About Roma Victrix

Setting: Ancient Rome, though on an alternate world. Rome has risen to great heights- many fear her great armies and emperors. Most of the West has fallen to her Iron Eagles, leaving only a few isolated kingdoms in the East as the last known independent states.

The history of Rome to and including Commodus is identical to the actual Roman History, but the similarity stops at Pertinax. In this alternate world, Manius Julius Lupus rose from the Senate to take over after Pertinax was murdered and the throne offered for sale by the corrupt Praetorians. He adopted the cognomen and title of Caesar, and his family had ruled ever since.

There are a lot of holes in the set-up and character descriptions. This is done on purpose. Each writer will then have the wiggle room to grow his/her portion of the story as he/she sees fit. Plus it can give you clues as to what to fill in background-wise if you get stuck.

Situation in the 42d year of the Reign of Quintus Imperator (1025 AUC):

All of North Africa and Western Europe are under the Iron Eagles. In the East, the kingdoms of Dacia and Thrace have been recently conquered, up towards the mouth of the Danube. The Germans to the Elbe have been conquered and are beginning to be Romanized.

The Roman frontier is along the River Elbe towards the Bohemian mountains, along the Carpathian Mountains towards the Black Sea. In the East, all of modern Turkey, Syria, Armenia, Israel, and Iraq up to the Tigris are under Roman rule. The lands of Mesopotamia are under the Parthian-Sassanid kingdom.

Manius Julius rose to power on a wave of senatorial resurgence after the death of Pertinax. He and his successors maintain a veneer of Republican ideals and ways in an effort to placate the masses, but at the same time they hold a lock on certain offices. The Senators, vying for power among those offices ‘released to the people’ has broken into two distinct groups- Optimales who strive to maintain senatorial domination and power at the expense of the People and the Principate, and the Populares who give a rat’s ass about who has the power as long as the ideals of the Rome are served. They currently believe that solid support of a good Imperator is the best means of doing this. The two blocs often cancel each other out in votes, and playing the one against the other has often helped the Emperor maintain his own power.

Though Quintus was a good but hard ruler, the empire is severely stretched. Rebellions grow wherever the legions are not, and in some cases where the legions are. There are thirty-five legions spread throughout the empire. Three legions are stationed in Britannia, two are in Gaul, two in Hispana, and another three are in Egypt. A further three legions are in Sicily, with the rest strewn across the border forts on the frontiers, ranging across from East to West. The remaining nineteen legions are placed along the frontiers.

The three legions that used to be in Northern Italy as a Mobile reserve have been dispatched to Hispana under Titus to crush the Iberian revolt.

The Elbe legions wear heavy armour and clothing to withstand the cold and type of weapons the unconquered German tribes use, such as the axe and armour piercing arrows. While the Mesopotamian legions wear lighter equipment and are more mobile because of the terrain and warm climate. Each legion is tailored to its environment and mission.


Partial Character List (will get its own thread later for reference)

Main Characters:

Quintus Julius Caesar Imperator, 88, emperor: His doctors say he has contracted a cancer of the throat, and will soon pass on. He dies in the prologue, casting his realm into turmoil. Ruled Rome for over forty years in which he was much loved by the plebs for his devotion to those he ruled. Fought Parthia, the Huns and Scythians with his legions, further cementing his greatness among the people. His actions among the Revolt of the One-Eye in Germania stopped a dangerous rebellion in Germania from brewing. A strong rock in times of rebellion and economic hardship, his time in this world is nearing its end.

Titus Julius Caesar Daciacus, 56, firstborn son of Quintus, proconsul and heir-apparent: A good general who is brave and would willingly die for Rome, which was shown in his bravery against the Dacians. However his political skills is as woeful as a blind beggar. A sub-par politician, most of the members of the Senate rue the day of his ascension. A republic would be better than if Titus ever became Caesar- he was that bad. He is currently in Hispana battling a fierce revolt against the Iberian tribes. He realized the ferocity of the revolt in the first skirmish when he was nearly killed by a stray spear. With the force to be bolstered to five legions Titus can take the fight to the Iberian tribes and crush the revolt instead of trying to contain it.

