Conflict of Orders

The Consuls rises to address the Curia, a pensive mood clear on his face.

Conscript fathers,

Right now, we have the equivalent of a full Consular army on the Hispanian peninsula, two roman legions assisted by two socii forces. This is more than we currently have allocated to the defense of our territories in Italy and Rome herself from invasion from the north.

Worse, our deployment in Hispania, rather than serving to dignify our state and enrich its coffers for the benefit of the Republic, has the effect of becoming a permanent fixture, dragging men from their farmlands in Italia to fight an expanding war in Hispania that serves them no purpose but to create paupers out of the lot upon their return.

Now, after the financial situation of our Republic being made open and clear to all, with a decrease of half in our reserve funds, we find ourselves yet again discussing an increase of force commitments to Hispania after previous discussions clearly against such a notion.

The crux of the matter is that rather than expertly using our forces in those provinces effectively, as a united force, we insist upon keeping them divided, thus effectively halving their battle strength, and doubling the needs for reinforcement. Consider the following absurdity: the Roman Republic has considered one army under one commander to be sufficient to defeat the Spartans, but some would debate that the task of submitting two lesser tribes in Hispania will require two independent armies!

Even Scipio Africanus, here with us today, was able to secure all his military objectives in Hispania with a single combined force.

Our problem thus, is not one of strength, of which we have plenty in Hispania, but one of force distribution.

The Consul paused for effect.

I wish to highlight to a number of Senators that Hispania, as we speak, is in a situation of peace, even if a precarious one at that; no conflagration afflicts our lands, and the only possibility of such occurring is through our proactive action. What sense does it make, in this privileged situation, for us to conduct two simultaneous offensives, when we can more expertly use our forces in the region and focus them on a specific target.

Why cannot one province lend one veteran Roman legion to the other for the duration of the campaign and see the favor returned at its conclusion? If one caters to the needs of the Republic and not those of individual aspirations, one can readily determine that this is the logical path to take.

If the magistrates, due to their respective provincial perspectives, cannot come to an agreement on the distribution of Hispanian forces, then perhaps the Senate can assist by making that decision itself.

This, I believe, guarantees the interests of the Republic best, though I am, as always, ready to acquiesce to the Senate's will.

I yield the floor to debate.

The Proxy listens to the Consul's speech, before jumping to his feet to receive first recognition

"Conscript fathers, we cannot simply allow for the existing forces to be unified and deprive a magistrate of their imperium without the blessings of the Senate. To do so would be the set a precedence that would be most dangerous for the administration of the provinces in the future.

"However, should the good Consul believe that it is more beneficial to the Republic to deny the provinces more military support in lieu of unifying what is there, then it would make sense that we should consider, as an act of extreme urgency, to temporarily combine the provinces into one military district, to cease effect at the end of the campaigns.

"I am sure that Proconsul M. Decius Bellicus would support that the unification of the forces, and by extension the provinces, for the targeting first of the Ilergetes tribe of Citerior before turning the full attention of the legions upon the Turduli. It is easy to see that the Ilergetes have directly threatened the integrity of our Hispania interests, going unpunished by the predecessor to the current Propraetor.

"However, with the support of the Consul for this motion, it is clear that the history of Rome and its laws would clearly indicate that Proconsul M. Decius Bellicus would have overall command of these forces, as he holds greater imperium than does Propraetor G. Quinctilius Varus. I would recommend that the Propraetor be named the Legatus for this force, as a show of the unity of the Roman magistrates in Hispania.

Proxy for Caesonis Tacitus would speak

"And what would defend Hispania Ulterior during these movements?"

Conscript fathers,

We have been informed by Proconsul Bellicus that the threat from the Turdulii is so great that he needs more legions to defend the province.

Yet, he is the first to call for stripping his province of its current legions for the purpose of launching an offensive campaign in Hispania Citerior, where his own imperium would outstrip that of the elected propraetor.

Either Hispania Ulterior is under immediate threat of invasion and requires more legions as he has asked of this body several times, or as the proconsul has tipped his hand, he simply wants more forces to propel himself on an offensive campaign.

After listening to the previous speakers, the proxy for Senator M. Silvius Pastor rises to speak.

