Chapter 162 : Please In My Front Yard
"Why do you think Lucius called you and the other landlords to Nova Troia, my lady?"
"The answer is simple."
Terentia replied, reclining comfortably in her litter.
She held up a single sestertius for her slave to see.
"Money."
"You mean the insurance payouts?"
"What other reason could there be?"
Terentia scoffed and let out a long yawn. As the wife of the former consul Cicero, she was no stranger to the workings of Roman politics.
"This fire broke out right in the middle of the massive development project at Nova Troia. He must be struggling to find the money for such enormous insurance payouts. And Crassus has a share in the insurance business too."
While she didn’t know the exact terms of the contract between Caesar and Crassus, Rome’s wealthiest man would never let an opportunity like this pass him by.
"If there were no problem with the payouts, there would be no reason to summon the landlords of the Subura like this."
Terentia looked around. Everyone crossing the bridge alongside her was a prominent property owner in Rome.
In Rome, land was one of the most important forms of wealth: a scarce resource with a strictly limited supply and ever-growing demand.
Rome’s population continued to grow year after year, naturally driving up land values.
Those who owned that land reaped massive profits.
They didn’t manage their properties directly; they hired agents to collect rent on their behalf.
These agents would hire overseers beneath them, and sometimes tenants would even sublet their rooms to others.
As a result, Roman property was managed through a tangled web of agents, subagents, and tenants.
However, the actual property owners, such as Terentia were relatively few in number.
Every one of them was now heading to Nova Troia, a brand-new district still in the midst of development.
"Then what kind of proposal do you think Lucius will make?"
"He’ll likely ask us to accept the insurance payouts in installments over an extended period and offer interest to compensate for the delay," Terentia replied. That was practically the only viable option Lucius had.
"But why he specifically called us to Nova Troia is beyond me."
With that, she fell into deep thought. If Lucius announced that he would pay the insurance in installments, the landlords would have little choice but to accept.
No one in Rome was foolish enough to openly challenge Lucius—the most popular young man in the Republic and the son of the current consul.
If they wanted to be paid at all, they would have to make some concessions.
"But this would deal quite a blow to Lucius’s reputation as well."
If word spread that Lucius was strapped for coin, landlords would undoubtedly cancel their policies and take their business to rival insurers.
Lucius Caesar wasn’t the only one in the insurance business anymore; rival insurers had sprung up everywhere, each waiting for an opportunity to steal his customers.
"Let’s just hear what Lucius has to say first."
Terentia and numerous other landlords arrived at the place Lucius had named.
What greeted them was not a grand meeting hall but a crowd of laborers hard at work and a single building hidden beneath an enormous sheet of cloth.
"What in the world is this? Where is young Lucius Caesar?"
As the landlords tilted their heads in confusion, Lucius finally appeared.
"Welcome to Nova Troia, everyone."
"Didn’t you say you had matters to discuss with us regarding the insurance payouts?"
A toga-clad man asked Lucius.
"So why drag us all the way out here?"
"Because I have a proposal for you all."
Lucius spread his arms wide. At that moment, the workers released the enormous cloth, and it fell to the ground.
"What... What is that?"
"I have never seen an insula like that before."
Before them stood a five-story insula, but it looked completely different from the standard insulae found throughout Rome.
Typically, insulae were built for one purpose: to squeeze as much coin as possible from their tenants.
Especially in the Subura, which was packed with impoverished plebeians, they were built as tall as possible from the cheapest available materials, all to cram in a few more paying tenants.
But the insula standing before them featured a clean, orderly facade of neatly laid brick and lime mortar.
The windows were arranged symmetrically, each fitted with sturdy wooden shutters to keep out the wind and rain.
"Are those... chimneys?"
"Why would an insula need chimneys?"
"They seem to lead down to the ground floor. There must be a communal kitchen on the ground floor."
While the landlords exchanged awed whispers, Lucius smiled and gestured toward the door.
"Please, step inside. Allow me to introduce you to... the insula of a new Rome."
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I took a deep breath.
It had been a while since I had staged a full-fledged sales presentation like this.
Selling people on products and ideas was something I had done to the point of exhaustion in my past life.
Sometimes I pitched a physical product; at other times, I pitched a project idea or some grand plan.
Well, come to think of it, I had done plenty of pitching in Rome, too.
But this particular kind of presentation was new even for me.
"It will be much easier to understand if you see it with your own eyes rather than merely listening to me explain it," I said as I guided the landlords inside.
The first thing they saw upon entering the insula was a large table covered with miniature models.
