"Life of Caesar" Podcast: Episode 9
Episode 9:
• 16:21 – Cam on triumphs: "But it was very rare, this is the point, very, very rare for this to happen. And Pompey, just to put Pompey into context, is getting three! This is ridiculous. This is, I think, quite possibly unheard-of in the history of the Republic at this time."
Three triumphs: Marcus Furius Camillus, Lucius Papirius Cursor, Quintus Fabius Maximus Rullianus, Marcus Claudius Marcellus, and Pompey.
Four triumphs: Marcus Valerius Corvus, Manius Curius Dentatus.
Caesar will celebrate five triumphs (and one ovation). Could've been six, but he had to give up his first one.
• 17:56 – Cam on Pompey's first triumph: "He was riding in a chariot pulled by elephants."
He wanted to, but he had to give up the idea.
• 29:09 – Ray on the defeat of Mithridates: "And whether he deserves it or not, Pompey gets all the credit, which he doesn't deserve, but he gets all the credit."
It took years for Lucullus to get a triumph for his victories against Mithridates and Tigranes, but he did get it. So he received at least some credit. But, of course, he was extremely bitter about the whole thing.
• 31:21 – Ray: "They say that as a little boy he [Caesar] would listen to Marius talk about the science and the art of waging war."
This is Colleen McCullough's "The Grass Crown." We don't know how much contact young Caesar had with Marius.
• 34:03 – Cam: "And, of course, as we've mentioned, but it's worth repeating, you couldn't be consul until you were 40."
You had to be 42 years old to become consul. For this reason some scholars date Caesar's year of birth to 102 BC. But the general consensus is that he was born in 100 BC. As to why he could stand for offices two years earlier (starting with his aedileship), there are a few theories. I have no idea which one is more probable, so I'm gonna skip over this subject.
• 35:13 – Ray: "But I've read different times in my sources that he was– and who knows if this is true or not, but he was determined not only to be the First Man in Rome like Marius was, like Pompey is right now. He wants to be the greatest Roman that ever lived, he wants to be the first name that you think of when you think about the Roman Republic or the Roman Empire, whatever. But we don't know if that's true or not, but supposedly he was just projecting himself on to a whole another plane than all these other– what his contemporaries were."
This is Colleen McCullough's "Caesar's Women."
Episode 9:• 16:21 – Cam on triumphs: "But it was very rare, this is the point, very, very rare for this to happen. And Pompey, just to put Pompey into context, is getting three! This is ridiculous. This is, I think, quite possibly unheard-of in the history of the Republic at this time."
Three triumphs: Marcus Furius Camillus, Lucius Papirius Cursor, Quintus Fabius Maximus Rullianus, Marcus Claudius Marcellus, and Pompey.
Four triumphs: Marcus Valerius Corvus, Manius Curius Dentatus.
Caesar will celebrate five triumphs (and one ovation). Could've been six, but he had to give up his first one.
• 17:56 – Cam on Pompey's first triumph: "He was riding in a chariot pulled by elephants."
He wanted to, but he had to give up the idea.
"...he had planned to ride in a chariot pulled by elephants. Only the discovery that an archway on the processional route would not accommodate such a monstrous vehicle and team had dissuaded him from such a bizarre display." – Adrian Goldsworthy
• 29:09 – Ray on the defeat of Mithridates: "And whether he deserves it or not, Pompey gets all the credit, which he doesn't deserve, but he gets all the credit."
It took years for Lucullus to get a triumph for his victories against Mithridates and Tigranes, but he did get it. So he received at least some credit. But, of course, he was extremely bitter about the whole thing.
• 31:21 – Ray: "They say that as a little boy he [Caesar] would listen to Marius talk about the science and the art of waging war."
This is Colleen McCullough's "The Grass Crown." We don't know how much contact young Caesar had with Marius.
• 34:03 – Cam: "And, of course, as we've mentioned, but it's worth repeating, you couldn't be consul until you were 40."
You had to be 42 years old to become consul. For this reason some scholars date Caesar's year of birth to 102 BC. But the general consensus is that he was born in 100 BC. As to why he could stand for offices two years earlier (starting with his aedileship), there are a few theories. I have no idea which one is more probable, so I'm gonna skip over this subject.
