I got no way to know that and not evebody ready may not know or come from different historical traditions
The Rule of 2, Prosperity and Peril, A Roman Timeline
- Thread starter StevenIronside
- Start date
Chapter 2 185-193
Chapter 2
With the recent victories on the frontiers and for the time being a peace extending across the empire in 186 both emperors would move to rome, where they celebrated a triumph. With several of their prominent Legates and generals being in attendance such as Pertinax who was a close freind to Pompeianus, Maximianus who had been a constant lieutenant of the Augustus, and a man by the name of Septimius Severus who was recently widowed, however the father of a prospective wife by the name of Julius Bassianus stood beside him.
After this triumph the two emperors would settle in Rome, Severus Procolus settling into a routine of tutorment from his senior Augustus, as well as from the men closest to him such as Pertinax, and Maximianus. It was during this peace that Pompeianus would issue a reformation of the currency in which the Denarius went from the 79% of Marcus Aurelius, to the standard of 83.5% silver it had been before hand. At the same time Pompeianus would take a strong stance on the spending of officials, Prioitizing certain projects that would benefit the empire in trade and taxes, opposed to ones building projects that werent necessary, such as triumphal arches and columns. It was during the reign of Tiberius Claudius Pompeianus that the coffers of Rome would manage to be filled. However in doing so the new provinces of Marcomannia and Sarmatia suffered in not having any funds sent their way to build infrastructure and for major building projects, something that irked the people in these areas. With the newly conqoured provinces becoming restless because of lack of investments, Pompeianus issued an edict in 187 to the two provinces that the taxes collected from the provinces would be used to build infrastructure instead of going directly to rome first, as well as that the Legions in the provinces would support the engineers in the provinces by supplying man power to the projects. As well that the empire would match half of what taxes the provinces provided as investment funds to build infrastructure, all while the legions would also be busy building roads in the new territories.
Unfortunately these edicts wouldnt win over everyone and the legates of the new territory would be forced to fight some insurgency, most of which had ended by 190.
In 188 Tiberius Claudius Severus Procolus would marry his maternal second Cousin, Annia Faustina. The two only being a few years apart in age. Their Son Marcus Claudius Faustus would be born the same year as the general Septimius Severus's son Geta. With their daughter Annia Claudia Faustina being born in 192, and a second daughter Aurelia Severa Faustina being born in 201.
In 190 Pompeianus now in his 65 year, celebrated a decade as Augustus with possibly the first and only excess spent in his reign other than the triumphs he had held. Games were thrown throughout the empire most sponspored by the emperors personal wealth that he had had before becoming emperor, as well as by some of the years tax revenue. Rome would experience the most out of this costly affair, experiencing nearly 100 days of games, circus, and holiday. However during this time Pompeianus was sure to make sure that hidden taxes where put in on many of the imported good and food, as well as charging extra for the seats in the coliseum, in a way making sure at least some of the expenses paid for themselves.
It was also during this year that the first words come of Pompeianus son, the young 13 year old Lucius Claudius Aurelius Pompeianus, better known as Lucius Aurelius. The young boy was even for his young age athletically inclined, and was fascinated by the army, due to which meant he liked to follow closely not only to his father but also his advisors Maximianus and Pertinax. The latter of which would become a key figure in the young boys life, tutoring him in many aspects of government and war. The boy was also a smart academic, excelling in many of the subjects he was taught in. It was said that his father was extremely proud of his son, and cared for him, however he did not dote on his son. It is said that while his son knew his father cared for him, and was proud of him, he only rarely was given praise by him, unless for something extremely praise worthy, had he known the praise his father gave him behind closed doors it would have maybe changed the boys character and attitude.
Instead of becoming a pampered and egotistical young boy, Young Lucius was a down to earth modest boy, thinking that he was no better than his companians other than by the luck of who his father was, and was an extremely upright and excellent youth. He was extremely courageous, and was not as given to antics to get attention like the other son of Septimius Severus, Bassianus would be.
Lucius at this time would also become beloved by the Praetorians who guarded them, many began to veiw him almost like a little brother. Which would come to benefit the young boy when he ascended to the purple, and the influence of Pertinax truly began to show, and the intrigues of Severus Procolus brother Marcus Claudius Ummidius Quadratus came to the front of imperial life.
