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Romulus' grip on power is slipping, which is why he is trying to keep the Senators sweet. Soon he'll try the proscription route.
Wonderful update Mett. Great to see the end of the siege and it sure was a changed Selenus we saw now, he was grown both in mind and age and as he stand today I think he is second only to Remus in battlefield leadership and he has already proven to be an excellent administrator so let us hope he will continue this great development. I also think that if/when he returns to Rome he will stand much stronger against the Emperor and his mother.
Looking forward to more
Looking forward to more
The heat of the cruel Campanian Summer sun beat down on the assembled party as they sat around the rear of their villa, lounging on couches, hastily assembled outside for the fine weather. The sky was a clear blue, with no clouds, the air humid, breathless and stifling. The sea, settled on the horizon, was perfectly clear and the sweep of it visible from the slight hill on which the villa was settled, along with the small fishing villages which doted the coast. The landscape drifted down from the immaculately groomed garden onto the much more rugged hillsides, and then down to the beach of the bay. The grounds and buildings of a monastery were distant, with little black shapes bobbing about in the extensive grounds. Further back, lower down the hillsides, were sparse ruins of some ancient forum buildings. It would have been a highly prized view from anyone's perspective.
Regulus shifted; he found the heat intolerable. Even standing removed in the shade, under the roofed pathway which ringed the back of the villa, his light robes clung to him through a layer of sweat and his face was red. He was having difficulty concentrating as his Uncle, spread on a couch before him, continued with a long lecture about the difficulties in securing the marriage of Hesta to the Emperor, which were apparently numerous. Arcadius had been prodding for months and had yet to even acquire a basic agreement in principle, but he was apparently undeterred overall.
“ … Dives. That man has the ears of far too many, boy! He .. Ingratiates himself with the Emperor with such devious sycophancy. Terrible.” Arcadius noted, before flicking a grape into the back of his mouth to be masticated.
Regulus was only half-aware. He was watching Avtius and Saturnius as they jumped around the grounds of the villa, both with a small wooden sword in their hands. Avitus dwarfed the boy, and had to stoop low to be able to receive the child’s blows with the mock weapons. Saturnius was ferocious in his enthusiasm for the game, clearly surprising Avitus as he bounded from one foot to the next. He mused on whether the soldiers of the north were quite so sure-footed or so eager. How could they endure armour during the Summer? Surely, it would be impossible to wear? War would always baffle him in many respects.
“Hmm?”
“ I say that Dives is a damnable menace when he wants to be!”
“Ah.” Regulus was still day-dreaming. “Well, yuh-yes, of courh-se.”
Arcadius grimaced, clearly puzzled. “Something troubling you, boy?”
“I was muh-merely distracted by the huh-hu-heat. And wuh-wuh-what is happening at the moment, of course…”
“Mmmmm.” Arcadius mumbled, clearly annoyed at the notion that his captive audience was not entirely focused on him. There was a significant pause - Arcadius dispensed with a few more grapes, drawn at length from the ornate silver bowl at his side. Regulus turned his head down, away from the sun, and seemed quite still, apart from the occasional involuntary twitch. Close by, but invisible, Saturnius laughed.
“You know, this has always been the case, boy, under the Empire. Always.” Arcadius intoned after a short while. “Generals maneuver, men fall, armies are directed, but we can do nothing to influence it, directly. We have to accept it. It’s how things are in the world. Can you imagine what I would have done to my state of mind if I had worried about these things all the time during my lifetime?” Arcadius grinned at Regulus a little. “Forget about it boy.” he said, waving his hand a little. “We’re safer where we are. But affairs are progressing in the North. Although I doubt it’ll do Claudius much good, either way, poor fellow. He won’t be around for much longer, I fear…”
Regulus was somewhat shocked to hear his uncle speak so frankly. “Err, do you muh-mean…”
“Oh, no, no, heh, no, not that.” Aradius said, quickly clarifying. “Romulus couldn’t. Removing Claudius is foolish enough, but to execute him would be utterly egregious. Far beyond anything the boy has the stomach for.”
