U4 AOS1 - The Twelve Tables and the Conflict of Orders (509 - 287 BCE)

Question 1

What did Marcel Le Glay say the Twelve Tables (451 - 450 BCE) were the “cornerstone” of?

Answer 1

“The Twelve Tables were the cornerstone of Roman law, providing a written and accessible legal code for all citizens.” (Marcel Le Glay)

Question 2

How did the Twelve Tables (451 - 450 BCE) effect Roman law according to David Gwynn?

Answer 2

“With the establishment of the Twelve Tables, Roman law became more transparent and equitable, ensuring that even the common citizens had access to legal protections.” (David Gwynn)

Question 3

What did the Twelve Tables (451 - 450 BCE) promote according to Ronald Syme?

Answer 3

“The Twelve Tables solidified the rule of law in Rome, promoting stability and predictability in a rapidly expanding society.” (Ronald Syme)

Question 4

Finish the quote from Cartwright:
“Although some scholars insist the Twelve Tables were not quite the ‘all equal before the law’ that tradition had claimed and that they were not enough alone to be defined as a complete law code, they…”

Answer 4

“they, nevertheless, indisputably set the foundation for what would become a system of fully codified law in the Roman world.” (Cartwright)

Question 5

When was the Conflict of Orders?

Answer 5

494 - 287 BCE

Question 6

When was the First secession?

Answer 6

494 BCE

Question 7

When were the 5 total secessions?

Answer 7

494 BCE, 449 BCE, 445 BCE, 342 BCE, 287 BCE

Question 8

What was created after the first secession? (494 BCE)

Answer 8

The Concilium Plebis (Plebeian Council).

Question 9

What was created after the second secession? (449 BCE)

Answer 9

The Twelve Tables were ratified

Question 10

What did the Canuleian law allow for? (445 BCE, the third secession)

Answer 10

Intermarriage rights between Patricians and Plebeians.

Question 11

What did the Licinian-Sextian laws allow for? (367 BCE)

Answer 11

The Licinian-Sextian laws (367 BCE) permitted Plebeians to run for consol, Limited the amount of land a person could own, and passed debt relief measures.

Question 12

What did the Genucian laws mandate? (342 BCE, the fourth secession)

Answer 12

The Genucian laws (342 BCE) mandated that at least one consol had to be a plebeian.

Question 13

What did the Hortensian laws end? (287 BCE, the fifth secession)

Answer 13

The Hortensian laws (287 BCE) ended the conflict of orders; the plebiscites of the Plebeian Council no longer needed senatorial approval to become as legally binding as the laws passed by the Centuriate Assembly