Chapter 78: Son-in-law and Father-in-law’s Script (1)
Chapter 78: Son-in-law and Father-in-law’s Script (1)
Marcus planned to hold the Ceres Festival after March. His primary reason was to allow enough time for farmers from across Italy to attend, but there was another underlying reason. Introducing the four-field system required a support structure for independent farmers, who needed land to cultivate. As an aedile, Marcus lacked the authority to create such a system on his own.
This was where the Triumvirate's involvement became crucial. Marcus knew that to nurture independent farmers and ensure the future prosperity of Rome, he needed the help of Pompey and Caesar. Pompey needed to distribute public land to his veterans to maintain his reputation, while Caesar, as consul, needed to represent the interests of the Triumvirate.
The Triumvirate decided to address both issues simultaneously. They planned to revise the agrarian law to benefit both Pompey's veterans and landless farmers. Although the bill was not fully developed, Caesar promised it would be ready by March. This was why Marcus scheduled the festival for after that time.
The agrarian law was historically contentious, often leading to political violence, so Marcus and Caesar planned to use all available means to ensure its passage. They hoped that a large gathering of farmers and Pompey's veterans would deter the Senate from opposing the bill outright. While they agreed to avoid violence, they were concerned about the potential for public unrest.
In the meantime, Marcus focused on improving sanitation. He used his aedile authority to implement most projects immediately, but some required Senate approval. The Senate generally supported Marcus, especially since he funded the initial projects himself, with the Senate later allocating a budget based on the results.
One key issue Marcus addressed was the use of human waste as fertilizer. He proposed a law requiring human waste to be composted to avoid the health risks associated with uncomposted waste. Caesar, as consul, showed interest in this proposal.
Marcus explained, “Using uncomposted human waste as fertilizer is harmful. I have data showing that people consuming grains grown with such fertilizer suffer from abdominal pain due to toxins. Composting removes these toxins.”
While the actual problem was more about parasites than toxins, Marcus simplified the explanation for clarity. Most senators accepted this explanation, and Caesar agreed.
Marcus also suggested updating the street sanitation laws. He pointed out the problem of garbage being thrown from high-rise buildings in the Subura district, which was unsightly and unhygienic. He proposed providing a more convenient waste disposal system for residents.
Caesar, who was familiar with the Subura district, acknowledged the issue and was open to solutions. He agreed to consider Marcus’s proposals when drafting the bill.
Metellus Scipio raised a concern about the additional budget required for managing human waste over time. Before Marcus could respond, Caesar intervened.
“We have enough revenue to allocate the additional budget. The tax reform two years ago significantly increased our revenue last year.”
“Ah…”
“It’s only natural that revenue increased when we made taxes more transparent and reduced the burden. I believe this answers your question.”
Metellus, who had overlooked this obvious fact, blushed and sat back down. Marcus’s tax reform had greatly boosted Rome’s revenue. When the senators first received the report, they were incredulous and double-checked it. They had expected a significant revenue shortfall and only agreed to the reform because they thought the Crassus family would cover any deficits. But now, with the results confirming the increase, they had to accept it.
From then on, Marcus’s words carried more weight, and his trust within the Senate deepened. No one else wanted to speak after Metellus, and Marcus’s public sanitation law was passed unanimously.
Just as the senators were about to leave, Caesar’s calm voice drew their attention.
“There is one more matter to discuss.”
Bibulus, ever ready to oppose, grumbled, “What else do you have to say?”
“Yes, my dear senators. I have been in the Senate for about ten years, and during that time, I have been moved and enlightened by the speeches of many distinguished orators, such as Hortensius, Cicero, and Cato. It is unfortunate that the eloquence of these great speakers fades from public memory. Therefore, I plan to publish the minutes of our meetings as consular commentaries, making them public. Of course, the contents of closed meetings will remain confidential.”
Bibulus, who was about to protest, found himself unable to argue and fell silent. He couldn’t find any grounds to oppose the proposal. Public meetings were already open, and citizens often gathered outside the meeting hall to learn about the discussions. However, they frequently conveyed this information inaccurately, leading to distortions and errors. Caesar’s proposal aimed to address this issue.
Some senators, who had been misquoted in the past, supported Caesar’s plan. Others, who had made controversial remarks, were uncomfortable with the idea. Cato, in particular, opposed everything Caesar did. But Caesar was resolute. He decided to have the scribes record the meeting minutes with his authority as consul and post them on the Forum Romanum starting today.
With this decision, Bibulus had no recourse. If he attempted to reverse the consular commentaries, he would appear unfavorable in public. Once implemented, such information disclosure could not be undone unless it severely harmed public interests. Caesar’s action was clearly intended for the public good.
Bibulus and Cato could only vent their frustration inwardly as they left with smirks. The Senate faced no real harm from this decision, but they were irritated by Caesar gaining another advantage. Marcus watched them leave with a knowing smile, like a mischievous boy anticipating the upcoming trouble.
