A History of the Republic

**ulti** · August 24, 2011, 07:50 AM

De Republica Romani

Set here, within these pages, is a history of the Roman Republic, beginning with the Consulate of 50BCE.

The Consulate of Artillius and Cincinnatus

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The Consulate of Artillius and Cincinnatus

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The Consulate of Artillius and Lurco

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Consulatum XLVIII. BCE

The Curia

Bills Passed:

Bills Failed:

Legis Military Reformationis

Details:

48 BCE produced a more balanced Consulate, though power still held sway with those who would protect the Roman Values. The term, in direct contrast to the previous, was littered with bills, suggestions and heavy debate. Oratory skills were displayed on both sides, with generous amounts of sarcasm and wit. The first major bill of the term - Legis Military Reformationis, displayed the clear divide within the house, with only two votes separating the Populists from their opposites. Truth and sensibility, however, shone through, and the bill was voted down.

Following this - a flurry of diplomatic activity, diplomats sent to Numidia, Thrace and other countries, attempting to beguile Rome's neighbors with a flurry of words. Mixed results ensued. Whilst negotiations in Asia still continue, the first outcome, outlined in Tractatus Thrax, is beneficial to the empire. Negotiations with the Numidian King Jugurtha, however, were not so successful. It is not known whose fault it is, but the barbarian King managed to impose a tax upon Roman merchants in return for nothing. To put it kindly, the Senate was not pleased with the Sicilian Proconsul.

Talk of the Senate, however, was dominated by the military - especially the ongoing war in Hispania. The Proconsul won a great victory for Rome, ensuring the treacherous Lusitanians were put upon the back foot. Work now continues to assimilate the remaining provinces into Roman rule - it remains to be seen, however, if recently recruited forces will be up to the job...

Eyes now look to the term of 47 BCE, where for the first time in four years there is a challenge to the seat of Consul Decimus - three entrants to the voting, only two seats. Whatever the outcome, the Senate will not be the same.

Fortuna favet Romani!

The Consulate of Aquila and Scipio

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Consulatum XLVII. BCE

The Curia

Bills Passed:

Bills Failed:

Details:

Much of the business in the Senatorial term was taken up by three separate foreign disturbances - the revolts in Transalpine Gaul, the continuing war against the Lusitanians in Hispania and the diplomatic war being waged in Asia Minor between Pontus and Roma. A foreign affairs crisis in triplicate.

At the beginning of the term the Senate recieved an urgent communique from Severus Magnus, who had taken the position of Proconsul of Transalpine Gaul. Severus wrote of vicious warbands of barbarians and requested the support of his former Legion to protect the Republic, news of a sudden revolt in a previously peaceful province naturally alarmed the Senate. Quaestor Aulus Ovidius Priscus was the first to reply and assured the Proconsul that the I Victrix, II Italica and III Italica were at full strength and would be able to assist him if the Senate allowed. With no ill news from the Lusitanian Wars, the matter was alarming but looked to have a clear resolution. This was not to be.

Not long after word of the revolt in Gaul reached the Senate a seperate missive arrived from Gaius Marius Aquila that he and Decimus Cornellius Corva had arrived at the Bithynian court to find that the foul King of Pontus, Pharnaces II, had already spread his malign influence over Nicomendes IV and persauded him to side with Pontus against Roma. Any Roman action into Asia Minor would be percieved as an act of war. From a further exchange of messages with Aquila, it emerged that almost all diplomatic routes against Pontus were closed.

With the seemingly simple route to a resolution in Asia now disrupted, and the situation in Gaul yet to be adressed, Consul Decimus Pontus Artillius careened into the Senate. Taking the centre stage, he swiftly declared that these new conflagrations abroad were of no current consequence and that instead the Lusitanian Wars had stalled. To rectify this apparant fault, he proposed the Bellum Lusitania, a bill that would give Artillius Imperium in Hispania and two Legions to prosecute an advance.

Quaestor Priscus, however, objected and, citing his experience, insisted that an advance would be strategic folly and that the attention of the Senate should be turned to Gaul. Furthermore, he pointed out that there was no reason for Artillius to be in Hispania. To the mind of the Consul this was but 'petty squabbling' and instead called for a swift vote to bypass objections. Priscus, seeing through this, continued to object against a potentially foolish advance in Hispania that, to his mind, boiled down to nothing more than a 'grab for glory' against which Artillius insisted that Severus Magnus was well served in the rebellions and that Hispania, and his glory, was much more important. Priscus took the only possible course and called for some much needed reason.

