Politics Of The Late Republic Flashcards
What does veto mean?
Latin for ‘I forbid’
What is the comitia centuriata?
193 centuries, elected magistrates who had imperium powers- consuls and praetors
Who elected magistrates with imperium powers?
Comitia centuriata
What was the Comitia Tributa?
35 tribes, citizens of Rome, presided over by a consul, voted for aediles and quaestors
What was the Concilium Plebis?
The Plebian council, elected tribunes and made laws
Who elected tribunes?
Concilium Plebis, they did this anually
What is the ‘ladder of offices’ called?
Cursus Honorum
What does SPQR stand for?
Senatus Populusque Romanus, the senate and the people of Rome
Who were the Optimates?
A political faction wanting to keep the status quo and old money
What were the Populares?
A political faction advocating for the people of Rome
What is the term for political friendships and what does it entail?
Amicitia- political and financial favours, typically secured through marriage
Term for political public enemy?
Inimicitia
What was a patron-client relationship called?
Clientela
What was the gift from a patron to a client?
Called sportula, it was typically money
What does SCU stand for and what is it?
Senatus Consultum Ultimum, allows suspension of normal restrictions on consuls
What is the term for when someone is the first in their family to hold a consulship?
Novus Homo
What is imperium?
It gave military command and was held by praetors and consuls
What was the gap between holding offices and what was the name of the law stating this?
Lex Villia Annalis, a wait period of 2 years before running for a higher office and 10 years between holding the same office again
What was the order of the Cursus Honorum, and how many half any one position at a time?
2 consuls
8 praetors
4 aediles — 10 tribunes
20 quaestors
What was a quaestor’s role?
Finance
What was an aedile’s role?
Responsible for infrastructure and maintenance of the city, also hosted games and events
What was a praetor’s role?
Judicial officers
What was a consul’s role?
They were senior executives and major generals
What was a dictator?
They served for 6 months in place of a consul in time of emergency, if issue was not resolved within 6 months a new dictator was elected
What where provinces governed by?
Propraetors and proconsuls
How many senators were in the senate?
~600
What was the role of the senate?
Oversaw foreign relations, prepared legislation to put before assemblies, administered state finances, assigned which provinces or military command magistrates would hold
Could the senate make laws?
The senate couldn’t make laws but issued degrees (senatus consulta) which could be passed into law by popular assembly
What were the benefits of having a patron?
Having an important patron could result in a raise in rank
What were the benefits of having clients?
During elections, clients would vote for whoever their patron votes for
When did the late republic begin and end?
133-31BC
What political faction did Sulla side with?
Optimates
Who fought Mithridates the first time, in what year, did they win?
Sulla crossed to meet him and had a victory over him in 87
When did Mithridates accept Sulla’s peace terms?
85
What did Sulla do on his return to Rome?
Proscriptions and reduced power of tribunes- could no longer propose legislation and the right to veto was limited
How did Crassus get rich?
Off of Sulla’s proscriptions
When did Sulla defeat Mithridates and who helped him?
83, Pompey
What were the principles of stoic philosophy?
Advocated knowledge, free will, moral rectitude, self control over emotions. Perfect marriage with political duty to state, unmoved by emotive arguments and stick to principles and political idealisms
When did Caesar marry, who did he marry, and how did Sulla feel about it?
Married Cinna’s daughter, Cornelia, in 84 which was an insult to Sulla
Who was Cinna?
Cinna was the leader of the Marian party opposing Sulla
When does Cicero begin work as a lawyer?
83
When does Pompey receive his first triumph and why is it unusual?
81, usual as he is not officially eligible for a triumph
When does Caesar gain his first military honour and what for?
80, a great and ambitious military leader
Who does Pompey marry and when?
Sulla’s step daughter, Amelia, in 81
What does Cicero do in 79?
Marries into a patrician family (widens amicitia) and goes to Greece
When does Sulla die?
78
Who is removed from Sulla’s will and why?
Pompey as he supported Lepidus for consul
What was fought in the 70s, by who against who?
The Sertorian war, fought by Pompey against Sertorius from 77-72
What does Caesar do in 77?
He is kidnapped by pirates
Who fought which battle against Sertorius in 76?
Pompey and Metellus fought an indecisive battle with Sertorius near Saguntum
Who is born in 76?
Caesar’s daughter Julia
What position did Cicero hold in 76?
A quaestorship in Sicily
What does Caesar do in 75?
Goes to Rhodes to study
When does Verres hold power in Sicily?
73
What happens with Crassus in 73?
He fights against Spartacus until 71
How does Pompey ‘win’ against Sertorius?
Sertorius is murdered
When is Pompey’s second triumph, what is it for, and why is it slightly dubious?
Triumph granted in 71 for the victory in Spain. However, there is doubt of his success considering Sertorius was murdered by one of his own men
Why is there enmity between Crassus and Pompey?
Pompey claims victory in the defeat of Spartacus
Who is consul in 70? What do they do?
Pompey and Crassus held the consulship. The power of the tribunate was restored- supported by Caesar.
What does Cicero do in 70 and what is the result?
