The Republic Reborn

[LD]

It's on page 8; also below-->

[spoiler=Trade Map][/spoiler]

Genoa also owns Corsica, if I remember correctly.

[Elemental_Elf]

@Light Dragon: I'm in favor of waiting for a season or two if we know when we can get the black smiths. If not, then buy the ore now and worry about the blacksmiths later.

[Polycarp]

I have returned!  I have also added the trade map to the front page, as well as a link to the newest update.  I have updated the thread title to reiterate that the deadline is currently Sunday, March 8th.  Please let me know if you require additional time.

do I know
a. how much Siclians pay for salt currently?
b. how much it will cost to get enough gregoriopolitan salt ready for them and shipped?

a. No, but the Genoese and Pisans (like everyone else) tend to charge as much as they can get away with, and without competition this is quite a lot.
b. Rome does not possess anything resembling a merchant fleet, nor does it have a port capable of servicing any merchant fleet, either its own or someone else's.  At present, Rome could export some salt by sea, but not much and certainly not enough to supply all of Capua (or any other city).  If Rome could at least gain the use of a port, Sicilian merchants would bring their own ships and a Roman merchant fleet would not be immediately necessary, but until then Rome's capability to export anything in bulk over water is severely constrained.

Magnus, I will get a PM to you tonight.

[LD]

Welcome back! I'm unsure if I can meet the Sunday deadline unless it's essentially midnight on sunday. I am currently swamped with work, etc. (and have been all week) so I can't actually think enough to come up with anything to write/orders right now.

(e.g. I am moving). With luck my new place will have internet on Sunday.

[Magnus Pym]

[ic=To the Senatores Consilliari]

Signores,
I would want a moment's silence for a prayer to our great Calafatus, gone with our fellow Romans to secure the Via Salaria.

Although he will not be able to attend my annual party, it will still take place. It will happen late in the summer, so maybe he will be back to enjoy the festivities with us.

I wish to bring something before the consilliari. You see, the ruins of Ostia are being plundered by Pisans. Very casually too, I should say. They take from the ruins and make a profit in Sicily. If anyone deserves the ruin's riches it's us.
Gregoriopolis, just beside, has been friendly to us so far. I have observed them, and they are not a threat. I say, let's increase our presence there. We can work on building a port, then on building ships and on increasing trade. Though, ports must be tough. And they need to be big enough to welcome a fair amount of ships. All this does not come cheap.
I would ask of you, would such endeavor merit at least consideration on your part? I volunteer myself to oversee the activities, should we decide to go forward with the idea.

The coffers of Rome only await the inevitable flood of riches. Would anyone deny a man his wine?

*bows before sitting down*[/ic]

[Polycarp]

[ic=To Senator de Vinti]My Nephew,

How wonderful to hear from you, my boy.  We follow the news from Rome as it reaches us – it is mostly silly rumors by peddlers and mad old monks.  How have you found the Romans?  Just as hot-headed and tight-fisted as we have always joked, I trust?  Of course a bit of Sienese wit will do them good, if they can sit still long enough to hear it!

I envy the Romans in one respect – they have managed to finish the job we are still working at.  Of course, I am strongly of the commune party myself, and we still struggle against Ranieri, our bishop who fights tooth and nail for every scrap of his privilege.  If Rome can seize their independence from the Bishop of Rome himself, surely the days of the Bishop of Siena are numbered.

Our business is good; so too the business of the weavers of wool, though the excellent woolens of Flanders remain very cheap even here in Tuscany and this harries them constantly.  A rivalry much closer at hand is between the moneylenders of our city, who have grown numerous and prosperous of late, and those of Florence.  Of other cities, I have little news.  Pisa, of course, is Pisa, which interests us Sienese only insofar as they quarrel with Florence, whose frustrations we enjoy.  One must be friendly with a city as powerful as Pisa, but never friends, if you see my meaning.  Like the Venetians, they have the hearts of weasels in them.

Surely you must know that the new King of Germany has not yet been south of the Alps?  We certainly have not seen him, though we hear that we may soon, for he intends to come and make much of his "privileges" in the coming years.  I do not know what welcome the Consuls intend for him if he should arrive at our gates.  May God set him and the Lombards at each others' throats so he will never bother our fair Tuscany.

In more peaceful times I am sure we will see each other again, Hugo.

Giogio[/ic]

[ic=To Senator de Vinti]
Signore,

Being that Master Rodolfus, to whom you have sent correspondence to, is not a lettered man, he has asked me to write you a reply.  He thanks you for your gifts on behalf of the people of Gregoriopolis.

