DOCSLIB.ORG

Civis Romanus Sum. When Did This Simple Sentence Affirming One's

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Civis Romanus Sum. When Did This Simple Sentence Affirming One's Civis romanus sum. When did this simple sentence affirming one’s identity become a status statement implying that one was guaranteed certain rights and duties because they held Roman citizenship? Surely those that lived in the tiny Latin village located on the south side of the Tiber River in the 9th century BCE did not envision the vast empire that would one day dominate the Mediterranean region and become the Roman Empire. The concept of Roman citizenship took on a life of its own when the Roman Republic emerged and the population began to have a say in matters. The Roman military conquests and the expansion of the Empire further defined citizenship as all free inhabitants of the Empire were now considered Roman. To have Roman citizenship was to share in the glory of Rome. The early settlers in this area considered themselves to be part of pastoral societies that were linked together through language and kinship. There were many different ethnic groups that shared the Italian Peninsula and they each considered themselves to be members of the cities they founded throughout Italy. The concept of citizen most likely defined them as part of that culture and assigned them an economic role in society and a responsibility to defend their territory. Legend tells of Romulus and Remus defeating an evil king and founding the city of Rome in 753 BCE. Romulus succeeded as the first king after slaying his twin brother. A long line of different ethnic kings followed until 509 BCE when a popular uprising established Rome as a republic, ruled by annually elected magistrates. These magistrates usually came from the senate, which was dominated by the patrician class. This was a tiny segment of the population that descended from the original senators during the time of Romulus. The common people of Rome were known as plebeians and they did not have political and economic clout or power. Being a resident and citizen in the city of Rome did not afford any privileges to the majority at this time. The plebeian class eventually achieved some political power with the establishment of tribunes, which allowed them to have a say in legislation. The Twelve Tables, the first Roman law code that was introduced in 450 BCE, established rights, relationships, and procedures that became the basis for all Roman law. Citizenship was now broadly applied to those who lived in Rome. With this designation came privileges, rights, and duties; Romans had to serve in the army, pay taxes, and vote in the assembly. They were allowed to hold public office and to legally appeal matters. Marriage rights and the ability to trade with other Roman citizens were guaranteed as well. Political power still rested in the Senate, which was dominated by the wealthy patrician and plebian families but Rome itself was establishing control of the peninsula through military victories. After victory in the Punic Wars and Macedonia, the Roman state had grown tremendously in size and power. Rome now had control of Sicily, most of Spain, the majority of the western Mediterranean and even a province in Northern Africa. In a move to establish and preserve unity of its empire, citizenship was granted to all conquered peoples. An alliance was formed with the new territory. This gave them all the rights and duties of a Roman and afforded them the protection of the Empire as well. The conquered population fell into four general classes: Citizens, Municipia, Latin Allies, and Italian Allies. Citizens had all of the rights and privileges of those born in Rome. The Municipia were considered citizens and had the right to govern themselves, trade, serve in the army, and pay taxes. They were not allowed to vote 2 however. The conquered peoples who were designated as Latin Allies were not considered citizens. They were allowed to self-govern, trade within the Empire, and were required to provide military legions but citizenship privileges were not extended. Italian Allies were not granted citizenship either, but were offered military protection and allowed to trade within the empire. They were allowed to govern themselves as well. Who could become a Roman citizen now? All children born in a legal marriage of a Roman citizen were deemed citizens themselves. People from conquered Latin states were eventually granted citizenship. Children of freed slaves enjoyed the privileges of being a citizen. Auxulia and their children were rewarded with citizenship after their service ended. Those who performed outstanding service for the empire were granted citizenship. Wealthy individuals could even buy citizenship for a very large sum. By the third century AD, Emperor Caracalla issued the Constitutio Antoniniana, which declared all free male inhabitants of the empire to be granted citizenship. What were the privileges of being a Roman citizen? Foremost was the right to vote in the Republic, to have a say in political matters and the course of government. Citizens could make legal contracts and could have lawful marriages. They had the right to defend themselves at trial and could not be tortured. They could not be sentenced to die on the cross; they were beheaded instead. It was a privilege to serve in the Roman legions and citizens were afforded this opportunity. By granting citizenship to conquered territories, the Romans assimilated the defeated