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While Caesar and the Senate engaged in political maneuvering, Marcus continued his work without concern. He aimed to complete his tasks quickly, but a month had already passed. The one-year term was proving too short to realize all his plans.
He needed to move as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Fortunately, in just a month, sanitation awareness among the people in Rome had improved significantly. While it would take a few more years for this awareness to spread throughout Italy, the progress was better than expected.
A major factor in this success was the existing use of primitive soap. If Marcus had introduced a completely new product and had to explain everything from scratch, the citizens would have taken much longer to adapt. Thanks to this, the soap factories he had invested in experienced a significant sales boom.
Additionally, Marcus produced high-quality soap using olive oil. Although the production technology was still rudimentary and the soap remained expensive, it sold rapidly among wealthy nobles. This allowed Marcus to quickly replenish the substantial amount of money he had spent during his term as aedile.
Next, Marcus tackled the problem of lead poisoning prevalent among the Roman elite. The upper class frequently used sapa, a seasoning made by heating wine in lead containers, which contained concentrated lead and accumulated in their bodies. Although replacing the lead-lined aqueducts was a longer-term goal, Marcus deferred that issue for now since lime water coated the aqueducts and provided some protection.
Marcus held a small festival to introduce sugar as a substitute for sapa. Having refined the quality of sugar through multiple demonstrations, it was now highly perfected. Those who tasted the sugar were captivated by its sweet flavor, which was new to them.
“So, this sugar is not harmful to your body like sapa?”
While the general public was enamored with the sweetness, the senators were more concerned with health implications. Prolonged lead exposure greatly increased the risk of gout, a debilitating condition where the joints feel as if they are being torn apart. For wealthy Romans, gout was a significant source of fear, especially among those who had witnessed their family members suffering from it.
The interest from prominent figures, including Vibullius the current praetor, Scipio of the Metellus family, former praetors Sillanus and Cicero, and Afranius, was high.
“Can we be sure that we won't contract this dreadful disease if we stop using honeydew?” one senator asked.
“There are various factors contributing to gout, including obesity and excessive intake of rich foods. However, it’s certain that honeydew significantly increases the risk. That’s why I developed this sugar as an alternative.”
Marcus presented a scroll summarizing the incidence of gout among nobles who consumed honeydew versus those who lived more frugally.
“As shown, those who avoided honeydew had a much lower incidence of gout. Given that honeydew is widely used as a seasoning, it is difficult for nobles accustomed to its sweetness to quit it suddenly. Therefore, I created this sugar.”
Although sugar and honeydew have slightly different sweetness profiles, for nobles seeking to avoid the fear of gout, this minor difference was irrelevant. In terms of concentrated sweetness, sugar surpassed honeydew.
The nobles were already envisioning how they could incorporate sugar into their cooking, their interest piqued.
Cicero, savoring the taste of the sugar like the other nobles, suddenly asked a serious question.
“By the way, Marcus, is there enough supply of this sugar?”
All eyes turned to Marcus. Although the high price of sugar was not a concern for the nobles present, the real issue was whether there would be sufficient supply to meet their needs.
Marcus gave an ambiguous smile and scratched his head.
“Thanks to my extensive preparations, I have secured a robust production system. However, there is a risk of shortage if demand exceeds expectations. Rest assured, I will prioritize supplying you.”
Marcus was cultivating sugarcane on a large scale, not only in Italy but also in Asia Minor. His brother Publius, who was elected aedile and dispatched to Asia Minor, managed the extensive farmland there. However, the sugar produced in Asia Minor was not shipped to Rome; it was used primarily for trade with eastern countries.
The sugar trade helped establish valuable connections with Parthian nobles who were currently offering significant support. In this era, even India, the origin of sugar, lacked the technology to crystallize it. The Parthian nobles were impressed by the sweet new product brought by Roman merchants. Nobles who realized they could obtain sugar by forging ties with Roman merchants eagerly sought relationships with Tadius’s subordinates. There were even proposals for exchanges of silk and sugar.
Historically, sugar was a luxury item before the Industrial Revolution, often worth its weight in gold. The impact of sugar exceeded Marcus’s expectations.
“I knew that sweeteners would have a significant status in ancient times, but I didn’t realize it would be this pronounced,” he reflected. Having lived in an era where sugar was commonplace, Marcus had understood its value intellectually but had never fully appreciated it.
Thanks to an unexpected advantage, his plans in the east yielded results faster than anticipated. Reform efforts in Rome were also progressing smoothly. Although the Senate believed they were in control, their foundation was gradually eroding.
Vibullius, who spent almost the entire month engaged in state affairs, had done nothing beyond opposing Caesar. The only action he took as praetor was passing the bills Marcus needed.
Finally, in March, when Caesar resumed control of state affairs, the Senate faced an unforeseen attack—a precursor to the conflict that would bring unprecedented bloodshed to Rome.