It was in 191 that Pompeianus would initiate a imperial tour of the Provinces of the empire like that of previous emperors. Pompeianus, Severus Procolus, and Lucius Aurelius and the imperial court traveled first through the Pannonian provinces and the new provinces, before touring through the far east, in each province inspecting the capital and the governance of the province. As well as the military readiness of the armies stationed there. For Pompeianus this was nothing new, but it was a show for the two younger emperors and meant to show them the vastness of the empire they were to protect and the varieties of people in it. In the east Pompeianus took great care of showing Procolus of the provinces and the army there, not only to make sure of their loyalties but also because the east was by far one of the most difficult borders the empire held being faced with the parthians on the other side. Come Egypt Pompeianus began to experience difficulties in health which stopped the imperial tour for several weeks, and stopped the aged emperor from touring down the nile, a trip that Severus would take nonethless, along side Lucius. After which they quickly took ship to Cyrene. Before crossing to Leptis magna. After their tour of the African provinces they moved to hispania. However by now it was early 193 and the elder emperor was significantly weekend, and believed himself to be extremely close to death, cancelled the tour of the Gallic provinces instead moving back to Rome. Pompeianus would pass in the summer of 193.
Two of his last commands were placing his son Lucius now 16 under the care of Pertinax formally, as well as naming Lucius Caesar, or Prince of the empire something that he had been without title for his entire life. By naming him Caesar, Pompeianus had Severus Procolus promise that upon Lucius reaching the age of 20, he would be named Augustus meaning Severus would be lone Augustus for 4 years. This was something that Severus agreed to without argument knowing this had been the plan of both Emperors Marcus Aurelius and Pompeianus. And Severus seems to at this time have had no problem with Lucius Aurelius in fact the two seemed to act like brothers, just with a large gap in their ages.
With the passing of Pompeianus in 193 the empire had experienced 8 years of peace across the board and seemed that the golden age of Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus was back and would continue. However darkness crept closer to the empire, and before long the two Emperors would know that with Prosperity eventually Comes Peril.
With the recent victories on the frontiers and for the time being a peace extending across the empire in 186 both emperors would move to rome, where they celebrated a triumph. With several of their prominent Legates and generals being in attendance such as Pertinax who was a close freind to Pompeianus, Maximianus who had been a constant lieutenant of the Augustus, and a man by the name of Septimius Severus who was recently widowed, however the father of a prospective wife by the name of Julius Bassianus stood beside him.
After this triumph the two emperors would settle in Rome, Severus Procolus settling into a routine of tutorment from his senior Augustus, as well as from the men closest to him such as Pertinax, and Maximianus. It was during this peace that Pompeianus would issue a reformation of the currency in which the Denarius went from the 79% of Marcus Aurelius, to the standard of 83.5% silver it had been before hand. At the same time Pompeianus would take a strong stance on the spending of officials, Prioitizing certain projects that would benefit the empire in trade and taxes, opposed to ones building projects that werent necessary, such as triumphal arches and columns. It was during the reign of Tiberius Claudius Pompeianus that the coffers of Rome would manage to be filled. However in doing so the new provinces of Marcomannia and Sarmatia suffered in not having any funds sent their way to build infrastructure and for major building projects, something that irked the people in these areas. With the newly conqoured provinces becoming restless because of lack of investments, Pompeianus issued an edict in 187 to the two provinces that the taxes collected from the provinces would be used to build infrastructure instead of going directly to rome first, as well as that the Legions in the provinces would support the engineers in the provinces by supplying man power to the projects. As well that the empire would match half of what taxes the provinces provided as investment funds to build infrastructure, all while the legions would also be busy building roads in the new territories.
Unfortunately these edicts wouldnt win over everyone and the legates of the new territory would be forced to fight some insurgency, most of which had ended by 190.
In 188 Tiberius Claudius Severus Procolus would marry his maternal second Cousin, Annia Faustina. The two only being a few years apart in age. Their Son Marcus Claudius Faustus would be born the same year as the general Septimius Severus's son Geta. With their daughter Annia Claudia Faustina being born in 192, and a second daughter Aurelia Severa Faustina being born in 201.
In 190 Pompeianus now in his 65 year, celebrated a decade as Augustus with possibly the first and only excess spent in his reign other than the triumphs he had held. Games were thrown throughout the empire most sponspored by the emperors personal wealth that he had had before becoming emperor, as well as by some of the years tax revenue. Rome would experience the most out of this costly affair, experiencing nearly 100 days of games, circus, and holiday. However during this time Pompeianus was sure to make sure that hidden taxes where put in on many of the imported good and food, as well as charging extra for the seats in the coliseum, in a way making sure at least some of the expenses paid for themselves.