Egregious enough? Regulus wondered; did it even matter what Romulus did now? Was there anyone who could oppose him? And why? What his uncle stated frequently now was right - Romulus was permanent, and he alone. A shiver ran up his spine, making him shudder. His uncle seemed oblivious to it all, always remaining genial and open. Regulus supposed that after all his years experience of turbulence and disaster he had become more or less impervious to the threat of danger, almost as an act of faith, like a man who frequently travels through bandit country unarmed and has miraculously never been waylaid. Was it luck, or judgement?
“But we will have other opportunities opening up, boy. These things always right themselves. I didn’t tell you about what Olympius’ old friend told us, did I?”
“Ah-bh-bou-bou-t Sicily?”
“Yessss!” Arcadius blared, happily. “Do you know the chap?”
“His fuh-friend?”
“Aye.”
“Not puh-personally. I know that he trades with Auh-ah-ah-lexandria - I assume he picked up some news whilst puh-puh-assing through the straights?”
“Indeed the fellow did. Quite lucky, really, by all accounts, with Vandal piracy and all the current disruption and the like. He certainly has a lot of stomach, more than most I would imagine. Anyhow, on the return journey, he discerned that there are some surpringly positive developments down there! I’m not sure he was entirely confident on the exact details, but the Vandals have certainly thrown away what they had, we know that - I know that Syracuse has opened it's port to trade now, absolutely. Incredible, really. Now I always said that the farmer’s boy would do well for us, did I not?”
“Is he sthu-sthu-still alive?” Regulus said, with a hint of amazement.
“So we’re told!”
“That is ih-incredible. Considering what's guh-guh-gone on over the whole buh-business”
“Indeed. While one door closes, another opens..” Arcadius guffawed. “It’s providential.”
Before Regulus could comment further, Saturnius came bounding forwards, jumping almost, wildly waving his wooden sword in the air.
“Hannibal is dead!!!”, he screamed, almost ecstatic beyond measure
“Ohhohoh!” Arcadius chuckled. “And where is the body?” he said, looking around.
Wordlessly, Saturnius jumped, his legs perfectly together and in unison, back to where he came, until he was once more out of sight. Regulus looked at his uncle with a little alarm, but Arcadius continued to smile. After a while, yells and similar noises could be heard, before Avitus came running into view, shortly pursued by young Saturnius, who was eagerly swiping at the huge man’s legs. Avitus turned, before jumping backwards on his heels to avoid the blows.
“Oh, he doesn’t seem very dead to me!” Arcadius said, jocularly.
“Tell that to my legs, milord.” Avitus said quietly, sighing and blowing out a good deal of air. Arcadius laughed, as Saturnius turned and stood, rigid, almost in a kind of mock sign of attention.
“Very well done, boy, very well done, heh.”
“Yes, sir!”
Regulus noticed that his uncle seemed distinctly uncomfortable with calling his ward ‘son’, perhaps in deference to Lucius’ memory. Although there seemed to be equally little outward closeness from Saturnius, who usually addressed his adoptive father simply as ‘Sir.’ Confusion over the loss of his natural parents seemed to mingle with a good deal of proper respect for the older man. Regulus remembered how he had felt when his father had been executed, how it had tore him up inside. A person never really recovered from that sort of thing. It’d effectively ended his childhood, and had thrust him into the world of politics and adolescence; the realisation that life was cheap and often nasty. Perhaps Saturnius, barely more than a baby, could avoid that. Doubtless he was too young to understand effectively. But he was certainly a changed boy since his father’s death. And was better for it?
Saturnius
“Heh, I imagine you want to do this when you’re older, eh? Defend Rome’s frontiers again the swinish barbarians? Eh?” Arcadius inquired, pleasantly.
“Yes! I want to be a soldier! With a big army!”
Arcadius roared with laughter. “Marvellous. Oh, marvellous!, heh” Although Arcadius was merely humouring the boy, Regulus thought the childish aspiration, endearingly innocent as it was, did have genuine merits. Arcadius scrubbed the boy’s hair playfully and smiled broadly.