At this point, Severus Magnus sent word that he was preparing to engage rebellious warband in Gaul with two of his own legions, but that reinforcements were urgently needed because of a potential link between the rebels and the Aeudi, an unconquered tribe to the north of Roman lands in Gaul. Decimus Artillius, seizing opportunity, moved to a vote on his Bellum Lusitania bill and proposed the Legio Gallica, which would move two defensive Legions into Gaul. Of course, this being Artillius, dissent in the Senate stirred yet again at this unilaterial move to put Bellum Lustiania to a vote; some even likened his behaviour to that of the Kings of old.

For a moment sanity was restored but, yet again, trouble stirred in the form of Asia. Gaius Marius Aquila had finally returned from east, with all manner of unsalubrious rumours travelling in his sandled wake concerning his somewhat idosyncratic methods of negotiating with the Armenians.

Apparently the Armenians had agreed to remain neutral in the Pontic Affair, but at a cost. This cost was a treaty - Armenia Roma Gratia - which proposed that a hoard of wealth and an education for the royal child be passed to Armenia in exchange for information on Pontus. This immediately met derision from several quarters, mainly directed at the amount to be passed to a barbarian Kingdom. Our good Consul Artillius, however, decided that the version of the treaty he had read said that we were to give an account of our strength to Armenia and, spittle staining his tunic, decided promptly to veto the bill, an power he was not at all allowed. Things took another turn for the insane with the entry of the Proconsul of Greece and Asia, the esteemed Senator Corva, who spoke in favour of the bill before promptly being threatened with an unfounded indictment by Artillius. This unfounded indictment mysteriously transformed into a 15,000 denarii fine while the Consul was speaking.

With the Curia up in arms over the unitlaterial actions of Decimus, and many refusing to even acknowledge his authority until he was brought to account for his actions, the Consul departed and the Senate discussed at length what action to take. Rumours about about what happened next but it would appear that Consul Decimus Artillius suddenly and unexpectedly fell ill on his journey to Hispania and was found dead in his quarters less than a few days later. Be it poisoning or simple serendipity few in the Senate mourned his loss.

Not long afterward Senator Aquila quickly proposed an amendment to the Bellum Lusitania which would impart Imperium to Pro-Consul Sextus in Hispania allowing him to control the legions that the now dead Decimus had brough to fight in the war. Consul Scipio called for new Censorial, there having been no candidates the first time, and Consular elections. Sanity restored, word came that Severus Magnus had won a glorious victory over the Gauls at Massila, taking only minimal casualties and preventing the pillaging of any of the regions south of Massila. Furthermore, the barbarian Lusitanians were reported to have fallen before the Proconsul Sextus Tuccius Alexander and a retreat had been forced. The forces of Roma had prevailed against the barbarian hordes. Finally, the Armenia Roma Gratia was defeated by a proper and ordered vote and the triplicate crisis had been averted.

Romes enemies either defeated, in retreat or brought to stalemate attentions in the Senate turned to the plebian demands for urgent social and economic reforms. Aside from an attempt by Marcus Licinus Scipio to force the agenda towards social reforms earlier in the year, Praetor Aulus Terentius Fiber was the first Senator to speak at length about this issue.

Citing the pervading problems of destitution caused by Legionary recruitment from the hardy farming communities of Italia and the influx of slaves from conquered lands, both of which have contributed towards bankruptcy and unemployment amongst small farmers, he called for slavery on large farms to be limited to allow for Italian workers to find employment among the private land owners This speech was later reported to some acclaim upon the Rostra. With this speech he enlisted the close support of Tribune Aulus Junius Horatius, Tribune of the Plebs.

Aulus Priscus, however, had a different take on social reforms and proposed the building of a pilot road network across the middle and south of Italia to show that the Senate was determined to support trade and the economy. This grand vision ignited a fierce debate between Aulus Priscus and Consul Scipio over the merits of a southern road network - something the Consul foolishly argued against by claiming that it would be 'throwing money out to the sea' despite the fact that such a road network would amplify trade from Mare Nostrum.