It was also during this year that the first words come of Pompeianus son, the young 13 year old Lucius Claudius Aurelius Pompeianus, better known as Lucius Aurelius. The young boy was even for his young age athletically inclined, and was fascinated by the army, due to which meant he liked to follow closely not only to his father but also his advisors Maximianus and Pertinax. The latter of which would become a key figure in the young boys life, tutoring him in many aspects of government and war. The boy was also a smart academic, excelling in many of the subjects he was taught in. It was said that his father was extremely proud of his son, and cared for him, however he did not dote on his son. It is said that while his son knew his father cared for him, and was proud of him, he only rarely was given praise by him, unless for something extremely praise worthy, had he known the praise his father gave him behind closed doors it would have maybe changed the boys character and attitude.
Instead of becoming a pampered and egotistical young boy, Young Lucius was a down to earth modest boy, thinking that he was no better than his companians other than by the luck of who his father was, and was an extremely upright and excellent youth. He was extremely courageous, and was not as given to antics to get attention like the other son of Septimius Severus, Bassianus would be.
Lucius at this time would also become beloved by the Praetorians who guarded them, many began to veiw him almost like a little brother. Which would come to benefit the young boy when he ascended to the purple, and the influence of Pertinax truly began to show, and the intrigues of Severus Procolus brother Marcus Claudius Ummidius Quadratus came to the front of imperial life.
It was in 191 that Pompeianus would initiate a imperial tour of the Provinces of the empire like that of previous emperors. Pompeianus, Severus Procolus, and Lucius Aurelius and the imperial court traveled first through the Pannonian provinces and the new provinces, before touring through the far east, in each province inspecting the capital and the governance of the province. As well as the military readiness of the armies stationed there. For Pompeianus this was nothing new, but it was a show for the two younger emperors and meant to show them the vastness of the empire they were to protect and the varieties of people in it. In the east Pompeianus took great care of showing Procolus of the provinces and the army there, not only to make sure of their loyalties but also because the east was by far one of the most difficult borders the empire held being faced with the parthians on the other side. Come Egypt Pompeianus began to experience difficulties in health which stopped the imperial tour for several weeks, and stopped the aged emperor from touring down the nile, a trip that Severus would take nonethless, along side Lucius. After which they quickly took ship to Cyrene. Before crossing to Leptis magna. After their tour of the African provinces they moved to hispania. However by now it was early 193 and the elder emperor was significantly weekend, and believed himself to be extremely close to death, cancelled the tour of the Gallic provinces instead moving back to Rome. Pompeianus would pass in the summer of 193.
Two of his last commands were placing his son Lucius now 16 under the care of Pertinax formally, as well as naming Lucius Caesar, or Prince of the empire something that he had been without title for his entire life. By naming him Caesar, Pompeianus had Severus Procolus promise that upon Lucius reaching the age of 20, he would be named Augustus meaning Severus would be lone Augustus for 4 years. This was something that Severus agreed to without argument knowing this had been the plan of both Emperors Marcus Aurelius and Pompeianus. And Severus seems to at this time have had no problem with Lucius Aurelius in fact the two seemed to act like brothers, just with a large gap in their ages.
With the passing of Pompeianus in 193 the empire had experienced 8 years of peace across the board and seemed that the golden age of Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus was back and would continue. However darkness crept closer to the empire, and before long the two Emperors would know that with Prosperity eventually Comes Peril.
John Fredrick Parker
Donor
Something tells me that the son of Pompeianus will not too long outlive his father; if we assume the later dies roughly around the same time as OTL, his son will only be 16 when he ascends, while his co-augustus Proculus will be in his early 30's. Just as Pompieanus the Elder is clearly the dominant co-emperor to his youthful co-ruler, so too will Pompeianus the Younger will clearly be the junior partner for the first few years of his official-reign. At that point (title of thread not-withstanding), I'd kind of like to see Proculus emerge as the sole augustus, at least for a time.
Is it possible that the Romans will discover the minerals in the Ore Mountains? I read somewhere that a partial contributor to the devaluation of currency by cutting the silver content of coins was because the Hispanian silver mines were more or less exhausted.
What are the borders of the Empire now with the two provinces included?
Attached is a map of the empire
Probably not as the ore mountains are not under Roman control, while that may be a contributor, there are definitely others as well
At the moment Procolus will begin a 4 year solo reign
Attachments
John Fredrick Parker
Donor
Is it weird that I now really just want to see the empire annex Roxolani? Like, I'm not even sure it's a strategic net plus for the effort, it's almost purely aesthetic...
