Power and Privilege in Roman Society

Explores the impact of social standing on the careers of senators and knights in the Roman Empire.

Richard Duncan-Jones (Author)

9781107149793, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 24 August 2016

242 pages, 17 b/w illus.
23.5 x 16 x 1.8 cm, 0.49 kg

How far were appointments in the Roman Empire based on merit? Did experience matter? What difference did social rank make? This innovative study of the Principate examines the career outcomes of senators and knights by social category. Contrasting patterns emerge from a new database of senatorial careers. Although the highest appointments could reflect experience, a clear preference for the more aristocratic senators is also seen. Bias is visible even in the major army commands and in the most senior civilian posts nominally filled by ballot. In equestrian appointments, successes by the less experienced again suggest the power of social advantage. Senatorial recruitment gradually opened up to include many provincials but Italians still kept their hold on the higher social groupings. The book also considers the senatorial career more widely, while a final section examines slave careers and the phenomenon of voluntary slavery.

Part I. Social Status and Senatorial Success: 1. Introduction: the senator
2. Social standing and its impact on careers
3. The career ladder at Rome
4. Service overseas
5. Defenders of the empire
6. Influx from the provinces
7. The chronology of the senatorial evidence
8. Career inscriptions and what they leave out
Part II. Equestrian Perspectives: 9. Defining the equites
10. The public employment of equites
11. The economic involvements of equites
12. The devaluation of equestrian rank
Part III. The Unprivileged: 13. Slavery: the background
14. Slavery as a career
Appendixes: Appendix 1. Scoring systems for senators
Appendix 2. Non-vigintiviri and additional senators
Appendix 3. The duration of army posts
Appendix 4. Details of vigintiviri
Appendix 5. Some senatorial careers
Appendix 6. Early and late priesthoods
Appendix 7. Inventory of senators in the database.

Subject Areas: Economic history [KCZ], Classical history / classical civilisation [HBLA1]