1634(881)-1650(897) (Ætas ab Brian)
From Alternative History
History of Rome-After Ætas ab Brian
| !Past 1619(866)-1634(881) | Germanicvs/Octavivs Civil War: 1634(881)-1650(897) | Project Zeno: 1650(897)-1693(940) |
Vibivs Arvina, a fat Italian at 58 was next appointed and he was mediocre.
In the disparaging legions, a slave-born freeman soldier had become fed up with how Rome had come to such a sorry state. Sure life was great for the slaves but everyone else was suffering. This Pilus Prior's name was Gaivs Octavivs, from Gallia Narbonensis and he had ideas of revitalizing the empire and taking back the lost provinces, as well as getting some more. He planned to use all the plunder available to restore the economy, he would also tighten laws on citizenship and reduce the rights of minorities, especially the slaves. He became a very powerful political representative for the legions (rising in rank also and undermining some of his supperiors) and eventually worked directly under the republican legionary General in Gaul.
Also there was a freeman Gladiator named Germanicvs (because that’s where he was from) he was taking the route of life many rich slaves were but he was not quite the Abadse as the others in that he would prefer more collective distribution for the slaves still not living as well as others. He became a very wealthy merchant and later joined Italia’s government machine. He would prefer the masses to be more involved in their government, this would make them more patriotic and less morbid. He also had military plans for the lost provinces but did not see Rome as needing to really be any larger.
Essentially these 2 were getting themselves to be the most (at times only) prominent choices for the next appointment for emperor. In the end the Senate liked Octavivs’ military expansion but not his social policies and liked Germanicvs’ social and diplomatic policies but also thought they went too far for slaves in particular. In actuality, neither of them really had a chance, the Senate would never let someone who was once a slave or gladiator be Emperor.
So in the end, in the month of Julius of 1640(887), Garmanicvs led an organized slave/gladiator uprising of about a million (with others revolting independently) and Octavivs managed to lead 489 000 legionaries out of the total 800 000 in a civil war bid for control. The Praetorians and Senators led the loyalist military, some getting up from their seats (to be generals) for the first time in their lives- Vibivs Arvina was totally useless and coward away in his Sardinian mansion.
So now there was a three way civil war, not even all the ancient civil disruptions put together could compare. It was a massive and annoying struggle, Rome at its worst was supposed to be reclaiming its lost provinces, not killing itself. The Senate and Praetorians, after successfully assassinating Germanicvs and several of his generals in 1644(891) and then Octavivs in 1645(892) finally tore up the rebellious shards and reclaimed loyalty from others by 1650(897). Because of the rebellions, places like Hibernia, Asia, and Scandia were cut off from Rome anywhere from 5-10 years. Hibernia and Mazun were lost but the rest were retained.
The entire affair was an outrage to both the Senate, Praetorians, and the people, especially since the empire just kept shrinking. The Senate passed several laws, raising taxes for the wealthy, lowering them for the farmers, more freeman rights, allowing the returning the senatorship seats to the provinces conquered by Germanicvs and Octavivs, dividing Africa Proconsularis into a northern and southern province: the new emperor controlled province become the province of Libya; the Aegyptian division was given fully to the Senate, and giving the Senate more control in the government, including limiting the position of Emperor to 12 years, and transforming the Praetorian guard, splitting it 3 ways into distinct areas of responsibility and increasing their accountability on the whole. It was the first of many changes to the government that would lead to a large separation of powers.
The 3 new Praetorian groups were the Praetorivs Senatvs: pretty much the emperors guards, but since the emperor’s importance kept dwindling, the guard was expanded and fitted for Senator protection; Praetorivs Procvris: specialized in financial transaction security as well as border patrol; and Praetorivs Politicvs: basically the Vigiles Vrbani (watchmen of the city(police)) but with authority throughout the precincted province and with praetorian training(all 3 had much anti-treachery education). This along with other Senate laws cut down corruption and political intrigue to ribbons. Vibivs Arvina was impeached for his incompetence during this whole process in the month of Martius, 1650(897).
On a lighter note, some Italia ADAs begin expanding on the ancient Greeks' analytical geometry. The Greek ADAs eventually start getting into it once things are a bit more normal.
| !Past 1619(866)-1634(881) | Germanicvs/Octavivs Civil War: 1634(881)-1650(897) | Project Zeno: 1650(897)-1693(940) |