Master Rodolfus adds that the sindaco of Gregoriopolis does not have authority over the trades of its laborers or their goods, for that lies with the Cardinal-Bishop alone, but that you are welcome to buy salt from the salt-workers of his village if you are not content with waiting for them to bring their product to the marketplaces of Rome as is their usual habit.

Master Rodolfus adds further that he does not have authority over the country surrounding the walls of the village and can neither give nor withhold permission for the use of lands surrounding Gregoriopolis.  He urges you to speak to the Cardinal-Bishop or his clerks whom administer these lands as feudatories of His Holiness the Pope.
Curato Paulus di Formello, Basilica Santa Aurea, for Sindaco Rodolfus, his mark:    X[/ic]

[TheMeanestGuest]

[ic=Letter to Pietro Colonna]Signore Colonna,

I would be most delighted to attend. It has been long since we have spoken, and doubly so since I have spoken with the Patrician. Your table is not one that is wont to disappoint, and the affairs of our great city are of course ever on my mind.

Consul Roberto Basile[/ic]

[ic=Letter to the Scholars, Lawyers, Notaries, Glossators etc. of the University of Bologna]Noted Scholars of the University,

Word of your learnedness is heard throughout Western Christendom, and indeed, beyond. Your University is the only institution of its kind in all of the world, and its mission - that of the understanding and preservation of knowledge - is of the utmost importance.

And so I write to you. A humble Roman in need of your wisdom, and your ability. With the expulsion of the Ecclesiastes, and with them the overseers of the Canon Law, the great Commune of Rome has found itself bereft of Law and Order. And so we, the Senators of that Commune, set out to rectify this situation. To govern the streets of our city we looked to the ancient Code of Justinian. This body of law is well renowned for its equitable treatment of all men, and its thoroughness. But we have faced difficulties. The text of these ancient lawyers is difficult to decipher, and the proper application of its law to modernity is a matter of much dissent. Indeed, I am ashamed to admit, that many of our Judges and Magistrates are in fact illiterate, and so the difficulties we face are only compounded.

And so I present to you a unique opportunity. To see to the real application of the Corpus Juris Civilis, and to ensure its proper interpretation for our modern age. I request that some of your esteemed number journey to our city, to assist our courts in their crucial mission, to educate our Magistrates, and to see that the Law is fairly applied. I will offer a generous sum to any qualified man who should come to our City, for I know it is not an easy journey, and it is no easier to relocate your work. And so I leave my proposal to you in the hopes that you learned men can lend what aid you can to those in need.

Consul Roberto Basile[/ic]

[ic=Letter to Johannes III]Bishop Johannes,

I write to you so as to inform you of the misfortune of the situation we find ourselves in. Alas! Your offer has been delivered wrongly! The Senate of Rome has no binding authority to negotiate peace with the Abbey of Farfa in the absence of the consent of Fortis Calafatus, the Consul of the Exterior, regardless of how fair the terms might be. The Romans are peaceful men, as is well known, and we desire nothing more than friendship and prosperity to settle itself upon Latium. And so I despair, knowing that I cannot at this time bring about such happiness. I have sent a man on a swift horse to convey your message to the Consul, but I fear with the condition of the Farfan countryside that his mission might meet with misfortune. I pray to God almighty that it is delivered safely and soundly, so that the Romans, the Reatini and the Farfans might yet have a chance to lay down their arms, and again embrace each other as brother Christians.

Consul Roberto Basile[/ic]

[ooc=Orders: Summer 1153]

- Attempt to obtain the services of as many legal scholars and glossators of Bologna as is possible for the purpose of assisting in the organization of our courts, and the application of Civil Law in Rome. Spend 1 of my own wealth for the purposes of offering monetary compensation to any scholar who should agree to relocate to Rome.

- Continue work on the Aurelian walls utilizing the remaining funds that have been so allocated.

- Send a messenger to Consul Calafatus to deliver the peace offer of the Farfans, and indicate that the Senate of Rome is inclined to the continuation of the campaign so long as we should hold the advantage.

[/ooc]

OOC: Probably still a few things to add.

[LD]

Magnus, I relate the following to you as per your questions:

[ic=Private to DaVinti] In response to your queries:

"do I know
a. how much Siclians pay for salt currently?
b. how much it will cost to get enough gregoriopolitan salt ready for them and shipped?

a. No, but the Genoese and Pisans (like everyone else) tend to charge as much as they can get away with, and without competition this is quite a lot.
b. Rome does not possess anything resembling a merchant fleet, nor does it have a port capable of servicing any merchant fleet, either its own or someone else's.  At present, Rome could export some salt by sea, but not much and certainly not enough to supply all of Capua (or any other city).  If Rome could at least gain the use of a port, Sicilian merchants would bring their own ships and a Roman merchant fleet would not be immediately necessary, but until then Rome's capability to export anything in bulk over water is severely constrained."

