Curia Hostilia, Consulate of Cotta and Iulus, 81 BCE

[Pontifex Maximus]

"The age as it is set right now, and categorically disregarded by all, is 30 for plebeians and 28 for patricians!" Messalla cried. "Twenty-two is too young, it is a ridiculous number." He wondered if Metellus was so stupid as to believe this would mean his son's ejection from the Senate. Simply more self serving from Rome's most prominent families. He turned back t Sextus "It is useless for you to assert that your family has not turned int a bloc vote. You all vote for one another for office, you all support one another's measures - this has been widely seen in every vote since last year."

[The Mad Skylord]

Sextus waved his hand dismissively.

"Of course you would say that, Messala, but your bitter hatred of my house and obvious jealousy of my father's political achievements have turned you from a victorious soldier to a parrot.

Your motivations are false, and I tire of your errands of hatred."

[Pontifex Maximus]

"Let us hear what others have to say." He said with a laugh, it was time to see just how bought other Senators would be, though he did anticipate support from Rusca, Cotta, and Lucullus.

[Celsius]

The Consul rose "I have spoken for support of this in the past and will do so again. I have seen first hand what happens when those barely fresh from their mother try to govern this city, if one could call it that. Having an age limit set on this body increases the amount of men whom enter it who are experienced in life, battle, and administrating through other means."

Cotta turned to Iulus "You are making an excellent case for the hotheadedness of the young and how they throw words around without thinking they have consequence." He then turned to Messalla "Heed the Censor's words. Accusations of paternal matters are not for this body."

[Pontifex Maximus]

Gaius Furius Sulpicianus returns from Sicily, having left it in the able hands of his junior officers and new local administrators. He wanted to make a brief appearance in the Senate before the end of the year to do a bit of lobbying for his governorship of Macedonia.

[The Mad Skylord]

A letter arrives from Iulus.

Honourable Senators,

Progress has been slow but steady against Sertorius. On arrival, we drive out the small Iberian warbands menacing Citerior. That region is now once again fully returned to Roman sovereignty.

We then advanced upon Carthago Nova, where we found the city gallantly flying the flag of the Republic.

We have since advanced in Cordoba and have laid the city under siege. It is close to falling.

In addition, in a small engagement to the west of Cordoba we captured eight thousand denarii - obviously from Sertorius' payroll. I have sent it to the Senate with this note.

Senators, our progress has been good, but it is important that the continuity of command is maintained. In the interests of allowing the war to flow as smoothly as possible, I call upon the Senate to allow me to stand, in absentia, in a special Proconsulship over all of Roman Spain.

It is vital that there be no hitch in the current phase of the war. And I ask this of you to maintain a steady rate of progress.
Regards, Gnaeus Julius Iulus, Consul of Rome

[Celsius]

As the letter was read aloud, Cotta hung onto one bit of information "Proconsulship over all of Roman Spain..." Spain was divided for a reason, and it would remain that way. "Ulterior or Citerior. One or the other, it can not be both. Perhaps he meant Ulterior, as that is where Cordoba lies."

Cotta was pleased with the funds however. "Quaestor." He motioned to Rusca "Please account for the funds and add them to the treasury. Sertorius has given us a gift."

[The Mad Skylord]

"He did not."

Sextus declared.

"It is divided simply for administrative reasons. Rome has never before encountered a threat quite of this type, there is no reason not to unify the Proconsulships for one, extraordinary term."

[Pontifex Maximus]

Messalla stood. "Behold the power grabbing of Gnaeus Iulus. He has been given command to prosecute the war agai st Sertorius and yet he now demands more power. I wonder how his sons shall react in reply." he concluded "The bloc must end. I stand categorically opposed to granting Iulus any more power than he already holds in Spain."

[Celsius]

"He did not."

Sextus declared.

Cotta turned "Then he shall not have either."

[The Mad Skylord]

"Of course you do, Messala."

Sextus said patiently.

"You'd be opposed to your own mother giving birth to you if you thought we were involved.

The fact of the matter is simple, my father believes it is a necessary measure, and so he has asked for it."


----

Iulus shook his head patiently.

"That is not, Consul, your sole decision. Besides, you cannot stand here and oppose a reasonable measure when you yourself plot to take a second Consul ship straight after your first! And yet, I have not heard a whit from Messala regarding that!"