He writes In Verrem and wins the Verres trial (extortion and possibly the desecration of temples?). His success makes him Rome’s number 1 orator
What position does Cicero hold on 69?
Aedile
What position does Caesar hold in 69?
Quaestor
What does Caesar do in 69?
Delivers a funeral speech for his aunt Julia, Marius’ wife
What position did Caesar hold in 68?
Military tribune (officer in the Roman army)
When and where do pirates attack?
Ostia in 69- pose threat to Roman grain supply
How does Pompey defeat the pirates and when?
67, he is given command by Gabinian Law
What was Cato doing in 67?
He was elected military tribune without bribery and lived among his troops
What position did Caesar hold in 67 and what does he do?
Quaestorship (lasted for two and a half years) and displayed statues of Marius and supports Pompey is his bills
What position does Cicero hold in 66?
Praetor
What does Cicero write in 66?
De Imperio
What law is passed allowing Pompey to deal with Mithridates?
The Manilian Law in 66
What position does Caesar hold, who supports him and how does Caesar return the support?
Aedile, supported by Crassus’ wealth, Caesar supports Crassus’ attempts to gain influence in Pompey’s absence
What position does Cato hold in 64?
Quaestor
What do Cato and Caesar do together in 64?
They work together to collect long-standing debts and challenge legal immunity and payments of those rich off Sulla’s proscriptions
Who does Catiline support in 63?
Sullan veterans
How does Cicero deal with the Catiline conspirators?
He uses an SCU to put Catiline and 5 Catilinarians to death without a trial
Who does/doesn’t support the killing of the Catilinarians?
Caesar is against it
Why does Cato oppose Murena’s consulship in 63?
Bribery
What position does Cicero hold in 63 and how does his term end?
Consul, Metellus Nepos doesn’t allow Cicero to give end of office speech
What position does Caesar hold in 63 and how does he achieve it?
Pontifex maximus, uses Crassus’ money to get elected
What is Cato in 62 and is he popular?
Tribune, and was popular among nobility
What is Caesar in 62 and what happens in his house?
Praetor, holds Bona Dea festival which Clodius sneaks into- Cato and Cicero speak out against him but he is acquitted
What is Caesar in 61?
Governor of Spain
What happens with Cato and Pompey in 61?
Pompey returns to Rome from Syria to have a triumph, Cato tries to prevent the celebrations and delays the consular elections
What did Caesar want in 61 and why couldn’t he have both?
He wanted a consulship and a triumph but candidates for magistry had to be in the city and those celebrating triumphs had to be outside the city
Who does Pompey marry in 61?
Caesar’s daughter
When is the formation of the First Triumvirate, who is involved, and what do they want?
60, Caesar wanted consulship and triumph, Pompey wanted land for his veterans, Crassus wanted tax rebates for tax-collectors blocked by Optimates
What did Cato oppose in 60?
Caesar in absentia
Who was invited to join the Triumvirate but refused?
Cicero
Who is Consul in 59?
Caesar and Bibulus
What law is passed in 59 and what does it do?
The Campanian law- divided 20,000 pieces of land and given to veterans and fathers of large urban families
What does Caesar establish in 59?
Military command of Gaul and Illyricum for 5 years
What does Caesar do with Pompey in 59?
Caesar ratifies Pompey’s arrangements in the east
What does Clodius do in 59?
Becomes a Plebian with Caesar’s help
What happens to the overall state of politics in 59?
Normal politics breaks down
What position does Clodius hold in 58?
Tribune of the plebs
What laws does Clodius pass in 58?
Can’t execute a Roman citizen without trial (targeting Cicero who is exiled), introduces free grain handout (very popular), legalises trade guilds (Cicero had outlawed them in 63)
What does Pompey do in 58?
Stays in his house for fear of Clodius’ gangs
What does Cato do in 58 and what does this mean for the future?
He was sent by Clodius to finalise the annexation of Cyprus, he would later find it difficult to oppose exceptional commands as he had now accepted one
What is Caesar doing in 58?
He was in Gaul with 3 legions- start of Gallic Campaign
What happened to Pompey and Crassus’ relationship in 58?
They fell out
What vote does Pompey propose in 57, what were the setbacks and final outcome?
Vote to recall Cicero, opposed by Cato. Vote prevented by mob violence, 2 tribunes (Milo and Sestius) guarded the senate and vote passed and Cicero’s exile was revoked
What does Cicero try to do regarding Clodius in 57?
Cicero tried to have Clodius’ tribunate declared illegal but was opposed by Cato
What position does Clodius hold in 56?
Aedile
What was the Conference of Luca, and when was it?
In 56, Caesar arranged to meet Pompey and Crassus to re-establish alliance
What does Pompey do in 55? (Military)
Commanded Spain in absentia
Where does Crassus hold command in 55?
Syria
Who are the consuls in 55?
Pompey and Crassus
What happens to Caesar’s command in Gaul in 55?
It is extended
What is Cicero doing in 55 and what is his idea?
Sidelined and writing, idea of otium cum dignitate- leisure with dignity
What does Cicero attack in 55?
Caesar’s legislation from when Caesar was consul
