Politics of the Late Republic Key Words

amicitia

“friendship”. the system of alliances established to consolidate and further the success of influential Romans

auctoritas

“authority”. the prestige that a Roman magistrate possessed.

augur

state religious official, charged with reading omens such as the flight or birds

boni

men considered to be ideal statesmen (well-educated, traditional, patriotic, experienced, responsible)

clients

citizens bound to a wealthy patron who supported him in his public interests in exchange for support and resources

cursus honorum

the political ladder of elected magistrates

dignitas

“dignity”. associated with a Roman's accumulated social, religious, and political standing

dominatio

a form of autocracy or despotism

equestrians

the wealthy business class

equestrians' clothing

toga with a narrow purple stripe, gold ring

fasces

a bundle of rods and axes which symbolised the power of magistrates, carried by their attendants

freedman

an ex-slave

hellenisation

Greek culture being absorbed into another society

imperium

the official power invested in a consul which gave him military command of the state

inimicita

“emnity”. the opposite system to amicitia

libertas

the political freedom of citizens

legions

the heavy infantry units of the Roman army

magistrates

elected political officials

types of magistrate

quaestor, aedile, praetor, consul, dictator, censor, tribune of the plebs

manumission

the freeing of a slave

mos maiorum

“customs of the ancestors”. an unwritten code of social values that should be followed in all aspects of life

nobiles

families with a consul in their ancestry

novus homo

“new man”. a man who had become consul with no history of the consulship in his family

optimates

a group of conservative aristocratic politicians

patricians

families who could trace their ancestry to the first senators appointed by Romulus

patron

a man who was wealthy/powerful enough to offer resources to his clients in exchange for services

pietas

“piety”. respect for and duty to one's gods, family, and country

plebeians

non-patrician citizens

Pontifex Maximus

the most influential religious office in Rome. the chief priest of the College of Pontiffs

populares

ambitious aristocratic politicians who aimed to secure power by appealing to the people

proscriptions

lists of Roman citizens who were officially enemies of the state, and so condemned to death

publicani

private businessmen who held public contracts. often provincial tax collectors

res publica

“public affairs”. the Roman constitution/state

Senatus Populusque Romanus (SPQR)

the Senate and the People of Rome

senators

the highest class of Roman citizens, often descended from aristocratic families

senate

key advisory body of the Roman state, made up of about 600 senators

three types of slave

farm labourer, house slave, gladiator

three key sources of slaves

capture during war, sale into slavery due to poverty, children of slave mothers

stoicism

a school of philosophy where one sought to be virtuous and moderate regardless of one’s sufferings

triumvirate

a political alliance of three leading men

members of the First Triumvirate

Caesar, Pompey, Crassus

members of the Second Triumvirate

Mark Antony, Octavian, Lepidus

virtus

virtue, courage, excellence