Rome

1. Rome 264 – 133 BC

3. Terminology: • Plebeians: common folk of Rome. • Patricians: wealthy land owners of Rome. • Democratic: rule by the people. • Aristocratic: rule by the powerful and reliance of hereditary handing on of power. • Oligarchy: rule by groups and cliques loyal to each other.

4. Government in 264 BC • Roman government in 264 BC was a mixture of: • Democratic, • Aristocratic, • And oligarchic elements. • This had come about because the people (plebeians) had demanded greater political participation after their assistance in Rome’s wars of expansion.

5. The struggle for orders • The struggle for orders in Rome was the struggle by the plebeians (people) to have political and social equality with the patricians (landowners). • This created the mix of democracy (people) and oligarchy (landowners) in the Senate.

6. Division of Powers • The Senate was composed of magistrates, a dictator, censors, people’s assemblies and tribunes. • Magistrates: • These were officials and administrators. • They were sourced from the patricians and wealthy plebeians.

7. Division of Powers • The magistrates were ordered as follows: • 2 Consuls: They commanded the army. • 8 Praetors: Judges which decided law suits. • 4 Aediles: Administrators of Roman city-state. • 12 Quaestors: Financial administrators. • These were 1 year (12 month) appointments.

8. Magistrate Careers • Cursus honorum – these positions made up the ladder of promotion which Roman leaders followed. • Collegiate Principle – these offices also used the collegiate principle, whereby there where at least two people working in each role at once.

9. Dictator • This was a single person role. • Dictators were only elected during an emergency, such as when Hannibal invaded Italy. • Dictators were given the task of co-ordinating the state in that time of crisis.

10. Censors • Two appointed at a time. • Their role was to assign citizens to social positions. • These positions were based on property qualifications – how much land you owned.

11. People’s assemblies • These originated in 287 BC, when the plebeians withdrew their support from the army because of inequalities. • The dictator Hortensius allowed them greater participation in politics. • These were then known as the Hortensian Laws.

12. People’s assemblies • Two in existence: • 1. Comitia centuriata • Dominated by wealthy class, • Power to make war and agree on terms for peace, • Elected some magistrates.

13. Tribunes of the people • Office of Tribune was created as result of struggle for orders – the plebeians wanting more equality. • 10 appointed at a time.

14. Tribunes of the people • Roles: • Defend lives and property of the plebeians; • Veto laws and actions of magistrates if needed; • Restrictions: • All 10 Tribunes had to agree when making decisions (unanimous decisions).

15. Tribunes of the people • 2. Comitia tributa • Democratic membership from the people, • Made laws sometimes without senate approval. • Elected plebeian tribunes.

16. Summary Summary • Division of powers in Rome at 264 BC: • Senate • Magistrates • Dictator (if needed) • Censors • People’s assemblies • Tribunes of the people

17. The Constitution • Established in 264 BC. • A set of practices rather than a written document. • Allowed the plebeians to have the rights of equality theta they desired in the struggle of the orders. • This was needed because the plebeians often had to leave their farms and fight for Rome as it expanded.

18. The Constitution • They made the sacrifices in war that made their demands real. • The plebeians threatened to revolt against their commanding officers if they did not get more rights.

19. Plebeians • The plebeians were able, after getting greater rights, to: • Elect their own tribunes. • Intermarry with patricians. • Hold some religious offices. • Make laws in the comitia tributa.

20. Reminder • Assessment on Hannibal due by Friday.

21. Rise of the urban population • After the First Punic War Rome became a major centre. • It had a large slave population. • It was also a major trading center and marketplace. • Many rural peasants also moved to Rome in search of work and wealth. • Hence Rome’s population swelled.

23. Rise of the urban population • A wealthy business class rose up in Rome after these developments. • Publicans developed, who were private contractors for building and development. • Money-lending and banking also developed as a business. • Shipping of goods also became a profitbale business. • Most manufacture was for local consumption.

25. The Equestrians • This was a social group composed of wealthy businessmen who were known for their horse ownership. • They were ranked between the oligarchs of the senate, and the working population. • During wars they were assigned to the cavalry by the censors. • They invested heavily in land.

27. The Equestrians • They were usually apolitical (which means they stayed out of politics) unless their business interests were under threat. • Although they were wealthy they had little influence in Rome’s politics because they did not have family prestige.

