Swords of Rome

Gaius couldn’t hear what was being said, not over the rain and the chorus of voices that carried over the forum. A moment later he watched as Valerius reached to his belt, removing a small leather bag that was attached to his waist, before tossing it, along with its contents of silver to the three men.

Gaius was dumbfounded as he watched the beggars rise to their feet, shake Valerius’ hand before they ran off, pushing through the bodies of citizens before disappearing from view.

“Who were those men? Did you know them?” Gaius asked as Valerius climbed the steps and joined him.

“I do not know. Just soldiers, like you and I.”

“Are you serious?” Gaius asked, the shock on his face evident as he looked back down at the beggars, studying them with careful attention. A number of them were indeed wearing the red tunics, although now badly faded and stained, of the legion.

“It is a disgrace that they have allowed themselves to fall so far.” Gaius spat as his eyes drifted away from the former legio

“Do not fault them, Gaius. Not every man was made to serve the legions, or has the body and mind to come home, after living through and seeing what most men will never experience.”

“Regardless, what makes you think they won’t spend the money you gave them on drink and women?” Gaius asked.

“I don’t know, and I do not care. It is no longer my money,” Valerius replied plainly.

“A waste of coin if you ask me,” Gaius commented rudely.

“Then it is a good thing I did not ask for your permission.” Valerius’ tone was controlled, not holding Gaius’ empty words to heart, but he was firm, nonetheless.

“Come; stop straining yourself on matters your young mind can’t possibly understand right now. You’ve yet to see a senatorial session. Wait until it has concluded, then your outlook on Roman life will be even more distorted than it is now.”

Gaius did not reply as he stared at Valerius with a questionable expression before the legate of the Sixth escorted him inside.

Inside three hundred senators sat tightly, shoulder-to-shoulder on two sets of elevated stone benches. Their combined voices echoed over the marble and limestone chamber as they debated without pause about Rome’s most pressing issues, which were numerous, beyond that of the approaching army, led by Ha

Two seats sat in the center of the chamber. There, the two co-consuls would have sat, but on this day only Consul Gaius Flaminius was present as his counterpart was out of the city.

The chamber was well lit; the sweat smell of the oil that burned filled the room as Gaius and Valerius walked unobtrusively, making sure not to interrupt the proceedings. Several other officers also stood near the back, where they listened with restraint.

As Gaius spend the next couple hours' listening, the day’s proceedings were filled with debates on taxes, shipping and trade issues with several Greek states, piracy, plague, grain shortages in distant territories, and of course, finally, Ha

Speaking now was an older senator who looked to be in his late sixties. He held the folds of his toga in one hand, while the other he brandished violently in the air as he spoke, dramatically.

“The destruction of Saguntum by the Carthaginian, Ha

“Now, reports tell us that Ha

“We sent an envoy to Carthage, numerous times since Saguntum’s fall,” one senator spoke up, trying to defend the actions of those that did not support the call for war.

“And they continually refused our demands for peace, have they not?” Quintus asked, which was followed by an uproar of anger.

“We offered them peace, and they refused it,” another man proclaimed.

“We must still try to continue with peace talks. The actions of Ha

“Yet, they support him!” a voice called out.

“We ca

“You only care about your grain shipments, and not the honor of your country, Liberius!” Senator Appius yelled as he challenged his colleague’s loyalty to Rome; his words caused another outburst between the two factions.

“We ca

“Agreed!” Yelled both factions, as each believed the words were in support of their point of view.

Consul Flaminius raised his hands, begging for his fellow representatives to be silent as he rose to his feet.

“Fellow senators, I do not wish war with Carthage. The last conflict our two nations shared was bloody, and cost the lives of many of our finest men. It is true that the protection of our grain shipments from Greece and the East take priority over the threat that Ha

Numerous hecklers erupted as those that support the cause for war responded to what the consul was saying.

Flaminius again raised his hands and asked for silence.

“However, this act of aggression by a single man ca

Cheers replaced the negative jeers as the volume in the chambers rose higher.

“If our enemies see that Rome takes no action to defend our allies, and punish those responsible for defying the Republic’s laws, then we as a nation would have proven that we are not up to the task of crushing even the tiniest insect, or protecting our friends. For this, Ha

The sound of applause and cheering was deafening as three hundred senators stood to their feet in support of Flaminius. Even those that were opposed to war quickly reconsidered their position; it would not be patriotic to stand against the consul.

“I will send word for Publius Cornelius Scipio to raise an army and march them north, and cut Ha

For several minutes, the Senate commemorated Flaminius’ call for war. Already the bloodlust within the house was begi

The prospect of such a large war was frightening to Gaius, and yet exciting. He was young and had trained for such a day. However, as he looked over towards Valerius, expecting the old general to be beaming with excitement, his mentor’s face was blank, and his eyes filled with concern and disappointment.

“How many legions will be sent?” a senator cried out.