Roman Company

The Roman company ( societas hominum ) is organized according to a strictly defined hierarchy, where each one has its row, which defines its rights and its duties to him. One cannot speak about Social class because cleavages are not strictly Socio-économique S but are based on a right or statute of the men, individually or collectively. I.e. the place of a man is defined by his function in the hierarchy of the institutions and the laws, as much as by its richness and much more by its strict origin. It is an association based on the right and the shared interest. The Roman company sets up, as of the VI E, the Cens, therefore a kind of civil statue. Under the monarchy, existed two principal classes, the noble ones, and populates it ( populus ), in addition to the slaves and the not-citizens. After the installation of the Republic, the Roman company was defined itself as a company of orders ( process ) implacably laminated. The possibilities of rise in the social scale were real, even if the near total of the population remained very poor. Rome, on nearly one millenium, was going little by little to change and the social structures to change to give rise to the medieval company .

Statute

To describe the position of a person in the Roman system, three different statutes are distinguished. Is the man free or slave, the man it with the head of a family, the man is citizen is?

Status libertatis

Status civitatis

According to the Roman civil law ( ius civil ), only the Roman citizens have the full civil laws and policies. These statutes were created and modified according to the times (see the historical part of this article for more detail).

The citizen who can the full being is the Roman citizen and to belong to

the Nobilitas after the Lex Hortensia in -287, of origin plebeian patrician or, family having a Consul in their ancestors.

Patrician S replaced by the Patrice S by Constantin Ier
Knight S, class of soldier and tradesman, his membership is defined by the money ( taxable quota ). The equities form the class of the soldier-magistrates and of the rich tradesmen
Senator of the senatorial Ordre, their number is fixed and does not depend only on the taxable quota. The senatores form the class of the rich person landowners.
Décurion S and the Order décurional under the Plebeian empire

S whose proletarii are the members of the working class.

The Latin citizen is only plebeian.

Status familiae

The status familiae is the legal status of the individual in the family. The Patres familias have all the authority in the family ( patria potestas ), and each one is subjected to him on the basis of the adgnatio (relationship only on the side of the father). The alieni iuris (people subjected completely to the authority) and the sui iuris (autonomous people, and those which can claim with the Lord's Prayer familias ). The wire of family Filius familias have the ius suffragii and the ius honorum , but this right remains limited to the will of the patriarch.

Other distinctions

The Honestiores live in the Domus , the Humiliores in the Insula E . Distinction between Honestiores and Humiliores date of the Empire.

Historiography

In addition, the sources over the monarchical period, the writing not existing, are especially based on the tradition and are thus very compartmental and very prone to guarantee. The only objective sources come from archeology.

The societas hominum of the Roman republic at summer described by many ancient authors over more than one half-millenium like an association based on the right and the shared interest.

To be able to resist the external invasions, the Etruscan kings of Rome will seek to create their own army of hoplites. They will integrate the newcomers not subjected into it to the exclusive bonds customer-owners, and by integrating men for whom this distant bond. These men league then in sodales by the fides to defend the city. This relation is fundamental. The tombstone inscriptions at that time indicate a very strong geographical and social mobility in all Italy different from the preceding one. Servius Tullius, first king not elected and of servile origin as its name indicates it, transforms the armed and consequently the role with each one within the city. It thus changes the base of the Roman company. As the level of equipment of hoplite depends on its fortune, to know the number and the type of the combatants available, the Cens is created, the Comices centuriates and the Tribus deal with this task. Servius Tullius goes until distributing the Ager publicus , it is the first land reform.
The army is at the same time a political clout and soldier. The political weight of the man remains proportional to the taxable quota, i.e. with the degree of fortune. One counts:

the juniores (less than 46 years) and the seniores (more) forming the class Centurie in group of 100 men, but the patricians, gathered into six centuries equestrian, pass to 18 and remain politically dominating
the infraclassis formed by poorest or proletarii . Certain activities, for religious reasons, are regarded as lower: the ceramics and the work of bronze are reserved for this population.

