Consulate of Aventinus and Poplicola - 543AVC

[chaplain118]

CURIA HOSTILIA, ROMA, ITALIA.
DXLIII AB VRBE CONDITA





Ave, leading men of Rome! The Curia is open for it's first official session of the Year!

Consuls
Term: 543AUC - 544AUC.
Pallas Rutulus Aventinus(Chaplain118)
Lucius Valerius Poplicola(Dragoon47)
Praetor
Term: 542AUC - 543AUC.
Aulus Licinius Caldius (War Lord)
Tribune
Term: 543AUC - 544AUC.
Faustus Imperious (CK23)
Provincial Governors
Term: 542AUC - 544AUC.
Gnaeus Asinius Longus(Misterchief)- Sardinia et Corsica.
Flavius Julius Corvenus(Maiar93)- Hispania.
- Macedonia.
Sextus Silius Octobrianus(RomeModder)- Sicilia.



I declare this session of our sacred Senate... OPEN!

[Maiar93]

Titus walks in, smiling at the start of new consulate. He greets the senators inside and takes his seat. His recent loss against Caldius still burned his mind.

[CK23]

Faustus Imperious, newly elected Tribune of the Plebeians walked into the Curia and took a seat next to a fellow Plebeian Senator whom he entered a brief discussion with regarding the election. Faustus awaited the arrival of the new Consuls and the rest of the Senate.

[chaplain118]

A new year, Conscript Fathers, and a fresh opportunity to take up what we have already thus achieved. The continuation of the war in Macedon awaits, as does the pacification of Spain. Finally, there is the issue of Carthage, shall we send forth envoy to demand terms or are we to become embroiled in three wars?

[CK23]

"Consul Aventinus, it is my belief that three wars would be unbearable as of right now. Sending them terms for peace or a ceasefire would be most advantageous to us right now...despite my...hate for those barbaric hordes." Faustus disliked having to play a pacifist, but three wars was something that would be disastrous right now.

[dragoon47]

Lucius sat next to the other senators, still unsure of the election results during the recount, he did not approach the consular chair.

Three wars are nothing. Macedon is broken, Carthage has lost its Suffet and his heirs including Hannibal and his son. Spain can be pacified by a minor force as we have no reason as of yet to believe the locals to the North hostile, we need only hold Gadir with a Valerian garrison and the Southern Coast will be rich and pacified. What worries me more is the amount of mercenaries we have in the East, and how much of the economy they bleed from our treasuries.

[CK23]

"Poplicola, I do not believe it smart to stand here and state, with Romans lives at stake, that three wars are nothing. Roman lives are more important than anything." Faustus eyed the Senator, who had won the election from what he believed. Again, the pacifist mentality bothered him, but Faustus knew he had a point.

[dragoon47]

None of you senators have the right to say that any life is worth anything after letting Pallas get away with that dastardly display in Macedonia last term. In fact, since the term was over when I put the motion forward, I technically did not, therefore I will re-iterate it.

I. Pallas Rutulus Aventinus will be pardoned of all actions regarding the lack of a free hand in Macedonia and will be given a free hand to continue and finish the war.

Does the tribune object to this proposal? This proposal will, in effect, solve one war quickly so we may once again turn our eyes to the West.

[Nota']

*Spurius stood up to address the entire senate*
Senators, I stand here to expose either great corruption or great incompetance on the part of the consul presiding over the recent elections! We had a run off elections for Praetor, when ex Tribune Aulus had infact won the position, so why the failed run off? I say that our consul did not like the winning candidate, so attempted to get a 'better' one elected! He sees fit to have illegal elections, yet fails to notice that the consul position has drawn(OOC: CK23 voted for Pallas, as we are voting once per person). Poplicola and I drew for the position of Junior consul, each with 60 of the non-abstaining votes each (OOC: x20 real number for realism), yet I have yet to hear an announcement for a run off, and we are standing here in the first session of the new term! I say, we must have a run off election now, or the real Praetor Aulus should arrest the consuls for electoral fraud!

[CK23]

"I will not veto that proposal Poplicola...as a matter of fact, I second that motion." Faustus smiled at the Consul, or whatever the man was at this point. As Faustus finished speaking, Senator Spurius broke out with cries of corruption and electoral fraud. Faustus listened carefully and nodded his head. "A run-off must occur than..."

[chaplain118]

Electoral fraud? Perhaps I should ask the members of this body that has voted for not one, but multiple candidates, yet only when they were pressured did they state for whom their votes truly went towards?

I myself received votes from the clients and proteges of myself, of our Tribune, from Gerges, and from Corvenus. Poplicola received votes from the clients and proteges of himself, our Tribune, Licinius, and Aurelius Graeccus. Scaeva received votes from the proteges and clients of Licinius Julius, himself, and Corvenus. This puts the consular candidates at 4, 4, and 3, but upon revision of the marked cards, Faustus dropped his support for Poplicola, while Corvenus declared his support for myself. This effectively gave me six districts, while Poplicola received three, and Scaeva at two.

At the Praetor elections, Caldius received votes from the districts of Aurelius Graeccus, Poplicola, Licinius Julius, and himself, putting him at four. Meanwhile, Corvenus received support from myself, Gerges, Scaeva, and Faustus. But at the last second, Faustus reversed his decision, choosing to cast his vote for Caldius instead of Corvenus.

I see no electoral foul play. Unless someone is to find that actual electoral tampering has been done, elections will be held again.

[CK23]

Faustus raised an eyebrow at the last comment that the Consul had made. "Elections will be held again?" Faustus inquired.

[dragoon47]

In that case...

Lucius stood and limped across the Curia and took his seat as Junior consul after a sneer at Scaeva.

We will need a suffectus Censor. Do you agree with the proposal brought forth Pallas before I put it to vote? It does directly affect your campaign after all.

[Maiar93]

Caldius won a fair victory.. despite it was from a last second vote..


Titus knew he had lost the position, and saw that it was pointless to argue about it. There were more important things to discuss; and perhaps next year, he'll get the chance.

[War lord]

Aulus stands.

I can find no evidence of any electoral fraud,while the election was dogged with counting errors and other confusion,it is clear who voted for who.

He sits back down.

Now I agree that Pallas Rutulus Aventinus should be pardoned for his actions while he mistakenly believed he was acting with a free hand in Macedonia.However I object to giving him a free hand now.

[CK23]

Faustus turned to Aventinus and looked at Poplicola. "Consul's...I believe that we can put the elections behind us." Faustus remained seated.

[Maiar93]

I agree with Tribune Faustus here. Let us discuss on giving Pallas free hands in Macedon.

Titus took a breath,

Pallas needs only a bit of time to finish off the Macedonians quickly; then we can turn our thoughts to North or West, while East has been pacified.

[War lord]

Pacified? It will only be pacified until fear and horror are forgotten and replaced with hatred and a wish for vengeance.

[Maiar93]

I trust Pallas in this matter to solve that problem..

[dragoon47]

Unfortunately senators, Pallas has set a precedent in the East. If we rape and pillage one town and we do not do it to another we now run the risk of looking like weaklings or indecisive old men on the world stage. While I cannot abide the actions Pallas took during his campaign, it is now necessary for him to continue the campaign as if he had never left.

Lucius turned to his co-consul.

Do you accept the free hand in Macedon or shall I modify the bill?