The Late republic revision
What was the Constitution? - The official title of Rome was ‘senatus populusque Romanus’,
translating to ‘the senate and people of Rome’. The third group
was the magistrates, an integral part of the state.
- Rome was developed from an agricultural society where
aristocratic landowners were the chief and employers and
decision-makers. This class would form the senatorial class, who
helped run the state due to their inclusion.
Members of the senate were entitled to stand from annual.
magistrate jobs.
- This process worked for more than 400 years, with the wealthy
upper classes providing for the poor, in turn work for them and
then the rich would take on the responsibility of decision-
making, doing an unpaid service to the state and people.
The Senate - By the time of the late republic, with the dictatorship of Sulla,
the senate numbered 600, with all members serving the state
either in military or administrative capacity.
- The Senate controlled the expenditure of Rome, including
collecting taxes.
- These decisions made by the Senate, senatus consultum (SC),
were bit legally binding but were considered as good advice and
convention normally meant that SC would be adopted and put
forward for laws.
- As magistrates came from the senatorial class, it was beneficial
for them individually and collectively to promote the ideas and
suggestions of the Senate.
- Families associated with the role of a consul were elevated to
nobles, distinguishing themselves further.
The Magistrates Magistrates held their positions for one year. Under the republic, they’d
hold great power but due to the limitation of time, it was designed to
curb individuals from gaining too much power.
Different stages in the hierarchy (cursus honorun)
1. Quaestor: 20 elected annually and minimum age of 30, with entry
to the senate.
2. Aedile: 4 elected annually, minimum age of 36, in charge of public
buildings, infrastructure, food supply and the organisation of public
games, gaining influence within Rome.
3. Praetor: 8 elected annually, minimum age of 39, primary function
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, was judicial, processed imperium and could command troops and
preside over public assemblies. Promoted to govern provinces.
4. Consul: 2 elected annually, minimum age of 42. Chief magistrates
and presided over senatorial debates and some public assemblies.
They possessed imperium, later went to govern provinces. Ex-
consuls retained significant influence and power within Rome and
the Senate.
5.
Tribunes - There were ten tribunes, coming from the plebian class of
Roman society. This office allowed them to gain influence
amongst the poorest of Rome.
- Traditionally, the role was created to prevent the excess of the
magistrate however it developed to be a more official and
organised.
- Tribunes had the right to veto laws and put forward legislation.
- Under Sulla, the power of the tribunes was limited, and the
position became undesirable and hindered the office holder’s
political career.
The People The three assemblies:
Comitia Centuriata
- 193 centuries (100 votes) subdivided into seven classes
according to wealth. The lowest class was unable to vote due to
insufficient wealth.
- Representation was unequal with more wealthy classes holding
more votes so that decisions could be made before the poor
even had the chance to vote.
- This assembly were tasked with the voting of magistrates.
Comitia Populi Tributa
- Presided over by a consul.
Comitia Plebis Tributa
- Presided over by a tribune.
Both assemblies voted on Rome’s laws and were passed. Laws could be
put forward to this assemblies, but debates were a commonplace.
A person had to be present to vote and therefore the attendance
enabled the wealthy to dominant the vote as the rural poor would be
restricted to travel.
Tribal alliances were commonplace as often people would look for
voting patterns of their kindsmen or patrons and vote according.
Political and Societal Fractions, Benefits from holding office included the opportunity to become rich.
Including Optimates and Once posted to provinces, the ability to extract riches from defeated
Populares enemies increased.
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, In addition to the self-serving alliances and factions a more distinctive
Cicero pro Sestio 96-7: group were founded, the Populares and optimates. While these
‘There have always been two grouping were not formalised they were based on personal decisions
groups of men in this state…one and individual motivations.
wanted themselves to be
considered and to be populares, Optimates (the best people) saw themselves as upholders or order and
the other optimate.’ tradition, mostly coming from the ruling senatorial class.
- Cicero’s view of the Populares sought out popularity, not coming from the senatorial.
positive merits of the
optimate stance. The optimates were generally seen more favourably with the Populares
‘Optimates are all those who are seen as problematic as their appeal was the redistribution of land or
not guilty of crime, who are not wealth which was a direct threat to the senatorial class.
evil by nature, who are not They’d also give out public games and grain handouts to secure the
raving mad. Who are not votes.
encumbered in their domestic
affairs’ The optimates represented the constancy of the state and republic
whereas the Populares showed a desire for change.
Julius Caesar combines both features, appealing to and supported by
optimate but actioning popularist beliefs.
The Law Courts Seeking justice in Rome was a private matter, meaning that if an
individual was wronged, the state had no responsibility to instigate
action.
This meant the richest of society had the luxury of justice but the poor
were highly vulnerable.
Under Sulla, there were drastic changes in the way the law was
administrated, establishing the queastiones perpetuae, seven types of
court, all designed to deal with different types of crimes.
Praetors presided over all but dealt with different crimes, such as
financial crime, the provinces or serious crimes like murder, poisoning
and violence.
Class Structure in Rome Hierarchy played a pivotal role in society. In the past the distinction was
between the patricians and plebs. By the time of the late republic, the
distinction was blurring as members of the senate could be plebians.
While the senate contained only 600 members, the families extended
were considered the senatorial class.
Below the senate were the equestrians, many extremely wealthy, often
wealthier than the senatorial class. Admission to the equestrian class
required a wealth of 400,000 sesterces (1 million pounds).
90% of Rome were poor, most were involved in agriculture and tied to
the land, meaning despite their citizenship, they had little opportunity
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