Cvria Ivlia, Consulate of Parthicus/Corvinus (II)

[Xavier Dragnesi]

Since there appears to be quite a bit of support for the taking of Bononia, I shall give Marius the go ahead. Even after the last poll, it was quite clear that most senators wanted Gaul gone from Italy, and now after the area north of Bononia is secure from the Greeks, I think it is accurate to presume that even more senators will now see no problem in taking the town.

[Caesar Rex]

Marcus Lucretius cognominated Falco, I congratulate you on your superb victory.
Jupiter Greatest is most pleased by your triumph over the greeks.
I however do not trust them with so many trained men this side of the padus.
Somehow they must be moved out of roman territory.
Having so many in our sphere of influence does not sit well.
Something must be done.

[Philos Sophos]

"I would like to spill some Greek blood.We must disband the un useful legions and recruit totaly new ones and get them some battle experience.And we can't outnumber the Greeks but we can use tactics they haven't ever seen before."

[Caesar Rex]

The current legions cannot be disbanded Tiberius.
They have not even served their twenty-five years.
For most of them, they are in their sixth year and still getting experience.
I believe someone with the skill to retrain and equip our legions is needed.
I spent two years disbanding and equiping the state with her current legions.
They have fought countless battles and have the promise of employment.
They receive a steady income which was promised.
They now need to prove their worth.

[Philos Sophos]

"Well then,give me those legions and I will bring you victories."

[Caesar Rex]

There is no law that allows us to give you imperium without the title of consul.

ooc: This needs to be changed... the tribunes need more power. especially to strip the imperium from a consul and award it to someone... what chaos and turmoil that will cause. heated debates and pulling of hair and black eyes. Give the position of tribune real power. Let them take it to the people.

[Philos Sophos]

"Hmm...then something is wrong.The power should belong to the people because this is a Republic.The laws must be looked over."

[Xavier Dragnesi]

A messenger runs in bearing a scroll, and passes it to Consul Valerius, who opens it:

Esteemed Senators and People of Rome,

First of all I'd like to congratulate Marcus Lucretius Falco and his aide for achieving such a diplomatic victory. I must say I was surprised when my scouts told me of huge long army lines and baggage trains of Greeks moving east. The next day I found that both Patavium and Mediolanium were ours. It was certainly pleasing, and again, congratulations.

Now back to business in Bononia. I have recently started beseiging it. The Gauls, arrogant bastards as they are, attacked me using a puny army of one units of light spearmen, counting on the troops inside Bononia to come out as reinforcements. This is what the outset of the battle looked like:



In the end, the enemy reinforcements did not arrive, and there stood the little army of 152 men, still waving their spears and taunting us even though we outnumber them over 15:1. They charged, and the volleys of arrows plus the Roman pila cut threw their ranks like a scythe through wheat, and with only one casualty, we defeated them:





And so the siege continues. However, the more important part of this message can been seen in this map:



While we have been busy with the Greeks, the Gauls have apparently mustered another large army, and commanded by a very able leader, by the looks of things. This army is now besieging Massilia, at it is vital that we keep hold of this position in Transalpine Gaul. We have enough troops there I believe, but we need a commander, as I cannot leave the siege here at Bononia.

Therefore, I nominate Servius Labienus Africanus to be sent to Massilia to defend against the Gallic hordes. He knows the people, he knows the walls, he knows the town. He is more fitting for the job than all the rest of us. So I propose that you send him to again preserve the vitality of Roman life and culture in that city.

[Caesar Rex]

Servius Labienus Africanus looks up at the messenger...

What?
The consul has asked me to go to Massilia?
To liberate the town?
Does it really say that?
I am honoured to have the distinction made.
I will gladly go to the aid of Massilia if the senate so decides.

ooc: what concerns me most is the little map at the bottom... the greeks are now pushing the germans. For the sake of the RPG we must take a vote - not for the consul or any commander... but in the following terms the roleplay must have the greeks as enemies. They need a stronger foe than the AI. Either that or by the time we sack Alesia - it will be a greek town. How can you march into gaul fighting greeks.... something is definately wrong then.

[Maxinius Scipio]

Marcus Valerius watches Labienus sit, and before standing up to give the usual congratulations to the victorious general, who, this time, is Quintus Marius, he rises from his chair and turns in Tribune Falco's direction.

