provinces Flashcards
how many provinces does Rome have before 133 BC and how does this change?
6 provinces- increased with addition of Asia, Gallic, Narbonenis, Transalpine Gaul, Cilicia, Bithynia, Pontus, Cyrenacia, Crete, Syria, Illyricum, Cyprus, Egypt and Gallic Cisalpina
general set up of provinces from late republic to Caesar
all governed by the senate and people
Romans have no clear theoretical method of administration to force upon the provincials - deferred to local arrangement. Charters (lex provinciae) established status of communities within annexed provinces / laid down regulations about tribute and jurisdiction
chief burdens laid upon the provincials is taxation, amount arranged by Rome
provincial governors normally a proconsul or propraetor who had held magistracies in rome the previous year - senate decide which provinces go to consuls and which to praetors - governorship theoretically annual - often prolonged
governors authority all but unlimited over province - chief duties, defence against external attack, internal disorder, jurisdiction
right-hand man: quaestor, allocated by lot and chiefly responsible for finance
how did taxation of the provinces work in the late republic/ under caesar
taxes were arranged by rome - before caesar the provinces fall in to two categories
‘vectigal certum’ - paying a fixed tax (the majority)
‘decuma’ or a tithe - on agricultural land OR grazing tax (‘scriptura’) on pasture
some form of property tax could also be imposed but not well attested before the principate
how were provincial communities stratified in the late republic and under caesar and how did this effect their right to self-governance
two favoured groups - could use their own laws, remained outside of the governor’s jurisdiction, sometimes exempt from obligation to quarter Roman troops. Only one difference between the two
civitates foederatae - guaranteed status
civitates liberae - revocable status
less favoured communities: civitates stipendiaries - still normally allowed considerable degree of self governance
how many provinces did augustus add to the empire?
28 colonies in Italy - built public buildings and revenues there - gave them equal rights and dignities to the city of Rome
visited all provinces except Africa and Sardinia (suet 47)
augustus mostly continued Caesar’s colonising policy - Roman control largely indirect and rested upon support/loyalty of self-governing communities
which provinces did Augustus assume control of in 27 BC and what are the reasons for it?
All of Gaul, most of Spain, Cilicia, Cyprus, Egypt - THOSE NOT YET PACIFIED, initially granted for 10 years, could be renewed for 5 or 10 years - constant renewals
while Cassius Dio speculates his motive being to disarm the senate - not entirely fair - while most of the 28 legions were stationed in the imperial provinces, not all were
not unfair to mention that Egypt was a source of wealth and food for the city of Rome visited- having control had significant influence
Augustus governed the ‘stronger provinces’ himself - in others assigned proconsular governors selected by lot (suet 47) - clearly sees a selfish motive
NOTE: provinces in general provided a large portion of the revenue of the roman state
NOTE: ‘senetorial provinces’ is a modern term imposed by scholars on the ancient evidence, maybe public provinces or ‘provincia publicae’ in the latin better
what were some of the significant features of the major provinces (Africa, Gaul, Spain)
Africa: chief granary of Rome - carthage restored as colony, chief city of province - frontiers needed observation
spain: one of the oldest provinces, NW tribes not pacified. mountainous - difficult to subjugate. war only ended in 19 BC with Agrippa. minerals, corn, oil, and fighting men provided. reorganised settlements, new roads, spread of trade, romanisation etc
Gaul: completely pacified as late as 12 BC - road system developed and organisation was the basic ‘need’ (from an admin perspective)
how did taxation of the provinces work under augustus / how was it calculated?
Augustus surveyed the resources of the empire by censuses to surmise a basis for fair taxation (land ownership/ extent)
Direct taxes: ‘tributum soli’ - levied on all occupiers of land, and ‘tributum capitis’ - levied on other forms of property. All provincials had to pay land tax - freedom from tax had to be granted to specific communities or individuals BY AUGUSTUS
Indirect taxes: ‘portoria’ (dues up to 5% on goods crossing certain frontiers), tax on manumission and sale of slaves, grain for governor and his staff, and the ‘aurum coronarium’ - gift paid later at the accession of an emperor
how were censuses conducted under Augustus?
Roman towns required to hold census every 5 years - conducted by local magistrates ‘quinquennales’
provided info about extent and ownership of land as well as other forms of wealth - provided a basis for fair taxation
different status’ for cities (outside of rome)
colonies (some probably immune from taxations, some privileges)
municipia (existing cities given Roman citizenship)
‘latin’ cities (partway between citizenship and non-citizenship, local magistrates became roman citizens)
‘stipendiary’ cities (majority in most provinces - few were free or federate cities under the republic)
colonies and. municipia - which had roman citizenship - most privileged
what where the main changes implemented in the reorganisation of the provinces in 27 BC?
