* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Download Roman Hist
Roman agriculture wikipedia , lookup
Roman historiography wikipedia , lookup
Roman army of the late Republic wikipedia , lookup
Culture of ancient Rome wikipedia , lookup
Leges regiae wikipedia , lookup
Roman Senate wikipedia , lookup
Roman tribe wikipedia , lookup
Roman consul wikipedia , lookup
Constitution of the Roman Empire wikipedia , lookup
Promagistrate wikipedia , lookup
Constitutional reforms of Augustus wikipedia , lookup
Roman Kingdom wikipedia , lookup
Senatus consultum ultimum wikipedia , lookup
Early Roman army wikipedia , lookup
Constitutional reforms of Sulla wikipedia , lookup
Conflict of the Orders wikipedia , lookup
History of the Constitution of the Roman Republic wikipedia , lookup
Executive magistrates of the Roman Republic wikipedia , lookup
Centuriate Assembly wikipedia , lookup
History of the Roman Constitution wikipedia , lookup
Legislative assemblies of the Roman Republic wikipedia , lookup
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 most power) orig. 3 tribes(Etruscan names) subdivided into 10 curiae (wards)-ea. ward = a # of clans/family groups **Because of patron/client system, patricians/nobiles ran Curiate Assembly IV. Conflict of the Orders: 494-287 B.C. Why? How? Plebeian debt slavery big problem--due to economic decline after expulsion of Kings. began—in period right after expulsion of Kings. plebs w/drew-- seceded from military service-plebs very unhappy--went to Aventine Hill ( possible Greek influences of democracy) * moderation on both sides; apparently a Plebeian victory across the board. Sig.: *Ruling class changed, but still 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.iation--gradually became legal) Two Tribunes (orig.) later >10 Tribunes--elected by Tribune Assembly, sacrosanct. *passed plebiscita when meeting as consilium plebis B. 451 B.C.: 12 Tables written down--codified by the decemviri, headed by Appius Claudius; extraordinary committee of patricians, used emergency powers to codify laws *1st written down Law: --only known through fragments; but Roman 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: agreed to compensation. the lex talionis --prevailed unless the injured party 4. Property--well protected. a) arsonists--burned alive; b) negligent property destruction--penalty: perpetrator compensated victim. 5. Laws against wastefulness; extravagance—e.g., funerals--expenses limited to 3 veils, 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 C. 445B.C.E.: Centuriate Assembly formed (army in assembly) date ??--probably 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 **important change: based on property, not birth Rights:--l) choose people to lead them; 2) chose people to classify 3) right to vote/make War ***all these right s taken away from the Curiate Assembly.-Other rights.: l) elected consuls, praetors, censors; 2) declared war; 3) made peace; 4) tried cases of appeal for capital crimes. Significance of Earlier Secessions: Plebs got: 1.445 B.C.-plebeians got right to marry patricians (lex Canuleia) 2. 367 B.C. " " to hold Consulship--one consul must be plebeian 3. 300 B.C. " some rights 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 important officials Other important officials: l. (430 B.C.) Dictator--a 6 months ‘ emergency office’ , vast power (imperium)to rule 2. (ca. 443 B.C.) Censor (2)-(elected-every 5 years by the centuries, for 18 month terms) -became reserved for distinguished ex-consuls. Duties: -a. conducted census, b. classified citizens c. drew up citizenship, Senate rolls.; d. could expel Senators; e. let government 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 a.investigated major crimes b disbursed public funds; c. 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 added--a Consular deputy, Elected annually by Centuriate Assembly; Senate had to approve. Duties: a.responsible for law/order/justice admin. w/in city of Rome; b. had imperium & could command armies c. entered Senate after their third year in office 6. Aedile- administrator-lower level (reorganized by Tribune Assembly 366 B.C.)-elected annually by Tribal (Tribune) Assembly. 2 plebeian aediles & 2 patrician aediles Duties: 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)