“Alas, if oh-oh-nly you were a general now, ch-cousin…” Regulus said, half under his breath.
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Maybe Saturnius will take on of the leading role in this AAR someday when Selenus, Claudius, Remus or Romulus are dead or too old to have a significant part to attend.
Despite being 77 pages long, this AAR is actually at very early stages. Even still unborn characters may have great role to fill.
I see potential in Saturnius.
Very well written.
Despite being 77 pages long, this AAR is actually at very early stages. Even still unborn characters may have great role to fill.
I see potential in Saturnius.
Very well written.
The family obviously has not cottoned on to the facthat Hesta does not want to marry Romulus. That could be awkward, if Romulus decides to so honmour her.
I see Regulus keeps up his stutter around his family. It must drive them bonkers.
I see Regulus keeps up his stutter around his family. It must drive them bonkers.
Well now it seems to me that assuming Romulus is permanent is strangely innocent.
Also, am I right in thinking Rome does not yet know of the most recent news from Gaul?
Also, am I right in thinking Rome does not yet know of the most recent news from Gaul?
Romulus, innocent? I seriously have my doubts about that....Now as for Regulus.....I am wondering if this foreshadowing is something of true import, as in he will be playing a much larger role than we previously anticipated....Perhaps Remus might wish to install Regulus as Emperor instead of Romulus? An interesting idea, to say the least...I wonder if my surmise is correct....
Spothisto said:
A very perceptive point, I'd wager. A lot of the characters (both mine and Mett's) are, after all, still unmarried.
Chief Ragusa said:
Either that, or Arcadius just doesn't give a damn about her views on the subject...
Chief Ragusa said:
The stutter is not an affectation - it's an actual affliction. But he can certainly control it better under certain circumstances than others, that true; if a speech has been rehearsed, for instance.
stnylan said:
Mabye from our perspective. We've known that Romulus is a busted flush for a long time. But look at it from the perspective of the characters; Romulus has been on the throne for six years now, he has matured, and he is beginning to successfully place the army under his thumb completely with Suomar's increasing intereference. Remus is exiled, and Selenus is far away, bogged down in Sicily. Romulus has made a kind of peace with the Senate. Theodoric's invasion presents the need for internal discipline in the West. People in Rome know almost nothing of what is going on in Sicily - Gaul may as well be on another planet.
Compare the length of Romulus' reign to that of many of the earlier Emperors of the 460's and 470's (including much abler men such as Julius Nepos, who lasted for a little under a year IIRC) and you may have an idea why Arcadius (who, after all, lived through that period) considers Romulus 'permanent.'
As an aside, I don't think it's ever been touched on directly either by me or Mett, but I always got the impression that the fact that the western half of the Empire effectively collapsed during living memory has made people in Italia a lot more circumspect and politically passive than they might otherwise have been. No-one particularly wants a return to barbarian rule. (Remember the revolt of Maxentius and Odoacer's actions afterwards.) Romulus may be an arsehead, but he's Rome's arsehead.
stnylan said:
Yup. Varic wanted it that way. But with the Alpine provinces under Gallic rule, that may begin to change.
Amric said:
Ohhhh.
So tempted to comment. I'll say this, though: the family won't just be background noise forever. They will actually have a direct hand in later events which will impact on the plot and Mett's chracters as well.cthulhu said:Remus should restore the Republic and become Consul.
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You know, reading what you're saying, it almost makes sense to let Romulus stay on the throne. Truthfully, the true harm from him actually comes from his mother and the damned German he's got 'advising' him, so quietly taking care of them while keeping Romulus on the throne would be a good idea. One problem of the late Western Empire was they went through Emperors like a bag of popcorn at the movies. It'd be an important precedent to set for Romulus to stay on the throne well into his old age.
Romulus is on the throne because Remus put him there. Romulus' mother Barbaria pulls the strings, which is why Selenus is down in Sicily. Romulus has shown signs of bucking the leash by refusing to marry anyone his mother suggests. If Suomar Verus is the best talent Romulus can muster, he's not going to last long. Claudius is doing his best to defeat the Ostrogoths and Suomar is just another complication. Varic's allegiance and motivation remain opaque.