In addition, the noble Etruscans, the undervalue gentium are integrated into the class patrician, which makes it possible to the Etruscan king to have a greater listening with the senate.

The mode of the Etruscan kings will also make become aware with the Romans of the concept of civic bodies, apart from exclusive control and very room of the aristocracy. In addition the religious relations which underlie the relation customer-owner étiolent, the worship of the ancestors was transformed into worship of the heroes. The populus will become aware that it forms the Plèbe and the institutions to recognize its existence and its function subordinate.

The population, consequently increases constantly, 80.000 citizen S ( cives ) under Servius, 130.000 in -508, 157.000 in -498. After the fall of the Roman Monarchy in -509, it is formed a Oligarchie and magistrates patricians succeed the kings. According to certain sources, the Consul At is not a Latin institution, because the practice with the fall of the royalty was rather to institute a single magistrate having an immense capacity but for one limited time. Today still, the historians do not know from where the idea can come from a capacity shared with identical between two consuls for one weak duration. The Roman idea which is at the origin of the creation of the Roman République, thus seems deeply original.

Suppression of the ethnic character

The Institutions of the Roman Republic are organized such as we know them by stages on several generations, under the effect of antagonism between the patricians and the plebeian ones:

in -494, refusing the combatant service, fighting for their subsistence as much as for their right and their freedom (suppression of the Nexum ) the plebeian ones threaten to make secession and to found a rival city of Rome if they did not acquire new political rights. The patricians concede two new magistratures to them, the powerful orators of the plebs and the municipal officials of the plebs, elected by the consilium plebis then by the Comices tributes and charged representing them and with defending their interests. The powerful orators do not have however the same capacities that those of the consuls, but have a right to veto.
In -486, the list of the consular Fastes is closed with nonthe patricians. This period called War of the orders , described the civic period of integration until the democratic laws of the Years -300 on bottom of land reform, political revolts and external threats. In -338, following the Latin Wars, a under-citizenship is conceded with the Latin.
Starting from -480, an economic crisis makes it possible the gentilice to exclusively occupy the stations of magistrature and priesthood.
In -451, the plebeian ones require that the laws applied by the praetors be written and are published, instead of being with the discretion of the praetors. A college of former magistrates, the Decemviri write and make engrave the Loi of the Twelve Tables, applicable to all, which they are patricians or plebeian.
In -444, the plebeian ones obtain the access to the supreme office, that the patricians transform into tribunat military with consular capacity. In addition, the patricians reserve a new magistrature, the Censeur, and the functions of Questeur S
In -367, the military Tribuns with consular capacity Sextius Lateranus and Licinius Stolo make restore the Consul At, with parity between a consul patrician and a plebeian Consul. But the capacities of the consul are limited and are exerted fully only out of Rome. The administration of the city falls to new magistrates, the municipal official S and the Préteur S.

The new tribes formed on the new grounds taken by Rome, are used with the goods vouloirs magistrates patricians. The type of clientelism changes, the men profiting from the ground redistributions, catches to the enemy, become customers, by recognition, of the magistrates charged to distribute the Ager publicus . These grounds are not any more gathered by gentilice like formerly and end up belonging into clean to the occupants. The former land small holders and the people ( populus ) urban support mainly the effort of war without profiting from the repercussions. A great part of them fall into indigence and are under the threat of the nexum , the slavery for debts. Plebeian rich person reach the statutes of patricians, and certain patricians are interested in properly plebeian economic activities. And especially the laws are fixed in writing and of the magistrates as well plebeian as patricians apply them in a less random way.

It is surely necessary to see in the opposition plebeian-patrician an opposition between a ancient Aristocratie and plebeian rich person who form with the Nobiles and the Optimates a new aristocracy Pro bono . These plebeian rich person can be Romans of origin, freed nouveau riches but especially from the rich person allied families or even from the conquered grounds. The nexum disappears, the patricians lose their prerogatives, but a new form of customers emerges, much less dependant on its owner. The place in the city does not depend any more birth but well of fortune.

