Daily Life: Gladiators

Gladiators are one of the best known aspects of Roman life, and certainly one of the most cinematographic.

Andabata: File under weird, these gladiators had helmets with no eye holes and rode around on horseback trying to hit each other with lances. You can almost hear them saying:"With the blast shields down I can't even see. How am I supposed to fight?"

Bestiarius: Are gladiators who fight wild animals. These are not the same as condemded criminals who were thrown to animals since bestiarii were trained and armed.

Eques (pl. eqites):

Gladiatrix (pl. gladiatrices): Female gladiators were rare, but they did exist. Occasionally they were dressed like Amazons and a (female) Achilles. There were specific laws against high born Roman women becoming gladiatrices, so there must have been some interest.

Hoplomachus:

Laquearius: Are lightly armored gladiators who use lassos to immobilize their opponent and then stab them with a trident.

Murmillo (pl. murmillones):

Nauta: Are slaves who man ships during mock naval combat (naumachia). The arena was filled with water (or stands set up overlooking a lagoon) and ships would fight each other. It was a bloody and expensive affair.

Retiarius: Were lightly armed gladiators who fight with a trident and net. Romans felt they were morally reprehensible since they were "girly", which is funny since we tend to look with askance at people who make slaves fight to the death.

Veles (pl. velites):

Ventior (pl. ventiores): Hunt wild animals in the area and not to be confused with bestiarii since they hunted fast harmless animals, not big fierce ones.

The Supernatural and Magic: Overview

Belief in magic was almost ubiquitous in the ancient world. Science at the time had not advanced to the point where their is any real criteria to distinguish between "natural" and "supernatural". Even today, with a score or so decades of intellectual history separating us, many natural phenomena appear truly miraculous and many of our quotidian assumptions are tinged with magical thinking. Whether magic works in the game world is another story. Magical and ritual skills are certainly available to characters, but their effectiveness is a closely guarded game secret. Further, any assumption based on modern science isn't necessarily true in the game world. You can assume the Earth is round since the circumference was measured by Eratosthenes in DXII a.u.c.(though your character might not know this if he isn't up on his geography or philosophy), but there is no reason to even think that if you sail West from Ireland you will eventually hit Canada because no one would invent Canada who hasn't been there. Further you can assume that Ptolemaic astronomy is most likely accurate, since that was what the best evidence pointed to at the time (again unless your character is a sailor or philosopher it is unlikely that he would know this). Magic might be added just to liven up the game or get out of a sticky plot point.
While its effectiveness is in doubt, there is no question of magic's importance in the game world. In a world where everyone believes in magic there is power in even the appearance of supernatural potency. Almost all characters are superstitious, and most people react negatively to characters who aren't. Politicians and generals ignore the magicoreligious beliefs of their charges at their peril. There is money to be made magic, even fake magic; then, as now; magic is a great cover for conmen and the insane. So even if there is an effective "Ring of 7 wishes" there is no guarantee that the ring some one sold you with that name is not just a cheap brass ring.

Barbarians: Berbers

Advantages: Hard to kill (+2), Absolute direction, Detect mirage (+1), 1 point in each of the following skills: Riding (camel), Merchant, Packing and 2 points in Survival: Desert.
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Disadvantages: Tech level 2, No written language, Limited arable land (agricultural products 1 and a half times as expensive), Code of honor: Hospitality.

Barbarians: Scythians

Advantages: Animal empathy, acute vision (+2), Animal products (live stock, leather, meat, butter etc.) half price, 1 point in the following skills: Survival: Plains (unless another terrain would be more appropriate), Riding, Equestrian acrobatics, Weather sense, and Animal handling.

Disadvantages: Tech level 2, No written language ( to learn how to read they must learn a foreign language to skill level 6 and pay for a 10-point literacy or 5 point semi-literacy advantage, The Scythian language is closely related to Pahlavi and Scythians can learn Pahlavi at half cost). No settled homeland (agricultural goods and manufactured goods double price).