people into their own culture and society. Then risk of revolt was minimized as the new citizens enjoyed Pax Romana, protection from other aggressors, and a degree of freedom. They now shared in the glory of Rome 3 including its thriving economy, extensive trade network, and its technological infrastructure of roads, bridges, and aqueducts. Being a Roman citizen was not all glory however. The conquered peoples lost all their cultural identity as any sense of nationality or ethnicity was erased, as they were now Romans. They were forced to pay taxes to the empire. They were required to serve in the military. They were not entirely free as they had been before the Roman invasion. The Roman way and the Latin language spread throughout the Italian peninsula and a unified Republic dominated the Mediterranean world. The Roman Empire united different ethnic and cultural backgrounds under the concept of citizenship. This allowed for Rome’s expansion and domination that began in the 5th century BCE. All areas were now bound to Rome politically, economically, and culturally. Citizenship provided an alliance that united autonomous peoples and lands far from the center of Rome. It was a brilliant strategy that provided for the success of the Empire. 4 Works Cited "About Roma..." Rome: The Roman Empire and Its Citizens. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2014. "Apostle Paul's Roman Citizenship." Apostle Paul's Roman Citizenship. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2014. Roman Citizenship (Illustrated History of Ancient Rome - Bible History Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2014. "Roman Empire & Colosseum." Roman Colosseum. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2014. 5 .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Language Contact and Identity in Roman Britain
    Western University Scholarship@Western Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository 5-16-2016 12:00 AM Language Contact and Identity in Roman Britain Robert Jackson Woodcock The University of Western Ontario Supervisor Professor Alexander Meyer The University of Western Ontario Graduate Program in Classics A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the degree in Master of Arts © Robert Jackson Woodcock 2016 Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd Part of the Ancient History, Greek and Roman through Late Antiquity Commons, and the Indo- European Linguistics and Philology Commons Recommended Citation Woodcock, Robert Jackson, "Language Contact and Identity in Roman Britain" (2016). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 3775. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/3775 This Dissertation/Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Scholarship@Western. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository by an authorized administrator of Scholarship@Western. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Abstract Language is one of the most significant aspects of cultural identity. This thesis examines the evidence of languages in contact in Roman Britain in order to determine the role that language played in defining the identities of the inhabitants of this Roman province. All forms of documentary evidence from monumental stone epigraphy to ownership marks scratched onto pottery are analyzed for indications of bilingualism and language contact in Roman Britain. The language and subject matter of the Vindolanda writing tablets from a Roman army fort on the northern frontier are analyzed for indications of bilingual interactions between Roman soldiers and their native surroundings, as well as Celtic interference on the Latin that was written and spoken by the Roman army.
    [Show full text]
  • CILICIA: the FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCHES in ANATOLIA1 Mark Wilson
    CILICIA: THE FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCHES IN ANATOLIA1 Mark Wilson Summary This article explores the origin of the Christian church in Anatolia. While individual believers undoubtedly entered Anatolia during the 30s after the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:9–10), the book of Acts suggests that it was not until the following decade that the first church was organized. For it was at Antioch, the capital of the Roman province of Syria, that the first Christians appeared (Acts 11:20–26). Yet two obscure references in Acts point to the organization of churches in Cilicia at an earlier date. Among the addressees of the letter drafted by the Jerusalem council were the churches in Cilicia (Acts 15:23). Later Paul visited these same churches at the beginning of his second ministry journey (Acts 15:41). Paul’s relationship to these churches points to this apostle as their founder. Since his home was the Cilician city of Tarsus, to which he returned after his conversion (Gal. 1:21; Acts 9:30), Paul was apparently active in church planting during his so-called ‘silent years’. The core of these churches undoubtedly consisted of Diaspora Jews who, like Paul’s family, lived in the region. Jews from Cilicia were members of a Synagogue of the Freedmen in Jerusalem, to which Paul was associated during his time in Jerusalem (Acts 6:9). Antiochus IV (175–164 BC) hellenized and urbanized Cilicia during his reign; the Romans around 39 BC added Cilicia Pedias to the province of Syria. Four cities along with Tarsus, located along or near the Pilgrim Road that transects Anatolia, constitute the most likely sites for the Cilician churches.
