The position of Rome was superior to that of the other towns in the
Latin Confederacy. Situated on the Tiber, at the head of navigation, she
naturally became a commercial centre. Her citizens prospered and grew
wealthy, and wealth is power. Her hills were natural strongholds, easily
held against a foe. Thus we see that she soon became the most powerful
of the Latin cities, and when her interests conflicted with theirs,
she had no scruples about conquering any of them and annexing their
territory. Thus Alba was taken during the reign of Tullus Hostilius, and
his successor, Ancus Marcius, subdued several cities along the river,
and at its mouth founded a colony which was named OSTIA, the seaport of
Rome.
At this time (about 625) the Roman territory (_ager Romanus_) comprised
nearly 250 square miles, being irregular in shape, but lying mostly
along the southern bank of the Tiber and extending about ten or twelve
miles from the river. It was not materially increased during the next
two centuries.
The original founders of Rome and their direct descendants were called
PATRICIANS, i. e. belonging to the _Patres_, or Fathers of the families.
They formed a class distinct from all others, jealously protecting their
rights against outsiders. Attached to the Patricians was a class called
CLIENTS, who, though free, enjoyed no civil rights, i. e. they had
no voice in the government, but were bound to assist in every way the
Patrician, called PATRON, to whom they were attached. In return, the
latter gave them his support, and looked after their interests. These
clients corresponded somewhat to serfs, worked on the fields of their
patrons, and bore the name of the _gens_ to which their patron belonged.
Their origin is uncertain; but they may have come from foreign towns
conquered by the Latins, and whose inhabitants had not been made slaves.
In addition to the clients there were actual slaves, who were the
property of their masters, and could be bought or sold at pleasure.
Sometimes a slave was freed, and then he was called a LIBERTUS
(freedman) and became the client of his former master.
As Rome grew into commercial prominence, still another class of people
flocked into the city from foreign places, who might be called resident
foreigners, corresponding in general to the _Metics_ at Athens. Such
were many merchants and workmen of all trades. These all were supposed
to be under the protection of some patrician who acted as their patron.
These three classes, clients, slaves, and resident foreigners, were all
of a different race from the Romans. This should be constantly borne in
mind.
We have learned that Rome, as she grew in power, conquered many of the
Latin towns, and added their territory to hers. The inhabitants of these
towns were of the same race as the Romans, but were not allowed any of
their civil rights. Most of them were farmers and peasants. Many of them
were wealthy. This class of inhabitants on the _ager Romanus_, or in
Rome itself, were called Plebeians (_Plebs_, multitude). Their very name
shows that they must have been numerous. They belonged to no gens
or curia, but were free, and allowed to engage in trade and to own
property. In later times (from about 350) all who were not Patricians or
slaves were called Plebeians.
THE ARMY.
Until the time of Servius Tullius (about 550) the army was composed
entirely of patricians. It was called a Legio (a word meaning _levy_),
and numbered three thousand infantry called _milites_, from _mille_,
a thousand, one thousand being levied from each tribe. The cavalry
numbered three hundred at first, one hundred from each tribe, and was
divided into three companies called Centuries.
During the reign of Servius the demands of the plebeians, who had now
become numerous, for more rights, was met by the so called SERVIAN
reform of the constitution. Heretofore only the patricians had been
required to serve in the army. Now all males were liable to service. To
accomplish this, every one who was a land-owner, provided he owned two
acres, was enrolled and ranked according to his property. There were
five "Classes" of them. The several classes were divided into 193
subdivisions called "Centuries," each century representing the same
amount of property. In the first class there were forty centuries in
active service, composed of men under forty-six, forty centuries of
reserve, and eighteen centuries of cavalry.
In the second, third, and fourth classes there were twenty centuries
each, ten in active service, and ten in reserve. The fifth class had
thirty centuries of soldiers, and five of mechanics, musicians, etc.
The first four ranks of the troops were made up of the infantry from
the first class. All were armed with a leather helmet, round shield,
breastplate, greaves (leg-pieces), spear, and sword. The fifth rank was
composed of the second class, who were armed like the first, without
breastplate. The sixth rank was composed of the third class, who had
neither breastplate nor greaves. Behind these came the fourth class,
armed with spears and darts, and the fifth class, having only slings.
Each soldier of the infantry paid for his own equipments; the cavalry,
however, received from the state a horse, and food to keep it.
This new organization of both patricians and plebeians was originally
only for military purposes,--that the army might be increased, and the
expenses of keeping it more equitably divided among all the people. But
gradually, as the influence of the wealthy plebeians began to be felt,
the organization was found well adapted for political purposes, and
all the people were called together to vote under it. It was called the
COMITIA CENTURIATA, i.e. an assembly of centuries. The place of meeting
was on the CAMPUS MARTIUS, a plain outside of the city.
In this assembly each century had one vote, and its vote was decided by
the majority of its individual voters. The tendency of this system was
to give the wealthy the whole power; for since each century represented
the same amount of property, the centuries in the upper or richer
classes were much smaller than those in the lower or poorer classes, so
that a majority of the centuries might represent a small minority of
the people. The majority of the wealthy people at Rome were still
patricians, so the assembly was virtually controlled by them. In this
assembly magistrates were elected, laws made, war declared, and judgment
passed in all criminal cases.
(Illustration: CAMPANIA)