Home Again.... Sorta, Junia Silana

[Chris]

Early March, 73 AD

A year had passed since Lucius Silanus returned from Britannia, and even after returning from that foreign war, he had fought a long and testing battle in the courts to prove his legal entitlement to the plot of land at one time owned by his family - before it the domus was destroyed and the land claimed by the state. Victory for the Junii-Silani had come at the start of the new year. Had he desired to, Lucius could've asked Flavia Juliana for her help, but it was a battle that he wanted to win on his own, to further cement the prestige of his family. And win he did. Construction started not a week after his victory in the courts, and the architect had been given strict orders to build the new home in as close a likeness as possible to the previous one - with some small modifications. Lucius had included his sister Junia in the planning stage; since she had been older when they were first in the home of their late uncle Decimus, he figured she would have a stronger memory of the place.

Construction was finished in the first week of March, and Lucius threw a large party to celebrate the feat. The remaining members of their family were of course there, as were friends, colleagues, and clients. The party was a success, but it wasn't until the next day, when the celebrations had come to an end, that Lucius truly had a chance to speak with his sister Junia. Though the younger brother, he was responsible for their family's well-being. Publicly, Lucius was as strong and resilient as he needed to be; the only person he could truly let his guard down around was Junia.

The home had been constructed to have separate wings for each of the remaining Junii-Silani; Lucius, Junia, and their brother Marcus. As was his preference, Lucius did not keep slaves in his home, but instead hired veterans (or their father-less families) unable to find work elsewhere. He referred to them each by their gentile names, and insisted that they refer to him and his family by their titles - which made him Senator, his brother simply Marcus, and his sister Domina Silana. Only five (of fourteen) lived permanently on the premises. Two were guards - Septimius and Mettius; one the cook - Porcius; one a doctor - Ennius; and one a sort of secretary - Curius. The rest were housed in apartments owned and paid for by Lucius from whence they commuted each morning.

Despite the late hour to which the party had extended, Lucius had risen early and got a head start on the day's work. It was Porcius' son who entered into Lucius' office to inform him that lunch was nearly prepared. Lucius smiled at the boy and immediately paused his work. He traveled into the triclinium, wondering where his sister and brother were.


Junia Silana