CC-Roman politics

Monarchy (753BC-509BC)

-elected by the senate

-supreme authority (generated laws)

-first king (Romulus) to Tarquinus Superbus (last king)

-chosen by the senate and the interrex

Republic (509BC-509BC)

\-2 consuls -dictator in time of need -divided into two classes (patricians and plebians) -cursus honorum -elections

Principate (31BC-476AD)

\-reign of a singular emperor -first emperor was Augustus- Romulus Augustus

\-emperors would choose their successors

Why did rome change from a monarchy to a republic?

due to the rape of lucretia by Sextus Tarquinus Superbus which ignited Brutus ,her uncle, to unite the people to exile the royal family. started a deep distrust of a single leader.

patricians

members of the 100 founding families

quaestor (20)

collect tax. recruit for military. oversea treasury. upaid role. assist generals. apprenticeship. minimum age-30.elected every year.

aedile (4)

optional role. management of food supply. looking after temples. power to command an army. minimum age-35.elected every year.

praetor (8)

took authority when the consuls were not there. could command an army. produces the games. elected magistrates. call a senate meeting. minimum age- 39.elected every year.

consuls (2)

co-heads of state.one consul is able to veto the decisions of the other. minimum age-42. elected every year.

censors (2)

penalised moral offenders. elected every 5 years

dictators (1)

6 months at most. Only during a time of crisis. Could be removed forcefully. Selected via the consuls based on a recommendation from the senate. Confirmed by the comitia Curiata-assembly of 30 people. Patricians.

The assembly of the centuries

voted for Consuls, Praetors, Censors. they officiated requests for wars. People split into 8 classes based on wealth and whether or not they were patricians. The elites both voted first and had more power in their votes as their blocks are smaller, then it went down a “class” and this was repeated.

The Tribal Assembly

voted for military tribunes, pontifex Maximus, curule aediles. summoned by consuls. 35 tribes that are both geographically and hereditary.

The Plebian Assembly

only plebians. Each vote counted individually. They could stamp legistates but could not object to them voted for tribunes,Plebian aedile

inimicitia

opposite of amicitia. hostility and ill will.

amicitia

alliances between families for mutual benefit. This could be for political ,legal or financial benefit.

novus homo

“new man” a man who becomes a consul despite having no ancestors that were consuls

client

citizens that were bound by loyaly to a wealthy patron to support his public interests for their own benefit.

patron

a man of significant social standing that is able to offer resources to a client in exchange for loyalty.

populares

senators that aimed to seek power through appealing to the people

boni

senatorial families who have had at least one consul in their family

optimates

groups of aristocratic senators who want to preserve the status quo (ultra conservative)

governor

a man who was a consul or a praetor who was given a province to be in charge of.

imperium

the power that allows a person to command an army.

equites

a rank that emerged over the course of the Republic who were businessmen who chose to pursue commercial interests rather than politcs.

res republica

“public affairs”

nobiles

men considered to be the idea statesmen. traditional, patriotic, well-educated.

‘senatus consultum ultimum’

a decree passed in times of crisis allowing the consuls to do whatever is needed to protect the state.

augur

religious official who interpreted the will of the gods

tribunes (10)

only plebians can hold this role. represented the common people. could veto(a veto which only a dictator could overturn). sacrosanct-sacred protection from all verbal and physical attack. appeal- any citizen to appeal.

cum dignitate otium

“leisure with dignity” often used by Cicero. When he would not work but spend time on things considered “worthy” e.g philosophers.

concordia ordinum

agreement that the different orders of Rome would work together to uphold the Roman republic. mainly about harmony between the optimates and the equites.