"I did not accuse you of breaking our ancient laws, if that's what you assumed, friend Falco. If I remember correctly, the letters you wrote clearly stated that King Archidamus forced treaties upon you. The peace-signing with Carthage and our alliance to the Spartans were born from his demands and threats, correct? You were forced to make some of the treaties and agreements you made, and I cannot throw insults at you for that. Were I in your position, I would have accepted his demands, but then I would have proposed to break the same demands upon my return to the Curia."

Marcus turns his eyes to the rest of the Senate, and speaks what is required of him.

"An easy victory, won with little effort. I give my congratulations to my fellow Consul, and I pray that the capture of Bononia will be the exact same thing. An easy victory, won with little effort. Yet, I doubt it at the same time. The elected Celtic King residing in Bononia was cautious and intelligent enough to keep his forces behind the walls of his capital. Had he pulled his army onto the field against our superior cohorts, I would have called him a fool and placed him under many stereotypes. I fear that the fall of Bononia will be both bloody to us, and the male population of Aemilia.

Now I move on to Massilia. While it is my duty and privilege to use my power to battle the enemies of the nation I love so dearly, I will support a motion giving Labienus Africanus command over the legions in Massilia. Provided, of course, that I am allowed to administrate Italia during the absence of our senior Consul. My first step would, of course, be to establish colonies, suburbs, and small villages around our enormous urban centers, and to increase the sanitary health in the urban centers at the same time."



ooc: You're right, Caesar. This is why I always use force diplomacy when I play EB. Macedon always gets crushed early on in my campaigns, and I have to use force diplomacy to give them back their lands and restore order. The same thing is happening in our save, and I think we should use force diplomacy to gift all the lands north of Illyria in Greek hands to the Germans and their original owners. All Greek armies left in the region should be bribed, but if we bribe them with our own treasury we will lose money, which is unrealistic. And so I bring up the proposal to "cheat" with bribing the Greek armies, should we go along with weakening the Greeks. Every last denarii that is required to bribe away the Greeks will be acquired to us by the add_money cheat. We won't gain money from this, and we won't lose any. Completely realistic.

[Grandis Latro]

(ooc: I am sorry guys I cant support any modification of the save. If we expand north and hit greeks, so be it, thats the point of this whole RPG right? you dont know whats gonna happen next. If you start changing things to suit your playing styles, or because youd rather fight other enemies than the greeks, then you're just plain messing with a very core idea of the RPG)

[Kritias]

OOC: ^ indeed, that is not what the YATS is about - never mind the fact that we do not have any such provisions on the constitution. Keep the game going as it is, I say!

[Xavier Dragnesi]

Another messenger runs into the Curia, this time holding a much larger scroll. He hands it over to the Junior Consul, which unrolls it and shows it to the Senators seated there:

Conscript Fathers, I write to you from the Proconsular Palace this evening regarding the Second Battle of Bononia.

The battle started this morning. I was up against a pretty large army of Gauls led by a very experienced Gaulish leader called Cassivellaunus of Scaldis. It was going to be a hard battle: the power of Roman steel and discipline versus the courage and vigourousness of Gaulish warfare.



As my three rams moved into place before the walls, I saw Gaulish troops moving around the city. There seemed a lot more than the numbers first reported had indicated. However, my men were eager, and before long the rams were at the gates, and had begun to pound and the wood of the defences.



The moment the walls and gates were down, my men streamed into the city, ready to annihilate the Gauls and drive them out of Italy. Meanwhile, my archers shot volley after volley of demoralising arrows into the enemy ranks, killing many a Gaul who did not raise his shield in time.



My legions blockaded a part of the road with the wall on one side and buildings on another. And there they fought as wave after wave of Gallic soldiers hit their ranks, but apart from a unit of incredulously cowardly mercenaries, the discipline legions stood their ground and each of their waves broke onto this rock and shattered themselves



Soon, the general's bodyguard of elite cavalry also charged forward. These being the elite of the elite, they were quite a match even for our legionaries, and many brave Roman men went down before the general was finally slain, and the rest of the bodyguard was either killed or routed.



The hordes of Gauls just kept coming as though there was no end to them. But the centurions encouraged their men and they fought on. One of the units was so depleted by the time it routed that I was even pleased that they had had the courage and strength to fight for so long.



