Last edited by General Brewster; November 13, 2017 at 10:50 AM.
2,000 Auxilia answer the call.
The pro consul resigns his pro consulate and returns to Rome to see re-election as pro consul.
Requesting a D20 x 500 income roll for 80bce
A letter arrives in return from Iulus.
Letter
Pro Consul Appius Claudius Pulcher decides that his 2000 Auxillary require a light stroll across the pro consulate. They are to survey the borders of tribal lands in Aquitania. Not engage, just a light stroll.
The Gallic countyside was unremarkable. Closer to the borders the well tended fields of Roman farmers gave way to dense forest, which would then open up to more fields upon which the Gauls worked. The nearby Oppidum of Tolosa formed the basis for most regional government and trade. The Volcae tribe was the most powerful confederation in these lands, controlling Tolosa and Narbo.
Legio VI Alaudae & Legio Apollinaris stand at attention when returning from Spain.
Tiberius Claudius Pulcher rode before his legions, officers flank him at all sides. He wore his civic crown and thus everyone he passed made a deep bow. Even the various magistrates that had assembled around his father upon the balcony of the pro consular palace made deep bows, the man himself Pro Consul Appius Claudius Pulcher had to bow to his youngest son. The son he ought would not amount to anything. Yet here he was wearing the republics seconds highest award for valor.
They Legionaries had come to Spain green men, fresh from the training centers. Now they stood here as seasoned warriors. Many of the men that had marched from Spain had however not returned to Gaul. Tiberius rode closer to the balcony and used the same commanding voice his father used at many occasions. "Salve Pro Consul! I return to thee, the men of the brave Legio VI Alaudae and Legio VII Apollinaris. Hero's of the Sertorian Wars and now again yours to command." Tiberius concluded while his legions would scream "ROMA VITRIC" Tiberius and his brother had earned their loyalty more than their father who paid for them...
Requesting a new auxiliary roll: D20 x 200 local auxilia conscripted
Casticus, a wiry, dark haired man, and one of the Helvetii chieftains was clad in golden rings and jewelry no doubt pillaged from good Roman citizens when he was brought before Pro-Consul Pulcher who sat upon his balcony of the pro consular palace overlooking the harbor of Massalia. Enjoy some proper wine and fresh grapes while he saw the Chieftain enter. “Well” Pulcher said drily. “I suppose you are the chieftain known as Casticus?” Pulcher did not wait for a reply as he got up on his feet and walked to the balustrade. “Do you see this Casticus? This marvelous region has been fully Romanized.” He paused and looked over to Casticus who had now joined Pulcher to his right. “I hear you have received Roman citizenship from Sulpicianus…” Pulcher grew cold in his voice, a consul simply dishing out citizenship, unheard off!
After a sigh Pulcher continued. “You can settle in the lands that were previously held by the Aquitani people. You will find that they will far enough space. Perhaps if you are willing to agree some term’s I might sponsor the erection of a Colony.” Creating a colony with the Helvetii Roman’s in it could turn out highly beneficial. It could secure their allegiance to Pulcher and make Pulcher’s name survive for the years to come.
"What would these terms be, Roman?"
Enquired the Gaul, in broken Latin. He seemed aloof, and restrained, perhaps resenting that he had been called here to wait upon the Proconsul.
As Pulcher drew breath to give a reply Tiberius entered the balcony and joined the men on the balustrade."Father" he said coldly before turning away and greeting the chieftain, in the traditional way and in his own language. Tiberius had learned to respect the Gallic ways and picked up it's tongue while on campaign. He continued in the chieftains tongue whilst glancing at his father for a moment. "What my father meant to say honorable chief. Is that he means to establish a new city in this pro consulate. Considering you have received the Roman citizenship you could be it's magistrate and your people will have proper Roman housing in a region that is currently..." he paused a moment, looking for a way to phrase it in Gallic. "...depopulated would be the correct term if I remember it correctly. Of course building a whole new town from scratch is a costly enterprise. The Pro consul would invest an initial ten thousand denarii, not a small sum I assure you." Tiberius paused for a moment when a third man entered, it was Appius, Tiberius his older brother.
Tiberius said, being interrupted in his original narrative. "Chief, this is my brother Appius. He currently handles security in the lands that may well be yours to settle." Appius had been instructed on how to greet the chief in his own customs. "Chieftain I am Appius Claudius Pulcher, son of the pro consul, Senator of Rome and the legate of the 6th Legion." Appius said in latin. "Apologies for the interruption I have to inform my father on some matters I will no longer interrupt you two" he said as he moved over to his father, who was now on the other end of the balcony. From the distance some words could be heard but some could be very well heard by the chief Appius told his father "40.000 Romans are currently protecting the Aquitani lands. There have been no incidents by other tribes trying to contest the region. It has been truly pacified." Appius now quieted down and Tiberius restarted the conversation in Gallic.
"I am sorry for the inconvenience sir. My brother sometimes forget we have more to do here." He said with a smile. "If you were to contribute an equal sum we could establish a large colony to begin with. From there on my family could work to grow the settlement where it might even become one of the larger or even the largest ones in the province." Tiberius concluded. The Pulcher family was known for their vast housing projects around Rome, owning large numbers of housing blocks and cementing their name in the branch. The Pro Consul and Appius looked on, they might not speak the language they could see this was the point where negotiations came down too.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
The Gaul raised an eyebrow, surprised that a Roman knew the coarse tongue of those tribes that populated much of southern Gaul. The Helvetii's own tongue was quite similar, and he was visibly set at ease by a language he was more than familiar with.
"Your offer is generous." Began the Gaul, with characteristic wariness. "However, my people have only just settled upon our new land, and are not accustomed to living within a city in the style of your people."
Work had already begun on building forts to defend their new territory, and they had begun small-scale weapon crafting once again. Just in case.
"So I must decline. My people live in our way, and the Consul Sulpicianus promised that we would be allowed to exist as such."
He was forceful, but retained an air of courtesy. Casticus had acknowledged that he could not defeat the Romans through force of arms, after all.