CLST 201 Final: exam notes.docx

• School: Queen's University
• Department: Classical Studies
• Course: CLST 201
• Professor: Christina Zaccagnino

Document Summary

Openings of offices and priesthoods to plebeians that occurred during the 3rd and 4th centuries resulted in the formation of a new governing elite in rome. The elite, known as the nobles or (nobiles) would govern rome through its period of expansion. Archaic rome has been governed by relatively few individuals from a small group of families. The new nobility rested on its member"s ability to win offices and gain priesthoods. The word nobilis" designates an individual with an ancestor who has been chosen consul. Patricians as well as plebeians were now after a limited number of positions. The position of the new elite families was less secure than that of the patriciate of the past. Roman public virtues were primarily military, and closely linked to the holding of offices. Higher offices earned a man higher esteem or dignity then the lower. Leading romans missed no opportunity to proclaim their merits and accomplishments and asserted their superiority over competitors.