It was a meticulously crafted scale model of the Subura, complete with rows of insulae, streets, public buildings, and open squares laid out in careful detail.
"What is all this?"
"They look like miniature models."
"Did you build a model city?"
"Look closer. Isn’t this the Subura?"
"Until now, the Subura has been known primarily for its cramped streets, filthy buildings, and impoverished residents."
I said, nodding in confirmation.
"As a result, land prices and rents have been considerably lower than in other districts of Rome. But what if we could change that?"
"Don’t tell me..."
At my words, the landlords’ gazes snapped back to the model.
"You intend to redevelop the Subura too?"
"Many buildings burned to the ground in the recent fire. It was a terrible tragedy, but it has also given us an opportunity to rebuild the Subura."
I explained.
"As you all know, once Nova Troia is completed, many poorer citizens will move here. Consequently, the value of land in the older districts will drop. If you want to maintain your property values, you are going to need far better buildings than the ones you owned before."
As the landlords exchanged calculating glances, a woman stepped forward.
"But building insulae of this quality will cost significantly more than before."
I immediately recognized her as Terentia, Cicero’s wife.
Come to think of it, Terentia owned a vast amount of real estate in Rome.
One of the main reasons Cicero had married her in the first place was her immense fortune.
Even after marriage, she managed her wealth independently, which often led to friction with her husband.
In the original history I knew, they eventually divorced, but she was known to have lived for many years after Cicero’s death.
"But the insurance payouts we’re receiving are barely enough to put up an ordinary insula. To construct insulae like this, would we not have to pay you a substantial additional sum?"
At her sharp question, the others nodded in agreement.
As expected of Terentia, it was an astute observation.
As she had pointed out, the insurance payouts did not cover the full cost of rebuilding the insulae.
To prevent insurance fraud, the payout limits were intentionally set quite low.
In other words, if the landlords accepted my proposal, they would have to cover the additional cost themselves.
"A sharp observation. However, constructing an insula like the one you are standing in does not cost nearly as much as you might think."
At my gesture, clerks handed prepared cost sheets to the landlords.
"This is..."
"A detailed estimate of the materials and labor costs required for construction."
"These figures are... surprisingly low. Assuming the figures written here are accurate, of course."
Of course it was cheap.
In Rome, most construction was still handled by independent contractors who hired workers and purchased materials separately for each project.
I, on the other hand, had a large standing workforce and long-term contracts to purchase construction materials in bulk.
As a result, I could put up buildings for a fraction of what anyone else would charge.
"So, Caesar... Are you saying that you will build new insulae for us in place of the insurance payouts, then charge us extra on top of that?"
"Every one of you will receive the exact payout stipulated in your contract—and not a single day late."
I shook my head.
"However, how you choose to spend that payout is entirely up to you."
"..."
An awkward silence fell over the room.
It was understandable that they felt flustered after being ambushed by a proposal like this.
It probably felt like a form of subtle extortion—or an exceptionally aggressive sales tactic.
But I was merely making a suggestion.
One so enticing that they would find it almost impossible to refuse.
Above all, I knew something none of them did: the single most effective way to raise land values.
"What is this?"
Terentia asked, pointing to a particular model on the table.
Unlike the other insulae models, this one was a massive, rectangular complex. It was distinctly larger and grander than the rest.
"It’s a hospital."
"A hospital? What is that?"
Terentia asked, raising an eyebrow.
Hmm, how should I phrase this?
"It is the building that will turn the Subura into one of the most desirable districts in Rome."
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What makes a city, a town, or a neighborhood a good place to live?
There were many factors, but the four most important were transportation, education, health care, and entertainment.
And until now, the Subura had none of these—except for entertainment.
And since most of its entertainment involved cheap brothels, that pretty much said it all.
To the Romans of this era, this wasn’t particularly strange.
Unlike the meticulously planned cities of Greece or Egypt, Rome was an organic, chaotic mess that just happened to grow into a metropolis.
But I had both the power and the will to change that.
"Regardless of whether you accept my construction proposal, I plan to build a new kind of facility in the Subura—a ’hospital.’ I will invite the finest physicians from Rome, throughout Italy, and across the provinces to treat patients there."
"Renowned physicians from throughout Italy and the provinces..."
The landlords began to whisper among themselves again.
"I’ve never heard of a facility like that. Is he serious?"
"If something like that is actually built, property values will soar. Wouldn’t everyone want to live near it?"
"And that’s not all. This here is a school."
"A school... Do you mean your technical school?"
"My existing technical school will be relocated to Nova Troia."
