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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 In times of emergency--consuls cld appoint a dictator w/imperium--Dictator's orders superceded normal govt., but tenure lilmited to 6 mos..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: compensation. the lex talionis --prevailed unless the injured party agreed to 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)