RTW AAR - The Story of Amulius Brutus: Prologue

Disclaimer: This is loosely based on events during my first complete run of RTW back in 2006. Thank you for reading

‘… he possess an aura, so blinding and so powerful, that I feared I would burn in his light. Only once I dared to step into that glow I realised, his men do not burn in that light; in fact, they absorb it like the grass, and become stronger. That is how he has achieved victory in Greece, that is why the people sing his praise, and nobleman sulk that they do not have the glory he possesses… As I write this, rumours are abound that the remaining Macedonian forces at Corinth, are joining with Sparta and what is left of the Athenians to halt him at a town called Megara. If the rumours are true, Amulius will be outnumbered 3 to 1. Whomever almighty Mars favours, the Saronic Gulf will turn red with blood’ – Flavius Nepos, SPQR diplomat, Thermon, 265 B.C.

Amulius Brutus (Amulius Victor to Romans, or Amulius the Wrathful to Macedonians and Seleucids) was born in the village of Caccuri in 290 B.C. to Tiberius Brutus, head of the Brutii family, and Galla. He was the second of three sons; his older brother, Aulus Brutus, and the youngest, Vibius Brutus.

Tiberius had been the leader of the Brutii family for twelve years at the time Amulius was born, forced into power when his father taken his own life after political failure in the senate, and the disastrous campaign against Syracuse, in which the Brutii lost 12,000 men – 82% of their entire army in the battle of Mt. Etna. Tiberius, who had been born in the prosperous city of Croton, now had to deal with social unrest, poverty and a severe lack of man power. Tiberius quickly implemented reforms, including the re-structuring of what remained of the Brutii forces, and, arguably his most important piece of legislation, gave land to all people, from plebs to nobles, in order to boost autarchy (which would later be ‘borrowed’ by Benito Mussolini). However, the Brutii economy was almost broken beyond all repair, they had become too reliant on Rome. Tiberius cut taxes and encouraged people to buy their food or other products from sanctioned Brutii businesses. This caused friction between the Brutii and the Scipii, who had their properties in Brutii land confiscated. With a possible civil war looming, the Senate and Julii brought Tiberius and Marcus Scipio (leader of the Scipii) to an agreement. In the treaty of Messana, Marcus retracted all claims to land under Brutii influence, while Tiberius took one his eldest daughter, Galla, as his wife. The marriage, while popular in the public’s eye, was devoid of love and affection; it was merely political and in no way emotional.

Galla was described as a beautiful, yet timid creature by historians as she would always bend to the will of the men in her life, rarely making decisions without the consent of either Marcus or Tiberius. To pass the time, Galla took to the arts, such as painting and mosaics, and she also developed a deep interest in literature, especially poetry, in which she revealed to a friend: ‘… is the only way I shall ever feel appreciated as not only a good daughter or husband, but also, as a good woman’. Galla rarely left her house in Tarentum, often staying in her study for weeks on end. Slaves and other residents could often hear her sobbing uncontrollably long into the night. Tiberius often neglected Galla, and often , Tiberius would frequently order female slaves into the bedroom, while Galla was left to sleep in the slave quaters.

By 292 B.C., much of what Tiberius had set out to do was mostly been accomplished. Trade with Egypt, Pontus and the Seleucid Empire had greatly increased the wealth of the Brutii. Social and military reforms had been successful to various degrees of success. Just as he was about to divorce Galla, she gave birth to their first son, Aulus. Tiberius rushed to her bedside at Tarentum, and demanded the new-born heir was shown to him. He then proceeded to march out onto the balcony, where crowds had been led with the promise of a new Brutii. Tiberius held Aulus above his head, and proclaimed, ‘Look, fellow Brutii, we now all have a son!’. The crowds erupted into sea of rejoicing. Aulus was blessed by the priests of Jupiter at the temple in Croton a few days later. When asked where the mother was during the ceremony, he simply shrugged, and continued with the ceremony. Galla was thrown into a bout of depression that had been thought possible, she rarely saw her son Aulus when he was an infant, and Galla tried toend her life on multiple occasions. Guards where present with her while she slept, but Tiberius gave all of his attention to the young Aulus, only once returning to her in late 291 B.C. Tiberius paraded Aulus to the Senate, and other families, they found the young heir amusing and adorable. Rarely, did any of them care for Galla, who spent her days wallowing in her gardens, picking fruits like a field worker.

One day, in 290 B.C. she attended a prestigious banquet at Croton with Tiberius and other nobles. Many there secretly mocked her for gaining weight and developing a large stomach, unaware she was 9 months pregnant with Tiberius’ second child. Tiberius, Galla and Aulus returned to Tarentum the following day, when near Caccuri, Galla let out a scream. As she went into labour, slaves rushed to help her as Tiberius walked towards her carriage with little Aulus in his left hand. The birth was long and tiring, many times did Galla nearly pass out from the pain, when, at long last, the cries of a baby boy, beginning his life. Aulus left his father’s side and approached Galla and the baby, he peered through the curtains and came face to face with his younger brother for the first time. Galla, exhausted, had just enough strength to beckon him over to the baby. ‘What do think of your baby brother, Aulus?’. He turned around to his dad, who had since joined them, and asked him, ‘Father, what is his name?’. Tiberius pondered, and then for once showed affection to Galla, telling her that she may name the boy. Galla, looked down the baby wrapped in cloth and said, ‘Amulius, he shall be my little Amulius’.