The Concept of the Latin Rights

The Romans

Caitlin Cormier Professor James Arthur Classics 1413 8 April 2013

Cormier 1

Italy consists of multiple cities and multiple cultures. Multiple types of people tried to rule Rome and the Italian peninsula. The Etruscans may have ruled Rome at one time, until they were expelled with the kings in 509 BC, since the expulsion Rome has declared itself a republic. The Etruscans were a large influence on the Romans in matters of religion, engineering, and war. Two years after the expulsion of the Etruscan kings, Rome led a league of Latin cities, which had allied themselves with the Greek city of Cumae, to defeat the Etruscans attempt at retaking Rome. Due to the dependency on Rome by connected cities, social aspects that governed her, and Samnite wars, Latin Rights were vital to the city of Rome (Arthur Jan. 2013). Rome attached herself to all of the surrounding areas with the Latin Rights. Rome made sure that none of its allies (which were the surrounding cities) could form alliances because they did not want the cities to rebel against her. During every fight, Rome could count on her allies for aid if needed. Rome did not win all wars, but by the end of the century she did defeat all the enemies who surrounded the Latin territory. The major advance for Rome is when they took over the Etruscan city of Veii and doubled its territory (Arthur Jan. 2013). Around the same time the Romans took over the city of Veii, a new tribe, the Gauls, came into the peninsula, trying to wipe out all the cities, they sacked the city of Rome. After the sack, during the First Samnite War, Rome was forced to abandon some of their allies to the Samnites. Some of her other allies rebelled and broke away from their treaty, she forced the rebellious cities back into their truce and instead of punishing them, she bound the Latins to her more closely. She signed treaties with each Latin city as part of a group, granting them with Latin Rights. (1) These treaties provided for a close defensive and offensive military alliance. Since the Latin towns were too small to have much of a foreign policy of their own, they were really fighting Romes wars. However, the spoils were divided between two groups. (2) Private

Cormier 2

rights and citizenship were exchanged. These included: (a) right to intermarry between the two groups, (b) right to change citizenship with domicile, ie. a Latin living in Rome became a Roman citizen vice versa, and (c) contracts drawn up in one city were binding in the other. This declaration of Latin rights to the Latin cities was a defining moment in Roman History (Arthur Jan. 2013). There are three important social aspects to Roman life which include being open to immigration, family life, and patron/client relationships. Rome was open to immigration, she granted citizenship to any who settled in the territory no matter what their background may be. The right of a citizen in a Latin town was only slightly different than the rights of a citizen of Rome itself. Family was also huge aspect of Roman life; due to the living conditions family was the only thing they could count on when disaster strikes. Family was also a huge necessity at an older age due to the fact that there was no governmental funding after retirement. Romans believed in classing people by looking at their Patron/Client relationships. Patron/Client relationships are created when a Patron offers security and assistance to his clients. The more clients a patron had, the higher his prestige and political power (Arthur Jan. 2013). Due to the dependency on Rome by connected cities, social aspects that governed her, and Samnite wars, Latin Rights were vital to the city of Rome. This was clearly demonstrated by their much needed allies. The social aspects of the city were very important to the government, they help in the order of the Rights, for example how the immigrant citizens are treated, they are treated with the same respect as the Roman citizens and they sign the same Latin Rights as any of the Roman citizens. The Samnite Wars truly showed Rome who they could and could not trust, they were vital to the making of the Latin Rights because without the Latin Rights every

Cormier 3

surrounding city could have rebelled against Rome. The Latin Rights were made for the protection of the Italian peninsula.

Cormier 4

Work Cited Arthur, J. CLASS*1413 The Romans Course Notes. Fredericton, NB: University of New Brunswick, 7 Jan, 2013. Lecture Notes. Arthur, J. CLASS*1413 The Romans Course Notes. Fredericton, NB: University of New Brunswick, 9 Jan, 2013. Lecture Notes. Arthur, J. CLASS*1413 The Romans Course Notes. Fredericton, NB: University of New Brunswick, 14 Jan, 2013. Lecture Notes.