Securing the Republic, 494-440 Flashcards

1
Q

What are the Conflict of the Orders based upon

A

The second century
2nd Punic War militarised the plebeians
The rich bought Pleb land and used slaves to farm it, and as a consequence by the end of the 2nd century there were many more poor citizens.
Scarcity of records mean the Roman historians relied on their own politics to retell the past

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2
Q

Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus

A

Plebeian magistrates elected in 133 and 123
Used popular support to try and pass land reform laws which would redistrubite land among the poor and vetrans
Biggest influence on the Conflict of the Orders

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3
Q

secession

A

name given to plebeian protests in the Republic when the plebs left the cirty to create a new settlement

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4
Q

Cause of Plebeian unrest
Livy

Warfare

A

Wars of Independance caused homelessness and indebtness among the poor
Farms and businesses struggled
Impoverished families borrowed money
Many pleb soldiers returned to war to find themselves homeless or in debt

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5
Q

Decline of the patron-client relationship

A

Livy
The relationship was strained
No system that allowed plebs to express their concerns
Patricians did not look favourably on pleb demands for land and debt reform

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6
Q

Why do modern historians criticise Livy’s claim that warfare caused the Conflict of the Orders

A

If, as Livy says, the rich seized the land in the fith century, there would be none left for them to seize in the second century, which they did
Livy gives a stereotypical view of warfare.
* It provided opportunities, many men gave up their farms as more money could be made at war

There is likely to be truth behind the story, but there is no proof

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7
Q

What was the Conflict of the Orders

A

Period of unrest and tension between the Plebs and Patricians.
Non violent protests were used – the plebs left the city or refused to work
The patricians relied on the plebs so they had to listen
The patricians realised they could not ignore the plebs

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8
Q

Dates of the first secession

A

494-492

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9
Q

The first signs of rebellion

A

495
A war vetran visits the forum, asking for help.
Former commander, farm destroyed by Sabines, now homeless.
Borrowed money to pay for a new tax, could not settle his debts. Land repossesed and creditor demanded he be tortured and whipped.
His story caused uproar
The forum was overrun by an angry mob and debtors demanding justice
The consuls averted a riot, but could not stop sedition spreading

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10
Q

Livy on the Battle of Lake Regilius
(Quote)

A

“While they (the plebeians) were fighing for freedom on the battlefield, their families were being imprisoned at home by those they were fighting to protect”
Livy, The History of Rome 2.23 (adapted)

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11
Q

Who were the consuls that averted a riot after the veteran’s story

A

Publius Servillius and Appius Claudius

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12
Q

Repossess

A

Taking the possessions off a person by force when they cannot pay their debts

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13
Q

creditor

A

a person lending money

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14
Q

quorum

A

the number of people needed to make a meeting official

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15
Q

Why could the senate not come to a conclusion on the matter of dealing with the plebeian unrest after the angry mob in the forum over the vetran

A

They had not got a quorum
Perhaps because some senators did not want to help the plebs

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16
Q

Appius Claudius’ views on the plebeians

A

He wanted to crush them

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17
Q

Publius Servillius’ views on the plebeians

A

He wanted to help the poor with debt relief

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18
Q

What happened at the end of the debate of what to do with the plebeian unrest over the vetran

A

Latin horsemen rode into the meeting and informed the crowd that a Volscan army was attacking Rome’s allies

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19
Q

How did Servillius raise an army to defend Rome’s allies from the Volscan attack

A

He vowed to fight against debt if the plebs fought for him

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20
Q

What did Appius do with Servillius’ army when they returned to Rome

A

Put the soldiers in chains and blamed Servillius saying he had no right to cancel the debts without senatorial support

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21
Q

What happened after the returning army was arrested

A

Lawlessness gripped Rome
Groups of plebs freed debtors from their chains
Senators were attacked
The consuls Verginius and Vetusius could not assemble an army
The plebeians began meeting in secret on the Esquiline and Aventine hills

Rome’s rivals took advantage, and attacked its Latin allies

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22
Q

Titus Larcius

A

Senator, supporter of the plebeians
Believed they should be helped so as to stop the unrest, or Rome might be permanently divided

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23
Q

What did the senate do when Rome’s rivals attacked its allies

A

Called an emergancy meeting

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24
Q

What did Appius Claudius say they should do in the emergancy meeting

A

Not be bullied by criminals
If the debts were cancelled the plebs would not stop until they controlled Rome
He proposed a dictator should be apointed to crush the rebellion