Decimus Julius Caesar Filius, 48, second son of Quintus. He is currently serving as co-consul with his father. He is a gifted politician but a mediocre general. Politically he is so good he could persuade a man to part with his land and family and then feel good about it. He passed laws that nobody else would even touch, much less promulgate. And those laws were good. Everybody admired his oratory and his brilliance, but the legions were less impressed. He led two campaigns, both of them poorly. His Dacian campaign was incredibly bungled. He had severely underestimated the power of the Dacian tribes and of the falx. If not for the legates, it would have been another Teutoburger Wald. His brother Titus abandoned his Parthian campaign to rescue him, and conquered the Dacians as punishment.

Aulus Julius Caesar, 25, son of Decimus and his wife Cornelia, though he is rumored to be the natural son of Titus. He has a grasp of both military and political worlds. He was bright, well liked, and a soldier’s soldier. He was also pleasant for the most part, but can be plagued by a terrible temper. Though he had Quintus as a grandfather, his mother was a Cornelia of the line of old bitter Sulla. The young grandson of Quintus was liked from those in the Senate and legions. A future emperor, some had remarked.

Rolf Oskar’s Son, 35, is the commander of the emperor’s Germanic Guards. He is utterly loyal to Quintus, but to no other man. His Guardsmen- five cohorts worth- are the only troops stationed near Rome. The Guards were created after the Revolt of the One-Eye so the Germani would show their true faith and loyalty to the emperor. To this day the conquered German tribes have never revolted after that rebellion.

Marcus Ulpius, 28, is a tribune of the Plebs. He served in the legions and did well. His family was known as senators in the past and he wishes to rejoin the Senate again.

Minor Characters:

Marcus Vitellius, an obese senator who had served long and well with Quintus Imperator. He even served as consul twice. A lifelong friend and good ally, no matter how tipsy he can get with wine.

Gaius Licinius, anorexic and frail, he is also a long-time colleague of the Imperator. He served in wars until his health failed, then took over the Populares bloc of the Senate, supporting the Imperator staunchly.

Lucius Tigellanius- a very rich and powerful senator who had never served in public office. He has a porcine face and the loyalty of a snake. His fortune is vast, though his means of acquiring it are dubious at best. He is a true snake and his tongue speaks like one. A great rival of the Emperor.

Faustus Cornelius- the wolfish scion of an old Patrician family. Some say he is related to Sulla of old. He is totally selfish and sees his own personal advancement in power and fortune as the ultimate gain. He is also the leader of the Optimales bloc of the Senate- opposed to the Populares and whole Imperial set-up altogether. Long time rival of the Imperator and a staunch, yet secretive person who yearns of the days of the Republic.

Lucius Julius Caesar- the 23-year-old son of Titus. Although a man, Lucius has yet to display any prodigal skill in anything. A simple man, he lives a nobleman's life though is not prolific in either oratory, parties or display military potential as of yet.

Tristan of the Silures- a chieftain of a subjugated British tribe, Tristan sees the death of Quintus and the resulting power vacuum as the perfect time to free his tribe from Roman rule.

Eyjolf of the Cherusci- like Tristan, this chieftain of a subjugated tribe sees the opportunity to revolt and gain mastery over his own fate.

Aia- Second in Command of the Germanic Guard. A devoted follower of Quintus, with that man's death, he follows only his own heart- and Rolf.

Lucius Aemilius Calenus- long-time friend of Titus, Calenus is not a bad general but a superb politician. His aid, when adhered, serves Titus well- though it is not often adhered.

Diazolo- a Spanish warlord who led a successful rebellion against the Romans for two or three years until crushed in open battle against Titus. With the aid of Calenus, he becomes a Roman ally and blood-brother to Titus. He is sworn to end the Iberian Revolt and support Titus.

[This message has been edited by Terikel Grayhair (edited 11-04-2009 @ 11:07 AM).]