Ecce Romani III

Chapter 67: Background Information

Culture/History: Individual lives are affected by the politics of the Principate • Role of Women in Society

Grammar: Review conditions • Review Relative Clauses of Characteristic • Review Participles • Review Ablative absolute Constructions • NEW: Imaginary Conditions with subjunctive mood verb forms

The Principate

Augustus had maintained the appearance of a Republic while in reality he ruled as emperor. Neither he nor his successors defined the powers of the emperor and Senate however. The Senate governed some provinces and had some judicial power but this varied according to the will of both emperor and senators. Some senators resented the loss of power; emperors did not trust the senators to allow them to act independently, fearing they would work for their own good not that of the state and certainly not that of the emperor. Senators were viewed as possible competition for the 'job' of emperor.

We sometimes see this same struggle in the U.S. between the office of the President and that of Congress, both for power as well as the fact that potential presidential candidates frequently arise from the Senate. ( Jack Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Bob Dole are but a few examples.)

At the same time, an emperor needed to rely on senators since most of the high ranking officials in Rome did come from this rank. ( In the provinces, freedmen and members of the equestrian order, often merchants, held positions of power.) It was not until the third and fourth centuries when military power overrode that of the senators that the Senate itself became an historic relic.

You may recall that Lyndon Johnson was a president known for his abilities to work with Congress, so too were Augustus and Trajan. Other emperors not only did not work with the Senate, but actually worked against it and in doing so, put their own lives in jeopardy. Nero, for instance, was suspicious of the Senate and also desired to confiscate their properties to fund his expensive lifestyle. After a conspiracy against him, led by Piso, no member of the upper strata of society was safe. Spies and informers were everywhere. Especially targeted were followers of stoicism who were adherents of a return to Republican ideas. Petronius was one of the victims in the bloodbath that followed the failed conspiracy of Piso.

Vespasian determined that the Senate would not have an active role in government and was opposed by one Helvidius Priscus, a follower of stoicism who was exiled and later executed for his opposition.

Domitian also alienated the upper classes and was assassinated by a group of senators, aided by his wife and two pretorian prefects.

After reading the above material consider the following:

• lack of a good procedure for choosing an emperor
• gradual reliance on support from the military
• absolute power of an emperor to punish those out of favor

The Readings

Fannia was the daughter of Thrasea Fannius Paetus and the younger Arria. She was married by A.D. 66 to Helvidius as his second wife. Since girls were usually married by age 13, we can assume she was born about 53. Her trial and exile took place after August, 93. Pliny's letter is said to have been written about 103. We don't know the exact date of Fannia's death.

Some Roman men considered that the ideal wife was one who managed the house well, was loyal to her husband and could produce an heir. Remember Octavia, wife of Mark Antony, whom we discussed with ch. 56? She too was praised for her virtue of loyalty.

After reading the story of Fannia in the text, go to Mores/Women for an explanation of a very interesting epitaph. We know so much about this lady from what her husband had inscribed upon her tomb but we still do not know her full name.

Reading Notes

Passage A

Note words that can be deduced such as custodiae, composuisset, exempla and adversîs.

1. Prisco - line 1 -- Pliny had several acquaintances with the cognomen Prisus.
2. ex auctoritate pontificium - line 3-- College of Pontiffs, a group of 16 priests. The Pontifex Maximus was their chief . Among other duties, they were in charge of the Vestal Virgins.
3. febres tussûs- line 5 -- Fannia may have had tuberculosis
4. castitas...constantia- line 9 -- words to characterize traditional Roman feminine virtues of devotions to family. Do you recall Lucretia whose rape by the son of Tarquinius Superbus brought down the monarchy? She took her life rather than 'stigmatize' her family but only after discussing what had happened and asking that the men in her family avenge her honor. Consider how for so many years women were silent and often ashamed when violence had been done to them.
5. bis...relegata- line 10 -- Fannia went into exile three times; with Helvidius during the reign of Nero; during the reign of Vespasian; when condemned by Domitian. Exile was a punishment for upper classes. Being away from Rome was indeed a punishment in days when news traveled so slowly. Even today, prolonged absences from one's home can be difficult,even detrimental. Consider being on a foreign assignment for several years. Although one might return to the home office occasionally and be in constant communication, one does not understand fully the underlying politics and may miss opportunities for advancement...OR, perhaps being away and out of controversy may be beneficial.
   Banishment or exile from Rome came in several flavors. Exilium was a generic term describing voluntary deportation prior to a sentence being pronounced for crimes, especially a capital offense. This was primarily a choice for members of the upper classes. Those in lower classes were banished to the mines or ships where they worked the oars. In both instances, this was the same as a sentence of death.
6. nesciente- line 11 -- Arria was banished with Fannia despite her denial of involvement. Both returned in 97.
7. senatus consulto - line 15 -- The Senate often served as a court when charges were brought against its members. During the Empire, when one might know a colleague to be innocent of the charges brought at the command of a cruel emperor such as Nero or Domitian, but the individual was convicted lest others too be charged with imagined offenses.

Forms of Banishment

• relegatio - exclusion from certian areas such as Rome or Italy or sometimes restricted to a given area. (i.e. permission to travel anywhere but Italy; permission to travel anywhere but Italy and several cities such as Athens, Pergamum etc.; must remain within the confines of Greece.
  One retained citizenship and most often property; the duration of exile was determined by the political climate.
• deportatio - one was confined to an island, lost citizenship and property was confiscated.

Passage B

1. quam- lines 17, 18 and 18 again -- Remember that 'quam' can mean 'how' - followed by an adjective or adverb, 'than' with a comparison or be a feminine sg. accusative relative pronoun, 'whom'.

J. Jahnige, September 2003

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