The Regal Period: some "history" and institutions

Chronology (Rome’s Development into a City State)

See also Chronology of Early Italy

1. The Institutions of Regal Rome.
1. On the tradition and on "reconstructing" the past
1. Note that much of the legendary material is based on stories derived from circumstantial evidence.
2. Many of the tales are aetiological, that is, they answer standard questions about the formation of institutions by telling a more or less pertinent story.
3. All these tales insist on the reward of the virtuous and the ultimate punishment of the evil...they are then didactic.
4. There (again) is a genuine historical core.
2. Institutions in the Regal Period
1. Law, in the formal, written sense does not exist, what we have is an oral tradition consisting of royal decrees and extra-legal institutions. What we need to do is to identify those forces that bond people together. Law is not the only compelling force in our social relations: respect for others, for parents, colleagues, teachers; shared religious and secular values; a common identity.
2. The contributions
1. The Indo-Europeans, including the Latins and Italic peoples, begin to arrive in Italy in about 1800 (roughly the same time that they are arriving in Greece). The introduction of the horse for work and for war is the telling characteristic.
1. Religion--similar characteristics in Greece. Ancestor worship of family (why a binding force?).
2. Social organization was patriarchal and extended family.
3. Economy, esp use of horse.
2. Etruscan influence --decisive in many ways
1. In language, not too strong, though alphabet is adopted and some words.
2. In religion and cult decisive in many ways
1. a unique sense of the relationship between celestial and terrestrial; they are in sympathy.
2. it is a "revealed" religion (need of interpreters);
3. The state of society at the end of the regal period.
1. Political
1. There was a kingship; anachronisms survived --regia, rex sacrorum, interrex. He was an elected warrior king who was nominated by elders (senate) and confirmed by people (lex curiata)
2. Senate: a council of elders.
3. Populus/people: divided into three tribes, the Ramnes, Tities and Luceres = "followers of Romulus" (i.e., Latins), "the followers of Titus Tatius (a Sabine king), "followers of the lucumo (Etruscan kings)? So much has been suggested. Each tribe had ten curiae, some of the curiae might consist of one family/clan, others of several families; some are plainly artificial.
2. Material culture: the arx, early walls and gate, pottery in the Greek style, pottery in the native style,  temple (Cosa), model temple, temple (Rome), Apollo
2. Extra-legal institutions: three interconnecting concepts --familia, status and patronage. How can unity be achieved by these concepts? They alleviate anxiety because they carefully define the role of each person in society; they define the privileges, duties and responsibilities of each individual. RC § 8
1. Status. Romans had no concept of real equality.
1. patricians and plebeians.
2. caste, class and status?
2. Familia (use this word rather that "family" which suggests "nuclear family")
1. an individual without a familia is defenseless
2. familia consists of members are not necessarily related by blood, includes then clients/dependents.
3. It was the number of dependents that gave a Roman aristocrat his prestige.
3. Patronage: the relationship between two parties of unequal status based on mutual moral ties (fides = "good faith"). do ut des: Latin for: "I give in order that you give".  A patron.   "I am going to make him an offer he can't refuse!"  --Don Vito Corleone
3. Roman religion --a test case RC §46 ff, 55 (esp.).
1. Numina: virtual pantheism.
2. Anthropomorphic: personification or personalization of those forces; they are given human form.
3. There is a intimate connection between gods and men, between the celestial and the terrestrial.
4. State religion.
4. Economy: read calendar, RC §§ 9 (71)