I hope they are right when they say they don’t think Romulus will execute Cladius because that would be utterly idiotic. I mean even putting Soumar in charge of the army will probably mean certain defeat and then to execute his finest general… that would be very insane. But maybe if Claudius is exiled we will see him fight with Remus again so something good might come out of it all…
I feel like this family and especially the young senator and the young adoptive boy is getting a more important role as things in Rome progresses, maybe as someone said we shall once see one of them on the Imperial throne?
Very nice writing VJ. Looking forward to more from both Mett and you
I feel like this family and especially the young senator and the young adoptive boy is getting a more important role as things in Rome progresses, maybe as someone said we shall once see one of them on the Imperial throne?
Very nice writing VJ. Looking forward to more from both Mett and you
Romulus seems to be a potentially dangerous quantity, and may cause some damage through his blunderings. Removing him would not be so bad, anyway. On the other hand, like most of the "bad" emperors, he could very well do little in the way of harm to the empire itself. Caligula and Nero may have been regarded as incompetent monsters and madmen by history, but generally the empire kept on running in spite of them. Hell, Nero was actually popular with the people.
I don't know much about late-Roman history, so I can't say with much certainty what the emperor's and Senate's places are in government, but from my experience the Emperor or the Senate need the loyalty of the legions. The Senate hasn't had it in centuries and I think Romulus is really only staying in power because no one's bothered to become a candidate.
He may not be the best man for the job, but Romulus is really the only man willing to risk it. The more stable Italia becomes, the less likely he'll manage to retain his position.
I don't know much about late-Roman history, so I can't say with much certainty what the emperor's and Senate's places are in government, but from my experience the Emperor or the Senate need the loyalty of the legions. The Senate hasn't had it in centuries and I think Romulus is really only staying in power because no one's bothered to become a candidate.
He may not be the best man for the job, but Romulus is really the only man willing to risk it. The more stable Italia becomes, the less likely he'll manage to retain his position.
Plushie said:
Ah. I'm not sure I agree with you there. I think Romulus is highly impressionable but he's equally well-disposed towards foolishness alone. I think removing Barbaria and Varic would simply open opportunities for others and leave the fundamental problems with Romulus intact. I think Remus is the best bet for the West, personally.
Plushie said:
I think he's already set that precedent, to an extent.
Chief Ragusa said:
That's very true.
Lord E said:
Well, we know for certain from the prologue that Claudius is alive more than twenty years after this, so I think all bets are that he won't perish.
Lord E said:
Mabye it's Hesta you need to be looking out for? Empress Irene, anyone?
Lord E said:Very nice writing VJ. Looking forward to more from both Mett and you
Thank you. I've already started on another, which is going to be focused around the Senate. (although not on the floor of the chamber, as before)
TC Pilot said:
The Senate is very weak at this point in history, even compared to the early Empire. Although it still has important symbolic constitutional functions, mostly it was concerned with the government of Rome itself and even there it was beginning to falter in the face of the coming medieval Papacy. (Historically, the Senate seems to have expired in the middle of the next century, so by this time it was well on it's way out) Of course, that may begin to change in the future. Post-Constantine, if not before, the Senate was very much at the whims of the Emperor, and whether he chose to give it much regard or not. (I believe Julian the Apostate was very big on it and regularly attended in person, much like Claudius I etc.)
TC Pilot said:
Of course, the success in Gaul poses a question: Who governs Gaul, now?
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I guess Syargius rule Gaul and one could think he'll follow Remus, but who knows...
Well, at present, Gaul is effectively independent. And the whole purpose of the expidition was to bring it under Romulus' thumb. Is there not a possiblity for tension there?
Spothisto: Thanks very much, sir! Updates are indeed wonderful, and you shall have them!
