Structure of Roman Society part 2

Aristocracy: morality

a. Aristocracy in decline?

- Polybius, Livy, Sallust emphasis the moral decline of the aristocracy
- Influence of the Greek east > greed, avarice, ambition (Sallust)
- Ejections from the senate: 70 BC 64 members ejected, Sallust ejected for immorality.

b. Moral catchwords describe the aristocracy: Optimates
c. Series of moral values guided public and private life: controlled actions and relationships

Virtus – winning personal pre-eminence and glory by doing great deeds on behalf of the state
Auctorutas – ‘authority’
Fides – good faith
Fama – reputation – good or bad e.g. Caesar divorced his wife because she was rumoured to of had an affair with Clodius (who had dressed up as a woman and infiltrated the female only Bona Dea, causing great scandal). Caesar’s wife had to be ‘above suspicion’; she was giving him a bad reputation.
Gloria – Cicero: ‘praise given to right actions and the reputation for great merits not merely by the testimony of the multitude but by the witness of all the best men’
Dignitas – prestige acquired exclusively by a senator’ (Caesar considered his dignitas more dear than life itself which led him to start another bout of civil war.)

‘I have been your commander for nine years; under my leadership, your efforts on Rome’s behalf have been crowned with good fortunes; you have won countless battles and have pacified the whole of Gaul and Germany. Now I ask you to defend my reputation (estimation) and standing (dignitas) against the assaults of my enemies.’
Caesar, Civil War, 1.7

d. Mons maiorum: tradition of ancestors

e. Public service and duty: no retirement; operated in 3 areas: epitaphs emphasise public office (gov), military achievement (army) and service to the gods (religious)

f. Competition a feature of Roman society and increased as more wealth flooded in from Rome's conquests.

g. Life was public: everything was used to project position: possessions, women etc. Competition total: oratory, public office, houses (Livius Drusus)

h. Luxury was both frowned upon if excessive but a necessary and important adjunct to the public life of the elite. If you have it, flaunt it. It could enhance dignitas and even assist in political success: e.g. house of Cn. Octavius helped bid for consulship.

i. Powerful even abroad

j. Reaction by senate. Checks introduced are inadequate: sumptuary legislation, law v. bribery, violence, corruption etc. (Various -> Caesar’s legislation as dictator). These laws become part of the competitive aspect of life.