World of Rome Hourly #2

"Nothing is more inequitable than equality"

Pliny the Younger

"If equal honor and rank are held by thehighest and the lowest men (for both groupsmust exist in every state), this so-calledequality is also very inequitable. However, thislatter type of inequity cannot occur in thosestates which are ruled by their 'best' citizens."

Cicero, About the Republic

What was the centuriate assembly?

earliest voting assembly, divided citizens into units

Who created the Centuriate Assembly?

Servius Tullius (6th king of Rome)

What three factors contributed to class?

Wealth, family prestige, and political achievement

When did the Italians get citizenship?

89 BC

What was Carcalla's edict?

AD 212, all free inhabitants of the Roman world granted citizenship

6 Rights of a Freeborn citizen

citizen children, make a will, vote and run for office, visible citizenship markers, three names, protected from physical abuse

What was the physical marker for citizenship?

Toga and stola

Could a freedman run for office?

No :(

How many names did freed people have?

3, first two were the same as their ex-master

Elite roman citizen

senatorial and equestrian

When did the Plebians obtain equal rights?

287

What were descendants of nobles allowed to display in their house?

imagines (waxen images of ancestors)

"There was no new man so illustrious or marked by famous deeds that he was not considered (by those of senatorial families) unworthy (of the consulship) and considered a stain upon it"

Sallust, from Jugurtha

How did Augustus' slave legislation affect slaves?

Limited the number of slaves who could be freed in a master's will

What happened between senators and equestrians as time went on in the empire?

Their prestige slowly became equal

How were freed imperial slaves different from normal slaves?

ability to marry freeborn women, gain political power through connections

Honestiores vs humiliores

senatorial and equestrian orders, local officials, army officers vs all other free citizens

How was criminal jurisdiction different between the honestiores vs the humiliores?

Punishments more severe for humiliores

How did provincials get prestige?

Public works projects, join senate, adopted roman culture

What was another way that citizenship could be granted?

After serving in the army

Which emperors first served a provincial?

Trajan (Spain), Hadrian (Spain), Septimius Severus (Africa)

Which poet discussed his lowly status as the son of a freedman?

Horace

How was Augustus connected to a freedman?

His great-grandfather

Who was Petronius' Trimalchio?

Slave who was freed and inherited a lot of money from his master. Had a lavish banquet in Satyricon, satirized for his uncouth behavior.

What marked an equestrian toga?

Narrow purple

What did gold rings represent?

Equestrian class or higher, the right to sit in the first fourteen rows of the theatre, free born for three generations

When were senators given the front row seats at the theatre?

194 BC

When were equestrians given the first 14 rows behind senators?

67 BC

What did Augustus change about theatre seating?

Married male citizens were rewarded with special seating, women sent to the back

Which position could punish other Romans for bad behavior?

Censor

Who was Pedanius Secundus?

Master of 400 slaves, murdered, slaves crucified

Who gave a speech in the case of Pedanius Secundus?

Gaius Cassius, argued for traditional punishment, convinced Nero

Who was Larcius Macedo?

Son of freedman, master, slaves plotted to kill him

Punishments for run away slave

crucifixion, burned alive, sold to gladiator shows, fed to wild animals

Sicilian slave rebellion date and how many

135-132 BC, 70k slaves

Spartacus slave revolt

73-71, started in gladiator barracks near Naples, 6000 slaves recaptured and crucified along the Appian way

Who wrote about the sicilian slave rebellion? How did he describe the behavior of the slaves to their masters? How did he describe the punishment of the slaves?

Didorus Siculus; slaves tear babies from mother; so hungry they ate human flesh

The illnesses of my slaves, and now the deaths of some ofthe young men, have upset me. Two thoughts console me;though not equal to the weight of my grief, they are stillconsolations. First, my willingness to manumit slaves: for Idon't feel that I have lost them to a totally untimely death ifthey die as free men. Second, I permit my slaves to draw updocuments which resemble wills, and I treat them as if legalwills. They give instructions and make requests about whatthey wish done, and I carry out their instructions as I havebeen ordered. They divide up their property, make bequests,and leave gifts, only within the household, of course; for to aslave, the household is the political unit, his city or state as itwer

Pliny the Younger

Who wrote that slave families should stay together?

Theodosius

Familia

Members of the household under paterfamilias, includes slaves

domus

biological family, including extended family and slaves, and physical house

Average life expectancy

27 years

Were blended families common?

Yes!

Criteria for legal roman marriage

Roman citizens, 14+ boy and 12+ girl, not full biological brother and sister

cum manu marriage

Husband has legal authority over wife, prevelent in early and middle republic

sine manu marriage

wife remains part of her birth family, inherits from father. If father dies, she is independent. Dowry remains her property, paid back if divorced. Wife can initiate divorce with father's consent.

Hortensius and Marcia Catonis

Hortensius begs Cato to marry his daughter Porcia. Porcia is married to Bibulus. Cato lets him marry his own wife, Marcia. Hortensius dies 6 years later, Marcia inherits estate and remarries Cato.

Who was Pliny's wife?

Calpurnia

Cicero and Terentia

Married for 35 years, Terentia helped Cicero during exile (sold her own property, found him support), marraige ends in divorce (accusations of financial mismanagement, daughter unhappy marraige).

How long were Augustus and Livia married?

53 years

Who was Quintius married (and divorced)?

Pomponia, m.70 - d.45

Were relationships with prostitutes and slaves/freedwomen considered adultery?

No

What happens to the children if the paterfamilia dies?

Become their own legal authority

What was the limit to the paterfamilia's power?

Could not kill an adult son without presenting evidence to a council of extended relatives.

According to Augustus' adultery laws, what could a father do to an adulturous daughter? (If caught in his house, in the act)

Kill her, only if he also kills her lover

What could a paterfamilia do to their own child?

Expose them to die