Quote Originally Posted by ReluctantSamurai View Post
I don't think this negates the idea of starting out as a vassal of some sorts, and rising up through the ranks to positions of power. History is fraught with such situations, and our very own Shogun TW is a perfect example. Toyotomi Hideyoshi anyone?

I rather like the idea of not repeating the same role as the original...that of head of a family or faction. The possibilities of making alliances with other factions against the SPQR, and then later back-stabbing your ally makes for good role-playing intrigue IMHO...
Shogun, yes. Rome, no. There was simply no system of vassalage in Rome in any feudal sense. Yes, the especially rich and prominent were patrons and had clients, but that relationship was never formal in any legalistic sense.

I agree there is a chance that factions within an empire could work well (in fact, aren't they doing something like this already?), and there are examples of Roman citizens plotting coups with foreign assistance (though to call it plotting against 'SPQR' is probably anachronistic; the conspirators were always working within the Roman political system rather than against it). I suppose my point about the OP, aside from ahistoricity and general silliness, is it would amount to feature creep on a massive scale if it ever came to pass.