Barbarians: Gauls

"Their aspect is terrifying...They are very tall in stature, with rippling muscles under clear white skin. Their hair is blond, but not naturally so; they bleach it, to this day, artificially, washing it in lime and combing it back from their foreheads. They look like wood-demons, their hair thick and shaggy like a horses mane. Some of these are clean shaven, but others-especially those of high rank, shave their cheeks but leave a moustache that covers the whole mouth and, when they eat and drink, act like a sieve, trapping particles of food...The way they dress is astonishing: they wear brightly coloured and embroidered shirts, with trousers called bracae and cloaks fastened at the shoulder with a brooch, heavy in winter, light in summer. These cloaks are striped or checkered in design, with separate checks close together and of various colors.
---Diodorus Siculus
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The gallia comata-hairy Gaul-was the boogieman of the Roman world. Hannibal might be who Roman nannies threatened naughty children with, but Gauls be what adults talked about after the children went to bed. Gauls represented everything Romans did not want to see in themselves. They were passionate, excessive, chaotic and undisciplined. To make them more frightening they were savage warriors who wanted Roman lands. In fact the Gauls were, to the game's historical present, the only army ever to sack Rome herself in CCCLXVI a.u.c.

Much of what we know about Gauls comes from Julius Caesar's The Gallic War (Commentarii de Bello Gallo), which is unfortunate since it is a essentially war propaganda writen by an enemy general to justify his one of the most expensive wars in Roman history.
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Advantages: Normal HT score 11, Acute Smell and Taste, 1 point in the following skills: Survival: Woodlands (unless another terrain would be more appropriate), Naturalism, Tracking, Fishing, Intimidation, Weather sense and Herbalist.
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Disadvantages: Tech level 2, No written language (for a Gaul to learn how to read they must learn a foreign language to skill level 6 and pay for a 10-point literacy or 5 point semi-literacy advantage).
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Social Structure:

Status level -2: Outsiders (Gl namhaid) have no place in any tribe and therefore no kin to protect them. They can be killed without fear of reprisal. An outsider might be a foreigner living in Celtic territory or a Celt who has been rejected by his clan for some crime, allowing their war-chief to die in battle or being on the losing side of a power struggle. This is a -10 point disadvantage.

Status level -1: Thralls (Gl sclabhai)are slaves. They have no freedoms and must work for another, however their owner will protect them from harm and a penalty must be paid if they are killed. This is a -5 point disadvantage.

Status level 0: Tribesmen (Gl duime) are the balk of the Celtic population.

Status level 1: Druids (Gl draoithe, Ln druides) are the priests and priestess of Gallic society. They are specialists in natural world, law and moral order. They act as judges, mediators and ritualists. They officiate sacrifices (including, so it's said, human sacrifices). It is believed by many that they have magical powers. This class and this class only gets the following advantages at half price: animal empathy, beast-kin, plant empathy, tree-kin. This class has several sever restrictions, which if broken will lower the character to status level -2. This is a 5 point advantage.

Status level 1: Bards (Gl file) are knowledge specialists. Bards study poetry and lore, though have a broader area of expertise than is indicated by these restrictive categories. They train their memories from a young age and most have eidetic memory (this class and this class only can buy eidetic memory at half price). They are encyclopedias, libraries, propagandists, advocates and entertainers. This is a 5 point advantage.

Status level 2: Lord (Gl tiarna)are the ruling class among Celts. They look after the welfare of their people and maintain order and defense. Each lord is the leader of a community of between 300 and 700 free adult Gauls and can field an army of male warriors equal to 20% of the community (60 to 140 warriors). The lord also has 4 above average warriors as a personal body guard. This is a 10 point advantage.

Status level 3: Chieftain (Gl taoiseach)are lords who lead a community of between 600 and 1100 free Gauls, fielding an army of 20% of this total (120-220 warriors). In addition each chieftain commands the loyalty of between 4 and 8 lords. A chieftains bodyguard is made up of 5-15 fine warriors. This is a 15 point advantage.

Status level 4: King (Gl ri, Ln rix)are really just very powerful chieftains. A king leads a community of between 1000 and 1800 free Gauls, an army of 20% of this total (200-360 warriors), the loyalty of 5-10 chieftains and a bodyguard of between 20 and 40 excellent warriors. Thus the least powerful theoretical king can field an army of 2151 warriors and the most powerful can field an army of 4481 warriors (for comparison a typical Roman legion of this period is 5120 men). This is a 20 point advantage.

