Rome 264 – 133 BC. Terminology: Plebeians: common folk of Rome. Patricians: wealthy land owners of...

Rome264 – 133 BC264 – 133 BC

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.


• 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).


• 2. Comitia tributa• Democratic membership from the people,• Made laws sometimes without senate

approval. • Elected plebeian tribunes.

Summary

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

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.

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.

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.

Reminder

• Assessment on Hannibal due by Friday.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Extortion Court

• The practical failure of the Court meant that for many years Roman provinces suffered from exploitation by:

• Governors AND• Tax collectors.

Extortion Court

• Your task:

• Begin summarising your handout booklet by Boak and Sinnigen: A History of Rome

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.


• 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.

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.


• 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.


• 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.


• 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.


• 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.

Your task:

• Summarise Booklet, pages 154 – 157.

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.


• 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.


• 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.


• The effects of the great estates (latifundia) on Roman society did not go unnoticed by the Senate.

• They brought in laws to limit land ownership to small portions (310 acre according to Livy).

• These laws were often difficult to enforce, • Wealthy landowners often did not obey them.• Once occupied, land became a hereditary

possession (handed down to children).

Your task:

• Summarise Booklet, pages 157 – 158.

Changes to the Magistracies

• Magistrates and elections:• Magistrates could reject the candidate of an

election if he did not approve with him or his policies.

• Magistrates were used by Senators, as senators could not own ships or engage in public contracts. Magistrates could help them to influence the public through other means.


• Magistrates in the provinces:• At first provinces such as Sicily, Corsica and

Sardinia were ruled by regular magistrates.• This proved ineffective, and so special

magistrates were assigned to these areas. • Two extra Praetors were elected each year for

this reason.


• Changes needed in the Magistrates because they were designed to handle city administration;

• But they were not well appointed to dealing with imperial administration over a large empire.


• Praetor’s Edict:• Annually elected Magistrates issued laws each

year.• Each year an elected Magistrate (called the

Praetor) published the principles which he would enforce, and the grounds needed by people for grievances.


• Each Praetor’s edicts were valid for the year he was in office.

• However, most incoming Praetor’s carried on the principles set by his predecessor, so precedent was adhered to.

• As the city of Rome expanded, two large basilicas (public halls) were constructed for the use of Magistrates.

Roman basilica

Your task:

• Conduct further research on the Magistrates and how their role changed during 264-133 BC.

Rome 264 – 133 BC. Terminology: Plebeians: common folk of Rome. Patricians: wealthy land owners of...

Documents

Transcript of Rome 264 – 133 BC. Terminology: Plebeians: common folk of Rome. Patricians: wealthy land owners of...