiations should be started with as many nations as possible and some alliances wouldn't hurt either. I think the Ptolemaic Egypt, Pergamon and Pontus would make a good ally in these times, where our men in Greece are so hard pressed.

He looked over to the other senators as he said the last words. They wouldn't have to worry about Crotona had they allowed him to take it.

[Nota']

Then as far as I see it the course of action is simple.
1. Consolodate our holdings in spain, and send a legion to defend it. Then if possible send the spanish legion home.
2. Finish off the rebels with the legion in Italy, and then send them home to their families with the prizes of war.
3. Conquer the weakly defended northern Italy, excluding the settlement owned by the Boii confederation. There is no need to start another war for that worthless piece of turf.
4. Improve the infrastructure in all the republics provinces.
5. Expand our holdings in spain.
I put this foward to the senate to approve or rip apart. Let us hope we can come to a plan of action quickly so we can make the republic a larger and better place. As for our greek province, what value is it to us, a toe hold in a foreign land that just needs defending. And for what? If in the future we choose to add greece to the republic, we can land armies there and return to our current position, without having wasted resources holding a piece of land that is nothing in the scale of things. It is a bottomless pit that i propose we stop throwing money into.

[dragoon47]

I'm sure if Northern Italy was a "worthless piece of turf" as you suggest Geminius then we wouldn't have spent 20,000 Roman lives to defend it at Trebia.

Lucius stepped into the Curia, having just arrived. He spent a minute reading what the scribe had etched down of the current arguments and continued.

The Po Valley was an important buffer zone in the war against Hannibal and against the Gallic tribes. I would not abandon our Northern frontier so easily. Neither would I disband the legion currently in Spain. If you are to disband anything, disband the legions that were nearly destroyed so you can keep your wealth and power Geminius, not some half-proven legion that took a town from some schoolboy levies the Punics called soldiers.

[AspisPhalanx90]

Senators, Northern Italy i believe is of utmost importance. If we can secure Cisalpine Gaul, the Alps will provide a substantial defense against the Tribes in Transalpine Gaul. I also agree, the Legions in Hispania cannot be disbanded. Reinforced, yes. But we cannot abandon what we have achieved in Hispania. Why disband the men who have fought hard for those lands? We should reward them with land in the newly conquered provinces, and let them develop the lands, bringing Roman culture to the region.

Greece, while eventually needs to be taken under Roman rule, can wait. The greeks are always squabbling amongst each other, let them continue this.

As Governor Basilicus has been waging the war against the Rebels, and nearly eliminating them. I propose we allow the Governor to take a number of Socii cohorts levied from his provinces, and finish what he has started. However, Basilicus, you must immediately withdraw yourself from Crotana back to Sicily. While it may seem drastic Senators, this will allow myself to take a legion north and eliminate the Carthaginian threat.

Senatores, you have the floor...speak! we must hear your opinions!

[Nota']

OOC: Thats just being mean for the sake of being mean. Also how are we refering to the settlements just south of the alps, the ones controlled by celtic rebels? Because I assume you're talking about Genoa and south when you talk about north Italy whereas I mean something that you might not even call Italy.

IC: *Spurius Geminius Scaeva rose, angered by Lucius's unwarranted harshness, but he quickly quelled it, wishing not to be seen to be ruled by his emotions. He locks eyes with Lucius.*

"I am sure we misunderstand each other Senator. I refer to the very northen most settlements, not the wrestling grounds of Hannibal and our armies. That 'worthless piece of turf' I refer to is the land that is part of the Boii confederation, land that if we took would involve us in war with multiple tribes that Rome does not need at her doorstep! I thought you should also know that the legion in Italy is the first I suggested to be disbanded. Now with that misunderstanding cleared up I suggest we continue with the debate.
So senator, you believe the spanish legion does not deserve to go home. Well if that is truly the case then why not suggest we amalgamate it with the reinforcing legion, in the way the consul suggested. See, these suggestions are useful. I am sure it will be much more constructive for the republic if we built on, altered and improved on ideas rather than just tearing them down."

*Spurius then turns to the consul, intending to address what he said*

"Thank you consul for bringing constructive ideas to the senate. I agree with most of what you say. However do not see the disbanding of the legion as a punishment. There are men, no doubt, who will wish to continue fighting, however many will feel that they have done their duty for Rome, and will wish to go back to their families."

[War lord]

Aulus was getting quite annoyed at these new bloods with their lack of respect for procedure.