Tribune Horatius and Praetor Fiber contrinued to promote the merits of their united plan to increase agricultural work for unemployed Italians and Priscus, evidently tiring of his back and forth with the Consul countered with a suggestion that an Agrarian Academy be built in Rome, to teach deserving Italians and slaves better agricultural techniques. After much consultation the Tribune and Praetor conceeded and pledged their full support, on the understanding that Italians would be given preference. Quaestor Priscus went a step further and suggested the the Senators of Rome themselves shoudl carry the majority of the cost, to show their commitment to furthering the cause of the Roman people. In all six Senators contributed the majority of the funds for the endeavour, greatly easing the cost of the academy and the strain on the treasury.

New crises soon emerged to challenge Roma however. The Pro-consul of Africa, Gnaeus Cladius Tranquillis, wrote to the Senate fearing that the first movements in a coming war were ocurring on his border. Numidian camps along the border were seeing an influx of armed soldiers and the King of Numidia, Jugurtha, had been spotted there. The Numidians, led by the King Jugurtha himself, began to enter Roman controlled Africa and the Pro-Consul bravely travelled across the barren desert in an effort to ascertain why the King had gathered his armies and, should war be in the offing, seek diplomatic recourse.

Meanwhile in Gaul Pro-Consul Severus called a meeting of various powerful Gallic chieftains to learn more about the occurrences in Gaul. Much to his surprise the proud Aedui approached him with a request for aid against the Germanic Suebi and their warmongering King. Believing that Rome itself could be threatened should Suebi conquer Northern Gaul the Pro-Consul requested that the matter of Roman aid to the Aedui be discussed at once.

Rome was once more brought into turmoil as the nominations and elections of Magistrates began. The Pro-Consul Sextus of Hispania fought a tactically unsound battle against the Lusitanian barbarians, despite his Imperium having been removed by the Senate, and was utterly routed. The legions retreated to a previously captured fort and the Pro-Consul was summoned back to Rome to explain his actions. As other Pro-Consuls returned to Rome to participate in the nomination and election process news began to spread that talks with the Numidians had gone well but there was no clear answer to what it was they wanted, finally Pro-Consul Gnaeus revealed that Numidia had been gripped by a bloody civil war as the Kings brother sought to usurp the throne, Jugurtha had reason to believe that his brother had fled to the Roman Republic. Gnaeus went on to explain that the brother had infact fled to the Republic and was currently in residence in the Pro-Consulate of Sicilia. Pro-Consul's Corva and Severus returned from their postings with different proposals about what should done with the now record sum at the disposal of the Senate, roughly 125,000 denarii. Corva requested that it be used for economic reform while arguing that the proposal of Severus, the raising of two more legions to assist in the emergent Germanic Crisis, was too extreme and that only one legion would be needed.

The Consulate of Priscus and Tranquilus

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The Consuate of Gnaeus Tranquillus et Decimus Corva

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Consulatum XLV. BCE

As the destructive collapse of the peace in Africae had promised at the end of the previous year, the Consuate of Tranquillus and Corva was a one that had much in the way of bloodshed and setbacks for the people of Roma.
This was, at least, certainly the situation at the beginning of the term; Jungurtha had begun to attack across the border and the Pax Romana in Africae had collapsed. This being Roma, however, this disastrous situation was quickly converted by Decimus Corva into political capital through an almost immediate proposal for himself to take personal command of the Legions in Africae. This hard and fast approach by Corva seemed to delight Gaius Primus (a hard and fast fellow himself) and so rushed to Corva’s support, forging an alliance which would last throughout the year. Gnaeus Tranquillus, however, was quick to object to this proposal of Corva’s and raises the point that such a proposal would suggest a complete lack of faith in the abilities of the Proconsuls who had, in recent years, being given Imperium in most of the conflicts Roma faced. This was quickly countered by Corva, who instead presented the trust Roma had placed in its Proconsuls as a mistake. Eager to compromise and find a suitable candidate for command in Africae, Tranquillus suggests the omnipresent Severus Magnus as a candidate for command. However, even this seems unacceptable to the Corva-Primus faction, who point out (quite rightly) the overbearing command held by Severus Magnus over Roman military strength. Thus, the general feeling amongst these nominally hawkish Senators is a lack of faith in the ability of the Proconsul and, implicitly, a lack of faith in Lucullus himself.