    [Show full text]
  • Civis Romanus Sum Citizenship in Ancient Rome Was Valued Not Only
    Civis Romanus Sum Citizenship in Ancient Rome was valued not only for the rights and social status it provided, but also for the sense of patriotism and honor it instilled in the Roman people. The gravity of citizenship allowed the Roman Empire’s multitudinous regions to become vastly and impossibly connected by a sense of pride for one Italian city. Citizenship was a commodity valuable enough for soldiers such as Mucius Scaevola to give their right hands for, as well as for plebeians to secede and fight for with their lives. Citizens felt an unbreakable bond between themselves and their nation; they were dedicated to representing and defending Rome at any cost. It was this strong sense of identity that united so many people and created such a dominant empire. Roman citizenship was one of the most prized possessions a European inhabitant could have, bearing the magnitude of rights, ranking, honor, and a powerful sense of Roman identity. Although some Roman people were born into citizenship, the rest of the population yearned for such rights and status, and took whatever action they could to become true, legal members of Roman society. Citizenship included suffrage, the right to run for and occupy office, the right to not be tortured, crucified, or be sentenced to death unless found guilty of treason, the right to marry, to hold property, and to have a trial, as well as various “public” and “private” prerogatives. Romans born into a noble family inherited citizenship and social status; they made up the patrician class, while the lower plebeian class was made up of free non-citizens.
    [Show full text]
  • 3. Rome: Roman Citizenship Robert L
    Section I: Athens, Rome, and Jerusalem: Contemporary Civilization (Ideas and Institutions Background of Western Civilization of Western Man) 1958 3. Rome: Roman Citizenship Robert L. Bloom Gettysburg College Basil L. Crapster Gettysburg College Harold A. Dunkelberger Gettysburg College See next page for additional authors Follow this and additional works at: https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/contemporary_sec1 Part of the Ancient History, Greek and Roman through Late Antiquity Commons, and the Cultural History Commons Share feedback about the accessibility of this item. Bloom, Robert L. et al. "3. Rome: Roman Citizenship. Pt. I: Athens, Rome, and Jerusalem: Background of Western Civilization." Ideas and Institutions of Western Man (Gettysburg College, 1958), 59-61. This is the publisher's version of the work. This publication appears in Gettysburg College's institutional repository by permission of the copyright owner for personal use, not for redistribution. Cupola permanent link: https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/ contemporary_sec1/10 This open access book chapter is brought to you by The uC pola: Scholarship at Gettysburg College. It has been accepted for inclusion by an authorized administrator of The uC pola. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 3. Rome: Roman Citizenship Abstract The Roman concept of citizenship represents both a measure of their capacity to govern and one of their key contributions to Western culture. In the Greek city-state, citizenship was something which could not be separated from the intimate and varied life of the polis. It enabled a man to live the good life because it entitled him to participate in all the activities which the polis sponsored.
    [Show full text]
  • How Ancient Greece and Rome Provide Insight for Citizenship and Immigration in the 21St Century
    Xavier University Exhibit Honors Bachelor of Arts Undergraduate 2019-4 Comparing Ancient to Modern: How Ancient Greece and Rome Provide Insight for Citizenship and Immigration in the 21st Century Viktoria Schumacher Follow this and additional works at: https://www.exhibit.xavier.edu/hab Part of the Ancient History, Greek and Roman through Late Antiquity Commons, Ancient Philosophy Commons, Classical Archaeology and Art History Commons, Classical Literature and Philology Commons, and the Other Classics Commons Comparing Ancient to Modern: How Ancient Greece and Rome Provide Insight for Citizenship and Immigration in the 21st Century Viktoria Schumacher CPHAB Senior Thesis Xavier University 2019 Director: Thomas Strunk Readers: Jay Arns and Tim Severyn 1 Introduction Migration plays an extremely vital role in the advancement of human societies. Despite our world’s staggering history with immigration, the conversation about how to manage current issues has fallen flat. Patterns of immigration have demonstrated that the number of migrants, especially refugees, has peaked in the 21st century, and numbers are still raising steadily.1 The increase is caused by an abundance of factors, including major events such as the Syrian refugee crisis, harmful or unfavorable political climates, and ongoing gang violence in Mexico and Central America. These issues have gone largely unsolved, causing immense suffering resulting in millions of people to migrate out of their home countries. Movement away from home due to tumultuous times is not a new concept. In fact, migration history demonstrates that major movement of people is a characteristic of our world. I posit that looking at migration in our past as well as examining its effects on different societies will offer a perspective that has otherwise been ignored.
