...why sadly? It's just the normal facts of life that we;re just too good to be made protectorate! ^_^ I became a protectorate as Spain because the Gauls demanded it of me because they'd been defeated in 3 major battles in the passes trying to retake Numantia which I'd stormed. The reason why I accepted was because a)I wanted to see what it was like, and b) they offered me 6 (or was it 8?) turns of 3000d tribute.

'Oh well, you know Marcus, Gaul refused to make us their protectorate again.'
'Oh humbug! I don't know what we're lacking in. We've got half their provinces and they're defenceless... Oh well. Sun's setting, what say we go for a meal of stewed oxtail? I hear that little establishment on the Palatine hill next to the Pantheon is pretty good...'