Roman Hist - University of Florida



Roman Hist. Lec. # 3 SPQR (=Senatus Populus Que Romanum)

I. SOCIAL BACKGROUND:

A.. CLASS STRUCTURE:

1. Patricians (based on birth)

*(nobiles)=ruling class;

1) orig. =30 ruling patrician clans (gens)

2) example & name system: gens Julii, Gaius Julius Caesar

praenomen (personal)= Gaius; nomen(clan)= Julius; cognomen(family)= Caesar

2. Plebeians--non-nobiles, free, gen. poorer than patricians, some landless (tenant farmers)

3. patron/client system: patricians were patrons of their social, econ. inferiors--e.g., extended family, plebeians, slaves.

II POLITICAL BACKGROUND:

A. EARLY REPUBLIC POLITICS:

1.Fall of Etruscan dynasty at Rome 510/09 B.C.-Tarquin the Proud kicked out. Powers of King went to Senate. Solidified by patronage (client ) system 2. Rome (an Etruscan city), head of Etruscan League.

3. Latin League worries? )

4. polit. divisions: Rome 4 prts. 4 votes; ; Rural areas had 30 votes **After conflict of orders--the tribunes wanted to be nobiles . ruling class co-opted them

B. REPUBLIC ESTABLISHED: 509 B.C.--VARYING VIEWS (475 B.C.-PROB. 509)

*** idea of "collegiate authority" = really an oligarchy -rule by wealthiest, & mst pwrful

III. REPUBLIC GOV’T SYSTEM: (see HANDOUT)

A. 2 Consuls--(elected annually from Senate, by the assembled centuries of the hoplite army )

Executive branch-replaced old Kingship- -had imperium = power (got from Senate) ex-Consuls--went to Senate for life.

Duties: 1. presided at meetings of Senate and the Centuriate Assembly

2. officiated at rituals to determine favorable omens.--cld decide days ok for doing business

3. commanded armies of the Republic. Outside the city of Rome, consuls had supreme military authority (imperium) + pwr of life/death over citizen soldiers.

4. In times of emergency--consuls cld appoint a dictator w/imperium--Dictator's orders superceded normal govt., but tenure lilmited to 6 mos..

B. Senate-- (300)-patres conscripti = enrolled fathers--early on was patrician families (heads)-=ruling class;. determined by birth;

30 each from 10 curiae of 3 orig. Tribes.

*Nobiles--holding consulships--. one way to make your family a known family

C. Curiate Assembly-all citizens (based on curia) (wealthiest have mst pwr)

orig. 3 tribes(Etruscan names) subdivided into 10 curiae (wards)--ea. ward = a # of clans/family groups **Bec. of patrona/client system, patricians/nobiles ran Curiate asembly

IV. Conflict of the Orders: 494-287 B.C. Why? How?

• Plebeian debt slavery imp problem--due to econ. decline after expulsion of Kings.

• began--per. rt. after expulsion of Kings. plebs w/drew seceded from military service-plebs very unhappy--went to Aventine Hill ( poss. Grk influences of democracy)

* moderation on both sides; apparently a Plebeian victory across the board.

Sig.: *Ruling class changed, but stil based on wealth.--. rich plebeians gained most. bec. they eventually cld get consulships & become nobiles.

*Nobiles--holding consulships--. one way to make your family a known family

A. 1st Secession: 494 B.C. 1) Tribune Assembly began forming; (illegal assoc.--gradually became legal)

2 Tribunes (orig.) later >10 Tribunes--elected by Trib. assembly, sacrosanct.

*passed plebiscita when meeting as consilium plebis

B. 451 B.C.: 12 Tables written down--codified by the decemviri, headed by Applius Claudius; extraordinary committee of patricians , used emergency pwrs to codify laws

*1st written down Law: --only known thru fragments; but Rom. schoolboys had to memorize it.

--gives 'feeling of severity of Roman law'

Examples: 1. Creditors: could imprison debtors --after 30 days' default. Then, if debt not paid w/in 60 days, debtor cld be killed or sold.

*some attempt was made to protct ppl from financial exploitation-

-ex.--interest payments -no more than 12% (prob. computed annually)

2. Parental authority (pater familia)--full support of the law. Any father cld sell his son 3 times,

but after 3rd time, father gave up legal right to raise money w/his children.

3. Personal injuries: the lex talionis --prevailed unless the injured party agreed to compensation.

4. Property--well protected. a) arsonists--burned alive;

b) negligent property destruction--penalty: perpetrator compensated victim.

5 Laws against wastefulness; extravagance--eg., funerals--expenses limited to 3 viels, one small purple tunic, 10 flute players..

6. Major safeguards for citizens: (2)---

1. No Roman citizen cld be executed w/out a trial

2. Major sentences--right of appeal to the Centuriate Assembly

3.

C. 445B.C.E.: Centuriate Assembly formed (army assembly) date ??--prob. earlier Rep = hoplite/phalanx army in Assembly, but its actions were subject to consent of the Senate.

D. 2nd secession: 449 B.C. Centuriate Assembly--all male citizens, by centuries (100s)--classified men by wealth/property, a military muster evolved into a regular assembly **imp. change: based on property, not birth

Rights:--l)choose ppl to lead them; 2) chose pple to classify 3) rt. to vote/make War

***all these rts. taken away from the Curiate Assembly.--

Other rights.: l) elected consuls, praetors, censors, declared war,made peace, tried cases of appeal for capital crimes.

Significance of Earlier Secessions: Plebs got:

1.445 B.C.-plebeians got rt. to marry patricians (lex Canuleia)

2. 367 B.C. " " to hold Consulship--one consul must be plebeian

3. 300 B.C. " some rts. to priesthoods

E. 3rd secession 287 B.C. Tribune assembly votes-binding on all Romans.

(Lex Hortensia)-(*-made Rome a limited democracy)

Cursus honorum: ranks of offices--recognized; other imp officials see-handouts

Other imp. officials:

l. (430 B.C.) Dictator--a 6 mos. emergency office, vast power

(imperium)to rule

2. (ca. 443 B.C.) Censor (2)-(elected-every 5 years by the centuries, for 18 mo.terms) -became reserved for distinguished ex-consuls.

Duties: -a. conducted census, b. classified citizens

c. drew up citizenship, Senate rolls.; cld expell Senators; let govt.

contracts. (became powerful in 4th cent. B.C.)

3. Quaestor-(2 orig., later 8)--financial officials for Consul, army--elected

annually by Tribune Assembly)

Duties: 4 quaestors investigated major

crimes & disbursed public funds; on campaigns, more quaestors

accompanied the armies as paymasters.

4. (325 B.C.) Proconsuls- could extend Consulship if in military campaign

5. (339 B.C.or 342?) Praetor--242 BC 2nd praetor addeda Consular deputy,

elect.annually by Centuriate Assem.,Senate . ok.

Duties: --respons. for law/order/justice admin. w/in city of Rome; also had imperium & cld command armies & entered Senate after therir year in office

6. Aedile- administrator-lower level (reorganized by Trib. Assem. 366 B.C.)--

elected annually by Tribal (Tribune) Assembly.

2 plebeian aediles & 2 patrician aediles supervised food & water supplies, the market place, weights & measures, & road maintenance.

l80 B.C. --hierarchy of administrative, official posts set up =cursus honorum

(idea of going up through ranks of elected offices to Consul, Censor)

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