Marcus Flaminius Tullius is a proud man these days. His son, Quintus Flaminius Tullius, has just taken up his post as Quaestor of Bithynia, and many great things are expected of him. This appointment has brought new life to his father, who has once again taken up his place in the Senate.

58 years old, and growing fat now through an inactive life, Marcus had served some years ago as Quaestor in Hispania, but had been badly injured in a riding accident, and had been forced to return home. He had spent the years since managing his modest estate outside Rome, and had seen little of politics in that time. His pronounced limp and the scar on his hand had led him to avoid his peers. But he had made sure that his son inherited his own ideals of duty and service to the idea of Rome.

So, buoyed by his son's early successes in life, Marcus plans to speak on his behalf of the Senate. Though he himself could not achieve greatness, he would make every effort he could to help his son to attain it. During the many quiet years since his early retirement from public life, he had studied much - and was now accounted a learned man among those few who could count him as a friend. He lives for Rome, and for his family, and the Senate shall be seeing much more of him than they ever did.