Pax Romana

Referee: PeteN

Group: [Wednesday Kingson Group]

Background: Rome in the time of Nero

System: Modified BRP

Initium

It is [Saturnalia] (Dec 17th? 60ish AD) in the city of Rome.

Ludus

The Standard BRP with the rules for Crits and Special changed so that there are only Crit which 10%. The Character Generation rules have been simplified.

Ludio

The following are the Actors on this dangious stage:

• [Aquilus] - Lawyer (CathyE)
• [Cleanus Clostimus Cremens] - Vigile (DaveF)
• [Festino Rabidus] - Charioteer (TimE)
• [Terga Ignavus] - Athlete (HowardT)
• [Sempervertex] - Doctor (AdrianW)

Fabula

Pulvis: I/I - Wed 31st August 2005

• A Dead Woman is found

Pulvis: I/II - Wed 07th September 2005

• Investigate the Dead Woman
• The Athetics

Pulvis: I/III - Wed 14th September 2005

• A Charete Race
• Death of a woman at a shrine by horses.
• Terga Ignavus is summoned to the Capitol Hill as the Pontefex is dead.

Pulvis: I/IV - Wed 25th October 2005

• The group investigate the death of the Pontefex under the watchful eye of Quintus Atilius Regulus a Praetorian centurian.
• They the go to the top of the Capitaline Hill and investiagte his study in the temple to Jupitor. They find a Wax Tablet with names of Gods and his Diary.
• They then go and investigate the references in the Diary in the Temple of Apollo.

Pulvis: I/V - Wed 02nd November 2005

Pulvis: I/VI - Wed 09th November 2005

Pulvis: I/VI - Wed 16th November 2005

Pulvis: I/VI - Wed 23th November 2005

Events

Info: SibellineScrolls FidenaeStadium NeroStatium

Party continues to assume / think

possibly a reference to the legendary Bull statue from sacking of Carthage which was used for sacrifice.

but reallistically - Nero is building an amphitheatre called the Statillus Tarus.

"the place of the Standing Bull" = amphitheatre called the Statillus Tarus

nero is holding inagural games on the last day of Saturnalia in this new amphitheatre.

pontifect diary references the 'disaster repeating' ref Fidenea

pontifect diary references the disaster in five days , last day saturanlia

"one who is many" could be the demon who turns into many beetles terga encountered 'earlier'

but what is the "vengeance of Charun" we have to exact on "one who is many"

Indicium

• ListOfGodsOnWaxTablet
• DiaryEntriesOfIntrest
• [Republican Rome]
• [Murder Locations]
• [Republican Forum]
• SibellineScrolls
• FidenaeStadium
• NeroStatium

Speaking to Terga's tutor to determine the meaning of the prophesy

His readings on Fidenae.

In the year of the consulship of Marcus Licinius and Lucius Calpurnius, the losses of a great war were matched by an unexpected disaster, no sooner begun than ended. One Atilius, of the freedman class, having undertaken to build an amphitheatre at Fidenae for the exhibition of a show of gladiators, failed to lay a solid foundation to frame the wooden superstructure with beams of sufficient strength; for he had neither an abundance of wealth, nor zeal for public popularity, but he had simply sought the work for sordid gain. Thither flocked all who loved such sights and who during the reign of Tiberius had been wholly debarred from such amusements; men and women of every age crowding to the place because it was near Rome. And so the calamity was all the more fatal. The building was densely crowded; then came a violent shock, as it fell inwards or spread outwards, precipitating and burying an immense multitude which was intently gazing on the show or standing round. Those who were crushed to death in the first moment of the accident had at least under such dreadful circumstances the advantage of escaping torture. More to be pitied were they who with limbs torn from them still retained life, while they recognised their wives and children by seeing them during the day and by hearing in the night their screams and groans. Soon all the neighbours in their excitement at the report were bewailing brothers, kinsmen or parents. Even those whose friends or relatives were away from home for quite a different reason, still trembled for them, and as it was not yet known who had been destroyed by the crash, suspense made the alarm more widespread.

As soon as they began to remove the debris, there was a rush to see the lifeless forms and much embracing and kissing. Often a dispute would arise, when some distorted face, bearing however a general resemblance of form and age, had baffled their efforts at recognition. Fifty thousand persons were maimed or destroyed in this disaster. For the future it was provided by a decree of the Senate that no one was to exhibit a show of gladiators, whose fortune fell short of four hundred thousand sesterces, and that no amphitheatre was to be erected except on a foundation, the solidity of which had been examined. Atilius was banished. At the moment of the calamity the nobles threw open houses and supplied indiscriminately medicines and physicians, so that Rome then, notwithstanding her sorrowful aspect, wore a likeness to the manners of our forefathers who after a great battle always relieved the wounded with their bounty and attentions.

annotation in the margin of the scroll - It is rumoured that a small group of heroic soldiers were seen to enter the amphitheatre before the presumed earthquake struck, where they set upon the dark clowns who were performing a grotesque dance in the centre of the arena, and then supposedly shouted warnings to the crowd. The rumour has never been substantiated, since the soldiers concerned were probably crushed in the collapse of the theatre.

"those who escaped Fidenae" = Romans.

His thoughts on Standing Bull

Standing bull = statillius Taurus

aurus' amphitheatre

aurus' amphitheatre, though still in use for a long time, had become inadequate for the splendid shows of the imperial capital. It seems that Caligula hosted the shows in the Saepta, a big public space, and then Nero in 57 AD actually had a wooden one built - it only took one year - for his shows. It was magnificent: the awning was blue, and it used the longest wooden beam ever seen in Rome: 120 ft. long and 2 ft wide. The descriptions of it mention gems, gold, ivory. The wall around the arena had ivory rollers on top, that stopped the wild animals from jumping over, and for more protection a golden net was cast all around, with big pointed tusks leaning inwards.