Chief Ragusa: I agree about the clientiarii. In the end for Selenus, he needed the help of something deadly but providential to overcome the siege. I agree with you that Romulus is on the throne because Remus put him there. And now Remus' strength is recovering. It's mainly his sense of tradition that holds him back from deying Romulus...will that last forever?
Fulcrumvale: Wouldn't a heart attack be anti-climactic?
Stynlan: Poor Romulus has never experienced life without rivals, unless you count his exile.
Plushie, boehm: I've heard that said a few times, and you have a very good point. Though a late empire would probably need two good men to run it, the general in the field and the administrator in the capital.
Darks63: Good question, it's been a long time since Remus and Selenus last met.
Vincent Julien: Thanks, literally all of Sicily is now open to Selenus, we'll see what he makes of it. And wonderful post sir! Your comments are also a great help to fleshing out the story.
Lord E: Thank you sir! More is coming...
Amric: VJ does me a world of god by breathing life into Rome while I'm away playing at soldier in Gaul and Sicily. He gives me more intrigue and evil plotting than I ever could've come up with.
cthulhu: You will never give up on the Republic, will you?
TC Pilot: Yeah, I don't think Romulus is a necessarily evil emperor..perhaps a spiteful, easily manipulated one. His one positive contribution that I've written is his rebuilding of Rome, giving it some grandeur again. If anything, he has a sense of style.
yourworstnightm: Actually, Syagrius died...he was wounded during Clovis' siege of Soissons, and the governance of Gallia Romanum passed on to Remus (though not necessarily approved by the "titular" ruler, Romulus).
Chief Ragusa: I agree about the clientiarii. In the end for Selenus, he needed the help of something deadly but providential to overcome the siege. I agree with you that Romulus is on the throne because Remus put him there. And now Remus' strength is recovering. It's mainly his sense of tradition that holds him back from deying Romulus...will that last forever?
Fulcrumvale: Wouldn't a heart attack be anti-climactic?
Stynlan: Poor Romulus has never experienced life without rivals, unless you count his exile.
Plushie, boehm: I've heard that said a few times, and you have a very good point. Though a late empire would probably need two good men to run it, the general in the field and the administrator in the capital.
Darks63: Good question, it's been a long time since Remus and Selenus last met.
Vincent Julien: Thanks, literally all of Sicily is now open to Selenus, we'll see what he makes of it. And wonderful post sir! Your comments are also a great help to fleshing out the story.
Lord E: Thank you sir! More is coming...
Amric: VJ does me a world of god by breathing life into Rome while I'm away playing at soldier in Gaul and Sicily.
He gives me more intrigue and evil plotting than I ever could've come up with.cthulhu: You will never give up on the Republic, will you?
TC Pilot: Yeah, I don't think Romulus is a necessarily evil emperor..perhaps a spiteful, easily manipulated one. His one positive contribution that I've written is his rebuilding of Rome, giving it some grandeur again. If anything, he has a sense of style.
yourworstnightm: Actually, Syagrius died...he was wounded during Clovis' siege of Soissons, and the governance of Gallia Romanum passed on to Remus (though not necessarily approved by the "titular" ruler, Romulus).
He ran his hands through his matted hair and as the tent flap was thrust aside, Claudius realized that his visitor was the last person he wished to see that day. Neither could he avoid the sullen Suomar Verus. Grim-faced, with sooty skin and nicked armor, Suomar stepped in slowly, with purpose, his dented helmet tucked properly under his arm, his eyes ablaze. It was a familiar posture, and Claudius now knew from experience that it radiated displeasure. More correctly, it displayed extreme dissatisfaction with his commander’s strategy. Not wishing a confrontation in his state of weariness, Claudius beckoned to one of the camp chairs, sitting down with measured indifference. Perhaps annoyed at his general’s politeness, Suomar took his time in joining him at the map table, doing so with a sneer at the pieces on the large map of northern Italia. It was the two largest blocks, symbolizing Theodoric and Claudius’ armies that seemed to draw both men’s eyes.
“You held me back…again,” Suomar said, not even deigning to hide the intensity in his stare.