• 35:13 – Ray: "But I've read different times in my sources that he was– and who knows if this is true or not, but he was determined not only to be the First Man in Rome like Marius was, like Pompey is right now. He wants to be the greatest Roman that ever lived, he wants to be the first name that you think of when you think about the Roman Republic or the Roman Empire, whatever. But we don't know if that's true or not, but supposedly he was just projecting himself on to a whole another plane than all these other– what his contemporaries were."
This is Colleen McCullough's "Caesar's Women."
Caesar's actions do not indicate that he wanted to be "the greatest Roman that ever lived." He wanted to be one of the great men of the Republic. Romans called them principes civitatis (the first men of the state). It was not an official title or position but only an appraisal of one's authority and influence. So several different men might well be called principes civitatis at the same time. Pompey was taking great pains to hold his first place and saw Caesar's success as a challenge to it.
Also, a big part of the Roman mentality was the expectation that future generations must not only emulate their ancestors but surpass them.
A few details about Caesar's governorship that Cam and Ray haven't mentioned... Apart from the debt relief solution, we also know that Caesar canceled the punitive tax that Metellus imposed on the province for supporting Sertorius.
In the city of Gadez, where Balbus was from, a series of reforms were implemented, various disputes were settled, etc. Unfortunately, we don't know the details. Years later, during his dictatorship, Caesar would give full Roman citizenship to the city.
• 38:24 – Ray: "When they had their triumphs . . . the soldiers had the wooden staves, the wooden swords, they weren't allowed to bring their swords, even though they're soldiers, they had to leave those outside. So no weapons, nothing martial is supposed to happen within the pomerium, which is why when Gaius Marius did it, it was so heinous, it was unthinkable, you just do not do it."
Cam: "And in fact, legally speaking, once they crossed the pomerium the soldiers were now citizens, they weren't soldiers."
a) The wooden staves thing is from McCullough, but it's incorrect. The soldiers were allowed to bring their weapons to a triumph.
b) Why is Marius getting all the blame? Sulla was the first man to march on Rome with an army. And he did it twice!
c) The commander had to lay down his imperium if he wished to cross the pomerium. But the sources do not say that soldiers ceased to be soldiers if they crossed. They didn't have the imperium to lay down.
• 40:33 – Cam: "He can either wait and get his triumph, once in a lifetime deal, probably. Or he can go, 'Screw the triumph. I'm gonna go nominate for consul.' With no guarantees that he's gonna win, 'cause he's up against some fairly well-established people. [...]"
Ray: "Well, what really makes it interesting is that Cato and Bibulus and the boni, "the good men," really thought they had him. He can't cross because he has his triumph, but he has to cross in order to declare his candidacy. And no one and I mean no one gives up a triumph, because it's so rare. And every time the Senate wanted to talk about giving him a date for his triumph, Cato would filibuster until the sun went down. . . So they finally thought they had him. He was going to have to wait a whole other year, because he's not gonna give up his triumph. And during that year as a privatus, as a private citizen, his debtors could get after him, he could be hold up in court for what he did or did not do in Spain. . . And you have to think about it from Caesar's point of view. . . Before too long he goes, 'You know what? There is no way I can have a good triumph now. My men are still in Spain, the booty that I've won is still in Spain. It couldn't be organized, it couldn't be flashy, it couldn't be showy. These are things that I'm known for. It couldn't be a Caesar-level triumph. There is just not enough time, so screw it.'"
Cam: "Although the Republic actually paid for the triumph as opposed to some of his other–"
Ray: "I mean with everything that he did as an aedile. He was going make it a triumph to remember. He would have to outdo what Pompey just went through with his third. So he crosses the pomerium and he stands for consul. And even then they try to fight him, the boni try not to let him do it. But he says, 'No, I've turned in all my books from being governor. I turned them in to the Vestal Virgins the day before. Everything's in order. You cannot deny me this'. . . . So he sacrifices this once in the lifetime thing that for him is a greater prize to be consul, in his year."
Cam: "Well, I think, as you mentioned before, it's not just the prize, it's. . . he can't be prosecuted for any misbehavior as governor of Spain if he is consul. . . . He knows this is his best chance of not only progressing his career obviously, getting the highest office in the land, but escaping punishment is to be consul."
a) "with no guarantees that he's gonna win, 'cause he's up against some fairly well-established people"
Of course, nobody has absolute guarantee that they're gonna be elected. But that doesn't mean that there are no favorites in the race. And Caesar was seen as a favorite even before he returned to Rome. The competition was weak that year. There were only two other candidates, and neither could come close to Caesar.
b) "every time the Senate wanted to talk about giving him a date for his triumph, Cato would filibuster until the sun went down"
There was only one Senate meeting, and they weren't discussing the date of his triumph. What they were discussing was Caesar's request to stand in absentia, i.e. to put forward his candidacy without crossing the pomerium. But Cato filibustered until the day ran out and no decision had been made. The next time the Senate would meet, it would be too late.
