SPQR: History, Comic, Mythology, Archeology & Vocabulary
SPQR: Senatus Populusque Romanus
History
SPQR – Senatus Populusque Romanus (the Senate and the Roman people). The republican system is based on the election by the citizens of a number of judges who took care of aspects of the organization and functioning of the city.
Comic Assemblies
The grouping of citizens were in different types of assemblies:
- Curiate Elections: (from the monarchical epoch). Granted imperium over the judges and resolving matters of private law.
- Centuriate Elections: (based on the division of citizens in 193 centuries, in charge of electing lower magistrates and military tribunes).
- Tribal Elections: (based on the grouping of 35 citizens in tribes, elect judges that were in charge of lower magistrates and military tribunes).
Judges
Features
- The annuity
- Collective responsibility
- Legality
Higher Magistrates
- Two consuls had consolidated the imperium, or power to command, and potestas, or legal capacity to impose its decision.
- Two praetors also possessed the imperium and they specialize in judicial questions.
- Two censors – his main role was to develop a census of the citizenry.
Lower Magistrates
- Four civil aediles who occupied surveillance of streets, markets and aqueducts, as well as supplies and performances in the city.
- Two quaestors, who handled the finances and tax receipts. It was, in fact, the first magistracy to exercise for those who were aspiring to pursue a career in politics or cursus honorum.
- Ten tribunes of the plebs, to protect the rights of commoners; to do so, enjoyed the intercession or veto.
Senate
Consisted of 300 members, who were appointed by the censor as a matter of life among those citizens who had occupied magistracy superiors. They exercised many different functions, among which included external relations, worship, finances, recruitment of the legions, the monitoring of judges and the organization of the conquered territories.
Legal Instruments
- Patrum Dignitas, which ratified the laws passed by comicis requirement without which it could enter into force.
- The consilium, advice or order directed to the judges.
Struggle Between Patricians and Commoners
- First Fight: The plebs of Rome withdrew to the Aventine Hill to highlight that works to benefit the city if the state balanced its favor.
- Second Fight: A major point of friction between them was collective access to major magistracy. In the fourth century BC, there was a slow but unstoppable access of commoners to political charges. They were able to finally reach the consulate.
Mythology
Helios was the son of Phaeton. Helios asked his father to let him drive the car for a day of sun. Zeus struck him with lightning because it withdrew Sphere winged horses of fire (sun) from the surface of the earth.
Archeology
Italica is the municipality’s current Santiponce, Seville. The first city in Italica (Vetus Urbs) was devised by Scipio. In 206 BC, after the Carthaginian defeat at the battle of Ilipa (the town is near where a battle between the Carthaginians and P. Cornelius Scipio), during the Second Punic War, the consul he divided the land among his legionaries to create a settlement for veterans. In this city were born two emperors: Trajan and Hadrian. The vetus city founded by P. Cornelius Scipio, is currently under Madrid. The new city was founded by Emperor Hadrian (AD S II) and is now the archaeological site that is visited.
Monuments
- Temple of Trajan
- Theater
- Amphitheater
- Private houses (domus)
Vocabulary
- Alea: Dice
- Ars: Art
- Littera: Letter
- Ludus: Game
- Maritus: Husband
- Nummus: Currency
- Oratoria: Oratory
- Philosophus: Philosophy
- Pupa: Girl
- Scholar: Student
- Stylus: Pencils
- Tabellen: Table wax scribes Romans
- Appello: Name
- Capio: Take
- Twelve: Teaching
- Disco: Learn
- Fero: LeVar