(Status level 5: High king usually there is no high king, but occasionally due to circumstances or unusual talent one King will gain the allegiance of 4 or more kings and becomes a high king. The high king leads a community of 2000-4000 free Gauls with 400-800 warriors and a body guard of 60-100 outstanding warriors. Vercingetorix is an example of a high King, so would Boudica and King Artur, though, being Britons, they are not technically Gauls. This is unavailable as an advantage)

Dates and Calendrics

A Roman year has 12 months. Each month has a kalendae (kal.), a nonae (non.) and a idus (id.). The months are as follows:

Martius....31 days...Kal. 1st...Non. 7th...Id. 15th

Aprilis....29 days....Kal. 1st...Non. 5th....Id. 13th

Maius....31 days....Kal. 1st....Non. 7th....Id. 15th

Iunius....29 days...Kal 1st....Non. 5th....Id. 13th

Quintilis....31 days...Kal 1st...Non. 7th....Id. 15th

Sextilis....29 days....Kal 1st....Non 5th...Id 13th

September....29 days...Kal. 1st....Non. 5th....Id. 13th

October....31 days....Kal 1st...Non. 7th....Id. 15th

November...29 days....Kal 1st....Non 5th....Id 13th

December...29 days....Kal 1st...Non. 5th....Id 13th

Ianuarius....29 days...Kal. 1st...Non. 5th...Id 13th

Februarius...28 days....Kal 1st...Non. 5th....Id. 13

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Some important dates are:

Kal. Mar. Matronalia.

p.d. I Id. Mar. Equirria Secunda.

Id. Mar. Bacchanalia.

Daily Life: Women

Rome was a very sexist society and there are disadvantages to being a woman in Roman society (-10 points). This does not mean that female characters are helpless or unplayable, but there are certain restrictions on female characters. The situation for women in Rome was quite good by ancient standards. Women could own property (though not inherit it), travel freely outside (something high born Greek women can not do) and occasionally band together to demand political rights. However, Roman women were legal considered minors who were always under the authority of a man; usually a husband or father but in rare circumstances a brother. A powerful female character can usually manipulate her father or husband to achieve her ends. Roman women can not run for public office or join the military, but can run businesses and usually have extensive social networks.

Daily Life: Social Classes and wealth

Social Class
Rome is a very class conscious society. Every character or NPC (non-player character) fits somewhere in the social hierarchy. Class distinctions are only minimally transferable between cultures, so while a character might be a high born patrician in Rome, he or she is unlikely to be given any special treatment by Germanic tribesmen (the tribesmen will respect a well-born Romans wealth or power, but that is a different story). The following is a brief overview of Roman classes. Note that these are only available to characters in a Roman milieu, other societies will have their own class structure.

Level -4: Slaves (Servi and Ancillae) are the bottom rung of the social ladder. They are literally the property of someone else and have very few rights (though they are not completely rightless). Slaves make up a sizable proportion of the population of the Roman republic, up to a third of all people in Rome were slaves. Masters can treat slaves anyway they see fit, but truly depraved punishment (like feeding slaves to eels) will draw censure. Further, slaves have no legal standing (in game terms any citizen can accuse a slave of any crime and he is automatically guilty, though the master might defend his valuable property). Slaves are assumed to be illiterate (literacy costs 10 points) though several slaves were quite well educated (e.g. the pedagog). Most slaves are forbidden to carry weapons, the exception of course is gladiators, but then only in special circumstances. Slavery is a -20 point disadvantage, by definition all slaves are dead broke.

Level -3: Non-Romans (Barbari) are non-Romans living in Roman territory. Non-Romans living in non-Roman societies can not be this social class. The Roman legal system does not apply to you. Not all "barbarians" are barbaric. Thragak the Skull crusher is a barbarian, but so is Syphax the wealthy Syrian slaver and Euphrosyne the Greek philosopher. Barbarians rarely become citizens. This is a -15 point disadvantage.

Level -2: Freedmen (Libertini) is a freed slave. They can not run for public office and are required to do work for their former master. Their children are full citizens. This is a -10 point disadvantage.