It appears that we would need access to a true port City through agreement or alliance in order to properly affect the scheme. Alternatively, we could invest in sailors in a city and have them transport the salt from Gregoriopolis... then our salt would likely need to cost 2 Wealth to break even.[/ic]

[Polycarp]

Castles

The importance of castles (castra, singular castrum in Latin, which is what I use in names) has popped up in the recent campaign, and I thought I'd share a little information with you.

Christian Europe was besieged by three major foes in the 9th century.  Though the Italians were largely safe from the best-known of these, the Vikings, the other two ravaged the entire peninsula.  The Magyars, the nomadic predecessors of today's Hungarians, poured into Northern Italy from the east and sacked city after city (though they ranged as far as France and possibly Spain).  From the south, the "Saracens" (Arab and Berber pirates) ransacked the Lombard and Greek settlements of Italy, and even set up their own emirates in Sicily and mainland Italy.  Saracen attacks were not limited to the coast; they took Farfa Abbey and used it as a fortress for some time, and in the north actually occupied Alpine passes and robbed anyone traveling through them.

The result of this violence was a major shift in population in Italy.  Coastal and island communities were abandoned, and the people fled inland.  People huddled in more defensible walled communities and abandoned the lowlands.  Central authority was nonexistent, so local nobles built fortifications to protect their peasants or simply their own power.  In some situations, this was encouraged by the Emperor or other overlord because it enhanced the security of the realm against foreign invaders, but most of the time nobles simply build castles because nobody had the power or will to stop them.  This process was called encastellation, and by the time of our game it has reached its conclusion.  Though the chaos of the 9th century has passed, the castles and fortified towns remain, and they present a major hindrance to Popes and Princes attempting to subdue nobles and communes.

How many were there?  Well, I have no idea, but this is my current map of castles in southern Sabina, every one of which (probably) existed in the 12th century.  (Yellow-green castles are Farfan).



In fact, Farfa was said to own 132 castles around the year 1100.

Some of these are fairly small and not terribly important, while others are quite robust fortifications.  I don't include them on the regular Latium map for very obvious reasons - there's not enough room.  My practice is to bring them up when they become important, such as when the Roman army encounters them on campaign.  The encastellation of various regions varies; mountainous regions tend to have few, though the Alban Hills is absolutely covered with them.  Generally, unless the area is a real wilderness, it can be assumed that any enemy territory an army passes through will have castles.  If these are mere fortified watchtowers, they may not figure into a report at all; if they are strong defensive points, they may significantly hold up a military expedition.

[Magnus Pym]

[ic=A Private Reply To Manzinni]
So then how much salt does Capua need (in terms of Wealth) to be stocked for a season? [2 Wealth] seems like the amount I'd wish to sell for, but we could probably have a better return (than 1 Wealth). If it's not possible, let's fill Capua for Sicilian naval protection, and aim at providing other cities to fill our coffers.

I've been informed that the sindocco does not have any say in the matters of land distribution. It is the Cardinal-Bishop. Though it is my understanding that he is seldom present, at best. For Rome to have a presence at sea in the coming months, the easiest way might be building a small port in Gregoriopolis, until, as Calafatus suggested, we can use that of Nettuno.[/ic]

[LD]

[ic=Private Reply to Da Vinti]
Ah, I see. Building a port in Gregoriopolis would be expensive and dangerous. I would support the action if the power of Rome is behind the action.

The line of necessities appears to be as follows: (0) Land does not appear to be an issue as no one 'owns' the land except the Cardinal-Bishop; (I) We need people to invest in the salt extraction- this is the cheapest and potentially the easiest thing to acquire if we can attract workers. (II) We need to protect our workers from others who may seek to stop their work; (III) We need to ship or transport by land. We would need to acquire ships. Ships take time to build and wealth to purchase--if purchased, we would need to guarantee loyalty somehow (IV) Shipments may be attacked by Pisans or Genoans, even with Sicilian protection. At that point, we can be said to have made a profit.

For matters (0) and (I) either ourselves or another can make the investment
For matter (II) We need the backing of Rome, either explicit or implicit.
For matter (III) either ourselves or another can make that investment. III is where the greatest risk is--it is also the point at which profits would arise. We would need to ensure that Rome's aid is given freely because it is in Rome's best interest. Also, if the landowners in (0) or (I) were to gouge us, then we would be unable to sell to the South and make a profit.

