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Grex History Item 17: Roman Republic
Entered by arthur on Fri Oct 11 04:23:48 UTC 1991:

   I'm currently reading "The World of the Citizen in Republican
Rome", by Claude Nicolet.  It concerns itself with the religious,
political, fiscal, and military rights and duties of the ordinary
Roman citizen, and compares those of different ranks of citizen.

   There were several novel ideas (novel to me, at least) in the
book.  Foremost was the assertion that many or most of the states
of the time were timocracies (rule according to wealth, versus
plutocracy, which is rule by the wealthy).  In Rome, this was
accomplished by having people vote as a group (much the way we
do for president, via the Electoral College).  The groups, rather
that being divided by geography, were divided by wealth.

   This isn't quite as unfair as it sounds, since with the greater
power came a correspondingly higher obligation for military
service.  Up until the waning years of the Republic, Rome had
a draft which burdened the wealthy much more than those of
average or little wealth.  And Rome was frequently at war then.
Not a case of the old rich sending the young poor off to fight
their wars.

   One curiousity in the book was an explanation of 'decimation'.
I had known that it originally meant reducing by a tenth, but
did not realize that the reduction was done to Roman soldiers as
a punishment when they disobeyed orders in a body (for example,
when a unit broke in battle and fled).

   Yes, I recommend this book, to anyone interested in Roman
history, and also to anyone interested in government.

9 responses total.

#1 of 9 by jep on Fri Oct 11 05:37:32 1991:

        It should be noted that Rome went through a number of governmental
styles during it's existence; generally moving from democracy to
autocracy.  At one point seats in the Senate were sold on bids.  (An
interesting means of financing the government.)  I certainly hope the book
makes note of the variety of governments used during the course of Rome's
existance!

#2 of 9 by steve on Fri Oct 11 05:43:43 1991:

   Is this a good book for a beginner to learn about things Roman?

   I lack a reasonable education of Roman culture in general, and have
been looking for a good guide to start off with.  It seems that either I
find somethine that is completely lacking in overall intelligence, or, I
find a tract that was written by a scholar who hasn't the faintest idea that
there are people in the world with less knowledge that s/he has, thus
making it incomprehensible.

#3 of 9 by arthur on Fri Oct 11 06:05:42 1991:

   It certainly notes the changes that the Roman government went
through, at least until the end of the Republic.  In rather more
detail than is entirely interesting.

   This is definitely not the book you want to read if you want
to learn the basics about Roman culture.  It assumes a basic
familiarity with the formal structure of the Roman government,
a knowledge of the broad outlines of Roman history, and the
geography of the time.  This last is, for me, the greatest
flaw since I do not own an historical atlas.

   I do not know a good overview text for Roman culture and
history.  I own but haven't started "A History of Private
Life: Pagan Rome to Byzantium".  I browsed the beginning,
and it looks promising (but will assume some knowledge of
history, I'll bet).

#4 of 9 by tnt on Sat Oct 12 18:11:08 1991:

I thought the Vomitariums were an interesting concept.

#5 of 9 by arthur on Sun Oct 13 16:52:20 1991:

   Yeah, institutionalized, customary 'bulemia' is a strange
custom.  Although I think that not giving women names of their
own (but just numbering them) is rather stranger.

#6 of 9 by ty on Thu Oct 31 06:21:09 1991:

Reading the works of Josephus also sheds light on the Roman empire.  
It really deals with the fall of Jerusalem and the wars associated with it, 
but it also gives firsthand accounts of their military system.  
Very interesting.

#7 of 9 by fes on Mon Nov 4 21:39:07 1991:

re: decimation - kill 10% of them, cut off 10% of each one's body parts,
or what - how can you leave an item like that hanging?

#8 of 9 by arthur on Tue Nov 5 03:01:58 1991:

   Decimation -- choosing 1 out of every 10 persons for punishment.
Often execution, but (I think) varying with the offense.

#9 of 9 by orwell on Thu Sep 21 04:58:00 1995:

Well now  it is time for me to air my thoughts. Since the last response was
listed the Roman Empire has in fact fallen. 

I am sorry guys, it was a bunch of Germna barbarians..WE couldnt stop 'em,
sorry guys.

The move from the republic to the dictatorship was the best thing that ever
happend to Rome. The REpublic was VERY corrupt. The last hundred years of it
were filled with bloody civil war...The most improvement of the empire was
during the reign of Augustus and Tiberius.....

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