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25
Q

Who was the dictator that was appointed to deal with the pleb threat

A

Manius Valerius

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26
Q

What was Manius Valerius’ tactic

A
  • He appealed to the people
  • Assured them he would put their case before the senate
  • Managed to assemble 10 legions and defeated the Sabine, Aequi, and Volsci threat.
  • On his return he asked the senate to consider debt relief
  • Resigned because they refused
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27
Q

How did the plebs view Manius Valerius

A

hailed him as a hero, even though they realised no progress had been made

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28
Q

What happened after Manius resigned

A

The consuls pretended they were still at war and kept the army standing
The army knew the war was over and feared they would be used to crush the plebs

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29
Q

Sicinius Bellutus

A

Soldier who had fought for the dictator
Told the army they had to scare the patricians
Suggested a seccession

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30
Q

Outline the first seccession

A

Sicinius’ seccession occupied the Secred Mount
Citizens of Rome fled the city to join them or to get away from imminent war
Armed patricians tried to stop them fleeing, unsuccesful
The settlers on the Sacred Mount raided farms to ensure provisions
Senate sent ambassadors, plebs repeat demands
Plebs refused to enter negotiations until their requests were met

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31
Q

How did the first secession end

A

Two new consuls elected
They sent Menenuius Agrippa to speak with the plebs
Menenius told them a story that used the metaphor of rome being a body, if one part rebelled, the body died
The plebs entered negotiations

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32
Q

Result of first secession

A

Appius Claudius refused to compromise or negotiate
Harmony restored by creation of pleb magistrates called tribunes, who had the power to fight against injustice and inform the senate of pleb problems

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33
Q

Marcius Coriolanus

A

Senator
Argued that the plebs had caused the famine after the First Secession
Indicted by the tribunes
Offered as a scapegoat by the senate
Fled to Volsci and encouraged them to make war on Rome

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34
Q

What was a major consequence of the First Secessoin

A

Famine

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35
Q

Why did the senate offer Marcius Coriolanus as a scapegoat

A

the tribunes had incited the plebs to use mob violence if he was not punished

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36
Q

What did the Senators do to appease the plebs and end the famine

A

gave them Coriolanus to punish
set fair food prices

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37
Q

What, according to Livy, did the plebs want after the famine ended

A

land redistribution

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38
Q

Spurius Cassius

A
  • Consul
  • Tried to use the demand for agrarian laws to establish a tyranny
  • Executed in 485
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39
Q

Agrarian laws

A

a redistribution of land or a change of the way land is farmed

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40
Q

How did Cassius try to create a tyranny

A

He signed a peace treaty with the Hernici in 486 BC, acquiring 60% of their land
Wanted to split the land between the plebs and latins
Attacked on all sides, tried to bribe the plebs by using surples grain

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41
Q

Year Cassius signed a peace treaty with the Hernici

A

486BC

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42
Q

What did the senate and the plebs think of Spurius Cassius

A

The senators said he was bribing the poor and the Latins
The plebs became suspicious

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43
Q

Year of Spurius Cassius’ execution

A

485

44
Q

What did the tribunes do when they realised the plebs wanted land redistribution

A

tried to pass a series of agrarian laws

45
Q

Volero Publilius

A

A plebian
Refused to join army as ordinary soldier as was a former commander
Became tribune in 472

46
Q

What did Volero Publilius do in order to avoid arrest

A

He told the people that the tribunes were too scared or too friendly with the Senate to help the people
The mob turned on the lictors and he escaped

47
Q

What did the senate do in reaction to Volero Publilius’ escape

A

Assembled to decide what should be done
The elder senators urged caution and he was freed

48
Q

What did Volero Publilius do after being freed

A

He ran for tribune in 472, successfully
Demanded a change to the tribune voting system.

Livy says he was right to demand reform instead of incite sedition

49
Q

What did Volero Publilius’ reforms propose

A

That the patricians could not influence the election of tribunes.
Anyone could become a tribune

50
Q

What was the senate’s reaction to Volero Publilius’ proposed reforms

A

They were frightened

51
Q

Who was the consul that Volero Publilius clashed with

A

Appius Claudius, son of Appius Claudius

52
Q

Why was Appius Claudius coerced into accepting the law

A

to prevent civil unrest

53
Q

Year Appius Claudius was indicted by the tribunes

A

470BC

54
Q

What happened to the indictment of Appius Claudius

A

He refused to acknowledge the charges
Caused unrest
Trial suspended until later date
Appius died before it could be resumed
Result of the people electing tribunes who represented them, not the patricians

55
Q

Quintus Fabius

A

In 467 he proposed land taken from the Volsci could be used to create a colony for plebs
Offering new land reduced the demand for land reform and weakened the influence of the tribunes