    [Show full text]
  • The Art of Citizenship Roman Cultural Identity in Cicero’S Pro Archia Poeta
    The ArT of CiTizenship Roman Cultural Identity in Cicero’s Pro Archia Poeta fisher pressman This paper examines CiCero’s Pro ArchiA PoetA oraTio and The auThor’s impliCiT and expliCiT views on how roman CulTural idenTiTy is ConsTruCTed. while The speeCh iTself is The legal defense of The poeT arChias’ Claim To roman CiTizenship, iT also siTuaTes The debaTe of legal CiTizenship wiThin a broader ConTexT of roman CulTural idenTiTy. more speCifiCally, iT is argued ThaT The oraTion allows CiCero To emphasize The Com- binaTion of arTes, in This ConTexT replaCing The liTeral definiTion of “skill” or “arT” wiTh a foundaTional and neCessary roman virTue, and humaniTas as a means of de- sCribing The role eduCaTion plays in CreaTing roman idenTiTy. for CiCero, The Combi- naTion of Artes And humAnitAs resulTs in a Type of eduCaTion orienTed Toward Char- aCTerisTiC roman virTues like honor, glory and publiC serviCe, whiCh serves as The basis for his definiTion of roman CulTural idenTiTy. This argumenT Comes primarily from The deConsTruCTion of The oraTion and The examinaTion of speCifiC passages To idenTify key Themes and expressions, and Combining This analysis wiTh reCenT aCa- demiC sCholarship on CiCero’s oraTions. Cicero’s famous defense of the poet Aulus Licinius Archias judgment and tact convinced him that the only way to in Pro Archia Poeta Oratio remains one of the most present his argument, weak on evidence, was to evoke the eloquent and important works of Latin literature to date. elegant and decorative aspects of human letters in defense The work celebrates the merits of literature and art, which of a poet.”4 However, John Dugan contends that this offers a powerful description of what makes an individual unusual style creates the foundation on which Cicero Roman.
    [Show full text]
  • Paul the Roman Citizen: Roman Citizenship in the Ancient World and Its Importance for Understanding Acts 22:22–29
    PAUL THE ROMAN CITIZEN: ROMAN CITIZENSHIP IN THE ANCIENT WORLD AND ITS IMPORTANCE FOR UNDERSTANDING ACTS 22:22–29 Sean A. Adams University of Edinburgh, UK Paul is one of the most important characters within the New Testament, however, there is still much debate surrounding his life, ministry and theology. One of the key pieces of historical background that would shed light on the understanding of Paul is the understanding of his citizenship. Although not mentioned within his letters, Luke reports in the book of Acts that Paul was a Roman citizen in addition to being a Hellenistic Jew born in Tarsus. Determining if Paul was a Roman citizen is an important step in uncovering the Paul behind the letters and the Paul in Acts. In this paper, I will fi rst outline the nature and development of Roman citizenship within the ancient world and its importance for the bestowing of rights and privileges to its holder. This will be followed by a discussion of the historical veracity of Acts and its story. Finally Paul’s citizenship will be evaluated including the role of dual citizenship in the ancient world and the incident of Acts 22:22–29 and the possible ramifi cations of making a false claim of Roman citizenship. Roman Citizenship Citizenship, at the very beginning of Rome’s development, was rela- tively limited to people who lived within Rome and the surrounding area. However, as their infl uence and power increased it became more desirable to have Roman citizenship. Originally, people could only become citizens in three ways: birth, manumission or special conces- sion.1 Citizenship by birth does not require much explanation except 1 Charlotte E.
