Roman Politics Roman Politics ((an introductionan introduction))

Throughout the History of Rome, politics had been a constant struggle between the power of the Senate (Patricians) and the Assemblies( plebeians). This was known as the Struggle of the Orders. The final century BC saw the dismantling of Senatorial power

Roman SocietyRoman Society

Government: The Senate (debates issues and puts forward proposals for laws (leges)The Assemblies (votes on the senate’s proposals and passes laws but doesn’t have the ability to make laws)

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The People:

The nobility (Patricians)

The Knights (Equites)

The people (Plebians)

non citizens & slaves

Artists view of Senate proceedingsArtists view of Senate proceedings

Roman GovernmentCONSULS (2): chief civil and military magistrates; invested with imperiumPRAETORS (2-8): administered civil law at Rome. AEDILES (2): In charge of religious festivals, public games, temples, upkeep of city, regulation of marketplaces, grain supply. QUAESTORS (12-20): financial officers and administrative assistants (civil and military); in charge of state treasury at Rome; in field, served as quartermasters and seconds- in-command. TRIBUNES (10): charged with protection of lives and property of plebians; had power of veto (Lat. "I forbid") over elections, laws, decrees of the senate, and the acts of all other magistrates (except dictator); CENSORS (2): elected every 5 years to conduct census, enroll new citizens, review roll of senate (ex- consuls only) -- enormous prestige and influence (auctoritas).

The EquitesThe Equites As the previous diagram showed the equites As the previous diagram showed the equites

(knights) did not have a place in the workings of (knights) did not have a place in the workings of government but the distinction between the government but the distinction between the Patricians Patricians and the and the Equites Equites is not always is not always apparent from historical events and needs to be apparent from historical events and needs to be clarified.clarified. Some patricians represented the interests of the Some patricians represented the interests of the

equites while some equites were happy to maintain equites while some equites were happy to maintain the status quo.the status quo.

The equites were essentially the financiers of The equites were essentially the financiers of the empire.the empire.

They organised the collection of taxes and acted They organised the collection of taxes and acted as bankers to the empire.as bankers to the empire.

This sort of work was beneath the senatorial This sort of work was beneath the senatorial classes who gained their wealth from the classes who gained their wealth from the ownership of land and so the two classes ownership of land and so the two classes worked in tandem. The senators running worked in tandem. The senators running government and controlling the land and the government and controlling the land and the equites controlling the commercial side of equites controlling the commercial side of things.things.

The was The was movementmovement between the classes but between the classes but it was very difficult for someone from the it was very difficult for someone from the equestrian class to become a senator.equestrian class to become a senator.

Those who held the rank of senator were very Those who held the rank of senator were very protective of their position of protective of their position of privilegeprivilege and and rarely extended their rank beyond those rarely extended their rank beyond those whose family were already senatorial.whose family were already senatorial.

As with most things the equites interests were As with most things the equites interests were represented by senators such as M represented by senators such as M Crassus Crassus and Julius Caesarand Julius Caesar (in exchange for financial (in exchange for financial backing and political support in elections).backing and political support in elections).

A political careerA political career A man of senatorial rank would start their career A man of senatorial rank would start their career

early, possibly working in the law courts or for one early, possibly working in the law courts or for one of the city administrators.of the city administrators.

They would then go to the provinces and hold a They would then go to the provinces and hold a very minor command.very minor command.

Military and political careers went hand in hand. Glory Military and political careers went hand in hand. Glory and prestige on the field of battle were essential and prestige on the field of battle were essential qualities in a Roman politician.qualities in a Roman politician.

Upon returning to Rome they would stand for Upon returning to Rome they would stand for election to one of the smaller administrative posts election to one of the smaller administrative posts such as Aedile.such as Aedile.

After which it would be back to the provinces but After which it would be back to the provinces but this time one could expect to hold a more this time one could expect to hold a more influential post in command of a sizeable force.influential post in command of a sizeable force.

The career would continued to jump between The career would continued to jump between Rome and the provinces with each successive Rome and the provinces with each successive step requiring greater influence, prestige and step requiring greater influence, prestige and ability and as such offered much stiffer ability and as such offered much stiffer competition until one reached the consulship competition until one reached the consulship and then went onto become a governor in the and then went onto become a governor in the provinces.provinces.

All the time behind this was the idea that the All the time behind this was the idea that the senate itself controlled who got what post and senate itself controlled who got what post and when. By doing so they made sure that they when. By doing so they made sure that they all had an equal chance of holding posts and all had an equal chance of holding posts and exploiting the system while also controlling exploiting the system while also controlling anyone who got too powerful.anyone who got too powerful.