Well if they were to go that route they would have to move all the way to the Dniester River to have a somewhat natural border. Its not as good a river as the Danube but its the next best river that way. Either that or they would have to with the Prut river to make it more aestheticaly pleasing
I think Marcomania might be larger. I heard on the History of Rome podcast that it would prob encompass most of the Czech Republic and Bavaria
Its possible, this is what i have been able to roughly cordinated with where there operations and occupancy of the romans otl
Attachments
I think your confusing the Dniester with the Dnipro river. The Dniester river would be on the north border of romania and goes to the black sea, it would also link into the mounts in the province of Dacia
John Fredrick Parker
Donor
D'oh! Yeah, you're right. For the record then, is the mouth of the Dniester River where the northern border of Moesia Inferior was OTL?
It would have been few hundrend miles north, slightly south of the city Odessa
John Fredrick Parker
Donor
Right, it’s the Danube that Noviodanum is on; then the main river bends south, which is where Rome moved the border to when they gave up Dacia. But if, instead, the Roman border followed the Buzau River, they wouldn’t have this big gap to Dacia’s east to worry about. That’s what I was getting at.
Oh ok yeah that makes sense and easier for the romans to do
Chapter 3: 193 Brotherly Intrigues
Chapter 3
The sole ascension of Severus Procolus was mostly a fine affair, the funeral of Pompeianus was an austere affair similar to the man it was for, and the ritual mourning period followed. However for the most part Severus Procolus spent his first weeks in sole office as Augustus appeasing the people with games and food, while attending quietly to the demands of his office and the empire. Several new govenors were appointed to critical areas of the empire. One of which was Pompeianus trusted general Maximianus to Syria. While he only held the command of the Syrian Legions if a War arose Maximianus was to be commander in chief of the eastern army until the time that the Augustus arrived on the front or unless other orders specified anything else. This showed great trust in the general, who in his late 50s would be ending his career soon enough.
However Procolus's work would be interrupted by his brother Claudius Quadratus and his adopted father, Cousin of Marcus Aurelius, Ummidius Quadratus. The two Quadratii began to constantly pester the Augustus with questions of the burden of the empire and that he should not wait for the young Lucius Aurelius to become of Age to name a co-Augustus. That there would be others better suited for the job.
It seems that to Father and adopted son intended to push Procolus into naming his half brother as Co-Augustus pushing the young Lucius Aurelius out of the succession as intended by his father and Marcus Aurelius before him. However Severus Procolus was not a man that went against the wishes of his predecessors, nor was he a man who intended to change plans that had been laid out decades before.
It was in late 194, when his half brother brasenly demanded that he as one of his brothers core supporters and as a influential member of the senate be named Co-Augustus to help the endeavors his brother had as Augustus. This brazen approach however seemed to have pushed to far. While Procolus did not go as far as taking severe action on his brother or adopted father, he intended not only to seperate them, but to also seperate them from the capital. Ummidius Quadratus was named as govenor in Hispania Baetica, and Claudius Quadratus govenor of Galatia. Procolus believed that he could placate his relatives while also calming the ideas of a coup, until the time that Lucius Aurelius was named Augustus and there could be no change in the succession.
However he was wrong. In the act of seperating his brother and his adopted father giving them just weeks to make it to their provinces, he forced their hand. With a band of personal guards, a few senatorial conspirators and a few dozen of praetorians selected by a few turncoat Praetorian Centurions, the two Quadratii lead their force to the house of Pertinax. Where the young Caesar stayed with his guardian. They overwhelmed the few sections of Praetorian and Vigiles who stood guard over the Caesar and the Commander of the Vigiles and Prefect of Rome. Pertinax would give his life in defending his young ward and his family including his own young son also named Pertinax. However in doing so the old general would kill Ummidius Quadratus.
Luckily enough for the young Caesar he would find more loyal Praetorians under the command of a Praetorian Tribune and ex legionary Pilus Prior Marcus Artorius Macro. Macro had with him a sqaud of soldiers with him and was on his way to take up guard duty at the house of Pertinax. However with the the arrival of the caesar and his battered companions, Macro called upon his cohort and alerted the entire gaurd.
