Author Description
The status of citizen was increasingly the right of the majority in the Roman empire and brought important privileges and exemption from certain forms of punishment. However, not all Roman citizens were equal; for example bastards, freed persons, women, the physically and mentally handicapped, under-25s, ex-criminals and soldiers were subject to restrictions and curtailments on their capacity to act. Being a Roman Citizen examines these forms of limitation and discrimination and thereby throws into sharper focus Roman conceptions of citizenship and society.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This work investigates the complex social and legal hierarchies that defined the reality of Roman citizenship by examining the limitations placed upon various segments of the population. Gardner J. Staff analyzes the disparity between the theoretical rights of a citizen and the practical restrictions faced by marginalized groups within the Roman Empire. By focusing on those excluded from full civic participation, the text argues that the true nature of Roman society is revealed through its systems of exclusion and discrimination.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of legal and social status for freed persons, women, and soldiers
- Examination of age-based and physical ability-based restrictions on civic capacity
- Historical overview of the evolution of citizenship rights in the Roman Empire
- Discussion of how societal discrimination shaped the Roman definition of a citizen
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and students of Roman history frequently cite this text for its clear articulation of the nuances within Roman social stratification. The prose is noted for its accessibility while maintaining a rigorous focus on the legal and cultural constraints of the period.
Page Count:
256
Publication Date:
1993-01-01
Publisher:
Taylor & Francis, Inc.
ISBN-10:
0203032128
ISBN-13:
9780203032121
History
Roman History
Ancient History
Sociology
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