But finally, the last wave of resistance was broken, and my legionaries cheered in victory. As they were fully exhausted, I gave them a little rest before proceeding at a leisurely pace towards the city centre, where a group of Gallic swordsmen and cavalry were still pointlessly defending the square. The legionaries were hard pressed to take over these few men who were putting all their effort in a last ditch attempt to defend their city.



But soon, they were all inevitably overcome. The day was ours, as was the city of Bononia. The legionaries were cheering and celebrating, happy that it was they which had pushed the Gauls out of Italy.



So now, all of Italy is free of the Gallic hordes, though we still need to contend with the army at Massilia. As I walked through the barracks, I have heard the words of imperator on the soldiers' lips, though I do not yet believe I deserve this title. If there is anything else the Senate wishes to do, please inform me immediately. But for now, northern Italy is secure.



Long live Rome!!

[Caesar Rex]

The junior consul should be given complete imperium to have Italy undergo a major construction plan.
What he sees fit to have built would be left to his own discretion.

[apple]

I agree, and once more Congratulations upon your victory, you are surly a true Roman and you deserve all of the peoples sheering.

[Philos Sophos]

ooc:did you edit the battle results a bit?...I can see some difference in the text style:hmmm:

[Gaius Julius Civilis]

ooc: Like history, battle results are written by the victor aren't they?

ic: Falco hears these new proposals and wonders. How could he in good heart support these proposals? He had seen in Athens how the powerless could still be supressed by the powerful even if they had some legal authority. He clears his throat and speaks.

"Senators, hear me!

Long ago, when Rome was founded, she was founded as a monarchy, as you all know. King Romulus ruled the city in a wise and noble way. He did what was best for the people of the kingdom, and he was popular. But Romulus, godlike as he was, dissappeared one day when his job was done. Rome could not yet life without the guiding hand of a king, so this sacred Senate elected a new king, the wise and pious Numa Pompilius. This man, and with him this city, was favoured by the gods, who allowed him to walk this earth for as long as possible. After him, a succession of kings ruled until that horrible Etruscan Tarquinius II.

This king would even allow his own son to dishonour a virtuous and decent Roman girl, poor Lucretia, and drive her to suicide. Lucius Junius Brutus, the brother of Lucretia, avenged her by driving out the king and vowing never to allow another king to rule Rome. He and his descendants have faithfully kept this oath, allowing no man to wield too much power on his own. The senate - formed at the founding of the city to serve as a council of wise men to aid the kings - now ruled on its own. No longer were its wisdoms merely advice to men who could ignore its value, now the advice was the policy itself.

The senate still exists, after all, we are in that same senate, its wisdom still exists, after all, most of us are the descendants of those original wise men, and therefore its value still exists. It is a simple fact that we as senators know what is best for this republic. Of course the people must have some rights, otherwise the landowners would crush them, but we must be the protectors of the people. We who know the ins and outs of ruling a republic must decide what is best for them.

I realise that this might cast a shadow on my appointment as a Tribune of Plebes, but I assure you: it doesn't. The tribunes of Plebes must make sure they know what moves the people, what motivates the people and what the people want, but they must - for that very reason - not be the people. I might ask my baker if he has a headache, but I would never ask my baker how he would cure a headache, simply because that is not his profession and therefore he knows nothing about curing headaches.

To confer the people about laws, the military or economics might be a nice idea, but we can never give them the power to vote about laws. We can ask the people what they want in broader terms, like better health, more land or lower taxes, but we must never give away the power to create and enforce laws to the people. We are the parents if you will to the people, would any of you allow your 8-year-old son to rule the household? I think not! You may ask him what he thinks about small subjects, like what he would like for dinner, but the authority must remain in the parent's hands.

In conclusion, I think it is a poor idea which is poorly put. We cannot allow this law to get through. We as the Roman Senate should know better than to seriously propose such ridiculous laws."

[Winter]

You know everyone can't keep naming themselves imperator...

[Xavier Dragnesi]

In the end, it is still the Senate who decides what happens about the imperator though. It just means that the troops like their commmander. It doesn't necessarily mean that Marius will demand a triumph or a cognomen. He knows the conquering of just two cities isn't enough to deserve anything like that.

ooc: The only editing I did of the battle results was I changed the commander's name to Quintus Marius

[Winter]

I know I was just kidding. Nice reports by the way.