Level -1: Riff Raff (Ignoti) are the scum of Roman society; actors, beggars, con men, dancers, jugglers, pickpockets, pimps, political muscle, prostitutes, thieves and thugs. These are disreputable citizens or outright criminals. They are distrusted by more respectable folk. They are usually dead broke or poor, but organized criminals remain ignoti no matter how much money they make. This is a -5 point disadvantage.

Level 0: Plebeians (Plebeii) are the "good Roman folk", the bulk of the Roman population. Mostly farmers, common solders or small craftsmen. They tend to be struggling, average or comfortable. This level is neither an advantage or a disadvantage.

Level 1: Pleneians of distinction (Plebeii) are still plebeians, but usually craftsmen, artisans or small traders. They tend to have a little more wealth and more skills. This is a 5 point advantage.

Level 2: Equestrian (Equites) are the heart of the Roman business world.

Level 3: Equestrian with distinction (Equites) are upwardly mobile equestrians. Often derided as the nouveau riche (think of Trimalchio in the Satyricon), they nevertheless served an important role in the Roman economy.

Level 4: Minor Patrician (Patricii)

Level 5: Patrician (Patricii)

Level 6: Senatorial Patrrician (Patricii)

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Wealth

Level -3: Dead Broke: You have almost nothing. You live on the street or someone else's house. Starting money: 4as. Points: -25.

Level -2: Poor: You work hard but get almost nothing from it. You live in a tenement (insulae), but are in danger of losing it. You have a pot to piss in, barely. Starting money: 10d. Points: -15.

Level -1: Struggling: Think 2oth century college student. You live in a tenement, you have roommates, you have one nice set of clothes. You work hard, bit don't make much money. Starting money: 25d. Points: -10 points.

Level 0: Average: You have an established household and enough for a modest family. You live in a tenement, but a nice one. Starting money: 50d. Points:0.

Level 1: Comfortable: You live with your parents or in laws in a nice house (domus), you can keep up with fashion, you have nice things. Starting money: 100d. Points: 10.

Level 2: Wealthy: You have a nice house of your own. You set fashion. You have some household slaves and maybe a few clients. Starting money: 250d. Points: 20.

Level 3: Very Wealthy: People envy you. Starting money: 40a. Points: 30.

Level 4: Filthy rich: You never have to worry about money unless you want to. Starting money: 200a. Points: 50.

Level 5: Opulent: You the equivalent of a millionaire. Starting money:8 talents of silver. Points: 75.

Level 6: Princely: You are one of the richest people in the Republic. Starting money: 670 talents of gold! Points: 100.

Cost of Food and Drink

(a=aureus, d=denarius, q=quinarius, s=sesterius, du=dupondius, as=as, qd=quadrans)
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Food prices can vary, often leading to riots.
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Loaf of bread 1as (characters who are poor or dead broke get 1 loaf of bread FREE once per day in the city of Rome)
Wine
....Terrible....cup 1qd...gallon 1q1d....amphora 6d
....Fair....cup 1as....gallon 1d....amphora 10d
....Good....cup 1 du....gallon 2d....amphora 20d
....Excellent....cup 1s....gallon 4d....amphora 2a
....Outstanding....cup 1d....gallon 16d....amphora 6a14d
....Flawless....cup 3d...gallon 1a23d....amphora 19a17d

Cost of Animals

(tg=talant of gold, a=aureus, d=denarius, q=quinarius, s=sesterius, du=dupondius, as=as, qd=quadrans)

These are the prices of animals in Rome. Some places the costs will vary, often quite a bit! These are average costs, animals will be valued according to quality.
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Horses and other mounts and beasts of burden

Small donkey, too small to ride. 2a

Mule

....Small. 2a

....Large. 4a

Pony 3a

Ox 3a

Saddle horse 2a10d

Draft horse 4a

Cavalry horse 8a

Post Horse 10a

Heavy Warhorse 10a

Camel 12a (3a in Arabia)

Elephant 300a(20a in Africa or India)

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Farm and household animals

Cat FREE!

Dog

....Untrained mutt FREE!

