Roman History II: Foundations of Republican Rome Culture Lesson for 1st and 2nd Year Latin

Republic Vs. Monarchy Roman Monarchy One leader Usually elected or declared by the people Advised by Senate, but retained supreme power Retained office for life Roman Republic Two leaders and multiple lesser officers Elected by the people via comitiae Senate has greater role in checking administration Held power for limited time (6 months to a year)

Cursus Honorum (The Track of Offices) Quaestor Lowest office on the official track In charge of funds and treasury Could be assigned to a military unit, a province, or to Rome Minimum age between 27 and 30 years old Upon completing duties, became a member of the Senate Aedile Not officially part of Cursus, but considered a good stop for ambitious people In charge of public works, entertainment, grain supply, and bureaucracy Four: two plebeian, two curule (patricians with special chairs)

Cursus Honorum (The Track of Offices) Praetor Original title of consul Retained imperium (military authority) Mainly involved as judges in the courts Usually had to be 40 or so to be elected; up to 8 elected each year When year was finished, would get a province and govern as a propraetor Consul Highest elected authority In charge of military affairs, had imperium Chaired Senate meetings Minimum age between 36 and 42 years old Always two for sake of balance When finished, became proconsul of a province

Honores Non In Cursu Tribunus Plebis Censor Tribune of the People 10 in number Had the power of veto (intercessio) over all governmental acts Person was sacrosanct (could not be harmed under penalty of death) Later, became senators after their term of office Censor Elected two at a time every 5 years for a period of 18 months Ran a census of people and land, determined approximate wealth of Romans and what their economic status was In charge of public morality and the rolls of the Senate.

Honores Non In Cursu Dictator Emergency office appointed in times of great need Filled by one person for a period of 6 months, at which time the Senate can renew powers for another 6 months if necessary Supreme authority to do as needed, usually in the capacity of military or public safety Assisted by a Magister Equitum, Master of the Knights, as a second-in-command.

Lictores Attendants of the higher magistrates Carried the fasces, bundle of rods surrounding an axe Consuls had 12 lictors, dictators had 24 Praetors had 6, but only when out of Rome on military affairs

Senatus Romanus Tradition holds the Senate formed under Romulus; meant to be a council of wise older men (from senex, old man). Like magistrates, originally restricted to patrician aristocracy; later opened up to plebeians and equites (middle class). Did not actually pass laws, but advanced them to the comitiae, adding or leaving off their approval of the measure.

Senatus Romanus Number of members increased from 100 in the beginning to 300 by the time of I. Caesar. Could only enter after having held a magistracy; usually entered after quaestorship or tribunate. Lifetime membership Seats often staid within families, perpetuating the division of privileged and underprivileged

Comitiae Comitia Centuriata Comitia Tributa Made up of 373 centuries, each based on age and property value of male citizens; military in origin Decided issues of war and peace Elected consuls, praetors, and curule aediles Could be appealed to in death penalty cases Comitia Tributa Divided by the 35 original tribes of Romans Elected quaestors Main body for passing legislation brought forth by consuls, praetors, and tribunes from Senate Could be appealed to in cases not involving capital punishment

Concilium Plebis Representative body of plebeians Elected plebeian aediles and tribunes Lex Hortensia of 287 B.C. allowed body to pass laws called plebiscita that were binding on all citizens Traditionally, would clear through Senate first Later, tribunes bypassed Senate and went directly to the people

Politics and Status Romans divided into two (later three) classes: Patres (patricians, upper class): old ancestry, old wealth. Controlled government and religion until 4th century B.C. Plebes (plebeians, lower class): lacked ancestry of patricians, though could be wealthy. Struggled long with the patricians and eventually gained the right to hold offices, marry up, and be versant in (later, be creators of) the law.

Connections to America Usage of names and symbolism (fasces, Senate) Qualifications to vote and hold office (originally, had to be male and own land) Origins in monarchy Comitiae similar to town hall meeting or caucus Checks and Balances People elect magistrates through established channels (electoral college, comitiae) Magistrates, Senate, courts interact and watch each other Citizens have recourses Limited terms, limited power

Legends of Republican Rome Horatius Cocles Tarquinius Superbus returns to Etruria and enlists the aid of King Lars Porsena to retake the city Horatius and his friends, upon hearing of this, decide to break down Rome’s one bridge across the Tiber Horatius fights off entire army alone while friends destroy the bridge, then swims the Tiber to safety through a hail of spears and arrows

Legends of Republican Rome Mucius Scaevola Young Mucius infiltrates Etruscan camp to kill Porsena In the open, attacks who he thinks is Porsena; actually kills Porsena’s secretary Etruscans capture him, threaten him with torture and death. Sticks his right hand into a fire to show Roman strength and determination Set free. Romans named him Scaevola, “Lefty”

Legends of Republican Rome Cloelia Porsena agrees to leave Rome, but demands hostages to take with him to prevent Roman retaliation One hostage, Cloelia, escapes her captors and swims across the Tiber to Rome Romans return her to Porsena, but he is so impressed with her that he allows her to go free anyway. Romans built her an equestrian statue in the Forum

Legends of Republican Rome Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus 458 B.C.: Rome at war with neighbors the Aequi. Aequi had besieged a Roman consul and his army on Mt. Algidus, and the other consul was not deemed able to rescue him Senate declared Cincinnatus dictator. Envoys sent to tell him found him working in his fields. Immediately, he put on his toga and left with the senators to Rome.

Legends of Republican Rome Cincinnatus continued Gathered all able-bodied men together in Rome, told them to bring 5 days’ food and poles to build a palisade Reached the mountain at midnight, surrounded the Aequi, and built their palisade. When sun rose, the surrounded Aequi surrendered. After only a few days as dictator, Cincinnatus returned victorious to Rome, resigned his office, and went back to his farm.

Cincinnatus and Cincinnati Following American Revolution, many former soldiers formed the Society of Cincinnatus, dedicated to the ideals in the story of the dictator One of the members, General Arthur St. Clair, was a governor of the Ohio Territory. Upon his arrival, he found the beginnings of a city, Losantaville. He asked that the city’s name be changed to honor the Roman hero- hence, Cincinnati, city of Cincinnatus. Because of our Roman name, Il Duce Benito Mussolini of Italy gifted the city with a replica of the Capitoline Wolf sculpture in the 1930’s. It resides in Eden Park to this day.