Rules Thread

Social Class:


Patricians are the Roman nobility with lineage stretching back to the founding of the Republic and the days of the Kings. However, in recent times, a new Plebeian aristocracy has arisen as the Plebeian families grow ever richer off the back of Rome's recent conquests. This has led to the Plebeians demanding a greater say in the Republic's governance.

Traditionally, Patricians have held a monopoly on the executive offices of state, until the Sextian-Licinian Laws mandated for a Plebeian and Patrician Consul to serve together each year. Even so, Patricians are usually expected to stand for election to the offices of state at an earlier age than Plebeians due to their greater financial resources and political clout; it is not uncommon in this period for very young (by the standards of the later Republic) Patrician consuls to be elected in times of crisis. The priesthoods are also entirely reserved for Patricians. However, Plebeians have exclusive access to the office of Plebeian Tribune, which can exercise the right of Veto over any and all public business.



Political Rules:

Rome is governed by magistrates elected by the assemblies of the people, who are also by virtue of this status entitled to a seat in the Senate. Officially an advisory assembly, the Senate is in practice the law-making body of the Republic, filled with the wealthiest and most prestigious citizens. They 'suggest' laws to the various assemblies, which are usually then put into practice. However, it is not uncommon for the senate to be circumvented, and the assemblies to be appealed to directly, though this is often controversial. 

In game, this system is somewhat simplified. The Senate will serve as the legislative body of the Republic, albeit player characters will still be able to circumvent the Senate and appeal to the assembly. 'Votes' will be determined by a character's standing, simulating the network of clients and patronages that a successful politician commands. A player character's base votes are governed by their dignitas statistic, but this number can be increased through climbing the cursus honorum - the political 'ladder' of offices - and achieving success therein. Consuls control the Senate proceedings, and may summon and dismiss it as they wish. They, along with the Tribunes, have the authority to bring legislation before the Senate or the Assemblies. Ranking magistrates traditionally sit and speak speak in order of office.

You must be in the city to run for high office. When in the provinces, you may still vote on proposed legislation and in elections, but your vote only counts for half (rounded down) of what it usually does.

Roman political tradition is difficult to codify, being largely governed by precedent - the mos maiorum or 'way of the ancestors'. This largely means keeping in step and respecting the traditions of the Republic; following the Cursus Honorum, respecting the primacy of the Senate and the authority of magistrates, respecting the sacroscant boundaries of the Pomerium, etc. Prominent Romans often flouted or disrespected these traditions, but it bore serious consequences, and was never undertaken lightly. 

The most important political relationship was between a client and a patron. The Client, often having served under the Patron in a formal capacity (such as a quaestor or legate to a Consul) is indebted to him politically, being expected to support and vote for him in political matters. In return, the patron was obliged to offer support to the client in times of financial need, as well as assist their own journey up the Cursus towards high office. Usually, a junior magistrate needs a patron to join the senate, and were often affiliated with these powerful individuals until their own influence grew enough to take on clients of their own. 

Cursus Honorum:

Though largely 'advisory' in respect to the age and term limits, it was a tradition not often flouted save for the most ambitious and popular of senators. Patricians traditionally qualified for positions two to four years before their plebeian counterparts.

Example Table:

Quintus Caecilius Metellus

Blue indicates optional. Green indicates completed. Black indicates not yet attained.

Tier I: Senatorial Entrance
Stage 0: Patronage - aged 25. Military experience as a military tribune is expected from prospective candidates, as is sponsorship from an existing senator. Serving in a campaign as a tribune allots a +1 to your characters dignitas.
Stage 1: Quaestor - aged 30. Grants this character the right to sit in the senate, giving them +1 Dignitas
Stage 2: Aedile - aged 35. Also grants the right to seat in the senate. Grants +1 Dignitas.
Stage 3: Plebeian Tribune - Plebeians only. Grants +1 Dignitas.

