Week 8

Tribunicia Potestas

This was one of the three foundations of the Principate. It was granted in 23 B.C., and in addition to being consul and pro consul, the tribunicia potestas gave Augusts the power tribunes had. Augustus was allowed to introduce legislations to the Senate and veto proposed legislations. As a result, the people didn't propose laws that Augustus wouldn't agree with because he could simply veto it. This allowed him to take control over the people without establishing an official position in office.

imperator

This was originally a title for successful military commanders in Rome (a connection to the term "imperium" meaning the power to command is obvious). However, Augustus was given the title and from then on it was used to denote the emperor of Rome. Became part of the cognomen of the emperors.

aerarium militare

This was the "military treasury" established by Augustus in A.D. 6. Ex-praetors were in charge of administering this. The purpose of the military treasury was to pay for the substantial bounties that Augustus bestowed upon his loyal legionaries after being discharged from military service. In cash, the bounty was roughly equivalent to thirteen years' pay in order to support most veterans for the rest of their lives. At first, a legionary's term of service was set at fifteen years with a further four as reservist, but various setbacks required Augustus to increase their terms to twenty and five respectively. Thus, Augustus was compelled to create the aerarium militare in order to pay for the bounties. He funded it himself initially, and for the future, he made the proceeds of a sales tax and an inheritance tax payable to it.

auctoritas

It is where we get out word "Authority" from in English. It is one of many ideals which governed Roman social mobility and status Rome's history. It could be interpreted as a visible amount of personal clout or recognition in public if you had a lot of this. It was measured by how many people were following you around the city, down to the Forum or into the courtroom on a given day. If only a few people are in your corner so to speak, you had less authority when weighing in on issues, voting assemblies and or general discussion. It was always apparent who had more "Auctoritas" because you could simply count how many people seemed to be following your opposition or the person of interest. This consequently made it a very powerful element of Roman political culture, you could easily mark out if anyone else was a threat to you in number of supporters.

princeps

(Latin for "leading figure") Originally, in the Republic, was an official title of leading senate members who were the most influential in decision-making. Augustus, once he took power, saw this as a fitting title for himself: he was THE leading figure of Rome and wanted every citizen and member of the senate to see him as such. So, he adopted the unofficial title for himself. It is important to remember that this title was the title of senators and Augustus took it from them, symbolically showing the movement of power within Rome. This title was used to describe the emperors of Rome and this period became known a the "Principate."

julian laws

18-17 B.C. These laws dealt with the moral social issues of Ancient Rome. They were the first time Rome issued public laws that managed things like families and adultery. The laws restricted who senators could marry which reinforced class restrictions. They made adultery a public crime that was publicly prosecuted. They criminalized bribery in elections. They dealt with inheritance matters to keep wealth within the family. They passed laws that encouraged citizens to have more children; you had to have a certain amount of children to claim inheritance from outside your family.

second triumvirate

43 B.C. Lex Titia was passed gave them power, legally granted this power had imperium maius, more power than consuls 3 men tasked with restoring the republic Octavian, Mark Antony, Marcus Lepidus Went after senators who killed or plotted against Caesar and trying to bring unity to Rome (proscriptions) Serves two 5 year terms 43 BC. to 33 BC. Gets split up over internal conflict Mark Antony commits suicide after military defeat, Lepidus had his power stripped by Octavian only Octavian is left, becomes sole ruler

actium

The naval battle at this place in September 31 BC was the decisive conflict in the civil war between Octavian and Antony, who was backed by Cleopatra's Egyptian forces. However, Cleopatra's ships retreated partway through the battle, leaving the rest of Antony's forces at a disadvantage. They were quickly defeated by Octavian, though Antony himself managed to escape. In the months after his defeat at this place, Antony's military power diminished as his soldiers deserted, and he was defeated in battle for the last time in July of 30 BC, after which point he committed suicide. Cleopatra committed suicide a few weeks later, leaving Egypt to fall into the hands of the Roman Empire, of which Octavian was now the undisputed master.

augustales

These were priests (usually freedmen) who took responsibility for the imperial cult in municipalities. This often consisted of a group of six, which is evident with the title seviri (or sexviri). They maintained a cult of Augustus' genius or "vital spark," and thus, they enjoyed a specific public role that their slave origin otherwise denied them. Theyworship of Augustus is an example of Augustus utilizing religion as a means of strengthening his own position as a ruler in Rome. This type of devotion to cults of Roman commanders was common after Rome became involved in the Greek world from the second century B.C

M. Aemilius Lepidus

Was an aristocrat and a former consul, who as magister equitum commanded the troops in Rome. He is known best for being a close ally of Julius Caesar and later, the third member of the Second Triumvirate alongside Octavius and Antony. During the formation of the Second Triumvirate, Lepidus also assumed the title of Pontifex Maximus, saving a very small niche for him in western history. After victory at Philippi, Octavian and Antony granted Lepidus authority over territories in Numidia and Africa. In 36 BC, he raised an army to subdue the Sicilian revolt against Sextus Pompey, but made the mistake of asserting that the defeated territories in Sicily be given to him and not Octavian. This gave Octavian an excuse to send Lepidus into exile and claim sole power over the then Roman Republic. Lepidus died in 13 or 12 BC.

m antonius

better known today as Mark Antony, was a Roman general and politician. He was Caesar's right-hand man while he was alive, thereby bringing him into conflict with Octavian in the power vacuum that resulted from Caesar's assassination. Antony and Octavian tried to work together several times and were two of the members of the Second Triumvirate, but ultimately they ended up fighting against each other in a civil war. Antony famously had a relationship with Cleopatra, who used Egypt's vast wealth and resources to back him in the war. However, in the end Octavian was victorious and Antony and Cleopatra both committed suicide in 30 BC.

sextus pompey

Was the youngest son of Pompey the Great, known for being part of the group who opposed Julius Caesar and eventually, being one of the greatest rivals of the Second Triumvirate. When his father was defeated in the Battle of Pharsalus, he fled with him to Egypt where he watched him get killed. After this he joined the resistance against Caesar and Caesar's army. Caesar defeated the Pompeius brothers in the Battle of Munda, after which Sextus fled to Sicily. He would stay in Sicily and build a large army and navy during the time in which Caesar was assassinated, a civil war broke out, the Second Triumvirate was formed, and in which Brutus and Cassius were defeated in the Battle of Philippi. This immense time gave him the chance to develop a very strong army and navy. The Second Triumvirate and Sextus's forces would meet at war multiple times until when in 38, he won two clashes with Octavian's fleet - off Cumae and in the Straits of Messina - after which he did not capitalize upon his advantage. As a result, Octavius was able to gather 120 warships which, under the consulship of Agrippa, defeated Sextus's naval forces in 36. He then fled to Asia Minor, where he was pursued and executed in 35

lex titia

established in 43 B.C established a board of three people who were in charge of bringing order to the state. This law legalized the second Triumvirate which consisted of Marcus Antonius, Marcus Aemilius Lepidus and Augustus. This law allowed them to make and pass laws without the approval of the senate or of the people.

philippi

the battle in 42 BC was the final battle in the civil war between the Second Triumvirate and Caesar's assassins. Brutus and Cassius were the two main conspirators and leaders of the Republican forces. In the first engagement, Antony defeated the troops led by Cassius, who committed suicide because he mistakenly believed that Brutus' troops had been defeated by Octavian. The second engagement took place a few weeks later, and Brutus also committed suicide after his forces were defeated. The Second Triumvirate thereby avenged Caesar's death and solidified their control over Rome.