Politics Of The Late Republic Flashcards
(111 cards)
1
Q
What does veto mean?
A
Latin for ‘I forbid’
2
Q
What is the comitia centuriata?
A
193 centuries, elected magistrates who had imperium powers- consuls and praetors
3
Q
Who elected magistrates with imperium powers?
A
Comitia centuriata
4
Q
What was the Comitia Tributa?
A
35 tribes, citizens of Rome, presided over by a consul, voted for aediles and quaestors
5
Q
What was the Concilium Plebis?
A
The Plebian council, elected tribunes and made laws
6
Q
Who elected tribunes?
A
Concilium Plebis, they did this anually
7
Q
What is the ‘ladder of offices’ called?
A
Cursus Honorum
8
Q
What does SPQR stand for?
A
Senatus Populusque Romanus, the senate and the people of Rome
9
Q
Who were the Optimates?
A
A political faction wanting to keep the status quo and old money
10
Q
What were the Populares?
A
A political faction advocating for the people of Rome
11
Q
What is the term for political friendships and what does it entail?
A
Amicitia- political and financial favours, typically secured through marriage
12
Q
Term for political public enemy?
A
Inimicitia
13
Q
What was a patron-client relationship called?
A
Clientela
14
Q
What was the gift from a patron to a client?
A
Called sportula, it was typically money
15
Q
What does SCU stand for and what is it?
A
Senatus Consultum Ultimum, allows suspension of normal restrictions on consuls
16
Q
What is the term for when someone is the first in their family to hold a consulship?
A
Novus Homo
17
Q
What is imperium?
A
It gave military command and was held by praetors and consuls
18
Q
What was the gap between holding offices and what was the name of the law stating this?
A
Lex Villia Annalis, a wait period of 2 years before running for a higher office and 10 years between holding the same office again
19
Q
What was the order of the Cursus Honorum, and how many half any one position at a time?
A
2 consuls
8 praetors
4 aediles — 10 tribunes
20 quaestors
20
Q
What was a quaestor’s role?
A
Finance
21
Q
What was an aedile’s role?
A
Responsible for infrastructure and maintenance of the city, also hosted games and events
22
Q
What was a praetor’s role?
A
Judicial officers
23
Q
What was a consul’s role?
A
They were senior executives and major generals
24
Q
What was a dictator?
A
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
25
What where provinces governed by?
Propraetors and proconsuls
26
How many senators were in the senate?
~600
27
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
28
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
29
What were the benefits of having a patron?
Having an important patron could result in a raise in rank
30
What were the benefits of having clients?
During elections, clients would vote for whoever their patron votes for
31
When did the late republic begin and end?
133-31BC
32
What political faction did Sulla side with?
Optimates
33
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
34
When did Mithridates accept Sulla's peace terms?
85
35
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
36
How did Crassus get rich?
Off of Sulla's proscriptions
37
When did Sulla defeat Mithridates and who helped him?
83, Pompey
38
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
39
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
40
Who was Cinna?
Cinna was the leader of the Marian party opposing Sulla
41
When does Cicero begin work as a lawyer?
83
42
When does Pompey receive his first triumph and why is it unusual?
81, usual as he is not officially eligible for a triumph
43
When does Caesar gain his first military honour and what for?
80, a great and ambitious military leader
44
Who does Pompey marry and when?
Sulla's step daughter, Amelia, in 81
45
What does Cicero do in 79?
Marries into a patrician family (widens amicitia) and goes to Greece
46
When does Sulla die?
78
47
Who is removed from Sulla's will and why?
Pompey as he supported Lepidus for consul
48
What was fought in the 70s, by who against who?
The Sertorian war, fought by Pompey against Sertorius from 77-72
49
What does Caesar do in 77?
He is kidnapped by pirates
50
Who fought which battle against Sertorius in 76?
Pompey and Metellus fought an indecisive battle with Sertorius near Saguntum
51
Who is born in 76?
Caesar's daughter Julia
52
What position did Cicero hold in 76?
A quaestorship in Sicily
53
What does Caesar do in 75?
Goes to Rhodes to study
54
When does Verres hold power in Sicily?
73
55
What happens with Crassus in 73?
He fights against Spartacus until 71
56
How does Pompey 'win' against Sertorius?
Sertorius is murdered
57
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
58
Why is there enmity between Crassus and Pompey?
Pompey claims victory in the defeat of Spartacus
59
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.
60
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
61
What position does Cicero hold on 69?
Aedile
62
What position does Caesar hold in 69?
Quaestor
63
What does Caesar do in 69?
Delivers a funeral speech for his aunt Julia, Marius' wife
64
What position did Caesar hold in 68?
Military tribune (officer in the Roman army)
65
When and where do pirates attack?
Ostia in 69- pose threat to Roman grain supply
66
How does Pompey defeat the pirates and when?
67, he is given command by Gabinian Law
67
What was Cato doing in 67?
He was elected military tribune without bribery and lived among his troops
68
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
69
What position does Cicero hold in 66?
Praetor
70
What does Cicero write in 66?
De Imperio
71
What law is passed allowing Pompey to deal with Mithridates?
The Manilian Law in 66
72
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
73
What position does Cato hold in 64?
Quaestor
74
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
75
Who does Catiline support in 63?
Sullan veterans
76
How does Cicero deal with the Catiline conspirators?
He uses an SCU to put Catiline and 5 Catilinarians to death without a trial
77
Who does/doesn't support the killing of the Catilinarians?
Caesar is against it
78
Why does Cato oppose Murena's consulship in 63?
Bribery
79
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
80
What position does Caesar hold in 63 and how does he achieve it?
Pontifex maximus, uses Crassus' money to get elected
81
What is Cato in 62 and is he popular?
Tribune, and was popular among nobility
82
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
83
What is Caesar in 61?
Governor of Spain
84
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
85
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
86
Who does Pompey marry in 61?
Caesar's daughter
87
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
88
What did Cato oppose in 60?
Caesar in absentia
89
Who was invited to join the Triumvirate but refused?
Cicero
90
Who is Consul in 59?
Caesar and Bibulus
91
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
92
What does Caesar establish in 59?
Military command of Gaul and Illyricum for 5 years
93
What does Caesar do with Pompey in 59?
Caesar ratifies Pompey's arrangements in the east
94
What does Clodius do in 59?
Becomes a Plebian with Caesar's help
95
What happens to the overall state of politics in 59?
Normal politics breaks down
96
What position does Clodius hold in 58?
Tribune of the plebs
97
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)
98
What does Pompey do in 58?
Stays in his house for fear of Clodius' gangs
99
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
100
What is Caesar doing in 58?
He was in Gaul with 3 legions- start of Gallic Campaign
101
What happened to Pompey and Crassus' relationship in 58?
They fell out
102
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
103
What does Cicero try to do regarding Clodius in 57?
Cicero tried to have Clodius' tribunate declared illegal but was opposed by Cato
104
What position does Clodius hold in 56?
Aedile
105
What was the Conference of Luca, and when was it?
In 56, Caesar arranged to meet Pompey and Crassus to re-establish alliance
106
What does Pompey do in 55? (Military)
Commanded Spain in absentia
107
Where does Crassus hold command in 55?
Syria
108
Who are the consuls in 55?
Pompey and Crassus
109
What happens to Caesar's command in Gaul in 55?
It is extended
110
What is Cicero doing in 55 and what is his idea?
Sidelined and writing, idea of otium cum dignitate- leisure with dignity
111
What does Cicero attack in 55?
Caesar's legislation from when Caesar was consul
