Moderator: Okmin
Roman envoy: Tiberius Honorius Lentulus - Julia Domna
Leader of the Volsci: Attius Tullus - Okmin
The Volsci are perhaps the least Latin of the Latin tribes - their language is more Samnite than Latin, and they have spent much of their history in conflict with Rome and her Hernici allies. As recently as 345 BCE, Rome had seized control of Sora; the Volsci had recently reacquired this city, only to have the Samnites sack it while the legions were assaulting Naples. Now these hills are the seat of anti-Roman sentiment among the Socii. The Senate has decided this spark must be extinguished, before the Latin League goes up in flames.
It was late in the evening when Tiberius and Caecilia (Who wanted to be a part of the mission) came close to reach the city of Antium through the surrounding hills. It was raining and the trip was long. Tiberius escorted with a couple of guards at the end of the day saw the city of Antium from a small hill and noticed the city was not far of anymore.
A hour later they arrived in the city and Tiberius inspected the little city 'what an ugly city, clearly inferior to Rome' he said to his wife. 'Ofcourse she whispered, the volsci are inferior to Rome' she whispered while looking arrogantly to the local population.
After walking through some streets they arrived at the office of the leader Attius. Tiberius asked an audience and requested to prepare a residence to rest from the long journey.
When the Romans arrived in his city, Attius Tullius was less furious than usual - his mood had been steadily improving over the past days as he heard rumors the Campani were raiding Samnium. So Honorius and his wife would be housed in the Volsci leader's seaside villa, all the better to calm the man during talks.
They were called to the atrium, where some modest refreshments were set out.
Greetings, Senator. What does Rome want of the Volsci?
Both Tiberius and Caecilia graciously accepted the refreshments after their exhausting journey. Night was falling over the city and both were tired.
Thank you Attius for the refreshments, they're a welcome addition. And i must aswell thank you for the residence provided.
Tiberius got interrupted by Caecilia
Thank you for the welcome and the refreshments Attius, but i think i will leave the men alone to discuss important matters, i'm tired and i think i'm going to sleep, it has been an exhausting day. She then kissed Tiberius and kissed Attius hand.
The men continued their conversation
She's delightful isn't it? Anyways be assured Rome does not ask anything friend, however we've heard troublesome rumours.... rumours of independence and dissatisfaction in the area, have you noticed anything of this?
Attius sipped his wine and regarded the Roman with all the indifference he could muster.
Yes, your wife is most delightful. But to business of state. You are hear about rumors? I assure you, senator, you need not concern yourself with rumor, but reality. My people hold Rome responsible for the rape of Sora. Is it not convenient, when you failed to hold the city four years ago, your dictator left it to burn? Was he unaware of the Samnites' whereabouts? Were there no scouts? Were there no messages from the Campani?
The man took a breath and carefully put down his cup.
Roman, your dictator took our legions - our legions - to rob some Greeks while a Latin city burned. Your commanders are either inept or worthless to us, and I do doubt the former. Tell me, Honorius, if Rome cannot defend her "allies", why should we defend Rome? Perhaps the Volsci would rather throw in with the Campani; we have much in common now.
Tiberius drank from his wine and it took a moment before he spoke again.
I do not deny mistakes have been made, while i do not know the exact details it seems the scouts have failed to give us decent information and as for Sora it came as a suprise however we inmediately have send our legions to the city once news reached us when it got sacked,looking for survivors. What i've heard is that ex Dictator Regulus tried to march to Samnite heartlands hoping to battle the Samnites there, apparently he was wrong and the Samnites were assaulting Sora.
The campanii are not to be trusted they refused to provide naval assitance in Neapolis when we asked. And the objective of our campaign was to prevent the samnites getting a grip on the Campani, thus we have achieved our objective and protected the Campani from the samnites as we promised. We would have done the very same for your people if they were threatened by any agressors.
Senator, the issue is not whether you completed your objective. The issue is that you took our sons and let them bleed for Neapolis while their families were killed and their homes burned. And why? You couldn't even hold on to Neapolis. And then how could your dictator not know what was happening? If he knew the Samnites were marching north, where did he think they were going? For a holiday in the Alps?
You say you would protect our people, but you have not and we doubt you will in the future.
Last edited by Okmin; October 29, 2014 at 05:00 PM.
And the sons' of Rome have bled too in this war and indeed why? Because sacrfies have to be made for eachother as allies, now the sacking Sora is a tragedy indeed. Our ex dictator went south to strike at Samnite heartlands and apparently scouts did not noticed our dictator of the Samnite's heading north, so the sacking of Nora is to blame on those scouts. Not only your sons have suffered wounds but aswell as our son's who gave their life for Neapolis but only to give it to our archenemy.
But i feel mistakes have been made in this war and lifes could have been spared, i'm sure we can make a fair compromise, perhaps we can repair our relations by rebuilding Sora from our funds gained in Neapolis?
Tiberius almost felt asleep
Trust us Romans, we would have sacrificed Roman soldiers for you allies if your lands were attacked, we would never let our allies alone as is shown by the successfull defence of Campania though i understand it created frustations among your people
Do you have maps in Rome? Samnium is north of Campania, not south of it! If you go south from Campania, you will find yourself besieging Carthage on the backs of fish! Your dictator sought nothing but quick spoils in Neapolis. He cared nothing for Latium, until the Samnites turned in the direction of Rome. And do you expect to rebuild an entire city with a few thousand of your denarii?
The enraged Volscian slammed a fist on his table.
You would have sacrificed Romans soldiers if our lands were attacked? Roman, our lands were attacked!
And yet they have seized none of your lands in the aftermath of the war. Again i do not deny mistakes have been made. About Sora, how much do you think you would need for the reparations?
Tiberius is not content with the ongoing conversation .
Look we can continue to argue about Sora and our mistakes but what will we achieve from it, we can't change the past anymore, if i could i would have done it already. We must look to the future now and start our relations with a clean slate. Rome would gladly help its allies in the repairations of Sora.
You're ofcourse free to speak up and make a proposal ofcourse.
[OOC : sorry for answering so late!!]
Last edited by Mary The Quene; November 01, 2014 at 12:35 PM.
Good, the Volscii people can only benefit from our renewed relations. What do you think the required sum would be for rebuilding Sora? Would you mind it we would send you every year a part of the sum instead of giving the full sum at once??
Tens of thousands of denarii, at a guess. We would have to begin rebuilding for a truer estimate. The spoils you took from Neapolis would be an appropriate start, however.
Did I not agree to a clean slate? If Rome desires our allegiance, she must prove her worth from, as agreed, a clean slate. Once Sora is rebuilt with your promised help, the Volsci could rejoin your league. But no sooner.
The Mission to Antium
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