decemviri sacris faciundis: A Romani AAR

[johnhughthom]

Chapter One: The Gallic Menace

Temple of Jupiter, Rome. 265 BC

The Decemviri Sacrorum, a new name as the old was felt unwieldy, sat to discuss the current crisis engulfing Rome. Gallic bands had always raided Roman farms and towns, they had become much more common now though. It was said crops throughout Gaul had failed the previous year and raiding between Gallic tribes had become endemic. This had spread across the Alps and situation was becoming grave, a Gallic horde had been within sight of the walls of Rome. Luckily they had never seen such a large city and realised it would be difficult to attack, so they went back north to raid smaller Roman settlements.

Senators realised something would have to be done, the people on the street clamoured for the Sibylline books to be consulted. The Senate, well aware the Decemviri Sacrorum could approach the people themselves, decided to take charge and ask them to consult the oracle's writings. The Sacrorum had been quiet in the years since Fusus, it seemed that his ambitions were not shared by the new book-keeper and his colleagues. The Senate was still wary of the power of this group of men, why it even had a plebeian barely in his twenties who had never held office!

Cnaeus Cornelius Blasio chaired the meeting, all the men had read the Sibyl's writings and come to their own conclusions about what should be done. He deferred to the older members of the council, each of them coming up with outlandish ideas. Like interring a Greek and Gaul alive within a wall, what on earth was that supposed to achieve? Blasio was a practical man, he looked for workable methods within the writings, not nonsensical "solutions". Unlike Fusus he was a religious man, and had no intention of using the his position to further his own goals.

Caius Aurelius Cotta spoke next, the older members looked at him in annoyance, a plebeian who had never held office. His presence here was an insult to the office. "I read a passage telling of locusts eating a farmers crops and then flying away before coming back the next year and doing it again. This went on every year until the farmer took up the farms of his neighbours, who had left due to the locusts, and built a wall in the direction the locusts came from. The insects came the next year and dashed themselves against the wall, leaving his crops intact. So not only was he free from the locusts, he also had a much larger farm."

Blasio spoke next, "Well it is quite clear what our message to the people should be, will they accept it though? It's very similar to Fusus' plan last time."

Lucius Cornelius Scipio replied, "And Fusus' plan worked, despite the scepticism of the Senate."

Canaeus Cornelius Scipio added "And this time we will be presenting it as a group, not the will of one man. I believe we should go for it."

The Roman Forum, a few hour later.

The ten members stood together, ready to inform the people of Rome of the Sibyl's advice. Blasio moved forward to address the mass of citizens.

"People of Rome, we have scoured the Sibyl's words and come up with what we believe her solution. A passage speaks of locusts coming and eating a farmers crops, the Gauls are the locusts, we Romans the farmer. This happens year after year, the locusts come, eat the crops and fly away. Sound familiar? The farmers solution is to take over tha lands of farmers who fled, and build a wall. This stops the locusts and leaves the farmer safer and more wealthy than ever. It is quite clear what we are to do, the Alps are that wall, the Gallic tribes we signed peace treaties with the abandoned farmers. We must take control of all the lands south of the Alps if we are to rid ourselves of the Gallic menace once and for all."

A stunned hush. A number of Senators readied themselves to speak out against this plan, then stopped realizing this would be a mistake. Blasio's decision to actually speak of the passage interpreted had been a masterstroke, the interpretation was obvious. Any attack would not be an attack on the Sacrorum, but an attack on the validity of the Sibyl's advice. Suicide.

Blasio continued, "We leave the composition of forces and who shoud lead them up to the Senate, the Sibyl has no words on how we should proceed, just what our objective should be."

The Sacrorum left the forum and the hush abated, citizen and slave, Senator and equestrian started talking excitedly about Rome's new mission. Most men here had been affected in some way by the raids, many had seen the Gauls laughing and mocking as they looted and pillaged Roman lands. Now Roman revenge would come. The Gauls would laugh no more.