The Curia, 44 BCE

[Pontifex Maximus]

The Roman Senate

Magistrates

Consules: Aulus Terentius Fiber et Gnaeus Claudius Tranquillus

Censor: Severus Vipsanius Magnus

Praetores: Septimus Tuccius Nerva et Lucius Titus Regulus

Quaestores: Titus Flavius Romanus et Lucius Petrus Dextrus

Tribunes: Aulus Junius Horatius

Proconsules:
Sicilia et Africa - Publilus Sempremonius Lucullus
Hispania - Gaius Scipio
Gallia Transalpina - Marcus Licinius Scipio
Graecia et Asia - Corva


Senate-People Relationship Meter: 1 (strained)

Random Roll: Minor storm in the Aegean. No cargo reaches their port of destination if importing any goods from Asia Minor or Palestine. No merchant income from these transactions.

The session for the year 44 BCE has been called to order. Pressing matters of discussion include (and must be resolved before other measures):

• The Pro-Consulate of Greece and Asia must be filled
• Grain Distribution, city-wide (3 points, 3 points to any who distribute 10 ships worth of grain: only applies once)
• Building plans

[Pontifex Maximus]

The Censor arrives with a large bundle of scrolls. While moving over to his curule chair, he passes several of them to assistants. After sitting down to review it for a while, Severus stood.

I have decided to name Decimus Cornelius Corva the Princeps Senatus in absentia. I have been told that only through his efforts in the previous term was the honor and majesty of the office of consul maintained. This is worthy of recognition, it is a shame that he may not be the first to speak on all matters this term as surely he is the most fitting man among us to do so.

[PatrickR]

'That is your prerogative, Severus, and I have no place in questioning your judgement on the appointing of a Princeps Senatus. However, I would like to point out that we do have more pressing matters to attend to at this moment. In particular we must fill the empty Tribunal position; Curial business cannot continue if the people are not adequately represented.

Nominations shall be opened presently.'

[Double A]

That should be resolved fairly quickly. I see no reason to drag down discussion with something that has little to no value in talking about. I would suggest that something be done about the hungry mobs throughout Roma. I wish I hadn't already sent my merchant ships away, or I would have done something about it myself. However, the Republic has 30 merchant ships available. So that no one Senator has to subtract profit from his personal income, I propose 10 of those ships be sent to Sicily and Egypt to purchase grain, bring it back, and donate it to the people.

[Raglan]

Titus Flavius enters the curia for the first time of his life. And he takes great pleasure in taking a seat on one of the wooden benches. This is where he wants to be. This is where it is right to be. Looking around he spots a few faces he knows, but mostly strangers, no doubt he will get to know them all before soon.

[Lanthe]

"Indeed, the people have grown hungry for the preparations to turn Gaul into farmland has taken longer than we have thought. I ask Quaestors to make calculations of how much would it cost to feed every citizen in Rome."

Aulus read from a scroll.

Grain distibution

Grain is to be distributed around the city to every citizen. Grain is to be imported from foreign countries like Egypt. Volunteering to aid Senate in this deed is recomended, but not necessary

"I wait for my colleague to be elected so that he can have his say in this proposition and second it if he sees it fit along with all of you who feel this would be in benefit of the people."

[The Stig]

"I volunteer to distribute the grain. I have ten vessels ready to carry grain from the farthest reaches of the Republic."

[M D]

Senator Cilo enters, and takes his seat..

[Lucius Malfoy]

Praetor Lucius enters the Curia and takes his seat for now

[Pontifex Maximus]

Indeed, Dextrus. I myself am able to send ships to Sicily for additional grain which may be distributed (ooc: that means no income from any ships sent to get free grain for the people) but there is also a public option.

Scoffing at the tribune's proposal, Severus produces yet another one of his seeming library of scrolls, he holds it close to his face.

