Conflict of Orders

The 12 Lictors enter the Senate, leading the way for Consul M. Decius Bellicus, defender of Rome, conqueror of Parma and Placentia and bane of the Boii

"Conscript fathers, this session is called to order. The floor is open to any remaining business not tended to during the past several sessions."

Furius Pavo, Consul-Elect of Rome and Senator motioned to speak. He rose with purpose and moved to the center of the Senate in easy view of everyone, commanding their attention.

Conscript Fathers, to say this past year was a tumultuous one is to put it delicately. Our Republic had Legions fighting far abroad and close to home. Our frontiers were menanced, enemies still in the field, revolts and incursions in the provinces, and domestic troubles in Rome itself. High dangers required men of higher valor. And I would like to propose this Senate to honor those, within our means and traditions, who went above and beyond personal sacrifice to aid our enduring Republic.

I propose an Ovatio for Consul Decius Bellius, who ignored any Triumph for himself and his legions, despite their grand campaign against the Boii scourge, to help bring order to our troubled government. It is the least those Senate can offer.

Secondly, I recommend a Medium Triumph for Magistrate Domitius Corbulo. For two years, he has fought against invading barbarians and rebelling savages alike. But what sets his actions apart is that this year, with all the problems and events of Rome, Domitius Corbulo was not only able to secure the defense of the province under his care, but to do so with less forces than before. With great courage and personal risk, he drove back threats to our Hispanian territories and did not come begging for reinforcements. He girded up himself for battle and fought alone on the frontier while civil disruption reigned at home. For this extra ordinary, two year effort, we should honor his legions and him a Medium Triumph.

Hostus Lucretius Tricipitinus stood up and indicated his clear approval for the Consul-elect’s speech.

Conscript fathers, I am in full agreement with Consul-elect Furius Pavo. Consul Decius Bellicus has done much to advance the Republic and finish the campaign of revenge on the duplicitous Boii. He is clearly deserving of at least an Ovatio.

Propraetor Domitius Corbulo has also done much and more to advance the Republic’s interest in Hispania. He has faced dire odds and yet the gods have seen him through to major victories against Roman enemies. As such, I support the triumph.

Allectus stands to speak.

Good and noble Conscript Fathers,

I cannot think of men more deserving of these honors than these two who have fought to secure our borders and maintain the integrity of Roman territories. I wholeheartedly support an Ovatio for Consul Decius Bellicus and a medium triumph for Propraetor Domitius Corbulo. May we and all Romans follow in their example and work towards a stronger and more prosperous Republic.

Albinovanus Fango, proxy of Propraetor Domitius Corbulo

"Patres Conscripti,

After Consul Decius Bellicus' victory over the Boii, I would have supported any triumph suggested for him. However, through his selfless actions returning to Rome we are left with sadly few options in showing the gratitude of an entire city. An ovatio, being the highest honor at our disposal, should be given immediately.

As for Propraetor Domitius Corbulo, on his behalf I would greatly support such a triumph. Upon his return to the city he intends to share the spoils of war with the people of Rome. It is only fitting we welcome him back in such a way."

Conscript Fathers,

As some of you know, my family holds an estate in Hispania Ulterior. With news of the revolt in the region I sent a trusted man to report on the situation and the safety of our filial holdings there. To my utter shock and dismay my man reported that:

The revolt was caused in particular by the brutal treatment of the natives by the Governor Corbulo. They rose up, slaughtered a good number of Roman citizens, but were soon defeated. As of the writing of the most recent letter, they are inhabiting Onoba.

After our honorable soldiers stormed the walls of Onoba, I received another report stating that:

It's scandalous, the amount of casualties taken by the Governor's troops in storming the walls of Onoba. The Socii Legion is effectively worthless in combat, it suffered so many losses storming the walls. Not very Roman of the commander to throw away so many lives against worthless barbarians.

Domitius Corbulo indeed misled the Senate by claiming he needed forces for punitive expeditions, not to quell his revolting populace. He had the impunity to ask the Senate to take a legion from the command of the Proconsul governor of Hispania Citerior to give to him, all for the sake of disguising his failings and covering his tracks.

Not very Roman of the commander indeed.

Domitius Corbulo has earned no triumph! He created a revolt from his own severe mismanagement of a province and wasted thousands of lives suppressing it to hide his shame. I categorically reject the notion of any triumph for him and call for an investigation into his governance be commissioned by this body.

Allectus would stand when it was his turn to speak

Good and Honest Senator Quinctilius Varus,


Every since these lands were heroically liberated from Carthaginian and barbarian control, it has been an almost constant struggle to pacify the local populace.

Could you or your contact in H. Ulterior provide a time table of events for this supposed mistreatment of native Hispanians in Propraetor Domitius Corbulo’s province? To my knowledge, we have had revolts and uprisings from the local tribal populace since before Propraetor D. Corbulo’s tenure as Governor of H. Ulterior. So to lay the blame on one man for the uprising of another Hispanian tribe to join others already in revolt against Rome seems quite irregular unless there is clear and demonstrable evidence to suggest that the Governor knowingly or unknowingly exacerbated the situation in H. Ulterior.

Albinovanus Fango, shocked that someone so small would speak such lies about the Propraetor, stood and turned to address this small man.

"Sir, neither myself nor the Propraetor will apologize for the treatment of rebellious barbarians in Hispania Ulterior. The province was in revolt when the Propraetor took office, so the assertion that his actions caused something that already existed when he arrived in Hispania Ulterior is utter nonsense. I would suggest you not trust any more information that came from that 'trusted man'.

As for the siege of Onoba, I stood before you and told you Propraetor Domitius Corbulo's forces in Hispania Ulterior were insufficient. The fact that the Senate refused to act on this prompted the Propraetor to attack with the forces he had. The barbarians were not only at Onoba but scattered around the region. And there were reports that neighboring tribes were moving to assist the Turdetani at Onoba. So the Propraetor did not have time for a lengthy siege. If this body had worked to get him the reinforcements he needed, that would not have been an issue. But alas, Propraetor Domitius Corbulo was forced to act with the resources he had."

I can fully support my fellow consul’s ovation.

Based on the amount of credible evidence of tyranny and brutality that has been presented here, I cannot support a triumph, or ovation, until a full investigation has been conducted by a consul.

Veterans should be interviewed from the Socii. And indeed, a full catalogue of the actions which occurred in Hispania Ulterior should be considered.

Given the short period of time until the end of our consulships, this will need to be conducted in the New Consular year.

If the allegations of brutality leading to Roman deaths is true, then the province has been mismanaged. It is not a crime to put rebelling barbarians in their place. It is, however, a crime to provoke a revolt, one that kills citizens, through graft.

Indeed, the representative for the propraetor does not even deny that the legions - which were procured under the pretense that they were to be used for offensive operations - were instead used to vandalize and loot our own province.

This is corruption of the highest order. The ”spoils of war” that the propraetor claims he will present upon his return is Wealth which would have remained in the hands of the Republic, in a province, had he not despoiled it in pursuit of personal profit.

Was this what Furius Pavo had in mind when he proposed a four year propraetorship for Domitius Corbulo two years ago?

Decius Bellicus rises

"I agree wholeheartedly with my fellow Consul, we should ask for Proculus Lucius Regulus to respond to these accusations immediately. I know that my fellow Consul misspoke when he referred to the Propraetor of Hispania Ulterior, as the issues have been in Sardinia, not Hispania."