Comparing Rome And The Roman Empire

Ayşegül YAĞ

21403480

MEDIEVAL EUROPE

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Paul LATIMER

09.10.2014

SOCIAL CLASSES DURING THE TRANSFORMATION

Throughout the human history, people witnessed some gorgeous empires that formed their lives. One of them was the Roman Empire. On the one hand, it means, for some, affiliation, civilization and high level of welfare. On the other hand, the Roman Empire had a system that included slavery, clashes of power and inequalities in citizenship for those who do not approve the Empire’s system. These two different approaches are to be true in a limited extent within their context. However, the whole picture should be scrutinized instead of fragmentations. This picture contains a harmonious society from different social classes that

Within the hierarchy, the elites, including the patricii (Patricians) the ordo senatorius (Senatorial Order), and the ordo equester (Order of Knights), hold political power and prosperity. After the elites, there are peasants, slaves and freedman whose children could gain full citizenship because of their free status in front of laws. What this stratification works is the agricultural activities. The products that should be distributed across the land maintained from the different parts of the Empire. This situation led to specialization in agriculture because, for example, grapes and olives were taken from the Mediterranean basin or bread was supplied from Egypt. According to Warren, “Such specialization in agriculture was made possible by the Roman Peace – the Pax Romana – that linked distant provinces into a single political-economic unit and safeguarded the Mediterranean sea lanes.” (7). Until the third century, this system works effectively without rebellion against the authority because the lower classes dealing with agricultural activity has no profession or knowledge about how the Empire is governed. However, this system has some painful applications on the society such as mass enslavement, violence, malnutrition. Surviving a privileged life is valid if one is male, wealthy and healthy. Hence, analyzing the social classes before and after the transformation

Also, they gain the right of being a citizen in front of law. Getting a high status necessitate to meet the requirements expected by the Empire. On this point, there is a division between privileged and non-privileged. Senate, Equestrians and Provincial Elites belong to the privileged one. The Senate is the traditional ruling body of Roman Empire representing the upper layer of the society. Its members are limited to 600. Entrance is dependent on property qualifications. A senator can be removed for violating moral standards. For instance, he is not allowed to marry with a freedwoman. In the “golden age”, the Emperor works with the Senate but during the reigns of Diocletian and Constantine, the influence of the Senate is diminishing because there is a new approach to the understanding of the quality of the Emperor who become dominus et deus – lord and god-. (Hollister, 11). Other component is consisted of Equestrians who constitute the military branch. They are limited to those who are entitled to a public horse. There is no limitation about the number but they have to meet some property requirements.” They were almost entirely provincials, especially Romanised Illyrians and Thracians from the Danubian provinces where about half the Roman army was