    [Show full text]
  • 7 the Roman Empire
    Eli J. S. Weaverdyck 7 The Roman Empire I Introduction The Roman Empire was one of the largest and longest lasting of all the empires in the ancient world.1 At its height, it controlled the entire coast of the Mediterranean and vast continental hinterlands, including most of western Europe and Great Brit- ain, the Balkans, all of Asia Minor, the Near East as far as the Euphrates (and be- yond, briefly), and northern Africa as far south as the Sahara. The Mediterranean, known to the Romans as mare nostrum(‘our sea’), formed the core. The Mediterranean basin is characterized by extreme variability across both space and time. Geologically, the area is a large subduction zone between the African and European tectonic plates. This not only produces volcanic and seismic activity, it also means that the most commonly encountered bedrock is uplifted limestone, which is easily eroded by water. Much of the coastline is mountainous with deep river valleys. This rugged topography means that even broadly similar climatic conditions can pro- duce drastically dissimilar microclimates within very short distances. In addition, strong interannual variability in precipitation means that local food shortages were an endemic feature of Mediterranean agriculture. In combination, this temporal and spatial variability meant that risk-buffering mechanisms including diversification, storage, and distribution of goods played an important role in ancient Mediterranean survival strategies. Connectivity has always characterized the Mediterranean.2 While geography encouraged mobility, the empire accelerated that tendency, inducing the transfer of people, goods, and ideas on a scale never seen before.3 This mobility, combined with increased demand and the efforts of the imperial govern- ment to mobilize specific products, led to the rise of broad regional specializations, particularly in staple foods and precious metals.4 The results of this increased con- It has also been the subject of more scholarship than any other empire treated in this volume.
    [Show full text]
  • UCLA Electronic Theses and Dissertations
    UCLA UCLA Electronic Theses and Dissertations Title Philostratus, Perceptions of Foreign Ethnicity, and Severan Cultural Geography Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7j2862k0 Author Bingley, Christopher Stephen Publication Date 2019 Peer reviewed|Thesis/dissertation eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Los Angeles Philostratus, Perceptions of Foreign Ethnicity, and Severan Cultural Geography A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in History by Christopher Stephen Bingley 2019 © Copyright by Christopher Stephen Bingley 2019 ABSTRACT OF DISSERTATION Philostratus, Perceptions of Foreign Ethnicity, And Severan Cultural Geography by Christopher Stephen Bingley Doctor of Philosophy in History University of CaliforniA, Los Angeles, 2019 Professor DAvid DAniel Phillips, Chair During the first two centuries C.E., provinciAl Greek elites reActed to their new stAtus as denizens of the RomAn Empire in part with the literature they produced, often grouped under the heAding of the Second Sophistic. The tAil end of this period, in which a new dynasty of emperors ruled And underwent a crisis of legitimAcy (193-235 C.E.), wAs mArkedly different in the identity of the imperiAl family and as a result the composition of Greek literature. This distinction, however, has not been part of the scholArly approach to the study of this period’s literature, which insteAd focuses on the traits that it shares with eArlier sophistic literature. During this lAter period, the debate over what constituted proper “RomAnness” acquired renewed cultural importAnce especiAlly becAuse of the Severan imperiAl family’s outsider stAtus, SyriAn and AfricAn background, and decree of universAl citizenship in 212 C.E.