I shook my head.
"This new school in the Subura will be a school where children learn to read and write, along with other essential practical skills. The tuition will be kept low enough that even plebeian families can afford it."
"A specialized facility for basic education... I’ve never heard of such a thing either."
"So it would be something like an academy open to the public?"
I noticed the atmosphere in the room slowly beginning to shift.
Right, there was no one quicker on the uptake than property owners.
It was the exact same in the 21st century.
Everyone vehemently opposed landfills and graveyards near their homes, yet welcomed prestigious schools and train stations with open arms because those facilities sent property values soaring.
NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) and PIMFY (Please In My Front Yard).
The urge to keep undesirable facilities away while drawing desirable ones closer was truly universal.
"Of course, for me to construct all these facilities..."
"You would need the necessary funds," Terentia cut in.
She crossed her arms, looking at me with deep amusement.
"And to provide those funds, we would have to return our insurance payouts to you, add some money of our own, and commission you to construct the buildings."
"As I said earlier, the choice is entirely yours."
I replied with a warm smile. The choice before them was painfully simple.
Take the payout and put up the same cheap, fire-prone insulae as before, or invest together in rebuilding the Subura and increase the value of all their properties.
In the end, money would make the decision for them.
"I will speak with the other landlords myself. We will need time to discuss the proposal before reaching a decision," Terentia said.
"May we give you our answer after we’ve had time to discuss it?"
"Of course."
I nodded. Only then did I wonder why Terentia had come alone instead of bringing Cicero.
Well, Cicero was apparently working harder than ever to preserve his image as a man indifferent to worldly wealth...
He probably wouldn’t want to be seen attending such an openly commercial gathering.
In any case, Terentia was the one who actually managed their property holdings.
"However, Caesar, you’ve missed one crucial thing."
Terentia said, leaning closer to the model.
"Missed something? What do you mean?"
Affordable yet high-quality apartment complexes, a hospital, and a school.
What else could there possibly be to add?
"You’ve forgotten the single most important building for the citizens of Rome."
Terentia shrugged.
"Where are the public baths?"
"Ah... I did forget about that."
Damn it. I completely forgot the Romans’ favorite pastime.
Public baths were the ultimate places of relaxation, where Romans could soak away the day’s exhaustion in hot water and where patricians and plebeians alike sat naked together, exchanging gossip.
"You needn’t worry about that. I shall build the grandest and most beautiful public baths in all of Rome."
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"Normally, when someone falls into deep water, they struggle desperately to climb back out, don’t they?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"I mean Caesar is the type of person who would just drink all the water and calmly walk out."
Felix said with a heavy sigh.
Faced with an enormous insurance deficit caused by the great fire, Lucius had not panicked.
Instead, Lucius had turned the crisis around and persuaded the landlords to invest even more money in the Subura.
Of course, this was only supplementary funding, and Caesar still had to invest a substantial amount of his own wealth, but the plan would still cut their losses considerably.
He was plugging an insurance deficit with a massive urban redevelopment project.
"Drinking all the water he fell into... That describes him perfectly, Felix."
Babu replied with an admiring chuckle.
"But suddenly adding a massive public bathhouse to the plans? That is going to cost quite a lot of coin."
"..."
Felix stroked his chin for a moment before speaking.
"Do we really have to build that with our own money, though?"
"What do you mean?"
"Public bathhouses attract more visitors than almost any other place in Rome."
"Are you suggesting... that we display advertisements in the baths?"
"Yes, but advertisements would only be the beginning. A bathhouse has spacious halls and draws crowds throughout the day. What if we allowed merchants to set up shop and sell goods inside..."
Felix muttered, his eyes lighting up as a new idea occurred to him.
"If we handle this properly, we might be able to build the grandest bathhouse in Rome without spending a single coin of our own money."
"Sometimes I feel like you are becoming more like Caesar every day."
"Well, I do learn by watching him up close."
Felix let out a long sigh.
He sat down at his desk, picked up a quill, and added,
"We have to help Caesar however we can, don’t we? Let’s come up with some ideas. We do not have to limit ourselves to selling goods; we could hire poets or musicians and turn it into a true center of leisure. We could display paintings, sculptures, and other works of art as well."
"A place where anyone, rich or poor, could spend an enjoyable day at little cost. I’ve never heard of anything like this in Greece, Egypt, or even in the East."
"Then Rome will be the first."
And just like that, the plans for Rome’s first all-purpose leisure complex—a bathhouse, shopping arcade, and cultural center all in one—began to take shape.