THE HATED DECEMVIRS
The tribunes, you remember, were appointed to protect the people from
the cruelty of the patricians.
As they were chosen from among the plebeians themselves, they did not
understand the laws of their country as well as did the nobles, who had
ever guarded them as they might have guarded a mystery.
So when the tribunes tried to gain justice for those who appealed to
them, they often found their plans thwarted by the patricians, because
of their superior knowledge of the law.
Thus, in spite of all that the tribunes could do, the people still
suffered under the oppressions of the nobles.
So restless and discontented did the plebeians become, that in 451 B.C.
three patricians were sent by the Senate to Greece to find out how the
people were governed in Athens.
The nobles of Greece were wiser and more cultured than those of Rome,
and may have been supposed to have discovered how best to rule those
under them.
Whether the three ambassadors drank deep of the wisdom of the Greeks
or no, they returned to Rome with a new plan for the government of the
country.
It would be well, said the ambassadors, if, for a time, there should
be neither Consuls nor tribunes. In their place ten men or decemvirs
(decemvirs being the Latin for ten men) should be chosen from among
patricians and plebeians alike, to rule the country and reform her
laws.
Until now the laws had been unknown to the people. But the ambassadors
said that the reformed laws should be written on tables of brass and
be hung up in the place of assembly, so that the people might read and
understand them.
The new laws were called the Laws of the Twelve Tables, and for many
long years they were obeyed. In the time of Cicero, schoolboys had to
learn these laws as part of their regular lessons, while they were, as
we would say, in the lower forms.
Like the Consuls, the decemvirs were elected only for one year, each of
them during the year having in turn full authority.
At first the decemvirs tried to please the people. They worked hard to
reform the laws, and before their year of office came to an end, ten of
the twelve tables had been revised.
It was determined that the decemvirs should be re-elected for the
following year that they might finish the code of laws which they had
begun.
But Appius Claudius, who had been the chief among the first year’s
decemvirs, was not satisfied that this should be so, and he saw to it
that more plebeians should be elected among the second year’s decemvirs.
He hoped by doing this to persuade the people that he was their friend,
but before long it appeared that he was a true friend to neither
patrician nor plebeian.
The new decemvirs, with Appius Claudius at their head, soon struck
dismay into the hearts of the people by going to the Forum, with a band
of one hundred and twenty lictors. The lictors carried with them not
only rods, but, as in earlier days, axes were concealed among the rods,
which was a sign that the decemvirs had power over life and death.
Nor did the decemvirs scruple to use their power, banishing or putting
to death those who displeased or opposed them, and seizing their
property for themselves. When their year of office was nearly ended,
the decemvirs had not finished the code of laws as they were expected
to have done.
It was soon plain why they had seen no reason for haste, for, when the
year came to an end, the decemvirs refused to resign.
Both patricians and plebeians were indignant, while the Senate, angry
that the decemvirs did not consult it, had already, for the most part,
left Rome.
To add to the confusion in the country, war now broke out with the
Sabines and the Æquians.
One of the Roman armies was to be led by a plebeian tribune, who was
loved by the people, for he had fought for his country in one hundred
and twenty battles. On his way to join his army, this brave soldier was
murdered, it was said by the order of Appius Claudius. The soldiers
were furious at the loss of their leader, and the hatred against the
chief of the decemvirs increased each day.