ElectionsElections It is important to know how Roman politics It is important to know how Roman politics

worked if we are to fully understand the worked if we are to fully understand the driving force behind many of the actions driving force behind many of the actions taken by politicians during this period.taken by politicians during this period.

.. PowerPower and and WealthWealth were the two driving were the two driving

forces behind any politicians career. There forces behind any politicians career. There was no sense that government was for the was no sense that government was for the interests of the people or that there was a interests of the people or that there was a moral obligation to run government in the moral obligation to run government in the interests of the people.interests of the people.

One of the more peculiar aspects of the Roman society was the relationship One of the more peculiar aspects of the Roman society was the relationship between a client (between a client (clientelaclientela) and his patron () and his patron (patronuspatronus). This was a complex ). This was a complex system of interdependency by which system of interdependency by which a wealthy patron gave to his less a wealthy patron gave to his less fortunate clients one or more of the followingfortunate clients one or more of the following::  

legal counsel, legal aid legal counsel, legal aid their sportula (a regular monetary handout, "the dole") their sportula (a regular monetary handout, "the dole") free meals in their homes free meals in their homes other gifts and/or resources (land, livestock, right to grow crops on their land)other gifts and/or resources (land, livestock, right to grow crops on their land)

    andand the client reciprocated by providing to the patron the client reciprocated by providing to the patron::

   respect respect political support political support an escort if their patrons wished to walk around the city or go on a journey. an escort if their patrons wished to walk around the city or go on a journey. financial support financial support other servicesother services

SENATORS

wealthy CITIZENSMerchants

EQUITES

Tax collectors, merchants, traders (not just citizens)

Middle class CITIZENSShop keepers

Lower class CITIZENSTradesmen

THE CLIENT PATRON SYSTEM

The higher up the scale one was the more clients The higher up the scale one was the more clients you had to look after. Equally you could control you had to look after. Equally you could control the clients of your clients and their client also etc.the clients of your clients and their client also etc.

Consequently a senator who wanted to win an Consequently a senator who wanted to win an election would ask his clients to vote for him. election would ask his clients to vote for him. They in return would ask their clients to vote for They in return would ask their clients to vote for the patron and so on down the line.the patron and so on down the line.

This way a senator could count on thousands of This way a senator could count on thousands of votes while only having direct contact with a votes while only having direct contact with a manageable number of clients.manageable number of clients.

But the expectations of patrons were matched by But the expectations of patrons were matched by the expectations of their clients and to ensure a the expectations of their clients and to ensure a loyal client base patrons would distribute their loyal client base patrons would distribute their wealth freely. wealth freely.

The SalutatioThe SalutatioCalling HourCalling Hour

Each morning, at daybreak, the patron's house Each morning, at daybreak, the patron's house would be opened for would be opened for salutatio, salutatio, when the patron when the patron would hold court in the atrium of his house. would hold court in the atrium of his house. During this time unofficial business would be During this time unofficial business would be conducted, favors requested, political support conducted, favors requested, political support lined up for votes on important issues, and each lined up for votes on important issues, and each client would receive his client would receive his sportulasportula(a regular (a regular monetary handout). monetary handout).

Once the relationship was established it was Once the relationship was established it was maintained over generationsmaintained over generations

Consequently although the financial system was Consequently although the financial system was inherently unequal the client-patron system inherently unequal the client-patron system ensured that a significant amount of the empire ensured that a significant amount of the empire wealth that went into the hands of the privileged wealth that went into the hands of the privileged few managed to find its ways down through the few managed to find its ways down through the system, especially at election time (which, for system, especially at election time (which, for many posts, was an annual affair).many posts, was an annual affair).

And it wasn’t just at election time that the client-And it wasn’t just at election time that the client-patron system worked. When the assemblies patron system worked. When the assemblies voted on laws they had to be cajoled into voting voted on laws they had to be cajoled into voting for the laws put forward by the senators.for the laws put forward by the senators.

Not forgetting that these laws would always enact Not forgetting that these laws would always enact measures that favoured the senatorial classes.measures that favoured the senatorial classes.

For the people to vote for these laws there had to For the people to vote for these laws there had to be something in it for the people.be something in it for the people.

Roman ValuesRoman Valuesknow what these are and use know what these are and use

themthem Mos MaiorumMos Maiorum GratiaGratia

AmicitaeAmicitae NobilitasNobilitas DignitasDignitas GravitasGravitas FidesFides PietasPietas Find the meanings of Find the meanings of

these terms.these terms.

READ ROMAN PATHS TO POWER.There will be a test on it next week