Also, a big part of the Roman mentality was the expectation that future generations must not only emulate their ancestors but surpass them.
***
A few details about Caesar's governorship that Cam and Ray haven't mentioned... Apart from the debt relief solution, we also know that Caesar canceled the punitive tax that Metellus imposed on the province for supporting Sertorius.
In the city of Gadez, where Balbus was from, a series of reforms were implemented, various disputes were settled, etc. Unfortunately, we don't know the details. Years later, during his dictatorship, Caesar would give full Roman citizenship to the city.
"At the request of Balbus, Caesar rendered many services to Gades when pro-praetor. A new section was added to the city which soon rivaled in importance the older section. Also the political and legal system of Gades underwent thorough reform." – Rudolph Masciantonio
***
• 38:24 – Ray: "When they had their triumphs . . . the soldiers had the wooden staves, the wooden swords, they weren't allowed to bring their swords, even though they're soldiers, they had to leave those outside. So no weapons, nothing martial is supposed to happen within the pomerium, which is why when Gaius Marius did it, it was so heinous, it was unthinkable, you just do not do it."
Cam: "And in fact, legally speaking, once they crossed the pomerium the soldiers were now citizens, they weren't soldiers."
a) The wooden staves thing is from McCullough, but it's incorrect. The soldiers were allowed to bring their weapons to a triumph.
"This was the only time that regular soldiers under arms legitimately entered Rome." – Mary Beard
"The rear was brought up by the whole body of the infantry in marching order, their spears adorned with laurel." – William Smith
b) Why is Marius getting all the blame? Sulla was the first man to march on Rome with an army. And he did it twice!
c) The commander had to lay down his imperium if he wished to cross the pomerium. But the sources do not say that soldiers ceased to be soldiers if they crossed. They didn't have the imperium to lay down.
• 40:33 – Cam: "He can either wait and get his triumph, once in a lifetime deal, probably. Or he can go, 'Screw the triumph. I'm gonna go nominate for consul.' With no guarantees that he's gonna win, 'cause he's up against some fairly well-established people. [...]"
Ray: "Well, what really makes it interesting is that Cato and Bibulus and the boni, "the good men," really thought they had him. He can't cross because he has his triumph, but he has to cross in order to declare his candidacy. And no one and I mean no one gives up a triumph, because it's so rare. And every time the Senate wanted to talk about giving him a date for his triumph, Cato would filibuster until the sun went down. . . So they finally thought they had him. He was going to have to wait a whole other year, because he's not gonna give up his triumph. And during that year as a privatus, as a private citizen, his debtors could get after him, he could be hold up in court for what he did or did not do in Spain. . . And you have to think about it from Caesar's point of view. . . Before too long he goes, 'You know what? There is no way I can have a good triumph now. My men are still in Spain, the booty that I've won is still in Spain. It couldn't be organized, it couldn't be flashy, it couldn't be showy. These are things that I'm known for. It couldn't be a Caesar-level triumph. There is just not enough time, so screw it.'"
Cam: "Although the Republic actually paid for the triumph as opposed to some of his other–"
Ray: "I mean with everything that he did as an aedile. He was going make it a triumph to remember. He would have to outdo what Pompey just went through with his third. So he crosses the pomerium and he stands for consul. And even then they try to fight him, the boni try not to let him do it. But he says, 'No, I've turned in all my books from being governor. I turned them in to the Vestal Virgins the day before. Everything's in order. You cannot deny me this'. . . . So he sacrifices this once in the lifetime thing that for him is a greater prize to be consul, in his year."
