Conflict of Orders

Allectus remains seated until Senator Cotta is done speaking. He then motions to the Princeps to have the floor.

Honorable Senator Aurelius Cotta,

To clarify our position and situation in Hispania, the Governors of Hispania Citerior and Hispania Ulterior are not waging offensive wars about the Hispania tribes or expanding onto their lands. Their mission is to pacific Roman lands recently acquired by the Carthaginians. The multitude of tribes who have raised up arms against us reside in Roman lands. We must uproot them and remind them who’s in charge or else other non-Romans will get similar ideas and feel they can push back against proper Roman rule.

Allectus sits back down

A Senator bearing the sigil of Propraetor Furius Pavo rises to speak.

Conscript Fathers,

Whenever Roman soldiers have stepped, order and stability have followed. Given the urgency and clarity of this message, Rome’s reputation and honor are bound to send reinforcements. Would we lose territory, so hard won by the sacrifices of our Republic and its legions through blood and treasure, to unwashed barbarians? No. We must send aide. Despite the military inadequacy of at least one Senator here, the rest of us know the true value of raised, professional arms and militia by themselves cannot contain such a threat as 30,000 screaming tribals.

Titus Furius Pavo wrote: ↑Mon Dec 06, 2021 3:50 pm A Senator bearing the sigil of Propraetor Furius Pavo rises to speak.

Conscript Fathers,

Whenever Roman soldiers have stepped, order and stability have followed. Given the urgency and clarity of this message, Rome’s reputation and honor are bound to send reinforcements. Would we lose territory, so hard won by the sacrifices of our Republic and its legions through blood and treasure, to unwashed barbarians? No. We must send aide. Despite the military inadequacy of at least one Senator here, the rest of us know the true value of raised, professional arms and militia by themselves cannot contain such a threat as 30,000 screaming tribals.

Conscript Fathers

If the propraetor is suggesting that two Consular legions are militia by themselves, then Rome certainly cannot assist him. If she sends two legions, he sits down and asks for two more. If we send two more, he will ask for four more.

Virtus is what should personify the Roman magistrate. These are tribals.

Supplement the legionary forces with provincial auxiliaries

There is nothing to fear, but fear itself!

Conscript fathers,

The Provincial Governor, whom we entrusted with the safety and security of our lands in that region of Hispania, has conducted an assessment of the needs of Rome in that region. He made a very specific request of the Senate - who are we, men across the sea in Rome, to question the need? If provincial militia could handle tribal forces alone, then 8,000 allies would not have been slaughtered. No, we need to consider sending more.

We've sent two legions to Hispania, but my understanding is that one legion defends each of the provinces. One legion alone to fight the tribal forces of 30,000 men is a risk we should not be willing to take. While the Roman legion, and each Roman man is more than equal to some tribesman, the weight of numbers is heavily in favor of our enemies.

To send the two auxiliary legions to assist in defense of the province is the right move to mitigate the risk of loss or further destruction. Once our forces are finished with the Boii, hopefully by the end of the year, we can send a full Consular army West to show these barbarians the true might of Rome!

Quinctilius Varus' proxy rises

Conscript Fathers,

It has not been a fortnight since this body decried Consul Valerius Marius desire to raise additional legions to fight the Boii and their allies, numbering 60,000 to 80,000 strong. We sent him and Legate Quinctilius Varus with two consular legions and two Socii legions, in full confidence that such was sufficient to face the Gaulic threat.

Now with word from our governor who sought to be granted prorogatio before even taking his position that the Iberian rabble numbers 12,000 to 30,000 we are leaping to grant this Propraetor more than three quarters what we sent with our Consul, to fight a quarter to half the number. What sense is this?

I propose we raise a single Socii legion to send to his aid, and he may make up any deficit in force he feels needed at his own expense with militia.

Albinovanus Fango, proxy of Domitius Corbulo, puts his hand into the air and rises.

"Patres Conscripti,

I have with me the words of Propraetor Domitius Corbulo, Governor of Hispania Ulterior. He reports the situation in Hispania is unstable with his own province rife with rebellion by the Turdetani barbarians. The Turdetani tribes, which inhabit many of the mineral-rich lands north of the River Baetis, are hostile toward the Republic. The Propraetor has taken preemptive action to quell these tribes before they can unite with the tribes in Hispania Citerior. He is confident his legion will be adequate this year for this task but he stresses a less veteran legion would require additional allies if neighboring tribes were to take advantage of this unrest.

Propraetor Domitius Corbulo has also asked me to relay that he has sent back 400,000 Denarii to be added to the treasury. He believes that with Roman resettlement into the region and heavy investments in mining that annual figure can double in the years to come.

Now, conscript fathers, I can speak for Propraetor Domitius Corbulo when I say Hispania Citerior should be reinforced immediately with the legions requested by Propraetor Claudius Nero. Not only will it safeguard our investments in the province, it will also allow us to quell the rebellion quickly so that Hispania Citerior will be allowed to generate more revenue for the Republic. Every denarii we spend today on the defense of the province will be returned fourfold over the next few years."

Allectus would again wait his turn to speak then stand as the Princeps pointed to him

Good Senator,

I for one have full faith in the military prowess and success of the futures endeavors of those two great men of breeding, culture and name: Consul Valerius Marius and Legate Quinctiliis Varus. The forces under their command should be up to the challenge against the Boii. And if they are not, this august body will provide whatever the Consul needs to succeed in the next year. We have yet to hear from them so until then, we can only assume they are fine.

At this moment however, we have received a direct missive from the Governor of Hispania Citerior that states that the odds against him are great with his current forces. We are sure to win every pitched battle against those unruly barbarians but 30,000 wild tribesmen can cover more land than 4,200 legionnaires. We risk allowing Roman men, women and children to be taken hostage or as slaves, our cities and towns sacked and the the region engulfed in flames. We suffer no such risk at the moment from the Boii and Insubres. No Roman should live in fear on lands we directly control.

Allectus sits down

Once motioned to stand, the Senator holding the sigil of Furius Pavo rises to speak once more.

Just as Senator Albinovus Fango has said, the province of Sardinia et Corsica have returned nearly half of what a single Hispanian province has supplied. Are these levies and taxes not collected through the labors and industry of Roman citizens abroad?

It is so. That is why it is not only ethical, but our duty to spend these monies on raising Legions, allied or otherwise, to be sent to their aid. What are taxes for if not for defense of our territory from invaders, rebels, and savages? The citizens of those provinces across the Middle Sea must be supported by Rome at this time and their taxes would be best used in their defense!

Gentlemen,

As there is no clear consensus, with some demanding fewer to no men are sent, and others demanding more citizen legions raised in excess of the original request, I shall put forward the motion as requested by the governor without alteration.

On the legislation of raising two new socii legions, and their associated costs to send them in Hispania Citerior, please make your vote known

Quinctilius Varus' proxy rises

Though I question the need for two legions, with the news of the victory of our Consul and Legatus in the north, I can not in good conscience deny the call of our Propraetor for reinforcements.

Aye