[quote=Rhymer]
Scheming for power, buying off senators and legion commanders, fortifying my villa, expanding my enterprises (wine, olive oils, textiles,foreign trade), planning and attending public games, engaging in general Roman debauchery- I understand if it's not for this game though.
[/quote]

I understand where you are coming from, however I wanted to keep the RP simple by focusing it more towards military conquest, with political intrigue coming later as the various generals at play garnered more and more power. 

I fear that trying to focus the RP more on the chaotic nature of the Senate would bore people to tears, or force the RP into being more of a soap box drama than a nation building adventure. 

Ideally, the players who find this interesting should [i]want[/i] to command armies, for the greater good of Rome. Once their general has amassed himself enough legions and plebian favour, then perhaps they could grow weary of the Senate - or the Senate weary of them - and launch a civil war. In this case, it would be down to the players to decide the fate of the republic. Would they side with the rebel general, and help him forge an Empire? Or would they align themselves with the Senate, and march against him? 

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I'm thinking of starting the RP shortly before the Second Punic War. Rome was fighting on several fronts at the time, I think, and so this would allow for the various players to go off in their own directions, or unite to conquer the larger threats.