Esteemed Senators,

Both the Proconsul, Senator M. Decius Bellicus, and the Propraetor, Senator C. Quinctilius Varus have reported that enemies of Rome are mustering on their provincial borders, with hostile forces which were described by the honored proxies as “a full army of barbarian reavers,” and an army of “ 20[,000] - 35,000 barbarians,” respectively. While the nature of this barbarian aggression is cause for concern, it is the proposed solutions to combat these barbarians with our current complement that is cause for alarm.

First, I must respectfully disagree with the presiding Consul’s suggestion that a veteran Roman legion be transferred from service in one Hispanian province to the other. While the Magistrate in command of the larger force would undoubtedly be able to defeat their respective border tribe, the Magistrate in command of the smaller force - a single Latin Socii - would be forced to face either “a full army of barbarian reavers,” or an army of “20[,000] - 35,000 barbarians” should these duplicitous barbarians seize the opportunity to strike at our depleted numbers. Six thousand and three hundred lives will hang in the balance, as would the life of our commanding Magistrate - I am not comfortable leaving the lives of those men to chance.

Second, I must also respectfully disagree with the proxy for the Proconsul and his suggestion that the military forces of all Hispania be combined. As the proxy for Propraetor, Senator Post. Caesonis Tacitus astutely noted, Hispania Ulterior would be completely undefended if the Ilergetes were targeted for campaign. Likewise, if the Turduli were targeted for campaign, then Hispania Citerior would be completely undefended. Indeed, under such a proposition, it would not be a choice of which tribe to vanquish, but a choice of which Roman province we would prefer to sacrifice to the dogs!

Senators, proxies for both magistrates have demonstrated their capability of raising Socii Ala from local Hispanian allies. This year, their respective provinces have returned funds to Rome which would fund the organization of these forces without deficit. If we are not here to authorize such funding, we should move on to other matters - in deference to the Magistrates and their Imperium.

The Proxy for Decius Bellicus cannot help but grin

"Conscript fathers,

The province of Hispania Ulterior itself would be defended in the interim by the presence of her allies and the fact that just recently Propraetor Corbulo had evicted the Turduli-aligned uprisings from its lands. To be a threat to the safety and stability of Hispania does not require solely that troops are marching towards her borders, to think that would be an insult to the capabilities of this august body to understand the deeper intricacies of regional stability and security.

I would also be remiss if I did not point out to the former Consul Aurelius Cotta that it was not the Proconsul who suggested "stripping his province of its current legions for the purpose of launching an offensive campaign in Hispania Citerior", it was in fact the current Consul, who is presiding over this session who made the start of that recommendation.

Indeed, Proconsul Decius Bellicus is going a step beyond the predecessor to the current Propraetor of Citerior in that he is willing to devote forces to the support of his neighboring, something that he would hope that the current Propraetor is hoping would be extended to him. In fact, I must say that it is rather amusing to hear the former Consul argue so strenuously that somehow the Proconsul is "tipping his hand" when the original topic of this session was the proactive campaign requested by Quinctilius Varus."

The proxy sighs

"I shall give an offering to the Gods on your behalf, former Consul, in hopes that you can let your hatred of the Proconsul drift away on the winds."

Is there or is there not an “Army of Barbarian reavers” prepared to invade Hispania Ulterior?

If there is, why would you strip Hispania Ulterior of legions?

The Consul, once again, rested his forehead on his hand with his eyes shut. After a while, he rose from his chair to address the Curia.

Conscript fathers,

As this matter is of significant controversy and may be broken down in numerous components for which individual Senators may have different opinions, I wish to save us all some time and enact an immediate vote to see if there is sufficient support to carry on the discussion.

Inasmuch as it may be good and fortunate for the Roman people of the Quirites, we bring before you, conscript fathers a question concerning the military command of our forces in Hispania.

Specifically, do you believe that a temporary "military region", to last until the end of the present consular year or otherwise prorogated by the Senate, ought to be created over Hispania with command over our legionary and socii forces there deployed?

Begin discessio (division).

Quí hoc cénsétis, illuc tránsite; quí alia omnia, in hanc partem. (Whoever thinks this, go over there; whoever thinks anything else, to this part.)

May the will of the Senate be known to all.

The result of this vote will not be a law, but simply a confirmation of whether to continue discussion on the create of a military command to encompass both Hispanian provinces or not. The form in which such a command will be debated only in the event of a Aye majority.

Aye.

Aye