....Untrained breed puppy 2d

....Trained shepherd 10d

....Trained guard 12d

....Trained war 14d

Chicken (Ducks cost half again what a chicken costs, geese cost twice a chicken and swans thrice)

....Untrained egg 1du

....Untrained meat 1as

....Trained sacred war 1d

Pigeon

....Untrained food 1qd

....Trained homing 1d1q

Pig 2d

Goat 1d1q

Sheep 2d

Cow 60d

An apiary of bees 20d

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Exotic

Lion 40a

Monkey

....Untrained 50d

....Trained 1a

Bear 10a

Wolf 5a

Unicorn 1tg

Parrot

....Untrained 4a

....Trained 8a

Falcon

....Untrained 20d

....Trained 4a

Cost of Arms and Armor

(a=aureus, d=denarius, q=quinarius, s=sestertius, du=dupondius, as=as, qd=quadrans)
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Arms
Dagger (Pugio)
.....Cheap 1s1du
.....Good 1d
.....Fine 4d
.....Very fine 40d
Shortsword (Gladius)
.....Cheap 8d
.....Good 20d
.....Fine 3a5d
.....Very fine 16a
Broadsword (Spatha)
....Cheap 10d
....Good 1a
....Fine 4a
....Very fine 20a
Spear (Hasta)
....Cheap 1d1s
....Good 2d
....Fine 20d
Javalin (Pilum) 1d1q
Bows (Arcus)
...Short bow 2d1q
...Regular bow 5d
...Longbow 10d
...Composite bow 1a20d
Arrow ( Sagitta) 1du
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Armor
Buckler 1d1s
Shield (Parma) 3d
Large Shield (Scutum) 4d1q
Helmet (Galea) 5d
Cloth armor 1d1q
Leather armor 5d
Chainmail (Lorica hamata) 11d1q
Scale armor (Lorica squamata) 21d
Corselet (Lorica segmentata) 2a15d
Greaves
....Leather 3d
....Plate 2a5d
Vambraces
....Leather 2d1q
....Plate 2a
Boots (Caliga) 4d

Geography: Italia

This map of Italy shows the 11 regions of Italy under Roman rule. The regions are as follows:

I- Latium & Campania

II-Apulia & Calabria

III-Lucania & Brutii

IV-Samnium

V-Picenum

VI-Umbria & Ager Gallicus

VII-Etruria

VIII-Aemilia

IX-Liguria

X-Venetia & Histria

XI-Transpadana

Who's who: P. Caecilius Paullus

(Sorry about the anachronistic picture, it captures the spirit of the character so well I couldn't help myself)

Reputation: Caecilius Paullus is one of the shrewdest, cleverest and luckiest businessmen in Rome. He is also one of Rome's wealthiest citizens. He always seems to buy when there is a windfall and sell in a shortage. He knows every trade route like the back of his hand and most of the traders. He is entirely ruthless and greedy, but fair, he will cheat you no matter who you are.

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History: Paullus was born to a relatively poor merchant captain in Brutii in DCVIII. His education was entrusted to a slave and took place mostly at sea. He learned many of the languages of trade in the Mediterranean, how to operate as a merchant and how to man a ship. At the age of fifteen his father gave him a ship to captain. He managed to find grain when the crops failed in Sicily in DCXXIV. He used this money to increase his fleet. He later started supplying ships to the navy and is now the informal admiral of the Roman Navy.

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Family: Paullus is married to Q. Aemilia Avita and has 5 sons and 5 daughters as well as a score of illegitimate children.

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Character: Paullus is a man of tremendous appetites. He is always interested in gaining more wealth, power or pleasure. He has no qualms about crushing any rival by what ever means available.

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Politics: Paullus is a stanch supporter of mercantile interests in politics. He uses the navy to make sure that the trade routes are clear. He has no interest in any legislation not related to trade.

