Download Latifundia: Large farms owned by senators How did such a

Senatus Populesque
Romanum
The Senate and People of Rome
Consuls
Senate
Assembly
“
Whenever one of these three
elements swells in importance….it
becomes apparent none of them is
completely independent, but that the
designs of anyone can be blocked or
impeded by the rest”
Polybius
Problems facing Rome in
80BC
Latifundia: Large farms owned by senators
How did such a innocuous institution cause so much trouble?
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As Rome expanded the newly acquired land was divided among the
citizen population. The ownership of land qualified the citizen body to
fight in the armies.
Consequently the Roman army consisted of a citizen body of small
holders who fought to defend their landed interests and in doing could
gain more land or wealth through the spoils of war.
One of the main spoils of war came out of the selling of the conquered
population into slavery. In the 2nd century BC over 250,000 slaves
flooded into the slave markets of Rome. This had a dramatic effect on
Roman society!
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The distribution of wealth among the classes wasn’t equal.
 99% of the wealth of the Roman Empire was in the hands of
1% of the citizen population.
Consequently as the empire expanded rapidly in the 2nd century
BC so to did the wealth of the governing classes.
As their was a massive influx of slaves the logical step was to
invest their new wealth in land.
This was made all the more possible as they could run their
farms with newly purchased slaves.
Yet much of Italy had already been in the hands of citizens for a
long time and there was not as much land available in the
provinces as one might think, nor was it that attractive.
 Most of it was already in the hands of the provincials.
 Estates were matters of prestige and consequently senators
wanted their estate relatively close to Rome.
Expansion of the Empire
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Consequently the senators wanted to buy up land in Italy but it
was already owned by the citizen population.
How did they overcome this problem?
As has already been pointed out the ownership of land qualified
the citizens to fight in the army. This wasn’t a problem when
most wars were fought in Italy.
The empire had expanded now and many soldiers were away
from their farmsteads for long periods. When they returned
they often returned to run down and unprofitable farms.
Consequently when wealthy senators came along and offered
them money for their land they often jumped at the chance to
acquire some money and travel to Rome to set up business in
the capital of the growing empire.
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Unfortunately everyone had the same idea and this soon
led to some very important repercussions:
Increased bribery
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Rome was filled with citizens from the countryside and simply
couldn’t provide work for them all and consequently there came
into being a large group of unemployed citizens who became
increasingly dependent on their patrons. This increased the
ability of the senatorial class to bribe their way into power and
push through increasingly corrupt measures that lined their own
pockets.
The rise of importance of military commanders
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Unfortunately the army suffered as those farmers who once
fought in the armies no longer qualified. This problem had been
addressed, however, by a man called Marius.
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Marius introduced a law at the end of the 2nd century
which enabled citizens without land to fight in the
armies and that they would earn their keep from the
spoils of war.
This meant that a victorious army would be a rich
one. soldiers who became rich had their commander
to thank for it something that the commander would
be quick to remind them of come election time.
It was consequently very easy for an individual who
could not convince the other senators of his abilities
to gain political power through military victories in
the provinces which attacked the idea of peace with
honour that the senate was based upon.
1
The empire expands
2
Wealth and Slaves
flood into Rome
5
The unemployed mob cause
increased corruption
& military commanders
become too influential as the army
becomes dependent on
the spoils of war
3
Senators buy up vast properties
4
Smallholders move
to Rome to try
and find work
Optimates & populares
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A damaging consequence of an increased availability
of wealth and power was increased competition.
As competition grew so did the number of senators
that found themselves on the sidelines. In the race
for positions of power many young senators
borrowed vast sums of money on the basis that they
would recoup it all when in office.
When they failed to get into office they found
themselves financially ruined.
To avoid this situation some senators began to look
for other ways to get themselves positions of power.
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If there path to power through the senate was blocked
then there was only one other alternative.
If there path to power
through the senate was
blocked then there was only
one other alternative.
The tribunate, while not as
prestigious
as
the
consulship still afforded the
opportunity to pass laws
and propose appointments,
especially
to
military
commands.
Those who took this route
became
known
as
populares.
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It is important that the term populares is not
confused with our modern term popular especially
when we remember that the tribunate was the office
that represented the people.
The populares were just as self absorbed as the rest
of the senate, they got their name purely because of
their method of gaining power and influence, not
because the nature of their policies was in anyway
democratic.
Those senators who remained loyal to the traditions
of the senate called themselves optimates (“the
best”) and rigidly opposed the populares politicians in
their endeavours.
Again it was not so much that they opposed the
policies but feared for their own positions of power if
they allowed individuals to gain power through the
tribunate and thus avoiding the need of support
within the senate.