Tier II: Senior Magistrate.
Stage 1: Praetorship - Aged 39. Grants +1 Dignitas.
Stage 2: Consulship - Aged 42. Grants +2 Dignitas.
Stage 3: Censor - Reserved for Ex Consuls. Grants +1 Dignitas.
Stage 4: Dictator - Reserved for Ex Consuls. Grants +2 Dignitas.


Tier III: Honorifics and other accolades.
(This list is not exhaustible)
Be elected Pontifex Maximus. Grants +1 Dignitas.
Become a Pontiff, Chief Augur, or High Priest. Grants +1 Dignitas
Build a public work. Grants +1 Dignitas
Conquer an enemy of Rome. Grants +1 Dignitas
Win a military accolade. Grants +1 Dignitas
Win a Triumph. Grants +1 Dignitas (stackable).
Achieve three separate Consulships. +1 Dignitas



Office Requirements:

Standing for office required name recognition, which was either achieved through the liberal spreading of wealth or a famous name and reputation. Naturally, the older Patrician families already had this name recognition through their prominent ancestries, so this process was easier for them. To simplify this in game terms, each office has a hard-coded 'dignitas' requirement which essentially marks your character out as a serious electoral candidate (Rather than one of those joke 'write ins') and allows them to enter into the election.

Plebeian Tribune: 1 Dignitas or 1000 Denarii
Quaestor: 1 Dignitas or 1000 Denarii
Aedile: 2 Dignitas or 1000 Denarii
Praetorship: 5 Dignitas or 5000 Denarii
Consulship: 7 Dignitas or 10,000 Denarii 
Censor: 7 Dignitas or 10,000 Denarii

Note on Elections

Elections occur annually and are overseen by the sitting Consuls. A dictator is sometimes appointed to oversee elections.
Auspices must be taken and found favourable at the beginning of an election for it to be considered valid. This will be conducted by the Roman priesthood.
In game, elections occur on the twelfth day of the twelve month year. Nominations begin on the eight day of the year. 

Roman Religion:

Roman religion was largely an extension of Roman politics. The success of Rome and her politicians depended heavily on the favour of the Gods, and so auspices naturally accompanied each action. It was not unheard of for a Consul to be forced out of office at the beginning of his term if it did not Augur well.

Auspices are taken by the Roman priesthood, and should be consulted before a battle, election, or other momentous event. Roman priest characters can 'influence' these auspices if they so choose to make them appear as positive or negative as they might wish, but flagrant abuse of this would be considered to be sacrilegious and severely punished - think of a Catholic stripping naked and violating the Sistine Chapel and you are approaching the level that the Romans would take offence to such practice.

Favourable auspices can lead to good modifiers for your character (think of it as psychological edge rather than any magic power) whilst negative auspices can severely impact your chances of success.