33. Extortion Court • As Rome expanded it included many more provinces. • These provinces had to be controlled and administered. • Tax, troops and trade all had to be sourced from provinces. • Provinces also had to reflect the legal and social culture of Rome. • Therefore, the Senate appointed governor's to oversee these provinces.

34. Extortion Court • Governor’s were open to corruption and accusations of hardship from their citizens. • To address this the Senate established the Extortion court. • When a governor returned to Rome, the Court would examine his accounts; his claims for military exploits; his trade arrangements. • The Court was established in 149 BC.

35. Extortion Court • If the citizens of a province felt they were being exploited by their governor they would approach the Senate and the Court. • Citizens could use the Court to appeal for damages.

36. Extortion Court • Structure of the Court: • Fifty jurors elected from the Senate • Headed by a Praetor • No appeal above the Court • Led to the creation of new provinces because the Senate believed that they would run more smoothly with the Court in place

37. Extortion Court • Problems with the Court: • Costs of long trials, • Difficult to secure testimony as many witnesses were reluctant to come forward, • Penalties difficult to enforce, as they were mostly demands to repay provinces and this could not be done, • Court officials were penalising their own, which meant that impartiality was lacking.

38. Extortion Court • The practical failure of the Court meant that for many years Roman provinces suffered from exploitation by: • Governors AND • Tax collectors.

39. Extortion Court • Your task: • Begin summarising your handout booklet by Boak and Sinnigen: A History of Rome

40. The Latifundia (Great estates) • As the Roman Empire expanded there were changes in economic and agricultural life. • Great Estates arose which were operated by slave labour. • This also resulted from a decline in free peasantry in Rome, who were more expensive to pay; and who moved to cities such as Rome for work.

41. The Latifundia (Great estates) • The great estates were large farms. • They arose because of the following: • The owners of small farms had increased military commitments. • Owners of small farms moved to the cities to seek wealth. • Cheaper slave labour became more available. • Hannibal’s armies devastated the countryside and pushed small landowners out.

42. The Latifundia (Great estates) • Rome gave public land to private citizens as it expanded. • Occupants would farm this land and pay rent to Rome. • Effects of Hannibal’s invasion on land: • He had destroyed around 400 communities; • The land they had lived on was left un-owned and depopulated. • Also, the Romans confiscated the land of his allies.

43. The Latifundia (Great estates) • The Senatorial class invested in land because contracting and banking were not seen as worthy occupations. • More land became available to them as the conquests were successful. • The governing class also bought up small farms to add to their large landholdings.

44. The Latifundia (Great estates) • Changes in agriculture and farming: • Grain was farmed less and less because it could be bought from overseas colonies, and because it damaged the soil. • Vineyards; olive groves and market gardens and grazing land became referred farming. • Farming became more businesslike and was designed for a market rather than private consumption.

45. The Latifundia (Great estates) • Slaves • Wealthy land proprietors owned many farms across Italy. • Slaves made labour very cheap. • Slaves could not be called up for military service. • Slaves could not claim legal rights when treated poorly.

46. The Latifundia (Great estates) • Slaves… • Rome’s victories flooded the Mediterranean with slaves. • Between 200 and 150 BC: 250,000 slaves were brought (prisoners of wars) to Italy. • Slaves often worked in chains and lived in prison barracks at night.

47. Your task: • Summarise Booklet, pages 154 – 157.

48. Decline of the Free Peasantry • As the Latifundia (great estates) grew the peasantry declined. • Rich landowners bought, bullied and coerced small farmers out of their land. • Foreign wars were also a burden on the peasantry, as they were conscripted into the army. • Roman armies were mainly recruited from the rural population.

49. Decline of the Free Peasantry • Once in the army soldiers would be away from their for a long time, perhaps several years at a time. • This meant he was unable to look after his finances and land. • Many returning soldiers sold their land to rich landowners to pay debts, or because the farm was not profitable. • Many returning soldiers also migrated to Rome or other cities were work was plentiful.

50. Decline of the Free Peasantry • Other returning soldiers migrated to newly conquered lands where they had won land as part of their payment for fighting. • The Tribunes attempted at various times to save the peasants from the army draft, but were not successful in the long run. • As Rome expanded it needed more troops to remain in conquered lands; • Also, the army became a career in itself.