Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.



 
HomeLatest imagesRegisterLog in

 

 House Cassius

Go down 
AuthorMessage
Pat
Administrator
Pat


Posts : 458
Join date : 2012-02-04

House Cassius Empty
PostSubject: House Cassius   House Cassius EmptySat Jul 19, 2014 11:34 am

House Cassius Rome_by_naranch-d37os8p


House Cassius 30bmiqq

The ancient and revered House Cassius is one that can truly be said to be a pillar upon which the foundations of Rome were built. Belonging to the proud Patrician class, the Cassian legacy is well distinguished by the deeds of its ancestors; five Consuls to its name, of which the current Patriarch Flavius Tertius is the sixth; twelve Legates, including the well-regarded Cassian Brothers who led men in the Second Punic War; three Censors; four Praetors Urbanus; and innumerable other senators who have guided the course of Rome for these last three centuries. Yet for all this, the House Cassius is in sharp decline. Irresponsible actions and decadent living on behalf of Flavius’ grandfather have caused the Cassian treasury to become mired in crippling debt. Now, although the Cassians retain their Patrician name, they teeter at the brink financially, held aloft only by their influence and the lingering respect afforded to their name.

When his own father died an early death, Flavius Tertius rose to the head of the House at the age of twenty-seven. Since then, he has spent every waking moment juggling the affairs of House Cassius as to stave off complete bankruptcy. In 80 B.C., he was elected to the office of Consul following Sulla’s retirement, chosen by his Senatorial peers in the hopes that Flavius would act as a stop-gap against total, anarchic reform in the wake of Sulla’s retirement. In 79 B.C., he served as Pro-Consul of Macedonia, only to return at the behest of the Optimates clique to serve a second term as Consul.

In form, both of Flavius’ terms as Consul have been identical. He places the role of peace-maker, of stabilizer, a grand chess-master in playing conflicting forces against each other, averting chaos that the Roman political structure keeps moving forward. If he was truly his own man, Flavius Tertius could easily be the de facto master of Rome; however, he owes his office to members of the Optimates clique within the Senate, many of whom his House is in severe debt to. For the moment, he serves as an effective puppet Consul, serving the whims of the Optimates so that the debt of his Grandfather might be ignored. If House Cassius is to ever emerge from the decline and humiliation it now suffers, it must cast off the shackles of its debt-masters and seize for itself the power it now holds only in theory.

House Cassius 9fpqwz

The current House Patriarch, Flavius Tertius, is the last born blood son of the House. His beleaguered father had no other son, and he himself has sired only three daughters from two unhappy marriages. With his House’s future in mind, Flavius has seen to adopt several well-to-do Equestrian and Patrician sons, to which he has divided the function of his family. The favorite of these adopted sons is no doubt the Legate Caius Aemillianus, now Caius Flavius Tertius Cassius Aemillianus. Clever, ruthless, and pragmatic, the Legate caught the eye of Flavius when he was but an Equite, turned over for a Military Tribune. By all accounts, the boon and burden of the Cassian name will be his to bare, once Flavius finally passes.

Like many other well-to-do Patrician Houses, the House Cassius maintains a number of salaried retainers. This number has significantly dropped from the number maintained by Flavius’ forebears; nevertheless, a skilled team of scribes, maid-servants, couriers, and so on reside within the Flavius’ residence. It is rumored that without the aid of this well-trained cadre of Plebeians, the struggle to maintain House Cassius would have been lost years ago.

House Cassius 1zw23bb

The finances of House Cassius are a mess; crippled by debt, and held afloat only by the income from a slew of Plantations near Capua, south of Rome, as well as the variable salary gleaned from various Senatorial posts. In effect, the only thing that keeps House Cassius from total bankruptcy, and thus, abandoning their Patrician name, is the ‘good-will’ bought from his wealthy debtors in return for political loyalty.

In effect, House Cassius owes most of their debt to three Patrician members of the Senate, who form the core of the Optimates clique – Gaius Quintus Antoninus, Severus Filius Sextus, and Julius Rufus Horatius Magnus – who themselves bought much of the debt from Plebeian merchants when Flavius served his first Consulship. As of now, all House finances are directed towards keeping the political hand of House Cassius functioning, paying valuable retainers, and so on. As of now, House Cassius owes 833,000 sestertii worth of debt, while their coffers hold only 324,000 sestertii.

House Cassius 2upptp1

In effect, House Cassius has the rigid support of the Optimates clique amongst the Senate, specifically the core, the aforementioned Severus Filius, Julius Rufus, and Gaius Quintus Magnus – only so long as the family continues to serve as a puppet for the whims of the Optimates. While this support is maintained, the family can call upon the immense wealth and influence of the Optimates, thus practically assured any senate posting they desire.
Flavius himself, in his role as Consul, has several arrangements made with fellow members of the Senate, usually to keep the political climate from shifting. As of now, he maintains the posting of the Praetor Urbanus Severus Camillus for the sake of Tribune Lucius Hortensius, who acts to block all attempts at House Naevius’ equestrian reform. Doubtless these alliances will shift as Flavius is forced to account for the events and machinations of the year.
Back to top Go down
Pat
Administrator
Pat


Posts : 458
Join date : 2012-02-04

House Cassius Empty
PostSubject: Re: House Cassius   House Cassius EmptySat Jul 19, 2014 11:46 am

Kain has claimed this faction. Message him (or post here) if you want to align with this faction.
Back to top Go down
 
House Cassius
Back to top 
Page 1 of 1
 Similar topics
-
» The House Cassius Grounds
» House Naevius
» The House Naevius Grounds

Permissions in this forum:You cannot reply to topics in this forum
 :: Forum Roleplay :: [SANS REX] :: Factions-
Jump to: