The First Step

Candidate registration has closed, and the campaign season has begun in earnest.

The Senate set out to overthrow Caesar but encountered difficulties from the outset.

This is because the triumvirate was moving behind the scenes and controlling public opinion.

The plebeians Caesar could mobilize, the tribunes Marcus secretly hired, and the soldiers following Pompeius' orders.

Put them all together, and it was no small feat to roast Roman citizens.

No one knew now that Caesar had failed to hold the triumphus due to unjust checks by the Senate.

The results were obvious as they added sympathy to Caesar, who was popular among the people.

No matter how calculated, Caesar's election was definitive.

The Senate was not so incompetent as to be unable to judge even such simple facts.

They decided to discuss measures on the premise that Caesar would become consul.

Once again, Cato came up with a solution.

He was so eager that it seemed his life's purpose was to keep Caesar in check.

Afranius accepted Cato's suggestion and called a senate meeting.

The agenda to deal with was the assignment of the next consul.

Caesar and Bibulus, who were likely to be elected, were naturally obliged to participate.

Afranius looked around at the senators who filled the seats and opened his mouth.

"Well, gentlemen. Today we will deal with a really important issue. The assignment of the next consul to the province is a matter not only for Rome, but for the whole Mediterranean world to watch with keen attention. We need to deal with this issue as quickly as possible to ease the confusion among the people in it."

Pompeius claps his hands in acknowledgment of Afranius' speech.

"I didn't know that the Senate was so considerate of the people in the world. However, why was the proposal for the compilation of Eastern provinces that I asked for not being processed until it was approved by the Concilium Plebis. Am I the only one who didn't know that Asia Minor was not treated as a Roman province?"

Several neutral senators, including Caesar, burst into laughter at the scathing sarcasm.

Afranius, who could not think of a suitable excuse, decided to continue talking as if he had not heard it.

"Um.... So, before we discuss the allocation of provincials, Porcius Cato and Calpurnius Bibulus say they have something they'd like to say first. If there are no objections, I'll give them permission to speak."

Cato got up from his seat first. Contrary to the long talk, he immediately began his speech without any hesitation.

"Honorable senators, I have no doubt that all of you here are truly patriots who love Rome. Despite your political views, I am sure that both the aristocratic and plebeian factions are the same in this regard; don't you agree, Caesar?"

Caesar, suddenly named, stared at Cato with interest.

It was the first time that Cato had asked Caesar such a polite question.

Therefore, it was not difficult to guess that there was a certain aim.

At first, Cato did not seem to hide it either.

Caesar decided to play a game with Cato to see how many numbers he could pull out of his head.

"Of course, Cato. My love for Rome will never change, even if my body returns to the dust."

"Excellent. I have long been at odds with Caesar in the Senate, but I have never doubted his loyalty to Rome. Unfortunately, this is not the case in recent times. Young people with the wrong mindset dismiss the value of a little work. Those who work inconspicuously and silently are called fools, and those who cheat others and do not do their fair share of labor are praised as wise. How is it that Rome has come to this, I am ashamed to say, but because the aristocrats, the members of our Senate, have not set an example."

Cato paused and looked around the room.

As discussed in advance, the aristocrats said they were ashamed of themselves and that they should set an example from now on.

"The sympathy of so many people makes me realize that the conscience of Rome is still alive, and we must act before it is too late. The leaders of society, the patricians, must lead by example, and set an example for the rest of us - how else can we do that? The materialism that pervades the Senate must be rejected, and this goes directly to the next consul, whoever that may be. Up until now, people have unconditionally wanted to be appointed as a governor of a wealthy province. They believed that if they went out and had a good time, they would be rewarded for their hard work. With the most respected citizens of Rome looking like this, it's easy to imagine young people thinking, 'Oh, I'm going to make a fortune like that when I grow up. Isn't that a natural thought? I would do that too!'"

Caesar smirked. He could see what Cato was trying to do now. It certainly wasn't a bad number.

He glanced back to see Marcus sitting there. His expression was deeply impressed.

He seemed to be concentrating on the speech, but Caesar knew the truth when he heard it from Marcus.

That look was part of a trick that Marcus had recently mastered.

He hides his boredom and thinks about something else but never reveals it on the outside.

He learned this skill while enduring Cato's long-winded speech that lasted more than eight hours.

Of course, Cato didn't realize it, but he was grateful to Marcus for always being there.

"In an effort to correct the corruption of morals prevalent in Rome, I have spoken with Bibulus, the likely next consul, and, thankfully, he is deeply sympathetic to my ideas; henceforth, he, and not I, will speak of his noble intentions."

Cato made an exaggerated hand gesture, and Bibulus rose to his feet with as much grace as he could muster.

"Thank you, Porcius Cato. Your advice has reminded me of the value of cattle, something I had forgotten. To be honest, when I first came out as consul, I wanted to go to Asia Minor. Rumor had it that it was a place where you could rake in the silver with a rake, but Cato's words brought me to my senses. I thought, 'How can I set an example if I'm the first one to think this way? Who would act with the best interests of Rome at heart when the consuls are trying to line their own pockets instead of the Roman treasury?' When I thought about it, what I had to do seemed natural."

When the speech made it this far, the members of the aristocratic faction laughed under their breath, sensing victory.

Bibulus leisurely savored his victory, then delivered the decisive blow.

"So I propose to the Senate. To show the younger politicians that the Consulship is not just a place for personal enrichment. Let the next consul not be a governor of a province, but one who watches over the forests and roads of all of Italia! Let the next consul be someone who can truly be responsible for the lives of the people of Rome, who can feel their lives and touch them! Let me, Bibulus, lead the way and set an example for others, and prove how noble it is to do the smallest things, not by leading armies or collecting taxes, but by doing them quietly!"

As Bibulus bowed politely, the entire senate erupted in thunderous applause.

Not only those in the aristocratic faction but even those categorized as relatively neutral praised Bibulus' decision.

It was Bibulus that was losing money, not them.

Afranius asked Caesar with a triumphant smile.

"Gaius Julius Caesar, as the presumptive next consul, do you have any objections to this opinion? If you choose not to take this position, we will gladly honor your wishes."

Cato, who drafted the plan, was convinced that it could put Caesar on the spot.

If he accepts Bibulus' offer, Caesar's reign ends, and he becomes a figurehead with no real power.

If not, they can only assume that's what Caesar was after all.

Convinced that this time he would be able to see Caesar's crumbling face, Cato involuntarily leaned forward.

Contrary to such expectations, however, Caesar clapped enthusiastically with a relaxed smile.

"I couldn't agree more, and I commend Bibulus for his noble decision."

Cato and the aristocrats were a little uncomfortable with how easygoing he was, but they decided to vote anyway.

Unsurprisingly, Bibulus' motion passed with an overwhelming majority.

Even Caesar voted in favor.

There was only one person who objected, Pompeius.

Furious, he raised his voice that this was political tyranny, but the aristocrats did not even pretend to hear it.

The contrasting attitudes of Caesar and Pompeius temporarily calmed the nerves of the restless aristocracy.

Cato did not let go, but a number of senators concluded that Caesar was bluffing.

The Senate's current plan could be said to be perfect for anyone.

Even if Caesar becomes consul, Bibulus will veto all policies.

While there would be criticism from the people, they believed that Marcus' role as aedile would restore some of the Senate's lost popularity.

They can't always rely on tribunes to control the Concilium Plebis.

This time, the tribune elections got dominated by plebeian aristocrats backed by the Senate.

They were confident that even if only three or four of them were elected, they would be enough to keep Caesar in check.

And when his term as consul is over, Caesar is relegated to a position where he can do nothing.

Considering Caesar's huge debts, creditors could not have left him alone.

Ultimately, it was too late, no matter what Caesar did.

Within three years at the latest, he will admit defeat and crawl out from under the Senate.

Until now, the Senate believed that they had swayed Caesar because they did not take serious steps.

But now it's different.

The aristocracy now recognized Caesar as a threatening opponent.

So they can't lose.

The majority of senators were sincerely optimistic.

That's why the Senate has always won.

They could neutralize the Gracchus brothers, Catilina's rebellion, and even the great Pompeius Magnus.

It was even weirder to be pushed aside by a 39-year-old politician who is now in his prime.

So far, at least, even the populares who supported Caesar thought so.

* * *

The results of the election turned out as everyone expected.

Five days before Idus (15th) in Quintilis (July) 61 BC, Caesar was elected consul by a landslide.

Bibulus narrowly won a second election after a surprisingly close vote.

The senate was relieved with a sweep of its chest.

The power is the same whether elected in a landslide or by a slim margin.

You just need to be elected, not defeated.

The Consul election was nerve-wracking, but the other elections went as the Senate wished.

For now, as many as three out of twelve tribunes were composed of figures favorable to the Senate.

The re-election of Batinius and Clodius was a blow, but they took solace in the fact that they got outnumbered.

Furthermore, in the election of the aedile, Marcus confirmed his election faster than anyone else.

He received more votes than all the other candidates combined.

Seeing how popular the Republic's Star of Hope had become, the Senate could look forward to the following year with great pleasure.

The behind-the-scenes movement intensified as the election ended with a convincing result on both sides.

Having decided that Caesar was a grave threat, the Senate was not complacent.

While waiting for the new year, they encouraged their factions and continued to fight public opinion in their spare moments.

Caesar did not sit still either.

He immediately requested a meeting with Cicero when he got elected to office.

This is because Marcus hinted in advance that Cicero is not hostile to Caesar.

Caesar and Cicero had met quite a few times privately.

Despite their differing political beliefs, both men were highly educated and possessed an erudition that would have been second to none in Rome.

Unsurprisingly, they found each other to be excellent speakers.

Still, Cicero didn't feel comfortable meeting with Caesar alone at a time like this.

It was because he didn't want to get suspected of having an affair with Caesar.

After much deliberation, Cicero got asked to meet with him on the condition that Marcus be present.

Caesar gladly accepted the terms.

Cicero, Caesar, and Marcus met at Caesar's official residence two days later.

Cicero congratulated him in a way that was neither too friendly nor too rude, handing him a gift he had prepared in advance.

"I sincerely congratulate you on being elected consul."

"You don't have to be so formal. I prepared this place today to ask for your wisdom."

"I'm sorry, but I'm not in a position to give you any useful advice. If I sided with you, the Optimates would immediately consider me a traitor."

"Oh, don't worry about that. I don't mean to ask you to tell me a trick to take the initiative in the political situation. Should I say the opposite? There's a reliable son-in-law here, so I'll tell you for sure. I have no intention of stamping down the Senate or destroying order. I think there's nothing better than that if we can solve it smoothly through conversation."

Cicero scratched his head with a half doubt.

"So you...… Do you want me and Marcus to play the role of mediation with the Senate?"

"Technically, I'm asking you. Marcus is my son-in-law, so he may be inclined to side with me, and while the Crassus family is more of an aristocracy, it's still true that Marcus doesn't carry the weight you do. If I were to ask anyone to mediate, I don't think there's anyone else in Rome who would be better suited. It is enough for Marcus to prove to me that you are not being manipulated."

"Hmm, well, if you say that, I'll think about it for a second."

It struck a nerve with Cicero that only one man in Rome could fulfill this responsibility.

Feeling suddenly better, he covered his mouth with a glass of wine to hide his smile.

When it comes to showing off, Cicero is as good as Pompeius.

As he finished sipping his wine, he realized that this could be a huge opportunity.

What prestige would he have if he succeeded in mediating the deepening divide between the populares and aristocratic factions?

No one would deny him the "Father of the Republic" title for rescuing Rome from chaos.

First of all, it seemed necessary to hear in detail what Caesar thought.

Cicero drained his goblet of diluted wine and tried to keep his expression as nonchalant as possible.

"I'll answer that after I hear what you have in mind. How do you want me to mediate?"

"First of all, we need to cool things down a bit, as things are getting very confrontational. The tribunes of both camps should stop slandering the other camp. At this rate, there could be blood on either side."

"I agree with that. These days, I feel that slander against each other is crossing the line little by little."

"Yes. And I want us to make a pact to refrain from abusing the aedile's power to make campaign promises. Can't you see what will happen next year if we keep this up?"

Cicero nodded immediately without a moment's hesitation.

This second point was why he was also actively in favor.

The bleeding race to win the hearts and minds of citizens was not beneficial to either side.

In the long run, it is nothing but to cut down on the integrity of Rome.

This was a significant drain on funds, especially for Marcus, who was supposed to be an aedile.

Cicero figured this would be a good time to pay off his debt to Marcus and maybe even make things a little more civil.

It never occurred to him that they planned all of their conversations in advance.

"Yes, I think the Senate will be receptive to at least two of your proposals. We'll compete, but we'll do so within certain boundaries. But do you have any other demands? The two I've heard so far seem a bit weak."

There was none of the embarrassment in Cicero's voice that he had initially shown.

Caesar convinced that he had already halfway over, had a faint smile around his mouth.

He exchanged a quick glance with Marcus and slowly opened his mouth.

"Oh, sure. In a way, it's the most important agreement we'll ever make, and I'm sure it's not a bad deal for you."

Cicero's body unconsciously leaned forward slightly.

Caesar's gruff voice echoed in his ears, filled with wonder and curiosity.

"For starters, we're going to prohibit the use of private force, even if things are going badly for both sides. It's a simple enough rule, but the citizens seem to think it might not be upheld."

"It's a shame that we have to agree on something so obvious, but... I'd like to see this agreed upon by the entire Senate, not just the populares and optimates factions."

Caesar, who saw through what Cicero had in mind, nodded gladly.

"Of course, we'll have to get Pompeius Magnus to agree. If the populares and optimates factions are in agreement, I think he will have no choice but to agree."

"... but there's no guarantee you'll have complete control over the people, is there?"

"It's almost an unavoidable constant that angry supporters will occasionally become violent. I'm not suggesting that we control it all. But like I said, don't deliberately provoke your opponents, and you'll see a noticeable decrease in violence."

"Yes, that's right."

The Senate's greatest fear at the moment was that Pompeius would assemble his men like Sulla and overthrow Rome by force.

Caesar could not overlook the fact that extremists in the Senate might cause sudden action.

Cicero doesn't find the proposal strange because he doesn't know that Pompeius is fully on Caesar's side.

He turned his gaze to Marcus and asked.

"What do you think?"

"It seems like a win-win proposition, and emphasizing the obvious principle that the Senate will not use force will help to reassure nervous citizens."

"Yeah. Obviously, public sentiment is pretty volatile right now, so...."

"The Senate can put their fears of Pompeius to rest, Caesar can regain his trust in the Senate, and the citizens can rest assured that there will be no bloodshed. It's a win-win for everyone."

In fact, it was Marcus who proposed this agreement to Caesar.

From the beginning, the Triumvirat had no intention of using force, but the people did not know that.

And Marcus recognized that the Senate was a group that had the potential to explode at any time.

Of course, the triumvirate with Pompeius is superior in terms of force.

The problem is that the Senate doesn't know that Pompeius is on Caesar's side.

The likelihood of some radicals harboring strange ideas, believing that Caesar was trying to overthrow the republic, was not zero.

People with blind faith don't care if they get hurt.

Caesar dismissed Marcus's concerns as discouraging, but Marcus pushed his argument as hard as this.

Caesar finally agreed because it was necessary to stabilize public sentiment anyway.

In Cicero's view, Caesar's proposal was indeed reasonable.

Listening to the mediation, it seemed that Caesar was not yet willing to come under the Senate's thumb.

However, it felt like a more credible proposal because it was so genuine.

They say that we should keep the line even if we are at odds.

And most importantly, the person who guided the two sides to reach this delicate balance was none other than Cicero himself.

If the next year passes without incident, Cicero will get credited for successfully mediating between the two sides.

Finally, Caesar said he would listen to Cicero's advice even as a consul.

Cicero, who was completely vigilant, said he would accept Caesar's request and immediately met with the aristocracy.

Unsurprisingly, the leaders of the aristocratic faction reviewed Caesar's proposal favorably.

In their view, the Senate was an absolute powerhouse.

The essence of Cicero's mediation plan was to eliminate variables.

The more the variable gets removed, the more advantageous it is, not the weak but the strong.

It was also appealing to secure Pompeius's promise that he would not overthrow Rome by force.

But only one person, Cato, was certain that Caesar would have a different plan.

"At first glance, it seems to be in our favor, but we must not forget that it is none other than Caesar who proposed it. There must be something going on."

Bibulus smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

"It's obviously Caesar's intention, isn't it? He's afraid we're going to issue a senatus consultum ultimum, and while we can't issue a senatus consultum ultimum against a consul, he's afraid that because of Catilina's precedent, it might happen to him."

Metellus Scipio agreed with Bibulus.

"Yes, it is. Besides, I can see the point in not letting the aediles overpromise. Who are our aediles? The Crassus family, and no one else. How could the Caesar's stand against them in a bleeding contest, when even if they scraped together all the money they had, it wouldn't be a tenth of what Marcus could muster?"

There was a bitter mockery among the aristocrats.

This is why Caesar's intention was too obvious.

"Then shall we not accept Caesar's proposal? Isn't it a loss to us?"

"Not necessarily, Bibulus. For one thing, it's great that we can use Caesar as an excuse to tie Pompeius' hands. What do we have to fear but Pompeius' military might?"

"Pompeius isn't even Caesar's subordinate, so why would he comply with such a demands?"

"If the entire Senate is pledging and you're standing alone, you're only proving that you have a bad heart."

At Metellus' assurance, Bibulus did not argue further.

Cato, on the other hand, who couldn't shake the feeling, desperately searched for a rationale to turn down the offer.

"Gentlemen. Caesar's second demand has the potential to work quite a bit against us. As Metellus said, we have an overwhelming advantage in the consulship, and didn't we agree to neutralize the side effects of Bibulus' veto by giving Marcus a policy of goodwill, but if we give in to Caesar's demands here, we have one less tool to quell the discontent of our citizens."

"Ah...!"

"Come to think of it...."

Bibulus and Metellus raised their eyes in realization.

But a well-timed intervention by Marcus set the faltering mood right again.

"From the beginning, I had no intention of winning the popularity of the citizens by sowing grain or holding gladiatorial contests. I had already laid out a plan for how the common good of Rome could lead to citizen support."

Bibulus asked with delight at the voice of trust.

"Really? Is there such a trick?"

"Of course I'll have to spend money, but I'm not going to short-sightedly open my pockets just to be popular. I'm going to do something that will definitely benefit the common good of Rome, and it won't conflict with Caesar's proposal."

"Oh, you're reliable, too. The person in charge says this, so we should trust him, too."

When they decided on public opinion in a short time, Cato could not raise any more objections.

And indeed, if Marcus had a trick, Caesar's proposal would be a gain for the Senate, not a loss at all.

As long as they don't engage in overzealous policing, aediles will naturally focus on their primary job: public service.

However, if only Marcus can win public sentiment with a groundbreaking policy here, it can further strengthen the superiority of the Senate.

Cato, who tried to roll his head around, eventually came to the conclusion that it would be better to accept Caesar's proposal.

Still cautious, he checked with Marcus one last time.

"Are you sure you're confident that you'll win the popularity of the citizens?"

"Of course. I'm ready to take the responsibility I deserve if I don't get the response of the citizens."

"Okay. I'll take your word for it then."

Cato decided to follow the opinions of the aristocracy with half anxiety and half expectation.

And on the first day of the new year, which fell on 1 Ianuarius (January) 60 BC, Marcus proved that he was not bluffing.

* * *

The main duties of an aedile are the management of public facilities and the enforcement of public administration.

While modern bureaucracies require approval from higher-ups, even if you're doing your own thing, Rome was different.

What the Aediles did was strictly at their discretion.

This means that a praetor or consul cannot interfere with an aedile's behavior just because they outrank the latter.

Aediles could make repairs to public facilities or hold events whenever they deemed necessary.

Of course, spending through a budget requires deliberation, but he could bypass everything else with private money.

Marcus didn't want to waste time trying to get a budget from scratch.

He was completely independent of the rest of the aediles and put his ideas into action.

For starters, he held daily public hearings in the Forum Romanum to explain the need for the policies he was enforcing.

Even at this time, he did not forget to use intuitive figures to make it easier for citizens to understand.

"My fellow citizens, Rome is currently surrounded by invisible filth. I'm sure many of you don't understand what I'm talking about, so I've taken the time to do some research to make it easier to understand."

Marcus snapped his fingers, and Spartacus and Septimus, waiting behind him, unfurled a huge parchment scroll.

"For us Romans, the baths are an inseparable part of life, and of course I love them too. But what if these baths are becoming a breeding ground for disease?"

The faces of the citizens turned puzzled.

Until now, Roman people believed that washing their bodies with water was a way to reduce diseases.

Of course, some expressed rejection.

Marcus deliberately waited for someone to argue.

As expected, one of the citizens raised his hand and raised his voice.

"Do you mean that you get sick when you go to a public bath? Is there such a basis?"

"To be precise, you don't get sick by going to a bathhouse, you get sick by going to a dirty place. When dirty energy enters your body, you become infested with it and get sick. To prove this fact, I have been doing research for years with many doctors, take a look at this."

Marcus continued his explanation as he pointed out a large scroll with his hand.