Some of the provinces under the control of Augustus rather than the senate and people (listed on other flashcard)
greater care in choice and control of governors - now salaried professionals who’s prospects of promotion depended on their efficiency - retribution swifter and surer
improvement of communications for emperor to keep in touch and retrain officials
road systems improved and imperial post (cursus publicus) extended to them - messages going up to 50 miles a day
covernors could be checked by the provincial councils which met annually
lacked legislative power
examples of when provinces were transferred from control of the senate to the emperor
Illyricum transferred from proconsuls to legati augusti due to outbreak of rebellion (after being a senatorial province from 27 BC)
macedonia and achaia - same happens in 15 AD under Tiberius (cassius dio 60.24.1 / tac 1.76)
Claudius restored both to former authority of the senate - presumably because the issues in each were resolved
Augustus’ power over Egypt
something between a normal province and Augustus’ ‘personal domain’ when he annexed it after Cleopatra’s death
administered by an equestrian prefect - no senator allowed to enter without Augustus’ permission
Augustus received divine honours there as a successor to the Pharaohs - from egyptian perspective he is an absolute monarch
Cassius Dio attempts to justify his continued control (51.17) - fickle character of the inhabitants, didn’t trust any senator to oversea it (does make overt reference to it as a source of wealth and corn) - he also barred the egyptians from being senators in rome
difference in governance of public provinces vs imperial provinces
PUBLIC PROVINCES
governed by proconsul, appointed by lot for one year (practice revived by Augustus), assumed insignia on leaving the pomerium, retaining until return. Did not wear military dress / sword, number of lictor depends on rank as either ex-praetor or ex-consul
IMPERIAL PROVINCES
governed by legati augusti pro praetore (Augustus is the official legal governor) who are appointed directly by the emperor, acted in his place - legal and political hierarchy. Legati Augusti served until replaced with an average of 3 years (could be longer, Tiberius had some up to 10 years tac.1.80). assumed insignia only upon entering the province, war military dress and carried ‘ius gladii’ (allowed them to execute soldiers, even if roman citizens) - only 5 lictors irrespective of rank
praefecti in the provinces
praefecti of the equestrian order - directly appointed by the emperor
innovation of the period for Augustus to employ equites to work in provincial government - usually in charge of smaller provinces but also used in egypt
the ones in egypt only high-status equestrians towards the end of their career like Gallus
Grants of Citizenship: letters of Octavian concerning Seleukos of Rhosus
4 letters between 42-30 BC
Rhosus - relatively inconsequential city of border between province of syria and cilicia, documents are ‘senatus consulta’ upon request for record
Seleukos and family granted roman citizenship and tax exemption under the Munatian and Aemilian law - for Seleukos campaigning with romans under their command and exhibited loyalty to the republic
given right to vote / be enrolled in census
only surviving attestation of these specific lex
provincial alterations under Tiberius
made only changes that security demanded - mainly affected the East
Little change on the Rhine-Danube frontier after Tiberius stopped Germanicus’ advancement into Elbe
3 small wars - Thrace, Gaul, Africa
provinces generally peaceful/prosperous
imperial visits to provinces very few - Tiberius accused of dealing with embassies deliberately slowly by Josephus
Tac.4.55-56: in 26 AD senate spends several days listening to embassies from 11 cities in Asia
provincial alterations under Caligula
half-hearted actions in regard to Germany and Britain
Spring 40 AD - drew troops to the English channel to prepare for British invasion - suddenly cancels
Made changes to client-kingdoms in some cases to reward his friends
Disasterous policy towards Jewish people - denied persistent requests for local citizenship in Alexandria. Nationalistic leaders arose who opposed Rome. Flare-up in anti-jewish pogroms in 38 AD. Ordered a statue of himself to be set up in the temple at Jerusalem
provincial alterations under Claudius
Adds 5 provinces: Mauritania (2), Britain, Thrace and Lycia - extended frontiers
East, especially Asia Minor sae road building
Whole tribes in Gaul receiving latin rights, extended citizen and municipal rights - began raising provinces nearer to equality with Italy
Gave Gauls from Gallia Comata right to stand for the senate in 48 AD when he was censor
promoted good administration and suppressed disorders
conquest of Britain
Claudius’ attitudes to Roman citizenship
whole tribes in Gaul receive latin rights, many individuals granted roman citizenship
every auxiliary soldier received citizenship with honourable discharge, as well as conubium and civitas for their children born in service
auxilary granted citizenship - visible in capitol on bronze tablets with thousands added each year - why so visible? why the spectacle?
Praetorian and urban cohorts already roman citizenship under but also got ‘conubium’
‘numeri’ - non roman troops who retained native commanders and native fighting methods, may have received citizenship
citizenship granted to Velubilis
‘conubium’ meaning
capacity to contract an ‘iustum matrimonium’ - marriage valid in roman law
edict from claudius granting roman citizenship
46 AD
bronze tablet near Tridentum in Italian Alps, in Latin ‘I permit (the tridentini) to remain in the legal status in which they believed they were’ - partially because many of them were soldiers in Praetorian Guard, line commanders and judges at Rome
what is peculiar about Claudius granting citizenship to the Velubilis?
very recently conquered region so why given citizenship? Several of the others he granted citizenship made logical sense because of how long they had been part of the empire
also very remote and isolated from central empire
copying caesar in his generosity with citizenship? reading too much Livy and early history where citizenship was given out so liberally?