56
Q

What did Gaius Terentilius Harsa do when the need for land reform was reduced

A

Used the absence of the consuls to demand constitutional reform
Demanded a written constitution to define and limit the powers of the consul. Claimed consuls were abusing their powers more than kings

57
Q

What did Quintus Fabius say to Terentilius when the tribune put forth his proposal for reform

A

Called him a traitor
Asked him to present his ideas to the consuls when they returned

58
Q

What did the Senate do when Terentilius put forth his proposal for reform

A

Said his ideas were worth investigating, but would not vote until they had more information
That way they did not have to do anything

59
Q

What did the tribunes do when they realised Terentilius’ demands were not going to be met?

A

454, a new spirit of co-operation began. They agreed to drop the demands if the senate allowed the plebs to participate in the selection of lawgivers

60
Q

What did the senate do in response to the tribune’s proposed deal in 454

A

they agreed, and sent ambassadors to investigate Athens’ laws

61
Q

What laws did the ambassadors to Athens investigate

A

The laws of Solon which they believed helped create the Athenian democracy

62
Q

Year the ambassadors returned from Athens

A

452BC

63
Q

What happened on the return of the ambassadors to Athens

A

The Senate created the Decemvirate, a council of ten male patricians, to create a new law code
The Decemvirate replaced the consuls and the tribunes

64
Q

How does Livy describe the First Decemvirate

A

Just and fair

65
Q

Appius Claudius Crassus

A

Grandson of Appius Claudius
Helped create the first Ten Tables of laws
Deceived the poor so as to become a tyrant

66
Q

Result of the First Decemvirate

A

The people flock to see the Ten Tables
Widespread approval
Two more laws wanted
Plebs so relieved that they did not demand the return of the tribunes
Ten more men chosen to form the Second Decemvirate

67
Q

What concerned the senate about Appius Claudius Crassus?
What did they fear?

A

He was popular among the plebs
They feared he wanted to control the Second Decemvirate

68
Q

How did the Senate try to stop Crassus taking control

A

They put him in charge of the selection process for the Second Decemvirate
They believed he would not be arrogant enough to use his power to elect himself

69
Q

What did A. C. Crassus do to get elected

A

Manipulated the selection process to elect himself and nine allies

70
Q

Tyrannical actions of the Second Decemvirate

A

Met in secret
Appointed 12 lictors each to act as bodyguards
Crassus attacked the plebs
Trials held in homes of his friends to attack them and remove his enemies
449, the Decemvirate announced their intention to rule for another year
Created two tables to protect the patricians

71
Q

What did one of the tables created by the Second Decemvirate ban

A

mariage between patricians and plebeians

72
Q

Second Decemvirate first year

A

450

73
Q

Why did the Second Decemvirate have to call an army

A

The Sabines attacked a Roman colony and the Aequi attacked Algidus

74
Q

What happened when the Second Decemvirate called a meeting of the Senate to assemble an army

A

No Senators attended and the plebs refused to enlist

75
Q

How did the Second Decemvirate get an army

A

Crassus used his lictors to force a quorum. They could only vote to approve action, which they did out of fear

76
Q

Which senators stood up to the Second Decemvirate
What did they say?

A

Lucius Valerius Potitus and Marcus Horatius Barbatus
They said htat the Second Decemvirate acted like kings and would share Superbus’ fate

77
Q

What happened to the army the Second Decemvirate created

A

They had no heart and suffered many heavy defeats

78
Q

What does the fall of the Second Decemvirate copy?

A

The fall of the Tarquins

79
Q

Virginia

A
  • Plebeian girl
  • Daughter of Lucius Verginius
  • Engaged to Lucius Icilius
80
Q

Lucius Icilius

A

Former tribune
Engaged to Virginia

81
Q

Marcus Claudius

A

Client of Appius Claudius Crassus
Claimed Virginia was a runaway slave on the orders of Crassus

82
Q

Crassus’ plot to get Verginia

A

Verginia refused his advances and so he got one of his clients to claim she was a runaway slave, allowing Crassus to put her on trail

83
Q

Events of the first trial of Virginia

A

Virginia demanded time to contact her father who was fighting at Algidus
Crassus agreed to wait if she accompanied him home
Lucius Icilius (her fiancé) fought his way through the lictors and told them that Crassus wanted to rape her.
The crowd turned against Crassus, and he let her go, ordering her to return to the next day

84
Q

What happened immediately after the first trial of Virginia

A

Icilius went to Algidus and managed to tell Verginius of his daughter’s situation

85
Q

Events of the second trial of Virginia

A

Crassus dismissed Verginius’ and Icilius’ evidence and declared she was a slave and Verginius was a traitor.
Before Crassus’ lictors could seize Virginia her father asked permission to speak to her nurse and check if she really was his daughter.
However, he seized a knife from a butcher and ran towards his daughter, stabbing her.

