stage 34 culture "freedmen and women"

What was unusual about the status of freedmen in Roman society?

 It was more generous than other slave owning societies. When slaves were set free, they were no longer property of their owners. Also, they became roman citizens with three names.

 In what way was a freedman’s name changed when the person was freed?

 The freedman now had three names. The first two came from the name of his ex master or ex mistresses father. A slave woman would be called the feminine version of her masters name or by her ex mistresses name, followed by her slave name.

List four privileges a freedman enjoyed after manumission.

  Get married

   Vote in elections

 make a will

  Make business agreements

What limitations were there for a freedman?

   A freedman could not become a senator or eques without special favor from the emperor. They also could not serve in legions or stand as a candidate in elections.

 What was a freedwoman not allowed to do?

 Freedwomen could not marry a senator.

What five obligations might a cliēns be expected to fulfill for his patrōnus?

  Leave money for their patron in their will   

 Forbid from doing anything that would harm their patron

 have to do a certain number of days work per year for their patron

 Pay a sum of money to their patron every year

 Accompany their patron to public outings and give them help in misfortunes

List five things a patrōnus might do for his cliēns.

 Help needy clients by giving them sportulas

 If their client died before them, they would pay for a decent funeral and have the ashes scattered near theirs.

might be the guardian of certain freedwomen

Patrons helped their former slaves with funds to start new lives

 Introduce and recommend his client to potential customers

Describe Pliny’s treatment of his freedman Zosimus.

He treated him with kindness and affection

What do these details suggest about this particular patron-client relationship?

 It is a relationship of mutual helpfulness

 What evidence about freedmen and freedwomen do the five tombstones cited in the passage give?

 They often set up kind and thoughtful tombstones to honor their masters.

      In what basic financial way would freeing a slave benefit the owner?

 The owner would no longer have to pay for their food, clothing, and shelter.

List crafts or skills that freedmen might have.

 Freedmen commonly had the skills to be a craftsman, teacher, musician, secretary, accountant, trader, banker

 Why did some freedmen enjoy substantial success?

 Because they were so good at their jobs due to their experience of working for their masters so they out competed all of the other business options.

 Describe two examples of very successful freedmen, one pair from Pompeii and an individual from literature.

a.        The Vettii brothers. They were very successful business owners in pompeii.

b.       Trimalchio. He was a character from a book (go back a review these questions (IN BOOK)

What disadvantages might a freedman suffer?

They faced prejudice from people who despised them for being slaves

  What contrasting views on the attitudes of a patrōnus do Juvenal and Pliny give?

 Juvenile shows how clients were treated negatively and Pliny shows how patrons treated their clients very well.

 What social success of Horace did people envy?

 He was friends with Maecenas who was a famous patron of the arts

 In what way did Horace praise both his father and Maecenas, his patron?

 He praised his father for giving him the knowledge he needed to win him a place in Maecenas circle. He also praised Maecenas for being inclusive and welcoming to him.

(a) What special privilege did only freedmen enjoy? (b) From the pictures on p. 257, what evidence is there of the importance of this honor?

a.        They could become one of the six priests that oversaw the cult of Rome and the warship of the defined emperor augustus.

b.       It was the greatest honor open to many freedmen and it was on the tomb stone

sēvirī Augustālēs

 one of the six priests that oversaw the cult of Rome and the warship of the defined emperor augustus.

 servī Caesaris

Slaves who are personal assistants to the emperor

 lībertī Augustī

Personal assistants to the emperor that had been freed

secretary ab epistulīs

 freedmen of the emperor who were in charge of correspondence

secretary ā ratiōnibus

accountants

 secretary ā libellīs

In charge of petitions sent to the emperor by groups and indeviduals

 Based on the culture reading and the reading about Epaphroditus on p. 241, explain why the emperor’s freedmen were often unpopular.

 Imperial freedmen had many opportunities to take bribes and were resented because they often became rich and powerful.

 Who was Pallas?

 A secretary rationibus of the emperor Claudius

 How had pallas been rewarded?

He was given an honorary proprietorship 

 

Describe Pliny's reaction to the inscription recording Pallas’ honors.

 Pliny was indignant and furious because he had all the honor with no responsibility

Give a summary of Epaphroditus’ career, including his honors and his death.

He was a former slave of the emperor and then became a secretary a libellis. He was awarded with gold crowns possibly for his role in the unmasking in the conspiracy against Nero. When Domitian stopped liking him, he was executed because he apparently helped Nero kill himself 27 years prior.

 According to drawing’s caption, what’s the name of the item on the table next to Epaphroditus, and what is its significance?

 It's called a pilleus. It's a cap he was given to mark his manumission.