[Trot]

Rusca stands up after marking the money down carefully.

"I must agree with Senators Cotta, and Mesella." Rusca says speaking for the first time. "Iulus demands more and more resources to do what should be a simple job. Perhaps we were wrong to give him the command to begin with." He pauses studying the room. "We fought one tyrant are we really going to hand power over to another piece by piece? No! I say we deny Iulus any more power. We should not allow him control of Hispania, or allow him to run in absentania for any office. We will not allow more tyrants and kings in Rome."

[Celsius]

Iulus shook his head patiently.

"That is not, Consul, your sole decision. Besides, you cannot stand here and oppose a reasonable measure when you yourself plot to take a second Consul ship straight after your first! And yet, I have not heard a whit from Messala regarding that!"

Cotta didn't move when he was spoke to "It is, however, my decision to decide what is and isn't brought up to this body. Consul Iulus has a made a request that I view as unreasonable, unsubstantiated, and without need. Cordoba will fall and he will more than likely get his ovation as his due and the thanks of Rome. What he will not get is two Proconsulships combined into one." He didn't address the later part. Iulus was trying to derail.

[The Mad Skylord]

Sextus smiled.

"It shall be put to a vote, Consul, as it is reasonable. What is not reasonable is, as I have stipulated, your own political intentions. That is how we got Carbo."

[Oznerol]

"I cannot and will not support any extraordinary pro-consulship, simply because it does not abide by our customs and law"

Said the censor.

"Also, I have to remind yet again such a crass behavior and lofty insults are not allowed in this august assembly"

He frowns.

"The way we got Carbo is because Marius was given free rein over this city after his..."

*sighs*

"Many victories"

He raised a finger.

"We will not and cannot allow any further irregularities, else we would fall into the misrule of old. And I, as censor and Pontifex Maximus, will not allow it"

[Celsius]

Sextus smiled.

"It shall be put to a vote, Consul, as it is reasonable. What is not reasonable is, as I have stipulated, your own political intentions. That is how we got Carbo."

Cotta had a blank expression "It shall be put to no such vote. You forget your place here. As the powers I am embodied from this office, this point of discussion is terminated, and noted so by support from the Censor." He controlled this discussion and all discussions. Iulus wanted to play war and Cotta wanted to make sure his tools of children wouldn't get anywhere. This boy wanted to bring up Carbo, the man he and his ilk let into the city. It was a shame only one of them died.

[Pontifex Maximus]

Gaius Furius Sulpicianus Callidus stood, prepared to make his views on the matter known. "When I was in Sicily, I made it my mission to reform the local centers of justice. As a result, I found myself sitting on many local panels in order to dole out justice. One morning two farmers came to the Basilica in Lilybaeum. They had each bought a one half interest in a pair of mules. Each had a right to one half use of the mules on every other day of the week. Their one mistake was failing to account for holidays, when no work was done. As it happened, one farmer would keep the mule longer than he should in the expectation that the other would not need it. This assumption led to the breaking of their contract and what led them to my court. It was a thing easily resolved by simply accounting for discrepancies and giving the men what they wanted: a fair, egalitarian use of the mules." He gave a winning smile before continuing. "Now, we are not farmers and Proconsulships are not mules, but let us apply the same spirit of compromise here. Messalla and Cotta are concerned about the extra-constitutionality of running in absentia and combining Spain into one large province. Iulus desires some authority to carry out his campaign in Spain. Further Spain seems to be the region most hostile to Rome. Let us give Iulus Proconsular power over the province without making him Proconsul." This was a somewhat nuanced solution which granted Iulus the power he desired without making him governor. It was therefore a limitation of the governor's power but would allow him a free hand in Spain.

[The Mad Skylord]

Sextus smiled, here was a useful man.

"I am in support of this measure."

[Celsius]

"Proconsul powers without being Proconsul..." Cotta continued "Perhaps it would be more efficient and binding to simply coordinate a measure that would allow Iulus to continue the campaign overseen by one of the Consuls next term. In that, there is accountability and not flexibility in maneuvering when the campaign is over, Rome regains it's rebellious lands, and Iulus remains in command of the Legions that we have entrusted with him."

[Pontifex Maximus]

Gaius shrugged. "A joint command, a shared command. There is precedent for it, indeed. I recall that it was a stratagem used in our wars against Carthage that resulted in the worst defeats our Republic has ever seen."