Roman Impérialisme

The III E is quieter and corresponds to the foundation of the 22 Roman colonies known as Latin, of the Latin Municipe S and with development of the Italy by subjugation. With the conquests, the organization of the taxation on the subjected populations widens the field of the censuses. The favoured classes having access to the magistrature accumulate fabulous richnesses. The State is him, because of the Punic Wars, completely ruined. The slavery which, before the 3rd century was not very widespread and from patriarchal type, was strongly going to change since the slaves form between 15 and 20% of the population to the II E. Especially present in the rural areas, within the Latifundia, the slaves do not have any more any right. The slaves do not miss, not overcome were systematically reduced to slavery. While the bonds of clientelism and mutual interests of the nobilitas cover the whole of Italy quickly, the peasant-soldier, small holder with the redistribution righter of the old , integrated politically, becomes the pillar of the republic. But the Punic Wars, while moving away these peasants from their grounds during long lives, and while causing great human losses (6% of the population) and financial by systematic plundering will put at evil this model.

In addition, the citizenship is derived in many statutes depending on the way in which the zones are conquered or absorbed. Rome becomes dependant, and especially, the foreign troops represent more half of manpower of sound armed. The very unfavourable relations with the nonLatin populations, and even with the Latin populations with respect to the Roman population, poke other tensions. The defection of many areas at the time of the Second Punic War is the illustration.

In -219/-218, by Plebiscite and against the opinion of the senate, the senators and the knights shares the economic resources to try to encourage richest (senators) to continue the political career or soldier and not to monopolize the economic resources and the customers. According to the Lex Claudia, the senators do not have any more the right, officially, to make trade. It is towards -129 that the young person nobiles must choose to follow the career of the honors ( Cursus honorum ) and to accept the public horse or to become senator if it has the means of them. This law, in fact, poses the existence of the equestrian order which was going to become official order only under Auguste.

Era of the crises

At the end of the Second Punic War, starts the crisis which brooded. The decimated senate (80 died out of 300) is reconstituted with individuals worried by the increase in their fortune and less concerned of the public interest; they confiscate and occupy the ager publicus . The limitations of the properties with 500 will iugeras are not respected any more. The small holders peasant-soldiers, whose grounds were neglected because of the war, are ruined more especially as they do not have any more the possibility of using the public grounds for their cattle. The richest classes buy the grounds of the ruined peasants and thus increase the size of their properties which specialize. Production of Corn becoming even anecdotic vis-a-vis the Wine and with the Olive. Little by little, the consulates and other magistratures are transmitted in person, the political closing observed towards -480 reproduces. The senate passes, in -129, from 300 to 900 members, the novel members resulting from the equestrian order, dilute the capacity of the former families, which breaks, for these new senators their bonds of customer with respect to the former patricians families. The two orders are not reconciled therefore, their financial interests being too different. Certain knights not hesitating to denounce the incompetence or the embezzlements of certain senators, it is the " Discord of the orders ".

In addition, the poor residents of Rome do not wish expatrier any more to become peasants with the borders of the empire. The land reform, supported by the knights but refused by the senators, as well as related measurements, is abandoned. The economic refugees come to enlarge the rabble urban. The economic situation of the plebs also worsens (the servile wars). The situation of the slaves will improve following these revolts slightly towards I er. The situation of Latin and other Italian as second-class citizens causes the revolt of those, it is the social Guerre. Italian will obtain the Latin citizenship in -89, the civic body then passes from 436.000 men in -86 to 910.000 in -70. The political upheaval which follows, involves from there coups d'etat, plebiscites and conflicts between the Optimates and Populares . To arrive to a more effective army and to solve the problems of the peasant-soldiers, Marius leads a reform which professionnalise the army in -107. The recruits are not any more censitaires and do not depend any more of the orders, only the slaves, except in the event of major force cannot be integrated. This reform will lead to a new form of clientelism, of the soldier in favor of his general, who takes care of the interests of his soldiers. In the event of victory, the premiums become substantial. Once demobilized, they are made citizens and receive a batch of ground. It would follow a massive delocalization of Italian from there, principal recruits of the army, which do not hesitate because enrichment is certain. This policy will push the Romans to conquer the " world connu". The flow of slaves compensates for the loss of free labor.

