Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 1032: How to Be a Senator in Daionia

Tibullus understood his concerns. Shaking his head, he said, "There are no clans in the Kingdom of Daunia, and our laws state, 'Women also possess the right of inheritance.' After a husband dies, as long as it can be proven that his wife has maintained virtuous conduct, she can inherit all his property. However, if she remarries, her new husband must wait at least five years before they can jointly own her property—except in special circumstances, of course."

"But you are a Senator of the kingdom, so you don't need to worry about housing. Although there is no surplus land left in the Inner District, City Hall still has plenty of public land in the outer districts. This is all thanks to His Majesty's decree right after the city was founded: 'All land within two li of the Inner District of Thurii shall be designated as public property and cannot be sold.' How incredibly wise that seems now!"

"Later, based on this decree, the Senate issued similar orders to other towns. When the time comes, the Senate will definitely allocate a residential plot for you in the outer district, close to the Inner District, granting it to you free of charge. They will even have the Department of Construction send men to build your estate according to your needs. It won't cost you a single Obol..."

Hearing this, Publius felt his tension instantly lift. He wiped a handful of sweat from his face and said gratefully, "Tibullus, thank you so much for the explanation! You've taken great care of me all the way from Rome to Thurii. Whatever your feelings on the matter, I already consider you my first friend since joining Daionia—a true friend!"

"Ah... I never expected... But to become your friend, Lord Publius, is truly a great honor! Please allow me... to also consider you a good friend!" Tibullus's voice trembled slightly, clearly moved.

"That's wonderful! Once I move to Thurii, I'll still be counting on your guidance and help."

"Lord Publius, whatever help you need, you need only ask! I grew up in Thurii, so I'm very familiar with the city and have quite a few friends here. But once you find your footing in Thurii, I might have to ask for your help!"

The two men burst into laughter, instantly feeling much closer.

Publius then asked directly, "Tibullus, if I want to establish myself in Thurii as quickly as possible, what is the best way to do it?"

"But I don't think you are that kind of person. If you want to accomplish something, you must first familiarize yourself with the laws of Daionia. I know Rome is also a city-state that values the law, but the kingdom's laws are not only incredibly numerous but also vast in scope. Understanding them will keep you from making mistakes and becoming a laughingstock among the citizens after moving to Thurii. Furthermore, it will allow you to speak with purpose in the Senate, preventing blunders that would have the other Senators laughing at you."

Publius nodded. "You are absolutely right. When I was in Rome, I borrowed law books from Asistes and started reading them, though not carefully enough. It seems I need to invest more effort into the task."

"Secondly, you should hire a tutor to teach you the Daonian language. You speak Greek very well, but Greek is not the same as the Daonian language. Not only is the pronunciation slightly different, but the Daonian language also contains many new words. I'm sure you've already noticed this during your interactions with us. Only when you can truly speak the Daonian language will the Thurians truly accept you."

Publius nodded earnestly once more.

Tibullus continued, "You need to take every Senate meeting seriously. Attend on time, observe the assembly's rules of order, and actively express your opinions. You must offer your own unique insights instead of just raising your hand to agree with others. Especially when discussions touch on Rome or the Latium region, you must be proactive in speaking up and steering the direction of the debate. Coming from Rome, you know that place far better than they do. Moreover, in your daily life, you should stay in frequent contact with your friends in Rome to keep fully informed about the situation there. This will allow you to take the initiative in proposing motions to solve issues in Rome or Latium. Over time, you will be able to represent the interests of Rome and the Latins in the Senate, earning you considerable influence within the kingdom..."

Swayed by his words, Publius nodded repeatedly.

But Tibullus raised his voice, adding, "However, merely talking in the Senate won't earn you the respect of the citizens, no matter how much influence you hold! Nor will it earn His Majesty's regard. From what I know, the ministers His Majesty summons to the Royal Palace for discussions, hosts at banquets, or visits personally are all men who hold real power and have accomplished concrete deeds. So, if you want to advance further in the kingdom, you must do practical work."

"Practical work..." Publius muttered under his breath.

"Exactly! In the past, some Senators who joined the kingdom like you stood on their status. They refused to accept mid-to-low-level public offices, always hoping to be appointed directly as a Town Magistrate. It seems none of those appointments have ever passed the Senate. You just joined the kingdom and aren't familiar with its inner workings, and neither His Majesty nor the senior Senators know your capabilities yet. They won't entrust you with heavy responsibilities right away. Therefore, you need to lower your pride and strive for lower-level positions first."