86
Q

What does Virginius say after killing Virginia?
How does this reflect what Brutus said after Lucrieta’s death

A

“with my daughter’s blood I curse you” – Verginius
Brutus vowed on the blood of the fallen Lucrieta that he would destroy the kings

87
Q

What happened after Virginia’s death

A

Verginius escaped and returned to his camp at Algidus
Valerius and Horatius demanded the Senate recall the consuls and tribunes, but out fo fear of Verginius moving the army against them, the Senators refused
The Decemvirate provided the Senate with protection

88
Q

Date of the Second Secession

A

449 BC

89
Q

What happened when Verginius returned to camp

A

His comrades were shocked that he was covered in blood.
Verginius gave a speech, saying he had loved his daughter but could not allow her to be defiled by a tyrant. He had contemplated suicide but believed Crassus’ lust would not end and had to be stopped.
He encouraged the soldiers to leave the battlefield and join a Second Secession on the Aventine Hill

90
Q

What did Icilius do when Verginius started the second Secession

A

Followed his example and encouraged the army fighting the Sabines to join the Secession

91
Q

Senate’s immediate reaction to the Second Secession

A

They were alarmed
Sent envoys to the Aventine to find a prompt solution

92
Q

What did the soldiers of the Second Secession say to the envoy from the Senate

A

They said they would only speak to Valerius and Horatius

93
Q

What did Valerius and Horatius do in response to the Second Secession’s demand to speak to them
What was the response

A

Would not meet them until the Decemvirate handed power back to the consuls.
The Decemvirate refused

94
Q

What did the Second Secession do as a result of the Second Decemvirate refusing to restore the consuls?

A

brought their families to the Sacred Mount. Rome became a ghost town (Livy)
Similar event to when Julius Ceasar marched on Rome in 49BC

95
Q

Outline how the Second Secession came to an end

A

Decemvirate were left with no choice as Rome was empty.
Would disband if they were not prosecuted.
Valerius and Horatius met with the leaders of the Second Secession. They demanded the tribunes reinstated and the indictment of Decemvirate
The two senators said they should not attack the Decemvirate, but that they respected the wish for the return of the tribunes

96
Q

Immediate aftermath of Second Secession

A

Valerius’ and Horatius’ success in a compromise was met with relief
Election to take place on Aventine. Verginius and Icilius were two of the ten tribunes elected.
Valerius and Horatius become consuls

97
Q

Iclilius’ first action as tribune

A

propose no revenge or reprisals be sought against the Decemvirate

98
Q

Valerio-Horatian laws

A
  • The right to appeal restored and strengthened, ended practice of consuls and other magistrates having power to create courts that had no right to appeal
  • Inviolability of the tribunes and their assistants the aediles was restored
99
Q

Inviolability

A

legal protection from violence or harm

100
Q

Fate of Appius Claudius Crassus and the Decemvirate

A

Despite promising not to, the tribunes indicted him.
He was aware of his imminent death and committed suicide.
The rest went into exiled or committed suicide

101
Q

What did Valerius and Horatius do before raising armies to destroy the Sabine and Aequi threat?

A

published the Twelve Tables

102
Q

Twelve Tables ideas

A

available to all in precise and simple language, and gave the Roman citizen basic civil rights
Did not establish idea that ‘everyone was equal before the law’

103
Q

Twelve Tables content

Brief summary

A
  • Attendance in court
  • theft
  • lending and debtors
  • family law and the rights of fathers
  • inheritence
  • possession, ownership, and slavery
  • criminal acts
  • property law
  • public law and treason
  • religious law
  • Tables 11 and 12 created by the Second Decemvirate to protect the patricians
104
Q

What were the problems with the Valerio-Horatian Laws and the Twelve Tables

A
  • They were flawed
  • Had changed very little
  • The two orders still mistrusted each other
  • Prompted plebs to demand more
  • Over next nine years a number of changes were made
105
Q

Gaius Canuleius

A

Lifted ban on Pleb-Patrician marriage
Used popular support attempt to make it so that plebs could become consul

106
Q

How did the Senate avoid giving the plebs access to the position of consul?

A

Allowed the plebs to become military tribunes, this way they could seek the same glory as a victorious consul