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Glossary of Terms:
Aedile - A junior magistrate, responsible for the grain supply of the city of Rome. Those elected are entitled to enter the Senate. At this time there were plebeian and curule aediles.
Consul - One of the two most senior magistrates of the Republic, elected annually. Hold the power of life or death over their fellow citizens, as well as imperium. Escorted by twelve lictors. Are granted the right to speak first in the Senate and hold the power summon or dissolve either of the assemblies. Effectively heads of state and commanders-in-chief of the Republic, usually alternating which of them held seniority on a per month basis. A Consul can veto the actions of his colleague, providing a check on one holding absolute power.
Censor - A senior magistrate responsible for the census and regulating public morality. Is responsible for expelling or inducting citizens into the senate. A prestigious position highly  sought by ex-consuls, it marked the culmination of a senator's journey through the Cursus Honorum.
Centuriate Assembly - The senior assembly of the Republic, which convenes to elect the senior magistrates. Weighted heavily towards the votes of the aristocracy, meaning functionally it rubber stamps the will of the Senate.
Tribal Assembly - Elects all other magistrates, with each citizen being part of a geographic 'tribe'. Still weighted towards the aristocracy, though the Plebeian Council can be convened from the Tribes by a Tribune, and pass legislation into law. 
Dictator - The highest ranking Roman magistrate that carries 24 Lictors, or those of both consuls. This symbolizes his complete power over the state. Dictators were generally elected during times of wartime emergency by the Senate. A dictator could only be appointed by a sitting consul or by the Senate.
Imperium - Translates to authority over judicial and military proceedings. Only magistrates with Imperium (Consuls, Praetors, etc) have the legal authority to raise armies and command soldiers. Lictors are a visual representation of this authority, bearing the fasces that symbolise a magistrate's power.
Military Tribune - An aristocratic officer in the Roman army, usually attached to the Imperium holding commander or one of his legates as a subordinate. Usually occupied by young aristocratic men seeking military and political experience. 
Plebeian Tribune -  The magistrate of the Roman people, authorised to convene the plebeian council and represent their interests in the Senate. Holds the power of Veto over any piece of legislation or executive action by the assemblies and magistrates. Is sacrosanct, but may not leave Rome for more than one day.
Pontifex Maximus - Rome's chief priest, responsible for regulating the calendar, overseeing religious ceremonies, and ensuring the college of pontiffs is filled. He is chosen from among the College of Pontiffs or, rarely, by the Senate.
Rex Sacorum - Technically above the Pontifex Maximus, the Rex Sacorum is purely a ceremonial role that greatly restricts the career of the holder. Nonetheless it is a position of great prestige.
Flamen - High priests of Rome's chief gods. These are solely reserved for Patricians and grant great prestige on the holder.
Praetor - Mid-ranking officials that dealt primarily with law enforcement and judicial matters within the city. As they held imperium they could also be tasked with the command of armies in the place of the Consuls, and often acted as their subordinates. 
Pro-Consul - A consul that has had their imperium prorogued (continued) by the Senate to continue the prosecution of a distant or difficult war. Has 11 lictors.
Quaestor - A junior financial magistrate assigned either to military or civilian duties. Usually a pre-requisite on entering the Senate. 
Triumph -  A celebration given to a triumphant general in which he is permitted to bring his army into the city, granted by the Senate after a general's troops have hailed him as imperator on the field.

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Political Alignment:

These are not formal allegiances as political parties are, but most prominent senators found themselves affiliated with one of these informal agendas… or flitted between them when it suited them, in some cases. 

Optimates: The “Good Men”, who champion the authority of the Senate over the people’s assemblies, and seek to preserve the status quo in which the patrician aristocracy hoards much of the land and wealth of the Res Publica. 

Populares: Those who appeal to the needs of the Plebeians. They use the Concilium Plebis and the power of the Tribunes to circumvent the Senate in achieving their political agenda. 

These distinctions are not uniform. Politics was generally conducted by political alliances between prominent senators, not between large party blocs. Nonetheless, they usually shared some common goals that went in hand with their own interests and advancement.
These factions, and other interests groups, have their own NPC blocs, which are capable of supporting player characters with votes and engaging in limited political activity, subject to rolls. 

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Income and the Ager Publicus:

Income, both private and public, is tied to agricultural land.

Each 'Unit' of land provides 2000 denarii.
Patricians begin the game with two units of land, and Plebeian families begin the game with one.

Ager Publicus

'Public' land owned by the Roman state. Rome begins the game with six units of public land, which generates 12,000 denarii per annum.
Ager Publicus can be increased through conquest of surrounding Roman enemies.
Ager Publicus can be sold or leased by the state to generate revenue - this is done at the discretion of the Roman Senate, usually a process put into the hands of Rome's consuls. Players increase their amount of allotted lands by purchasing it from the Ager Publicus.
Victorious generals may attempt to illegally appropriate land from a conquered enemy, but this is considered to be theft from the Ager Publicus and will be punished accordingly.


Income is collected every sixth day of the twelve day calendar year.