By morning the mutinous guards were dead after a breif fight in the streets of Rome. Half the conspirators dead, and Claudius Quadratus and the remaining senators in the chains before their emperor. Whole Procolus wished he could only exile his brother an example had to be made of his brother and his fellow conspirators. All who had acted in the attempted coup where put to death. Having to put his brother to death would be only one of the many tragedies that would go on for Augustus Tiberius Claudius Severus Procolus, posthumously known as Severus Procolus "Tragoedius" or Severus Procolus The Tragic.
The sole ascension of Severus Procolus was mostly a fine affair, the funeral of Pompeianus was an austere affair similar to the man it was for, and the ritual mourning period followed. However for the most part Severus Procolus spent his first weeks in sole office as Augustus appeasing the people with games and food, while attending quietly to the demands of his office and the empire. Several new govenors were appointed to critical areas of the empire. One of which was Pompeianus trusted general Maximianus to Syria. While he only held the command of the Syrian Legions if a War arose Maximianus was to be commander in chief of the eastern army until the time that the Augustus arrived on the front or unless other orders specified anything else. This showed great trust in the general, who in his late 50s would be ending his career soon enough.
However Procolus's work would be interrupted by his brother Claudius Quadratus and his adopted father, Cousin of Marcus Aurelius, Ummidius Quadratus. The two Quadratii began to constantly pester the Augustus with questions of the burden of the empire and that he should not wait for the young Lucius Aurelius to become of Age to name a co-Augustus. That there would be others better suited for the job.
It seems that to Father and adopted son intended to push Procolus into naming his half brother as Co-Augustus pushing the young Lucius Aurelius out of the succession as intended by his father and Marcus Aurelius before him. However Severus Procolus was not a man that went against the wishes of his predecessors, nor was he a man who intended to change plans that had been laid out decades before.
It was in late 194, when his half brother brasenly demanded that he as one of his brothers core supporters and as a influential member of the senate be named Co-Augustus to help the endeavors his brother had as Augustus. This brazen approach however seemed to have pushed to far. While Procolus did not go as far as taking severe action on his brother or adopted father, he intended not only to seperate them, but to also seperate them from the capital. Ummidius Quadratus was named as govenor in Hispania Baetica, and Claudius Quadratus govenor of Galatia. Procolus believed that he could placate his relatives while also calming the ideas of a coup, until the time that Lucius Aurelius was named Augustus and there could be no change in the succession.
However he was wrong. In the act of seperating his brother and his adopted father giving them just weeks to make it to their provinces, he forced their hand. With a band of personal guards, a few senatorial conspirators and a few dozen of praetorians selected by a few turncoat Praetorian Centurions, the two Quadratii lead their force to the house of Pertinax. Where the young Caesar stayed with his guardian. They overwhelmed the few sections of Praetorian and Vigiles who stood guard over the Caesar and the Commander of the Vigiles and Prefect of Rome. Pertinax would give his life in defending his young ward and his family including his own young son also named Pertinax. However in doing so the old general would kill Ummidius Quadratus.
Luckily enough for the young Caesar he would find more loyal Praetorians under the command of a Praetorian Tribune and ex legionary Pilus Prior Marcus Artorius Macro. Macro had with him a sqaud of soldiers with him and was on his way to take up guard duty at the house of Pertinax. However with the the arrival of the caesar and his battered companions, Macro called upon his cohort and alerted the entire gaurd.
By morning the mutinous guards were dead after a breif fight in the streets of Rome. Half the conspirators dead, and Claudius Quadratus and the remaining senators in the chains before their emperor. Whole Procolus wished he could only exile his brother an example had to be made of his brother and his fellow conspirators. All who had acted in the attempted coup where put to death. Having to put his brother to death would be only one of the many tragedies that would go on for Augustus Tiberius Claudius Severus Procolus, posthumously known as Severus Procolus "Tragoedius" or Severus Procolus The Tragic.
How exactly did they think that would go? "Yo brother we killed your heir, so now I can be your heir no problem right?" Seems like just using poison would have been a much more sensible approach if they didn't also plan to coup Severus too.
Anyway big fan of a Rome that tries to close the gaps in its borders, here's hoping the Pannonian Basin up to the Carpathian mountains can be secured this time round.
Anyway big fan of a Rome that tries to close the gaps in its borders, here's hoping the Pannonian Basin up to the Carpathian mountains can be secured this time round.
It did say "forced their hand", so I suspect that originally they wanted more troops on their side, such that they could coup Severus too.
However, when given the provincial commands, thye figured thye either had to launch the attempted coup early, or give up, and they refused to give up.