Key Terms For The Lte Republican Society

Question 1

Amicitia

Answer 1

Literally friendship. In Rome this was a system of family and individuals alliances established to consolidate and further the success of influential Romans.

Question 2

Auctoritas

Answer 2

Literally authority, yet it is better to translate is as the prestige, influence or clout that a Roman magistrate possessed. Different from imperium, which is the official power magistrates wielded.

Question 3

Augur

Answer 3

A state religious official at Rome, who could read signs such as the flight of birds. Their interpretations were seen as either divine favour or disapproval during major decisions of state.

Question 4

Boni

Answer 4

Men considered to be ideal statesmen: well-educated, traditional, patriotic and experienced enough in politics to accept responsibility for making good decisions for the moral and political health of the state. (A political term used by Cicero).

Question 5

Clients

Answer 5

Citizens who were bound by loyalty to a wealthy patron to support him in his public interests in return for support and resources.

Question 6

Curses honorum

Answer 6

The political ladder of elected magistrates

Question 7

Dignitas

Answer 7

Literally dignity. It can mean prestige. Dignitas is often associated with a Romans accumulated social, religious, and political standing.

Question 8

Dominatio

Answer 8

A form of autocracy or despotism, which Romans loyal to the res republica loathed.

Question 9

Equestrians

Answer 9

The wealthy business class of Rome, whose influence grew through commerce and finance. Their status was symbolised by a gold finger ring and a narrow purple stripe on their toga.

Question 10

Fasces

Answer 10

A bundle of rods and axes. These publicly symbolised the imperium (power) of senior Roman magistrates; and the magistrates attendants ( called lictors) carried them.

Question 11

Freedman/freedwomen

Answer 11

The ex slaves who had been granted their freedom by their masters. The ritual of freeing the slave was termed manumission. Children born to freedom were allowed to become Roman citizens. They symbolically received a cap of freedom.

Question 12

Hellenisation

Answer 12

The process whereby Greek culture was absorbed and spread

Question 13

Imperium

Answer 13

The official power invested in a counsel giving him the military command of the state army. Imperium also enabled a counsel of initiate legislation

Question 14

Inimicitia

Answer 14

Literally meaning enmity. This is the opposite system to amicitia, where individual disagreements could extend to significant hostility between families and Roman leaders.

Question 15

Libertas

Answer 15

A term for liberty of the political freedom of citizens. A prominent term in the late Republic.

Question 16

Legions

Answer 16

The heavy infantry units of the Roman army , Each made of around 5000 men. Traditionally, they were recruited from Roman citizens in times of war and each legionary swore an oath to the SPQR during the Republic became increasingly professional and loyal to the commanders.

Question 17

Magistrates

Answer 17

Quaestor, aedile, praetor, council dictator console and tribune for the plebs. (Except for dictator and Senso), these were the annually elected magistrates of the res public and part of the cursus honorum.

Question 18

Mos maiorum

Answer 18

Literally translate as the custom of ancestors . this was an unwritten code of social value about the Romans especially conservatives believe derived from the actions of the ancestors. They believed that these ancestral values and models of behaviour should be followed within their private political and military lives.

Question 19

Nobiles

Answer 19

Select group of senatorial families distinguished by the inclusion of a council in their ancestry.

Question 20

Novus homo

Answer 20

Literally new man, one who had not only managed to break into the ranks of the Senate but even to become council with no history of the council ship or sometimes even senatorial rank in his family lineage for example Cicero.

Question 21

Optimates

Answer 21

A group of aristocratic politicians whose energies were channelled into the conservative preservation of the political and social status quo.

Question 22

Patricians

Answer 22

Aristocratic families who could trace the ancestors back to the early days of Rome when Romulus mythical founder of Rome chose them as they’re 100 senators.

Question 23

Patron

Answer 23

Significant social standing who was able to offer various resources financial legal work or simple foods to his clients in return and other services.

Question 24

Piety (pietas)

Answer 24

The tall Roman believes where one of the duty film and respectful to the gods, your family and your country part of this party involved following the mos maiorum.

Question 25

Plebeians

Answer 25

Roman citizens who are not patricians. Originally a lower order plebeians significant wealth and ability as a result of a conflict of order from the 5th to the third century BC.

Question 26

Pontifex Maximus

Answer 26

The most influential religious office in Rome, the chief priest of the college of Pontiffs,whose members were the highest ranked priests within the res publica.

Question 27

Populares

Answer 27

Ambitious aristocratic politicians who aim to secure power through the support of the Roman people. They directly appealed to the people, especially the plebeians, with proposals and reforms aim and improving best standards of living.

Question 28

Proscriptions

Answer 28

These were lists of Romans citizens mostly senators and equestrian who were officially declared as enemies of the state and so condemned to death instigated proscriptions in 82/80 1BC and the second triumvirate would instigated proscriptions in 40 3BC

Question 29

Publicani

Answer 29

Private businessmen of the equestrian class who delivered public contracts for the res publica. The most prominent task was to collect taxes in the provinces.

Question 30

Res publica

Answer 30

Literally meaning public affairs this was the term the Romans used to refer to their constitution or the state that had replaced the monarchy.

Question 31

Senatus populusque Romanus (SPQR)

Answer 31

Senate and people of Rome

Question 32

Senators/senate

Answer 32

The highest and wealthiest citizen class in room who descended from established aristocratic families about 600 senators made up the senate in the late Republic the key advisory body of the Roman state a senator wore a gold ring to indicate his status and he wore broad purple band on his toga.

Question 33

Slaves

Answer 33

Romans employed a wide variety of slaves, e.g. farm labours, house, slaves, and gladiators. Slaves came from three key sources: wars, sold into slavery via poverty, and being born to a slave mother within a Roman household.

Question 34

Stoicism

Answer 34

School of philosophy by one thought to be virtuous and moderate regardless of what the gods make you suffer Stoics were known for their self-control in both public and private life and for enduring pain and suffering without complaints E.G Cato the younger was a famous Roman stoic

Question 35

Triumvirate

Answer 35

A political alliance of three leading men in 60 BC Caesar, Pompeii and Crases formed private alliance the first triumvirate . In 4 3BC an avian and leopardess formed an official alliance the second triumvirate

Question 36

Virtus

Answer 36

Virtue, courage, or excellence a defining concept of the life of a Roman man.