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Gaius Stephanus Pictor: Difference between revisions
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Pictor, aware of the political turmoil that gripped [[Great Levantia]] in the waning days of the republican period, used his ascension to the office of Pontifex Maximus as an opportunity for permanent political power, a break with the custom of being keeper of temples and high priest of the [[Religion in Great Levantia#Cult of the State God|Cult of the State God]]. A series of sweeping victories in the [[Levantine Social War]] in 56 BC that ended the conflict lead to a power struggle with the landed aristocracy that resulted in Pictor's total victory, and the [[Levantine Senate]] formally proclaimed him as Princeps - ''First Citizen'' - in 50 BC. Working under the veneer of republican legitimacy, Pictor, now functionally an autocrat, implemented sweeping reforms to the Levantine State aimed at improving the station of the plebeian class, including land redistribution and reform. Following a series of political disputes arising from the land distribution debate, Pictor decided to invade [[Gaul]] in 44 BC, bringing most of it under Levantine control. His invasion would form the early foundations of modern [[Fiannria]], which would emerge out of the collapse of [[Great Levantia]] as a thoroughly Levantinized region. | Pictor, aware of the political turmoil that gripped [[Great Levantia]] in the waning days of the republican period, used his ascension to the office of Pontifex Maximus as an opportunity for permanent political power, a break with the custom of being keeper of temples and high priest of the [[Religion in Great Levantia#Cult of the State God|Cult of the State God]]. A series of sweeping victories in the [[Levantine Social War]] in 56 BC that ended the conflict lead to a power struggle with the landed aristocracy that resulted in Pictor's total victory, and the [[Levantine Senate]] formally proclaimed him as Princeps - ''First Citizen'' - in 50 BC. Working under the veneer of republican legitimacy, Pictor, now functionally an autocrat, implemented sweeping reforms to the Levantine State aimed at improving the station of the plebeian class, including land redistribution and reform. Following a series of political disputes arising from the land distribution debate, Pictor decided to invade [[Gaul]] in 44 BC, bringing most of it under Levantine control. His invasion would form the early foundations of modern [[Fiannria]], which would emerge out of the collapse of [[Great Levantia]] as a thoroughly Levantinized region. | ||
After an injury received in Gaul, Pictor returned to [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]] in 39 BC and remained there for the rest of his life, spending much of his time subsuming every other institution of the moribund republic to his will as Pontifex Maximus | After an injury received in Gaul, Pictor returned to [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]] in 39 BC and remained there for the rest of his life, spending much of his time subsuming every other institution of the moribund republic to his will as Pontifex Maximus, rendering any republican restoration impossible and eventually foregoing the role of Princeps; in so doing, he transformed Great Levantia into a authoritarian theocracy. In his 60s, Pictor's energy began to fade, but during the period he managed to have a son and adopt two others, leaving the newly-founded Principate on good footing. He died a natural death in 30 BC at the age of 70 or 71. | ||
[[Category:IXWB]] | [[Category:IXWB]] | ||
[[Category:Great Levantia]] | [[Category:Great Levantia]] | ||