Politics Flashcards
The ‘old orthodoxy’
In reality was that the government was heavily weighted towards the elite
The ‘new orthodoxy’ or the Millar position?
Opposite of the ‘old orthodoxy’ - people had more people power
Who couldn’t vote?
Women
Slaves
Resident foreigners
Why couldn’t the poor run for office?
They could but they couldn’t afford to campaign
Consuls
2 annually elected
They were rarely reelected
Dictator?
A rare role for emergencies that was only for a short amount of time.
Censor
An additional role for revising citizen lists - 2 every 5 years
Imperium
The right to command
Senate
300 members who: Controlled finances and security Administration of Italy Relationships between foreign powers Advised on legalisation Invalidate legislation from other bodies
Comitia centuriata
193 centuries / by 5 citizen classes base on wealth
Electsmagistates, military leaders and censors
Voted major laws and wars
Who voted first?
The first class
Comitia tribute
Elected minor officials
Voted on the legality of plebiscites
Judged legal cases when penalty didn’t exceed a fine
Who claims that comitia tribute and concilium plebis are the same?
Forsythe, 2005
Class problems with ancient sources
sources were written by the elite, who were educated.
Sex problems with ancient sources
They are exclusively male
Interest problems and agendas with ancient sources
The writers are all interested in the same things; war, state/politics and religion
non-literary sources?
laws treaties census' of magistrates oral tradition annals greek histories
Patricians
Elite clans based on birth at the beginning of the Roman period. Largely monopolise offices and priesthoods
Plebeians
other citizens
The Struggle of Orders?
An ongoing conflict between Plebeians and Patricians.
494 BC to 287 BC
Aims of the Plebeians?
Sharing the magistracies.
Change the laws on debt.
protection form arbitrary actions
Outcomes of the struggle of orders?
Debt relief
Priesthood open to all
Protection of the Plebeians
Law of the 12 tables
Law of the 12 tables?
450-451 BC
Livy
Protection of the Plebeians
Council of the Plebs
Legalisation of laws passed by the council
Tribunes of the plebs
Council of the Plebs
471 BC
Legalisation of laws passed by the council
449 BC
Creation of tribunes of the plebs
471 BC
Tribunes of the plebs become sacrosanct
449 BC
Democracy or republic?
Republic