Tranquillus, sensing that he is outnumbered in the Curia for the moment decides to switch tack and instead begins to make the Numidian out to be a collection of minor raid and uses this suggestion to continue to back Lucullus for Imperium in Africae, a bluff which is quickly called by Aquila. The debate is quickly moved against Corva, however, when Bocco, the cousin of the absent Aulus Priscus, points out that Corva is something of a hypocrite for calling for such firm Consular action when Corva firmly blocked Consular involvement in Crete only the previous year. Since Corva himself has no previous military experience and the problem of Imperium is beginning to appear intractable, joint command is suggested. Scipio enters the debate at this point with the suggestion that, since all available commanders are effectively amateurs (or so he suggests), either he or Regulus should be sent. Tranquillus, sensing a winning strategy (in the Curia at least) says exactly the same thing in different words.

Primus, at this point, senses the need to regain control of the direction of the debate and so proposes the raising of both Auxilia and Cavalry, in a bill, which the Severinians quickly rise to applaud. Much back-slapping follows before Tranquillus brings everything down to reality by pointing out that Corva lacks the power to raise a Legion (another element of the bill), which Corva responds to through the ever-eloquent medium of insult and which Tranquillus, in turn, reponds to through the alternate medium of sensible law-making. Corva slanders and, sensing the need to take a step back from what he desires (glory), suggests joint command.

At this point, Scipio raises the fair point that the Lusitanians are not to be trusted, being Hispanics and everything and so sending off both primary military commanders of the Republic (as Consuls traditionally are) is not really a wise idea. Tranquillus, however, again trumpets the ability of Proconsuls to win military victories which provokes Corva give hit him hard with some false flattery. Primus, seeking to win the debate yet again, makes a strong case for the primacy of Consuls in the course of which Scipio is slandered cruelly. Severinian smugness quickly ensues and, sensing victory, Primus calls for a quick vote on the bill. Not content with a half-way amicable end to the debate, however, Corva proceeds to slander Tranquillus (again) which provokes him to sarcastically trumpet the command skills of the Consular rank; in turn, this results in a humour failure from Corva and allows the debate to plumb new depths of pettiness. Primus jumps in and he and Corva both corner Tranquillus, to the point of touting a legal coup, until he agrees. This somewhat childish behaviour is countered by Bocco, who feels the need to point out the inane stupidity of Corva and Primus’ bullying tactics. From his point of view, at least. Not to be outdone, Scipio suggests a legal coup of both Consuls.

As all this takes place, the armies of Roma have technically been endangered, with the sidelining of Lucullus having resulted in inaction in Numidia. Reports come in that Adherbal has betrayed Roma and that 100,000 Numidians are now marching on Carthage. This panic inducing news pushes the Curia to drastic action – a sensible proposal. As Adherbal attempts to convince Roma that he is on their side, Tranquillus is packed off to take command, with Lucullus, and finally the debate on Numidia ends for the time being, although not without a touch of sarcastic wishes of good luck from the Corva-Primus faction of the Senate.

At this point, the focus of the Senate is moved by Primus towards domestic matters when he points out that the Concillum Plebis has passed a plebicide that asks the Senate to consider land reforms before the end of the year. More specifically, there is a call for the distribution of rich Transalpine farmland to be distributed amongst the plebians. With no one particularly willing to attract the ire of the mob, Tranquillus and Honorius quickly agrees and a report is readied by the aforementioned Honorius. Roads, too, are suggested by Corva (never to be outdone, even by his allies) and so the Lex Agria Gallia is suggested by Primus in order to improve the infrastructure of Gallia Transalpania and to settle 2,000 Roman families there.

The relative peace and harmony of the Senate are, however, shattered when Severus Magnus ends word that he is returning home, having been victorious against the German tribes. The prospect of a second Triumph for Severus Magnus is raised by the Senate, most of whom begin to fall over themselves in order to reward the returning hero of Germania. Only Senator Honorius and, to a lesser extent, Senator Fiber protest against this, strongly, citing Severus Magnus’ lack of stated desire of a triumph and the potentially dangerous effects this could have upon the stature and ego of Severus himself. The argument for a compromise ovation is, however, strong and, in an attempt to unite the Curia, a collusium is suggested by Scipio. However, when it seems as if compromise was to be reached, Honorius struck and vetoed the ovation. Severus Magnus who had, by then, returned dramatically storms out of the Senate at this point and so the stage is set for a clash of political wills between these two men in the following Consulate, as well as a continuation of the bloody Numidian crisis.