"We selected 100 citizens who went to the bathhouse every single day and 100 who never went to the bathhouse and cleaned themselves at home, and we monitored their health over the course of a year. Of course, an individual's health status can make a difference in whether or not they develop diseases, so we made sure that the groups were as similar as possible. The only thing that made a difference was how often they went to the bathhouse. And to our surprise, the more frequent bathers were seven times more likely to suffer from multiple diseases over the same period."

"Seven times?"

"That much?"

A small difference can get dismissed as a coincidence, but citizens were agitated when somebody presented them with a figure seven times.

The young man, who had previously argued earlier, asked again with an expression of disbelief.

"Well, do you mean that the bathhouse should be closed?"

"No. As I said, the reason the baths are now a breeding ground for disease is because they are so filthy. People are constantly exposed to unclean air, which increases their chances of contracting disease. The solution to this problem is simple. We've made a number of improvements to the public baths, but your cooperation is essential. We'll show you how to use the new baths, but please be sure to tell your family and friends so that it can be widely used."

Marcus decided to improve the environment so that citizens could see with their eyes first.

This is because the degree to which citizens feel about their skin changes only when they visually stand out.

Marcus spent his own money to renovate the bathhouse in downtown Rome.

Then, once he clearly proved the effectiveness, the senate will set a policy to cover the maintenance and repair costs from the national treasury.

The Senate had no particular reason to refuse.

Because if a bathhouse really is a breeding ground for disease, it makes sense to improve it.

There was no reason to stop Marcus from proving it at his own expense.

Marcus made sure that they informed the people entering public baths of new ways of using them.

In fact, from the perspective of modern people, it was not a huge reform.

Make sure to empty the water and clean the bath once a day for a certain amount of time.

Wash your body simply by pouring water on it before soaking it in the bath.

Urinating in a public bath is strictly prohibited.

Each public bath should have a certain amount of soap and have citizens wash their bodies and hands with it.

It was so natural to put them together one by one, but this was not well observed in ancient times.

It was not because ancient people were stupid but because there was no concept of hygiene itself.

In fact, many people complained about why they had to do such a bother.

However, what is good about the ancient times for aediles is that they could use a somewhat coercive method once national policies got set.

Failure to comply with the above was considered vandalizing public property and got immediately expelled.

In particular, those who urinated in the bathhouse threatened to drink the water again.

This policy has also received enthusiastic support from ordinary citizens.

This is because no matter how poorly hygienic a person is, they know that urine and feces are dirty.

Once Marcus complied with the bathing rules, somewhat by force, he also offered a carrot of sorts.

Romans often go to public baths, not just to wash themselves.

The public bath was equipped with a lot of entertainment and was the easiest place to socialize.

It was a kind of social activity for the Romans to wash their bodies, chat, and enjoy entertainment in the bathhouse.

Marcus put more emphasis on this function of public baths.

The bathhouse got enlarged to provide additional space for gatherings and more staff so that people without slaves could receive massages.

The effect was immediately apparent.

Citizens showed tremendous satisfaction with the greatly improved bathhouse.

While they'll have to wait a bit longer to see the results in terms of lower disease rates, the cleaner baths made people happy for that alone.

It was a human instinct to prefer to soak in clean water rather than dirty water.

The musty smell of the bathhouse was gone, and they felt strangely refreshed after washing their body with soap.

It was thanks to rumors that just washing your body with soap lowers your chances of getting sick.

People tended to try hard at everything once it was good for them.

If it is state-certified, it goes without saying.

It was easy to follow because it was not difficult, and you just had to wash your body with soap.

Having instilled a minimum of hygiene with the improvements to the baths, Marcus was now ready to get serious about renovating Rome.

His next project was perhaps even more important than the sanitation project.

The idea was simple: improve the three-field rotation of farming spread throughout Rome to a four-field rotations system.

But this could not get enforced by law, nor was it the domain of aedile.

It was clearly outside the scope of what an aedile could tell you to do.

However, Marcus had a clever way of spreading the four-field rotations method widely under the authority of the aedile.

He immediately announced that he would hold large festivals throughout Rome.

The idea was to thank the goddess Ceres for her revolutionary farming wisdom.

Rumors have spread that it is a farming method that increases production beyond the previous one.

The farmers of Rome were skeptical, but they couldn't take their eyes off Marcus.

Rumors of the genius, already famous for the 'Reforms of Marcus' were now common knowledge throughout Rome.

No one had noticed yet, but a new era of wind was blowing around Marcus.