Who's who: L. Flavius Flaccus

Reputation: Flavius Flaccus is a famous decadent poet. He has been involved in many scandals and is generally considered a danger to public morals. His poetry is noted for being very clever and occasionally quite insightful, ranging from cynical to nakedly honest in a single line. His parties are wild events which few would choose to miss.
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History: Flaccus was born in DCXXV in Rome. His father is a lawyer and occasional politician. He had little interest or aptitude in public service. He briefly served in a legion with distinction eventually raising to the rank of aquilifer but was dismissed for indecency. In DCXLVI. he published his first book of poetry, to critical acclaim. He publishes about one or two books a year. DCLII he published Love's siege which is a thinly veiled autobiographical account of his sexual exploits with T. Tarquinius Helva's entire family. His friend Ser. Calprunius Clavis turned it into a play and M. Laelius Pictor produced the play. Tarquinius Helva sued all three men. Though well defended by Manlius Calvus, they were exiled to different provinces. Flaccus was exiled to Africa Proconsularis.
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Family: Flaccus is engaged to Sex. Aemilia Lepida.
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Character: Flaccus is famously libertine. It is rumored that he has had over a thousand lovers and spends much of his time running from jealous husbands and angry fathers. He sometimes get obsessed with some project and will work on it for a few weeks before he gets bored and moves on. He can usually be found in the public baths or throwing lavish parties.
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Politics: Flaccus honestly doesn't care about politics but follows politics closely for material for his satirical poetry. He believes all politicians are equally ridiculous.

Who's who: G. Manlius Clavus

Reputation: Manlius Calvus is the dominant senator currently serving and one of the most illustrious senators in Rome's history. His skills in the Latin language are unmatched and he has an encyclopedic knowledge of many fields.
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History: Calvus was born in a small town in Samnium in DCIX A.U.C. His father was a well respected lawyer and land owner. He was educated at home and his father spared no expense in his upbringing. At the age of thirteen he travelled to Athens to complete his education, there he was well trained in literature, philosophy, law and rhetoric. He has served in the senate his whole adult life and has held every office in Rome at least once. His law cases are now part of any legal curriculum and he as written over 40 works of philosophy, literature and history including: History of Roman Law, On Character, On Duty, On farming, On Health and Illness, On Pleasure and the Pain and many more.
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Family: Calvus is married to L. Cloelia Bassa and has one son (V. Manlius Calvus) and two daughters. He does not spend much time with his family.
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Character: Calvus is intelligent and energetic. He starts working everyday before the dawn and works until well into the evening. He enjoys the company of friends and contemplative conversation. As much as possible given his responsibilities he tries to live the Epicurean ideal of modest pleasure. In public he is confident and completely controls the conversation, but in private he is very modest and a good listener. Unfortunately his health is very poor. He is always accompanied by an Egyptian herbalist, a Greek doctor and a Mesopotamian astrologer. His diet is limited to mostly bread, vegetable, fruit and unseasoned fish. Because of his poor health he rarely leaves Rome and his country home in Samnium.
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Politics: Calvus has great faith in law and order and is devoted to the Roman system of checks and balances. He views it as his job to ensure that no one person has a monopoly of power in the Roman republic. His sensibilities tend to be pro status quo and firmly patrician. In military terms he is conservative, preferring to protect the borders of the empire as opposed to territorial expansion.

Character creation guide

To help you make a character, try to think of their history, goals and story. Here are some questions that might help.

Is your character:
a) Male
b) Female

Is your character:
a) Roman
b) Greek (or other advanced non-Roman)
c) Romanized Barbarian
d) Wild Barbarian

Is your character:
a) Patrician
b) Plebeian
c) Freedman
d) Slave
e) Outsider to Roman social structure.


How old is your character? (Adulthood starts at 16, old age 50)


Is your character married?


If so, how happily?


Are your characters parent’s living? Who are they?


Does your character have any children?


How attractive is your character?


How rich is your character?


How smart, strong, agile and healthy is your character? (Very important)


Does your character have a tragic past, unfortunate disease or ghastly secret?


Is your character:
a) A friendly barbarian.
b) A gladiator, thug or bodyguard.
c) A lawyer, orator or demagogue.
d) An actor, clown or prostitute.
e) An artist or craftsman.
f) An enemy of Rome.
g) A rake, floozy or dandy.
h) A scholar, teacher or student.
i) A religious or supernatural authority.
j) A thief, spy or conman.
k) In the army.
l) In the navy.
m) Involved in organized crime.
n) Part of a secret society.
o) Part of the government.
p) Other. Specify__________________________



Rate the following for your character in order form most to least important:
A. Knowledge
B. Luxury and status
C. Moral rectitude
D. Military prowess
E. Political power
F. Public welfare


What is your character’s favorite way of removing an enemy?
A. Assassination
B. Brute force
C. Exile
D. Judicial murder
E. Misinformation
F. Poison
G. Propaganda


What form of government does your character favor?
A. Anarchy
B. Democracy
C. Monarchy
D. Oligarchy
E. Plutocracy
F. Theocracy
G. Other (Specify)____________________________________


Is your character in anyway insane?
Yes___
No ___


Is your character evil?
Yes___
No___


What religion is your character?