Rome passes from 200.000 inhabitants in -200, with 400.000 inhabitants to the II E and more than 750.000 at the end of I er, the rural migration testifying to the difficulties of poorest.

See also: Roman Civil wars, social War, servile Wars

The advent of the emperors

The old institutions lose little by little their credit with respect to the Romans and especially of provincial for many reasons. For example, corruption is manifest and the false Pollicitation the votes. The principal generals Sylla and Marius, then Jules César, Marcus Licinius Crassus, and Pumped, finally Auguste, Lépide and Marc Antoine, being based on many customers, controlling the resources of the provinces, fight themselves then to be able it during the Civil wars. The richest senators are decimated by the Proscription triumvirale. Jules César, in the beginning patrician ruined, populist, is the first to resort to massive stamping to obtain the support of the people, which if it does not have any more direct capacity on the decisions of the Republic, in guard through the generals that it supports. Richest, by safety as well economic as political installation, are also faithful to the capacity personalized by the emperor. Auguste, succeeds in federating the masses and the elites while keeping the institutions, emptied of their political countervailing power in place. Auguste works out series of measure legislative to stabilize the position of richest and to offer real chances of promotion to more deserving (even a slave can theoretically become emperor by restitutio natalium ). It returns its ostentation to the senatorial order and the equestrian order. A new order of small provincial civils servant created, the Order décurional. The Ordre augustal is intended for freed rich, just in lower part of a level of dignitas to that of the precedent. Auguste made of the men of the Empire its customers, in substituent the worship with the Lares, worship with the ancestors, that of the lares augusti , worship of the emperor, traditional owners becoming of the intermediate owners, and the emperor thus becomes the principal évergète, from where the imperial Largesses, Annone, Congiaire… In 38, Caligula make the statute of the senators hereditary, whereas that of the knights remains censitaire. The rupture between the senatorial and equestrian order is final. Claude I {{er}} in 48 authorizes (for Tacite) that the municipal Notables) reach the senate. To the 2nd century, senatorial dignity is extended to all the family. The knights, often qualified, see themselves in charge of military and administrative functions without being corsetés by the course honorum . Including/understanding how they could benefit from the situation, the senators, starting from Trajan, occupy with more competence their functions of magistrates. It is undeniable however that as from the 3rd century the senators lose of their influence, military knights making of better César S that senators, and the knights who had begun their career in tenant from the Fisc were much better administrators. The members of the order décurional, associated with the interests of the empire, were often opposed, them, with the interests of the humiliores .

Social closing

From the 3rd century, the difference between Honestiores and Humiliores are accentuated juridically and socio-économiquement but especially the segregation becomes hermetic. In the first group, one finds the three orders (senatorial, equestrian, décurional) as well as the clergy and certain professions require funds. The social mobility is allowed only for some military knights and lawyers because of militarization of the state. At the 4th century, the statutes become strictly hereditary. Under Constantin, the equestrian order is absorbed by the senatorial order, creating a single nobility: the Patrices. Let us décurions the least fortunate, overpowered taxes for the state and the church, are précarisent and become humiliores . The humiliores are framed by professional Corporation S with the service of the emperor. The Roman company had been transformed into monarchical company, more or less comparable with that of the Middle Ages.

Women

Children

The Romans had in all the social classes much of children. The statute of the children were of course different from their current statute. The newborn received a name that after several days or month. The first received a first name ( prænomen ) known then the following were named according to their order of birth, as for the Quintus , Sextus , or large the Octavus …

With the birth of a child, the father has right of life and of died on the newborn. It is necessary to introduce the child to the father, or to wait until this one returns if it is absent. One deposits the child in front of the father. If it raises it, the father recognizes it and the valid judge, if the sex of the child is appropriate to him, the child will live. If it leaves it with ground, it is killed or it is deposited in the street where death or slavery awaits it.

A hearth without wire can adopt one of them. The adoption was a current practice.

All process them regarding education as important, the urban ones sent their children to the school, richest had tutors.