The city contains between thirty and fifty thousands of individuals unable to feed themselves this year due to the exorbitant price of grain. One modius of wheat costs one denarius, at reasonable market value. However, recent shortages seem to have driven this price up considerably. Readily baked bread can cost as much as three denarii per modius at the moment, which is much higher than average. I suggest we freeze the price of wheat at one denarius and 2 sestertii. In this way profit is limited but those who import fairly are not discouraged from doing so.

Meanwhile we must work to bring more grain to Italy through other means. We require a minimum of 80,000 modii of wheat for the next month. My trade vessels may carry a maximum of 5,000 modii if they make it to Egypt and Sicily respectively. We may not meet all the requirements but we must work to alleviate the suffering of the people or face possible revolt. To supply the needs of the plebs fully would cost a staggering amount, 80,000 denarii. The treasury cannot afford this sort of expenditure, at any cost. It would virtually bankrupt the treasury.

[Double A]

Lovely. Then the entire Republic fleet could only cover a tenth of the grain, assuming you mean all of your ships can carry 5,000 modii instead of each.

ooc: Assume there are natural pauses and that I'm not just looking at people's house threads and the rules.

[PatrickR]

'Then perhaps we need to find a way to distinguish between those who need grain the most and those who can wait; I believe, Censor, that this falls within your Cenus-taking remit? I do agree with a price-freeze, though, but we also need to look at the underlying causes once we have addressed the initial problems, do we not? How do we expand our wheat production ability to the point where we can safely unfreeze the price?

I have a rough idea which would also include further Legionary Reforms, help to Romanise the frontiers and increase our wheat production by a margin, but, since I am a man of no recent military experience, this is to be expanded upon by my fellow Consul and by Praetor Regulus.

But there are other things we can do. I dare say a main one would be ensuring that our main wheat production area in Carthage is free of barbarian forces.'

[Lanthe]

"As you put it Censor" Aulus said quickly.

"I am ready to ship grain from Egypt and pay for the expenses for I have acquaintances whom I had trade traded with before. And I am ready to donate all my wealth that I own excluding my own subsistence to the state
to be used to help the people. As Censor said, Rome itself cannot afford this sort of expenses and so it lays mostly on us, members of this assembly to provide needed grain and funds to help the people."

[Pontifex Maximus]

The Numidian's ravages of Carthage does appear to be a cause of the shortage, as well as crop failures in northern Italy. I have already calculated how many families are unable to supply their own bread without crippling financial setbacks that would take years to recover from. Families are trading their heirlooms for enough bread to make sure their children do not starve.

Severus turns to Dextrus

I have ten ships available to import grain free of charge, in total they may bring 5,000 modii to the city.

[PatrickR]

'I will provide all available wealth, although I do not possess much at this time. The question is, how many ships do all willing members of the Senate possess? I suggest those who wish to provide assistance give details of their ships and the wealth/goods they are willing to provide to the Quaestors so we have some idea of what capacity we have. The sooner we collate this information the better; could you supply those numbers to the Quaestors also, Severus?'

[Magicman2051]

"In our haste we should not forget that the issues in Carthage also affect the people there, has there been any word from the Consul or Pro-Consul?"

[Pontifex Maximus]

There has been no word from Carthage for months. I suspect the worst.

[M D]

Cilo stands,

"When I saw Carthage on my travels, the feelings towards our state were not of a good omen.. Perhaps the augurs of the years previous were correct. A foreign bird, once with a local one flies off, a simple yet obvious prophecy. I can only assume, conscript fathers, that the local senators of Carthage have cast us off. One cannot be sure, yet one can suspect it. THe lesson is clear, we must secure our other provinces where this chance is possible."

[Magicman2051]

"Assumptions spoken as truths are as deadly as swords in the gut," Bocco unconsciously scratched his own stomach," but there is little that suggests Carthage retains its former tranquility."

[M D]

"Hence my point.. Like I said, where else within our sacred borders is in peril? For we must close the gates, arm our men and be ready, for this could be the time Rome is tested, stretching this senate, and the plebs to the limit."