I feel I have the most practical long term plan,

1.The senior Consul will depart for Hispania,to remove the Carthaginians from the region and claim its mines for ourselves.

2.The Governor of Hispania should be advised to work towards setting up military recruitment of some sort for defense.

3.The junior Consul will remain in Italy,finishing the rebellion off then moving up north to remove the Carthaginians from their base at Genoa.He is then to asses the situation in Cisalpine Gaul in regards to a possible invasion.

4.If it is decided that under current conditions we couldn't hold Cisalpine Gaul then we should prepare for a possible war with the Greek city state alliance.

[Bull3pr00f de Bodemloze]

Crispinus, preparing for his departure to Greece, rose from his seat
First, my congratulations to the newly elected Consuls.

I agree with senator Caldus on everything except his fourth point. Striking the Greek Cities before they strike us might get us at war with not only Syracuse, but with all of Greece. Now, if the Senate will excuse me, I'm leaving for the Probvince. Ceterum autem censeo, Carthaginem esse delendam.

Crispinus walked out of the Curia Hostilia while saying that last sentence.

[drecie14]

A man approached the Senate floor.
"I come bearing a letter from my master Titus Antonius, Governor of Emporiae"
The letter was short and it read:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

I write this letter for I have no time to attend the Senate meeting. By the time you receive this, I'am already in Emporiae. Emporiae is left in such a terrible state, but rest assured, I will set about improving it's infrastructure. I also plan to raise a garrison to protect this settlement from further Carthaginian and Barbarian Incursion.

-Titus Antonius
Governor of Emporiae

[Crozimodo]

Consul, surely you must reconsider your plan to bring the Sicilian Governor back to Italia to crush the rebels? We have seen in the past, the ex-Consul Imperious took forces from a province in order to fight a threat that the forces were not needed for. We lost Emporiae, the Consul took his own life and is now nothing more than a footnote in our great history, a failure at that. Will you suggest that we allow Sicilia the chance to rebel or be the victim of a surprise Carthaginian response?

The junior Consul surely has the ample abilities with which to combat the Southern rebels whilst you continue Scaurus' work in Hispania. Once the rebels are dealt with the junior Consul can turn his attention North whilst you wipe the influence of the Carthaginian scum off Hispania.

[Rex Basiliscus]

There is no need of taking troops from Sicily. We still have the legion just outside Crotona, which I used in my campaign the previous year.
I shall be departing tomorrow and if you order I would most gladly finish this on the way to Sicily.

[M D]

Lucius Caelius Gracchus stands, he spoke on a different matter,

"Esteemed Consuls, Senators, The Wild Beasts of Italy have their caves to retire to, but the brave men who spill their blood in her cause have nothing left but air and light. Without houses, without settled habitations, they wander from place to place with their wives and children; and their generals do but mock them when, at the head of their armies, they exhort their men to fight for their sepulchers and the gods of their hearths, for among such numbers perhaps there is not one Roman who has an altar that has belonged to his ancestors or a sepulcher in which their ashes rest. The private soldiers fight and die to advance the wealth and luxury of the great, and they are called masters of the world without having a sod to call their own. I push for the land of the Patricians and Nobles to be shared out amongst out veterans for land to be redistributed, these men are not our playthings, they are true Roman heroes."

[AspisPhalanx90]

If the southern legion outside Crotona is already in position, i do not see the need to have a Consul take the settlment and crush the rebellion. While I am sure every Roman here would like to have the honors, it is Basiliscus who has destroyed the Rebel armies in open combat. Many will disagree with my proposal..but i say we allow the former Consul before he leaves for his governorship in Sicilia to finish what he has started. The legion shall then be disbanded and sent home. In this way, the Junior Consul can prepare for an invasion into northern Italy, and can devote all of his resources to this undertaking.

I do not propose this in doubt of my esteemed colleagues abilities, rather i am suggesting it as a more efficient alternative. The longer we wait to move into the northern regions, the more time they shall have to build and expand themselves. We should invade as soon as able, and crush them, giving new lands to our heros of this last Rebellion and Punic war.

The consul turned to senator gracchus, intending to adress his statement


Senator Gracchus, you make a bold statement. While our soldiers should be rewarded, yes, i see no reason to divide Patrician land. If we are to give them land for their services, they should be given lands in newly conquered provinces. A roman presence will aid in the assimilation of the area, as well as adding to the treasury through higher populations...as given the attitudes of many, there will not be much of a population after the Legions parade through!