Does your character belong to a school of philosophy?


Does your character have sex with (check all that apply):
A. Nothing
B. Men
C. Women
D. Anything that moves (and some things that don’t)


What is your character’s greatest strength?


What is your character’s greatest weakness?

Money Issues

In GURPS prices are in $ (with a dollar worth what ever the local equivalent is in the game world), but this gives an inauthentic feel to the game. Since Roman currency is well understood, we will be converting monies into Roman coins. The exchange rate is based on the following. According to GURPS rules (b. 190) 1 lbs of gold is worth $20,000 (don't expect to see much gold unless you take rich, filthy rich or multimillionaire as an advantage) and we know an aureus (we are using coinage from the time of Augustus Caesar, a small anachronism) weighed 1/40 of a pound of 99% pure gold we can figure that an aureus is worth $500, then we can use the chart from wikipedia to get the value of other coins.

Coin...............Value....................Metal..............Weight
Aureus..............$500.............................Gold........................1/40 lbs
Denarius...........$20...............................Silver.....................1/85 lbs
Quinarius..........$10...............................Silver.....................1/170 lbs
Sestertius.........$5..................................Orichalcum...........1/62 lbs
Dupondius........$2.5...............................Orichalcum...........1/124 lbs
As...................$1.25.............................Copper...................1/70 lbs
Quadrans.........$.75...............................Copper...................1/140 lbs

Romans also used unminted masses of gold and silver for exchange. For example a talent is a mass equal to an amphorae full of water. That's about 75 lbs. So a sliver talent is worth about $127,500 and a gold talent is worth $1,500,000! Tribute, ransoms and war indemnities are usually paid in talents.

Foreign coins must be changed at the money changer for the value of the metal in the coin and a 5% commission, but Roman coins are accepted almost everywhere.

Barter was still used in Roman times, especially in the hinterlands and among barbarians.

The normal starting wealth in this campaign is 50 dinarii.

Forum Romanum Issue I

Forum Romanum
Non. Sex. DCLV A.U.C.

Pirates raid grain convoy
(Syracuse)Pirates under the command of P. Velleius Galeo attacked a grain convoy travelling from Sicily to Ostia. Three ships were lost with all hands, thirty thousand modii of grain and several thousand aurei. P. Caecilius Paullus, the owner of the convoy, is raising a fleet to capture Velleius Galeo and bring him to justice.

Sex. Aemilia Lepida to wed L. Flavius Flaccus
(Rome) Sex. Aemilia Lepida, noted beauty and socialite, has announced that she will wed poet L. Flavius Flaccus on XVIII Kal. Nov. of this year. Lepida and Flaccus, who are old childhood friends, announced this at a dinner party to surprised guests yesterday evening. Flaccus has returned from exile earlier this year after his epic poem Love's Siege drew censure for moral indecency. This wedding should end rumors that Flaccus spends too much time with bath boys.

Ap. Fabius Buteo Audax takes command of Legio IX Cygnus
(Castra Bonna) Legate Ap. Fabius Buteo Audax has officially taken command of Legio IX Cygnus from Legate M. Gratius Tullus. Legate Buteo arrived yesterday with a sizable contingent of his (now disbanded) Legio VI Macedonica after a brilliant, but costly, campaign against a Greek rebel Psychopompus. Buteo received a warm welcome from the troops and is excited about his new command.

Caepunus wins again!
(Rome) The unstoppable murmillo from Germania, Caepunus won several combats yesterday in the arena! He defeated three hoplomachi in single combat and six retiarii in a two to one competition! One hoplomachus was killed and three retiarii were seriously injured. Way to go Caepunus!

Statue Defaced
(Rome) Our beloved statue of Minerva on the Capitoline was defaced yesterday night and obscene remarks painted on it. The authorities are looking into the matter.