    [Show full text]
  • Roman Law, Roman Citizenship, Roman Identity? Interrelation Between the Three in the Late Republic and Early Empire
    8/15/2014 Roman Law, Roman Citizenship, Roman Identity? Interrelation between the Three in the Late Republic and Early Empire Lina Girdvainyte, 1254707 Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Classics and Ancient Civilizations, Leiden University Supervisor: Prof. dr. L. de Ligt Table of Contents Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 2 1. Roman law ................................................................................................................................................. 7 1.1 Divisions of Roman law: exclusivity and accessibility to non-Romans ............................................ 8 a. ius civile .............................................................................................................................................. 8 b. ius gentium ....................................................................................................................................... 11 c. ius honorarium ................................................................................................................................. 13 1.2 Legal enactments and their application ............................................................................................ 16 1.3 Administration of justice .................................................................................................................. 18 2. Roman
    [Show full text]
  • Roman History the LEGENDARY PERIOD of the KINGS (753
    Roman History THE LEGENDARY PERIOD OF THE KINGS (753 - 510 B.C.) Rome was said to have been founded by Latin colonists from Alba Longa, a nearby city in ancient Latium. The legendary date of the founding was 753 B.C.; it was ascribed to Romulus and Remus, the twin sons of the daughter of the king of Alba Longa. Later legend carried the ancestry of the Romans back to the Trojans and their leader Aeneas, whose son Ascanius, or Iulus, was the founder and first king of Alba Longa. The tales concerning Romulus’s rule, notably the rape of the Sabine women and the war with the Sabines, point to an early infiltration of Sabine peoples or to a union of Latin and Sabine elements at the beginning. The three tribes that appear in the legend of Romulus as the parts of the new commonwealth suggest that Rome arose from the amalgamation of three stocks, thought to be Latin, Sabine, and Etruscan. The seven kings of the regal period begin with Romulus, from 753 to 715 B.C.; Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, from 534 to 510 B.C., the seventh and last king, whose tyrannical rule was overthrown when his son ravished Lucretia, the wife of a kinsman. Tarquinius was banished, and attempts by Etruscan or Latin cities to reinstate him on the throne at Rome were unavailing. Although the names, dates, and events of the regal period are considered as belonging to the realm of fiction and myth rather than to that of factual history, certain facts seem well attested: the existence of an early rule by kings; the growth of the city and its struggles with neighboring peoples; the conquest of Rome by Etruria and the establishment of a dynasty of Etruscan princes, symbolized by the rule of the Tarquins; the overthrow of this alien control; and the abolition of the kingship.
    [Show full text]
  • La Civitas Romana En Livio Druso Y Caracalla: Aspectos De Sus Proyectos Y Realizaciones*
    TIEMPO Y ESPACIO /7-8/ 1997-8 Depto. Historia, Geografía y Cs. Sociales Universidad del Bío-Bío Chillan - Chile La civitas romana en Livio Druso y Caracalla: aspectos de sus proyectos y realizaciones* Alejandro Bancalari Molina** INTRODUCCION Los aliados o socii populi romani a partir de mediados del siglo II a. de C. expresan un activo interés y deseo por alcanzar la ciudadanía romana. Así, para los latinos y particularmente, para los itálicos, su mayor preocupación era pertenecer al nuevo orden romano que se estaba creando, no en calidad de súbditos, sino más bien, como miembros del cuerpo jurídico de los cives romanos. Esto significaba una equiparación e igualdad de oportunidades y cargos y, de la vida misma, en el interior del accionar político-jurídico y socio-económico de la república tardía. En virtud de esta problemática, emerge la figura del tribuno del 91 a. de C., Marco Livio Druso con una propuesta legislativa de conceder la civitas a los aliados de Roma. Por otra parte, a inicios del siglo III d. de C. se configura una situación clave en las relaciones de Roma con los provinciales. Gradualmente, los emperadores concedían la ciudadanía colectiva o individual a ciertos territorios, convirtiéndolos en municip ios. El gran momento se produce con la Constitutio Antoniniana de Civitate del emperador Caracalla en el 212 d. de C., cuando se otorga la civitas romana, prácticamente, a todos los súbditos del imperio. En el fondo, lo que perseguía la constitución era la unificación *Este artículo forma parte del proyecto de investigación patrocinado por DIPRODE (Dirección de investigación de la Universidad del Bío-Bío, N° 962219-1), que lleva por título: Estudio comparativo de la Rogatio de Sociis de Druso (91 A.
    [Show full text]