With a bored expression of indifference, Claudius began shifting the blocks, moving the two large pieces slightly to the north. ”The casualties would’ve been too great. I can’t afford to have my cavalry broken without result.”
It was an argument they had repeated endlessly over the past months, and Claudius was wearier from this struggle than the campaign against the Ostrogoths. Suomar would simply never grasp the value of keeping an army intact in the field. ”You’re a newcomer to self-flattery, Verus. Your horse are fit, but incapable of driving heavy infantry off the Via Popilia. You would’ve had initial success, only to batter your heads against an immovable object. With my cavalry shattered, the Goths would’ve been encouraged to turn and fight head on, at great risk and loss. As it stands, the enemy is now far removed from Rome, and with it, the greatest threat to the Empire.” Now it was Claudius’ turn to flare, a rarity that caused even Suomar to pause. ”You fail to understand what’s at stake here, general. If Theodoric loses, the war rages on.” He stood to emphasize his point. ”If I lose decisively, even once, the game is up. This is survival…not glory.”
Suomar’s retort was cut short as the tent flaps were again cast aside, a junior officer racing into the praetoria to hand over yet another missive. Even static, an army generated innumerable correspondence. The action seemed to spark something in Suomar, who now flashed a wry smile.
”It is unfortunate that you continue to infect the army with such caution, general,” he said more easily, standing. He tucked his helmet under his arm, an odd gesture which hinted at a formal dignity. It was this that put Claudius on guard. Standing straight as a sword, Suomar opened one of his satchel pockets and produced a scroll, with a broken seal of Imperial purple. The hairs on Claudius’ neck stood up.
”The continued failure of the imperial army to dispose of the Gothic invasion has been deemed intolerable,” Suomar spoke loudly, unfurling the scroll and reading with growing relish. ”Our displeasure has reached its fullest extent. Therefore, hear our words. Should the commander of the army continue to demonstrate a dangerous timidity in the face of the enemies of the Empire, the bearer of this scroll shall be empowered with the duty and instruction to take command of the army. The reading of this letter aloud in the presence of the commander is to be taken as our very word, the condemnation of the Imperator himself. Therefore, we, Romulus Augustus Invictus Italicus, Imperator Caesar, Princeps Dominus, Pius Felix, set our hand against the commander of the army should he thus fail in his duty to the Empire. He is ordered, on pain of death, to cede his command of the army to the bearer of this scroll, to show obedience and humility and take himself to Mediolanum, there to join its garrison and await our pleasure. May he know the Imperator’s mercy and never shirk his obligations again. So we have said, so let it be done.”
The silence lay thick in the tent, and it was if the entire camp grew quiet to watch this struggle of command. Claudius was the first to react, exhaling visibly, annoying Suomar with his evident relief. It was apparent, his fear of execution. Exile had less of a sting. Pondering the map again, he picked up the wooden block, the one representing his army and, quietly, set it down on Suomar’s side of the table. ”Far be it from me to deny you the fruits and pleasure of your triumph, general Verus,” he said quietly as he set down the block. ”Know this. This block of wood, tiny though it may be, is the wall of Rome. Break it, and you break the empire.”
With a soft thud, the scroll landed on the map, dislodging the blocks. ”You always did revere your maps and pieces more than the battlefield, Claudius,” Suomar scoffed, no longer deigning to use titles. ”In my mercy, I gave you one last chance to prove your worth. When you allowed Theodoric to withdraw unharassed from Ravenna and let every warrior walk out of harm’s way, I was compelled to act.”
Reluctantly, Suomar nodded, sneering as his rival left at last, removed, defeated. The protectorii stood silent, sentinels whose thoughts were impassive, unknown. They were also irrelevant. He would have the Imperator’s proclamation announced within the hour, promulgated so that none would doubt Claudius’ weakness or his elevated position. It occurred to him to perhaps give the general an unfortunate accident on the Via Aurelia, yet the Imperator was adamant in his message. The embarrassment would be too great, the army’s loyalties too fresh. Besides, he had plans to put into motion. ”Notarius! Fetch me a map of Venetia. And get rid of these ridiculous blocks!”
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