What may make best sense is for each of us to, once Rome's protection is secured, invest 1 wealth in land and 1 wealth in a shipment. If anyone else is brought in, they should invest in the shipments, or in both ventures. None should merely invest in land alone--what say you?
[/ic]

[ic=To the Inner Council]
The Abbot has made an offer of 3 Wealth at once to sue for peace, but he has not offered to give tribute to Rome. It appears he is desperate and that he fears Rome is pressing the issue and conquering under the lead of Consul Calafactus.

What concerns me more than the Abbot, however, is the Falsican League--what will they do if Rome's assault abroad continues? Our options are these- One, accept the deal-BUT demand yearly tribute or demand more Wealth now. It would be embarrassing to desert our allies just as they join the battle unless they can also benefit from a settlement. I am sure that Fortis can negotiate a much more attractive deal, should he wish. Their opening offer is clear evidence of their lack of ability to prosecute a long war and our Veterans need compensation for their troubles.

Our other option is for Fortis to continue to press the campaign. If that is undergone, I strongly suggest the Senate to invest in defense. What say you, Basile, and what say you Inner Council? Do the threats of the Falsican League concern us at this time? Should we invest in Defense for Rome's future?
[/ic]

Out of character I know that Nomadic? or Stargate? (I think) has been investing in the salt flats, but In character I don't know if we can approach him.

EE- okay we can wait about the blacksmiths... how do you think we can attract them, other than by having Fortis start more wars or investing in more spears to be built and hoping that the word gets around that Rome is a good place for armaments?

[Nomadic]

[ic=At the Inner Council]
The Faliscan threat is an idle one, they are far too weak to do anything to Rome herself. At most they could seal off the pilgrim roads. If however they attempt to do so I deem that Rome could re-open them with little effort. Their strength is in their personal defenses not in the ability to attack or hold new territory. Ultimately I feel it is the decision of the Consul whether he should return to us or press the attack. However, I am of a mind that Rome should not so easily give in to such arrogant demands or insultingly small tributes as this. Nor should we be so quick to leave our loyal allies in Rieti to fend for themselves after promising them aid. It is my belief that the campaign should continue. To back out now would show Rieti that we are not trustworthy, and everyone else that we can be easily intimidated by a group as small and impotent as the Faliscans. When Farfa is willing to talk serious tribute directly with us instead of bringing unwanted negotiators and insulting promises and demands to the table then Rome can consider peace.
[/ic]

[Magnus Pym]

[ic=At the Inner Council]Bowing to the demands of the Faliscans would be shameful indeed. Rome would be the laugh-stock of Italy. I say we press on with this matter. The Via Salaria is a strategic battle, vital at the moment to both Rome and the Faliscans. Are their vital interests only worth [3 Wealth]? Rome has much higher standards. I agree with Sismondii that we should keep supporting the campaign.

Furthermore, their plead only serves to enforce the obvious fact that they are weak, and that they recognize the greater strength of Rome.

I also agree that improvements to our military power could serve us well.[/ic]

[LD]

[ic=At the Inner Council]
Indeed, you (Arrigus) speak wisdom in which I agree when you state that Farfa is not currently discussing serious tribute and that Rieti's pride must be assuaged in dealing with the situation. It is interesting that you note the Falsicans' strength is in their defenses--have you conducted a study of the strength of their forces and their number of spears and horses and armed mercenaries? If so, I believe that Rome would be most interested in learning of what you know.

I admit I stress that Rome must plan for danger, but Defense is always necessary when credible threats exist and it is better to be prepared and deter these threats, than to be caught unawares and sacked, like Rome has been oh so many times before. Farfa-it seems is afraid and is not a threat; but the Pope and his allies and the Falsicans may be. Without knowledge of their power, we are planning blind- it may be good if those Senators who have studied the strength of Rome's rivals to step forward with facts for the Senate?[/ic]

[Magnus Pym]

[ic=Private Reply To Manzinni]
I wouldn't be so sure that land is not an issue. It's always an issue. Gregoriopolitans, in fact, wouldn't care should we build even at their footsteps. But if we invade Papacy controlled territory, the consequences could be unforeseen.

If only one of us would fund the construction of a port, he would surely be ruined. It needs to be approved by the Senate, and contributed to by all senatores consilliari. In the end, everyone will use it.

Concerning the salt business; shouldn't we consider a state monopoly on the resource, and put all its revenues in the Treasury? I've heard others have been looking at that lately. Controlling the trade of salt would ensure an equal share for everyone.

Our workers, I say, would be protected by proud Romans.[/ic]