"It's just that here in Thurii City, even the mid-to-low-level posts are always fully staffed and hard to come by. But you could look to places within the Thurii Region like Bisinia, Castron, or Amendolara... It's relatively easier to secure a position in those areas. You could serve as an undersecretary in a department of their City Hall, such as the Treasury, the Commercial Office, the Agricultural Office, the Department of Construction, or the Inspection Office. Once you're familiar with administrative affairs, you can gradually rise to head a municipal department, and eventually become a town's administrative deputy."

"Once you reach that step, you can put yourself forward whenever the Senate convenes to elect a new Town Magistrate. As long as His Majesty is satisfied with your past track record, he will take you into consideration..."

"Taking a path like that... roughly how long would it take?"

"It's not like the old days; things are getting stricter. It would probably take four or five years."

"Four or five years... That's quite a long time..."

Tibullus gave a cold laugh and said, "Joining the kingdom and potentially becoming a Town Magistrate in just four or five years is already an exceptional opportunity! Take us, who pass exams to enter the kingdom's civil service. Even if we work our fingers to the bone for twenty years, as long as we haven't become a Senator, we will never become a Town Magistrate! But becoming a Senator... sigh, it's nowhere near that easy!

"However, I've heard rumors that 'His Majesty is going to discuss amending the law with the Rotating Chairmen, allowing officials with outstanding track records and exceptional abilities—even if they aren't Senators—to hold these positions!' And I believe it's definitely not just a rumor. This recent war has added a vast amount of land and quite a few towns to the kingdom. Relying solely on Senators to serve as Town Magistrates simply won't be enough. What's more, I've heard that fixed kingdom governor positions will be established in the future..."

"Governor?!"

"As for that... don't set your hopes on it for now. The position of governor will certainly be reserved for senior Senators who have outstanding political achievements, exceptional capabilities, and plenty of accumulated merit—men whom His Majesty trusts deeply. For you, it will take at least another ten or twenty years before you have a chance at it."

"..."

After a moment, seeing no response from his companion, Tibullus hurriedly asked, "Lord Publius, are you alright?"

"I'm... fine..."

Hearing the weakness in his voice, Tibullus suddenly realized something was wrong and quickly said, "My lord, we've stayed in the steam room for too long. It's easy to get dizzy. We need to get out right away!"

With that, Tibullus went over and helped him up. Looking as if they had just been fished out of the water, the two men, dripping sweat from head to toe, swayed unsteadily out of the steam room and entered another small chamber.

The temperature here was noticeably lower, and the air was free of mist. Inside the room were two wooden beds, each holding a stack of neatly folded cloth towels. Hanging on the wall was a gleaming bronze jug, along with several slender, curved strigils.

Publius sat on the edge of the bed, slowly recovering his energy while taking in his surroundings.

Tibullus, however, shouted loudly, "Is anyone there?!"

As soon as he spoke, the wooden door opposite them was pushed open. Two bare-chested servants entered, bowing respectfully as they asked, "My lords, how may we serve you?"

"You should have been waiting right here and checking the steam room regularly. What if we had fainted in there?" Tibullus reprimanded them.

"My lord, we were originally waiting in this room, but when we heard you talking loudly inside, we temporarily withdrew to another room. Furthermore, the bathhouse manager previously told us that one of you lords was a Thurian, so we figured there wouldn't be any problems..." one of the servants hurriedly explained.

Tibullus's face flushed slightly. He had been so engrossed in their conversation earlier that he almost caused an accident. Coughing dryly a few times, he ordered, "Give us a massage."

A massage? This was yet another new word that Publius couldn't understand.

The two servants immediately went to work, diligently wiping the sweat from their bodies. They then had the two men lie face down on the narrow wooden beds and began massaging their backs.

Publius watched as one servant rhythmically slapped his hands against Tibullus's body. Tibullus bore a look of pure comfort and enjoyment, making it seem like a wonderful experience. But when Publius himself was massaged, the servant's fingers seemed to possess some magical power. Every single press sent a strong, tingling numbness coursing through him. He had originally planned to continue their previous conversation after lying down, but now he found himself uncontrollably groaning, "Ah! Ah!" over and over, completely incapable of saying another word.

The servant had clearly seen this exact reaction far too many times; his movements never stopped, and the force behind his hands didn't lessen in the slightest.