Proculus Julius was the tribunus celerum of Rome at the time of Romulus‘s death. He witnessed a divine visit from Romulus after the king’s death that confirmed Romulus’s ascension to godhood. Unfortunately, the Senate didn’t trust Proculus Julius to be loyal, so they forcibly retired him and the 300 Celeres that served under him. Proculus Julius and the Celeres abandoned Rome and journeyed westward. They continued west around the dark side of the world and eventually settled Mars’ Oasis.
Proculus Julius was the second tribunus celerum of Rome. He held command over Rome’s elite royal guard, the Celeres, who protected Romulus in battle and within the city. As the tribunus celerum Proculus Julius was Romulus’s most trusted man in all of Rome. Upon Romulus’s death, he appeared before Proculus Julius and told him that Rome was destined to be the greatest city on earth. This message calmed the people of Rome after the rough transition out of Romulus’s war-focused leadership.
The Roman Senate selected Numa Pompilius as Romulus’s successor. Numa enacted a series of reforms to make Rome a more pious and peaceful city. His first act was to discharge the Celeres and Proculus Julius out of a fear that they loved war as much as the previous king. The Celeres left Rome in anger, heading northward out of Italy.
The Celeres traveled westward after leaving Italy. They reached the garden of the Hesperides. The nymphs of the garden prophesied that the Roman cavalry should continue heading west to gain glory. Proculus Julius led the Celeres aboard six ships and sailed into the Atlantic. A ship was lost in the ocean storms before the group reached Atlantis. The Celeres dined with Oceanus and Tethys. Unfortunately, the Titan couple’s hospitality was violated when the Celeres slept with the Oceanid daughters of Oceanus and Tethys. The Romans fled to their ships with their Oceanid lovers. The men and nymphs sailed westward towards the edge of the world.
The Celeres’ fleet reached the edge of the world. They beached their ships and trekked out over the edge. They found that the side of the world was as easy to walk on as the top. Proculus led his people down the side, going further west as the Hesperides instructed. Along the way they encountered fiendish monsters that the soldiers slew. They reached the bottom of the world and then continued “west” towards the eastern edge of the surface. As they traveled, they fought monsters every step of the way, slaying the beasts and claiming treasures from their corpses.
While on the dark side of the world the Celeres encountered Remus. He instructed them to continue their journey until they saw six vultures just as Remus had before his deadly conflict with Romulus. At that site they should found their city. Proculus Julius thanked Remus and the Celeres continued on their way.
The Celeres reached the eastern edge of the world after ten years on the dark side of the world. Only half their number survived the journey. Fortunately, no monsters bothered them as they went up the side of the world. After another year of travel, they spotted the eastern shore of the Pacific Ocean. Without a boat they prayed to Mars for salvation. In response a wind picked up pushing the soldiers to the south. In a few miles they found a small forest. They built boats for their sea journey with the aid of the Oceanides.
Proculus Julius led his people west across the sea to dry land. They continued to travel west, scanning the sky for the vultures that Remus had prophesized. Proculus Julius spotted six vultures at an oasis on the northwestern corner of the Shacklack Desert. The Celeres and Oceanides celebrated for their long journey was finally over. The Oceanides consecrated the ground at the oasis. Those whose husbands had died joined hands and danced around the place of the vulture sighting. As they danced the 125 nymphs turned to water. They flowed into a newly formed pool of amber liquid, creating the Dythalid Pool. After eighteen years of traveling the remaining men and nymphs declared Proculus Julius the king of their new town, Mars’ Oasis
Proculus Julius ruled fair and justly over Mars’ Oasis for the remainder of his days. When he died the crown passed to his son and has stayed in his family ever since.
Proculus Julius was a real figure in the myth surrounding the death of Romulus. His divine visitation from Romulus made it so the common people of Rome didn’t suspect the Senate of assassinating Romulus. Proculus Julius disappears from the Roman narrative after the Senate fired him. His travel around the dark side of the world is my invention.
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