Roman society

Question 1

Who could only have full citizenship?

Answer 1

Roman men

Question 2

What citizenship were women given?

Answer 2

A limited form of citizenship and were regarded as minors in Roman law

Question 3

What were benefits entitled to citizens?

Answer 3

Free entry to public games and free or heavily subsidised use of baths

Question 4

What were poor citizens given?

Answer 4

Free corn paid by public funds

Question 5

What class did the majority of citizens belong to?

Answer 5

Classes beneath the senators and equities - mostly poor, ill-educated and engaged in trade and roles for money

Question 6

Who belonged to the highest group in the Roman class structure?

Answer 6

Senators

Question 7

How did a man qualify to become a senator?

Answer 7

• Had to have been the son of a senator or elevated to the senatorial class by the emperor
• Own property worth over one million sesterces

Question 8

What rights and responsibilities did senators have?

Answer 8

• Not engaging directly in trade and commerce
• Obtaining wealth from their property (as you weren’t paid to be a senator)
• Give time to politics and public service

Question 9

What were the key senatorial roles?

Answer 9

Magistrate
Consul
Praetor

Question 10

Who was a magistrate?

Answer 10

An elected politician of Rome

Question 11

Who was a consul?

Answer 11

The most important public official in Rome after the emperor - two consuls were elected annually

Question 12

Who was a praetor?

Answer 12

The second highest category of public official in Rome, responsible for the law courts and imperial administration.

Question 13

Who were the equites?

Answer 13

The second elite group in Rome. In early Rome, it applied to men who were wealthy enough to own a horse. They later grew to mean men who had property worth 400,000 sesterces

Question 14

Why were the equites often successful businessmen or wealthy?

Answer 14

• They could engage in trade and commerce ( unlike senators)
• They were used b the emperor to fill roles in civil service or the provinces eg: financial affairs
• Could be appointed governors of small provinces

Question 15

How could Equites signify their rank?

Answer 15

They could wear a toga with a purple toga and a gold ring. They could also be promoted to the senatorial class if a vacancy came up and they had enough property wealth

Question 16

What were the different ways to become a slave?

Answer 16

Born a slave
Captives of war
Exposure - abandoned by parents at birth
Kidnapping
Criminals - made a slave as punishment

Question 17

What were the 3 main types of slaves?

Answer 17

Domestic slave
Industrial slave
Public slave

Question 18

What were the roles of a domestic slave?

Answer 18

• An educated slave tutored the children.
• Women would perform domestic tasks like childcare, cooking, weaving and shopping
• Men would usually work for the paterfamilias doing accounts, accompanying him to the baths or running errands

Question 19

What were the roles of an industrial slave?

Answer 19

Strong male slaves would do challenging and dangerous tasks. This included mining, factory work or rowers on galleys. The conditions were grim and usually resulted in a short life expectancy.

Question 20

What were the roles of a public slave?

Answer 20

They were owned by the state so would perform jobs for the city like upkeeping temples, baths and other public places. Work on public construction or maintenance for public facilities like roads or aqueducts. Educated slaves would act as scribes in the civil service.

Question 21

What power did masters have over slaves?

Answer 21

Slaves were legal property to their master who would hold power and choice over the slaves’ rights and way of life. This included the power of life and death.
Masters could brand or collar slaves to prevent them from running away.

Question 22

What rights did slaves hold?

Answer 22

A slave had no legal or political rights, they couldn’t marry or own property and their quality of treatment depended on the master’s character. Some masters were kind but some were very cruel and would physically and sexually abuse their slaves.

Question 23

Who was a freedman?

Answer 23

People who were slaves freed by buying it, serving for a long time or by the choice of their master. They were Roman citizens and could wear a special felt cap to symbolise their liberty

Question 24

What rights did a freedman hold?

Answer 24

Although they were Roman citizens they couldn’t run for public office, become a member of the senatorial or equestrian classes despite the fact they may earn enough money to be eligible. The son of a freedman would be eligible to have full Roman rights and citizenship