Cam: "Well, I think, as you mentioned before, it's not just the prize, it's. . . he can't be prosecuted for any misbehavior as governor of Spain if he is consul. . . . He knows this is his best chance of not only progressing his career obviously, getting the highest office in the land, but escaping punishment is to be consul."
a) "with no guarantees that he's gonna win, 'cause he's up against some fairly well-established people"
Of course, nobody has absolute guarantee that they're gonna be elected. But that doesn't mean that there are no favorites in the race. And Caesar was seen as a favorite even before he returned to Rome. The competition was weak that year. There were only two other candidates, and neither could come close to Caesar.
b) "every time the Senate wanted to talk about giving him a date for his triumph, Cato would filibuster until the sun went down"
There was only one Senate meeting, and they weren't discussing the date of his triumph. What they were discussing was Caesar's request to stand in absentia, i.e. to put forward his candidacy without crossing the pomerium. But Cato filibustered until the day ran out and no decision had been made. The next time the Senate would meet, it would be too late.
c) "My men are still in Spain, the booty that I've won is still in Spain"
Both his army and the booty were in Rome. It was one of the requirements when asking for a triumph:
"That war should have been brought to a conclusion and the province reduced to a state of peace so as to permit of the army being withdrawn, the presence of the victorious soldiers being considered indispensable in a triumph." – William Smith
d) "Although the Republic actually paid for the triumph"
The Senate would provide some money for a triumph, but significant part of the expenses was undertaken by commanders.
e) "It couldn't be organized, it couldn't be flashy, it couldn't be showy. These are things that I'm known for. It couldn't be a Caesar-level triumph. There is just not enough time, so screw it"
McCullough again. A triumph was a great honor that every commander craved. You don't squander a triumph just because it's not flashy or someone else had a bigger one earlier. There is no doubt that giving it up wasn't an easy decision for Caesar. But the consulship was of greater importance in the long run.
f) "And even then they try to fight him, the boni try not to let him do it. But he says, 'No, I’ve turned in all my books from being governor. I turned them in to the Vestal Virgins the day before. Everything’s in order. You cannot deny me this'"
McCullough yet again. Nobody tried to block him once he crossed the pomerium. The account books were not given to the Vestals. This was not their area of responsibility. The books were sent to Aerarium, the State's treasury, in the Temple of Saturn.
g) "this is his best chance of . . . escaping punishment is to be consul"
Let's say Caesar chooses the triumph, and afterwards his enemies prosecute him in the extortion court or something. What does he have to fear, though? This is not 50s BC. There is no hostile proconsul with an army to condemn him. Caesar is very influential and popular, and he will be even more popular after the triumph. He is in good relations with Pompey and Crassus (the First Triumvirate is already in the works), and they will throw their support behind him. If need be, Crassus will bribe anyone and everyone. His enemies are disunited between the three of them. Even if someone were to prosecute him, he is certain to be acquitted.
The sources do not say that his enemies were thinking of prosecution or that he feared prosecution. Cicero would've definitely mentioned it to Atticus.
• 43:55 – Cam: "Cato pretty much invented filibustering as far as we know. . . . And so Cato developed this– he practiced it before against Pompey."
Cato never used filibustering against Pompey, as far as we know.
• 45:08 – Ray: "And this is so cynical . . . what Caesar does and you almost feel sorry for the other guy, but Caesar teams up with a man and I can't pronounce his name, I apologize, it's Lucius Lucceius. . . He is fabulously wealthy, he's running for consul, he has zero chance of winning. He just doesn't have the name recognition. So Caesar goes up to him and he goes, 'Hey, buddy, we should run together. Why don't you spend your money?' He just grabs his toga, puts his arm around . . . He says, 'Hey, let's run together, we run as a team. You spend money on us and we use my popularity. We go in as a team, we work together, Rome will benefit from it. It will be awesome.' And this guy goes, 'Yeah!' He spends all of his money on the election. And I don't want to jump ahead, but basically there is only two curile chairs in the Senate and this Lucius is not going to be in either one of them. That's just mean."
• 43:55 – Cam: "Cato pretty much invented filibustering as far as we know. . . . And so Cato developed this– he practiced it before against Pompey."
Cato never used filibustering against Pompey, as far as we know.
• 45:08 – Ray: "And this is so cynical . . . what Caesar does and you almost feel sorry for the other guy, but Caesar teams up with a man and I can't pronounce his name, I apologize, it's Lucius Lucceius. . . He is fabulously wealthy, he's running for consul, he has zero chance of winning. He just doesn't have the name recognition. So Caesar goes up to him and he goes, 'Hey, buddy, we should run together. Why don't you spend your money?' He just grabs his toga, puts his arm around . . . He says, 'Hey, let's run together, we run as a team. You spend money on us and we use my popularity. We go in as a team, we work together, Rome will benefit from it. It will be awesome.' And this guy goes, 'Yeah!' He spends all of his money on the election. And I don't want to jump ahead, but basically there is only two curile chairs in the Senate and this Lucius is not going to be in either one of them. That's just mean."
Cicero to Atticus on 5 December 61 BC. Note that Caesar was in Spain at the time.
Lucceius approached Caesar, not the other way around!
Cicero's letter to Atticus in June 60 BC indicates that agreement between Lucceius and Caesar was reached through letters because Caesar wasn't in Rome yet:
Meanwhile, the optimates threw their weight behind Bibulus. Caesar would've loved to have Lucceius as his consular colleague instead of Bibulus!
• 46:44 – Cam: "One of the other candidates was Bibulus. And we remember Bibulus back from the days when they were praetors together? Aediles together. Aediles, that's right."
It's both. They were aediles in 65 BC and praetors in 62 BC.
• 47:10 – Cam: "As we've talked about in the previous episodes, Cato promised to prosecute anyone suspected of electoral bribery, unless it's Bibulus. If it's Bibulus, that's alright."
Silanus, not Bibulus. Silanus was his brother-in-law, Bibulus was his son-in-law. And he kept his word: he prosecuted Murena and didn't touch Silanus.
• 48:12 – Cam: "Cato's half-sister was Servilia, love of Caesar's life. He's been having an affair with her since they were teenagers, probably. Like for 20 years he's been doing Servilia on the side."
I'm gonna sound like a broken record, but I will repeat this every time they do: not a single rumor of their relationship exists until 63 BC, when Caesar was already 37 and Servilia was probably 39.
• 55:15 – Cam: "I don't really know what happened to Lucceius later on."
After losing the elections, Lucceius retired from public life and spent his time writing histories of the Social and Civil Wars. In 49 BC, he sided with Pompey. After Pompey's defeat, Lucceius was pardoned by Caesar and returned to Rome.
It is possible that he was among the proscribed by the Second Triumvirate (Antony, Octavian, Lepidus) and was executed in 43 BC, 'cause Appian mentions a certain Lucceius.
• 55:58 – Ray on Mucia: "She was having an affair also with Titus Labienus and Caesar and some other people."
Labienus as Mucia's lover is McCullough's invention!
• 56:27 – Cam on Mucia: "Her first husband was Gaius Marius the Younger, who was killed by our friend Sulla. . . And so then Sulla married her off to Pompey."
a) Mucia was never married to Marius the Younger! His wife was Licinia, daughter of Crassus the Orator.
b) Marius the Younger was besieged at Praeneste, where he committed suicide, and his head was sent to Sulla.
c) We don't really know if Sulla was involved in the arrangement of their marriage. He might have been dead by that point.
• 57:51 – Ray: "So Pompey is not helping himself with the boni and some other people in the Senate by divorcing her, but she was sleeping around."
In the letter to Atticus, Cicero says that Pompey's divorce "meets with everyone's approval." Probably for political reasons.
• 57:59 – Ray: "And we should also note that Caesar also had an affair with Crassus' wife, but that didn't stop them from being good business and political buddies."
The only "proof" that Caesar slept with Crassus' wife is the list of his lovers provided by Suetonius, which consists entirely of the wives of his close associates.
• 01:01:17 – Cam: "It was so bad, this argument, that Flavius ordered Metellus Celer led off to prison. Celer was a consul, right? Now, consul is like, 'Alright. I'll get to prison.' He gets to prison and he convenes a meeting of the Senate in the prison, 'cause the Senate needs to be where the consul is. But before they can get to the prison to hold a Senate meeting, Flavius puts his tribune's bench, his desk, in front of the entrance to the prison. And no one's allowed to touch a tribune or tribune's desk, apparently. So they can't get in to the prison. He's like, 'Aha! Aha!' Metellus, he goes, 'Alright. It's good. I'll go you one better.' He orders his guys to knock a hole in the prison's wall to admit the senators, so they can have a meeting. Not to escape. Not to escape. They break in, they break in to the prison."
Ray: "So they can run the government."
Cam: "Yeah. So this is the kind of absolute ridiculousness, the farce, that was the Roman Republic at the time. . . . This is what is happening the year prior to Caesar becoming consul."
I love this story! Cam didn't make mistakes. I just love it and wanted to type it out. The Republic is tearing at the seams, and usually it's very violent stories. This is one of the rare funny ones.
Episode 10
"You may be interested to learn that Lucceius has it in mind to stand for the consulship straight away. Only two prospective candidates are talked of, Caesar (he plans to make a pact with him through Arrius) and Bibulus (he thinks he might join forces with him through C.Piso). That makes you laugh? These are not laughing matters, believe me."
Lucceius approached Caesar, not the other way around!
Cicero's letter to Atticus in June 60 BC indicates that agreement between Lucceius and Caesar was reached through letters because Caesar wasn't in Rome yet:
"I shall let you know what Lucceius is up to when I have seen Caesar who will be here in two days' time."
Meanwhile, the optimates threw their weight behind Bibulus. Caesar would've loved to have Lucceius as his consular colleague instead of Bibulus!
• 46:44 – Cam: "One of the other candidates was Bibulus. And we remember Bibulus back from the days when they were praetors together? Aediles together. Aediles, that's right."
It's both. They were aediles in 65 BC and praetors in 62 BC.
• 47:10 – Cam: "As we've talked about in the previous episodes, Cato promised to prosecute anyone suspected of electoral bribery, unless it's Bibulus. If it's Bibulus, that's alright."
Silanus, not Bibulus. Silanus was his brother-in-law, Bibulus was his son-in-law. And he kept his word: he prosecuted Murena and didn't touch Silanus.
• 48:12 – Cam: "Cato's half-sister was Servilia, love of Caesar's life. He's been having an affair with her since they were teenagers, probably. Like for 20 years he's been doing Servilia on the side."
I'm gonna sound like a broken record, but I will repeat this every time they do: not a single rumor of their relationship exists until 63 BC, when Caesar was already 37 and Servilia was probably 39.
• 55:15 – Cam: "I don't really know what happened to Lucceius later on."
After losing the elections, Lucceius retired from public life and spent his time writing histories of the Social and Civil Wars. In 49 BC, he sided with Pompey. After Pompey's defeat, Lucceius was pardoned by Caesar and returned to Rome.
It is possible that he was among the proscribed by the Second Triumvirate (Antony, Octavian, Lepidus) and was executed in 43 BC, 'cause Appian mentions a certain Lucceius.
• 55:58 – Ray on Mucia: "She was having an affair also with Titus Labienus and Caesar and some other people."
Labienus as Mucia's lover is McCullough's invention!
• 56:27 – Cam on Mucia: "Her first husband was Gaius Marius the Younger, who was killed by our friend Sulla. . . And so then Sulla married her off to Pompey."
a) Mucia was never married to Marius the Younger! His wife was Licinia, daughter of Crassus the Orator.
b) Marius the Younger was besieged at Praeneste, where he committed suicide, and his head was sent to Sulla.
c) We don't really know if Sulla was involved in the arrangement of their marriage. He might have been dead by that point.
• 57:51 – Ray: "So Pompey is not helping himself with the boni and some other people in the Senate by divorcing her, but she was sleeping around."
In the letter to Atticus, Cicero says that Pompey's divorce "meets with everyone's approval." Probably for political reasons.
• 57:59 – Ray: "And we should also note that Caesar also had an affair with Crassus' wife, but that didn't stop them from being good business and political buddies."
The only "proof" that Caesar slept with Crassus' wife is the list of his lovers provided by Suetonius, which consists entirely of the wives of his close associates.
"Suetonius's allegations, however, seem to stem from the later propaganda aimed at driving wedges between the members of the "First Triumvirate," as his reference to Curio indicates." – Allen Ward
• 01:01:17 – Cam: "It was so bad, this argument, that Flavius ordered Metellus Celer led off to prison. Celer was a consul, right? Now, consul is like, 'Alright. I'll get to prison.' He gets to prison and he convenes a meeting of the Senate in the prison, 'cause the Senate needs to be where the consul is. But before they can get to the prison to hold a Senate meeting, Flavius puts his tribune's bench, his desk, in front of the entrance to the prison. And no one's allowed to touch a tribune or tribune's desk, apparently. So they can't get in to the prison. He's like, 'Aha! Aha!' Metellus, he goes, 'Alright. It's good. I'll go you one better.' He orders his guys to knock a hole in the prison's wall to admit the senators, so they can have a meeting. Not to escape. Not to escape. They break in, they break in to the prison."
Ray: "So they can run the government."
Cam: "Yeah. So this is the kind of absolute ridiculousness, the farce, that was the Roman Republic at the time. . . . This is what is happening the year prior to Caesar becoming consul."
I love this story! Cam didn't make mistakes. I just love it and wanted to type it out. The Republic is tearing at the seams, and usually it's very violent stories. This is one of the rare funny ones.
Episode 10
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