Roman Sickness
Lucius Julius Libo(16 March 488 - 16 March 492)
With the unification of Italia, Lucius Julius Libo found himself beginning his seventh consecutive term as Consul. His first task was the rearranging of the Legions. The First Legion under Quintus Aemilius Papus would stay stationed in Epirus. The Second Legion under Gaius Aurelius Cotta took ship back to protect against any barbarian invasions.
Libo still needed men in Syracusae though to protect against any possible attacks by Carthage. The only option was to form a Third Legion. This Legion was placed under the command of Appius Claudius Caudex. Appius was the grandson of Appius Claudius Caecus who had built the Appian Way during his time as Censor. Appius Claudius Caecus had served twice as Consul and was Dictator for a number of years. His son had similar ambitions, but so long as he was away in Syracusae he did not feel like he had anything to fear from him.
Quintus Aemilius Papus passed away at the end of 488 leaving the First Legion leaderless. They would need strong leadership to keep the Greeks in line. The only person who came to his mind was Marcus Fulvius Flaccus. Bringing the man before him they made an agreement. So long as Marcus supported Libo in the coming election he would step aside and retire in 492.
Marcus agreed to these terms and set off to become the Legate of the First Legion. And true to his word in the 490 election both Marcus and his friend Appius Claudius Russus did not run. Libo had a single vote in this election, but it was enough to win as nobody else ran against him. He had his third one vote victory to finish his career.
This last term would be known for two things. Libo had engouh control over the region of Liguria to send any families willing to, to settle this region. This connected Rome with its one and only ally Massilia. Gaius Claudius Conina volunteered to take up the position as Dux of this region. He had served once as Consul and believed this would get him towards that posiiton again.
The other and more devastating event was what became known as the Roman Sickness. Across all of Rome thousands of pepole were growing ill and dying. Not just the plebians, slaves, and craftsman either. Men of high rank and outstanding families were dying as well. In just the six months before Libo's end of Consul five thousand people were dead. Among these were Marcus Otacilius Crassus, Dux of Epirus; Publius Sulpicius Savernio, Dux of Bononia; and Lucius Aemilius Barbula, Dux of Umbria and former Consul. In their places he named Gaius Sulpicius Paterculus, Gaius Junius Bubulaus, and Lucius Montius Vulso.
Knowing what this Sickness was doing to the land Libo graciously left Rome after his Consul term ended. Libo's served as Consul of the Roman Republic for sixteen years or eight terms. In his time the lands of Epirus, Tarentum, Bononia, and Liguria were all added to Rome's power. Only two years of war went on in that time and Libo stamped out corruption across all of the Republic. Libo's time as Consul would be remembered as a time of peace and growth.
Marcus Fulvius Flaccus(16 March 492 - 16 March 500)
The 492 election was closer than any election in Roman history. The three men who put their names forward was Marcus Fulvius Flaccus, Legate of the First Legion; Appius Claudius Russus, a close friend of Marcus and one of the leading statesmen; and Appius Claudius Caudex, Legate of the Third Legion. As the votes came in Marcus and Claudius Russus were tied while Claudius Caudex was in a distant second. The vote was held again and again with similar totals. Marcus and Claudius Russus votes went up, but they continued to rise evenly. Even when Claudius Caudex dropped completely out his votes split evenly between the two.
Eventually the two friends came to an agreement. Appius dropped out of the race and in return he would be named Dux of Syracusae. After two terms in this office Marcus would step aside allowing Appius his turn at Consul. Appius believed this agreement would be most beneficial to him as by that time the Sickness plaguing Rome would have passed. So in June 492 Decimus Junius Pera was accused of corruption and replaced by Appius.
Marcus two terms were rather peaceful. Men, women, and children of all ranks were still dying in the land. There was only one Dux in his first term that died. Gaius Claudius Conina, Dux of Liguria, passed away meaning he would never become Consul again. He was replaced by Lucius Genucius Clepsina, a much younger and healthier man. Following the 494 election and the beginning of the second and final term Marcus had a second navy formed. This vast fleet would be under the command of Gaeso Quinctius Claudius. Or at least he was in command for a few days until the sickness struck him too. He was replaced by Lucius Postumis Megellus.
With the term coming to an end Marcus did not wish to give up the power he had gained. He enjoyed being Consul. If he was going to best his friend though he needed to take away some of the man's support. His biggest supporter was the Aemilius family. In January 496, Marcus married Aemilia Barbula, daughter of Luciius Aemilius Barbula, former Consul and Dux of Umbria. This gained him some extra support, but the next victim of the Sickness ensured his continued seat as Consul. With only twenty days to go before the 496 election, Appius Claudius Russus died. Some said Marcus had him killed. Though nobody dared say it to his face.
After the election of 496 the Sickness took a turn for the worse. For these next two years nearly a quarter of Rome's people died. The province of Etruria was hit the hardest. They went through four Dux in those two years. By the 498 election Sarvius Fulvius Paetinus held the position. They were not the only place to be hit though. Lucius Valerius Flaccus of Lucania died. As did Gaius Junius Bubulcus of Bonbonia and Quintus Gurges of Samnium. Quintus would be replaced by Libo who was begged by the people to come out of retirement.
Rome had lost so many people the land of Epirus thought it was time to revolt. This was a foolish move as Marcus and the First Legion was still stationed there. In three days Marcus had killed more people in Epirus then the entire Sickness had up to that moment. The man was rather pleased with his actions too. Returning to Rome he held a triumph for himself. This was not done by normal standards. The Senate did not vote for it and there was no slave standing behind Marcus to remind him that he could die.
Then with the start of his fourth term as Consul word came from the north that a barbarian tribe known as the Veristii were attacking Bononia. Even though Gaius Aurelius Cotta and the Second Legion was a weeks march away, Marcus would not allow him to engage the barbarians. He wanted the honor to save Bononia and to hold yet another triumph for himself. This would not be so. Arriving not far from the barbarian camp Marcus had camped prepared. Just not in the normal fashion. No trenches or walls were built, only the tents were put up with a few men to keep watch. Taking advantage of this laziness the Veristii were able to bring a resounding defeat to Marcus and his First Legion. Ignoring Marcus' orders Cotta marched to Bononia. When he arrived the city was completely destroyed. Nothing was left and the Veristii were marching further into Italia. It would not be until February of 499 that Cotta was finally able to put down the last of the tribe.
In Syracusae Appius Claudius Caudex was doing his best to cause a war. The man had captured two Carthaginians on the eastern half of Sicilia. These men were exected by Appius himself. The delegate Carthage sent to complain about the treatment of its people was executed as well as the man who came to inform Appius that Carthage was now an enemy of Rome.
Hearing of this Marcus sailed to Sardinia in an attempt to capture the islands. The Second Legion was sent to Syracusae to take over command of the province from Appius. Even Massilia sent its army to capture the island of Corsica. Things looked well as both Corsica and Sardinia fell. Then the war made a turn for the worse. Epirus rose in revolt in an attempt to reclaim its lands. Lucius Postumius Megellus died during the transport of the Second Legion. It took the new Navy Prefect an additional three days to get to Syracusae as he had begun sailing the wrong way one of the days. By the time Cotta arrived in Syracusae he knew there was no way to fix what Appius had done and the city was abandoned.
The war looked like it was going against Marcus as the 500 election was nearing. He had won his victory, but this was the first time in recent history that Rome had lost its own lands. The Punic War was goign against him and even worse Libo had come out of retirement. He even had a solution that he brought before the Senate to fix the Sickness.