How Generous were the Romans in Granting Citizenship?
Altay Cosku
Labyrinth: An online journal published by the Classical Studies Department of the University of Waterloo, Issue 91 (2010)
Abstract
The Romans are famous for having fostered urban culture throughout the Mediterranean world. This was coupled with the spread of literacy and a marvellous production of Latin and Greek literature. Their empire not only covered the largest territory in antiquity, but its long duration has even remained unrivalled in world history. Since the 3rd century BC, it has been acknowledged that the preparedness to share some legal and material privileges, if not full citizenship, with immigrants, former slaves, and even defeated enemies contributed strongly to the growth and stability of the Roman state and empire. Ancient as well as modern authorities have thus been appraising the inclusive and generous nature of Roman citizenship policy.
As one out of many examples, I quote a passage from the Roman Antiquities (1.9.4=1.26f.), written by Dionysius of Halicarnassus in 8/7 BC: And when Romulus established the city named for him … they adopted the name which they have now. And over time they managed to become the greatest nation from the smallest one, and the most famous from the most obscure, both by humanely welcoming those seeking a home among them, and by sharing citizens’ rights with
those who had been conquered in a nobly fought war, and allowing the slaves who were manumitted among them to become citizens, and by scorning no condition of men from whom the commonwealth might gain an advantage.
Before we embrace the Romans’ attitude as a model for integrating migrants today, it is worthwhile having a closer look at the conditions under which the Romans accepted new citizens into their state. Apparently, Dionysius is no longer concerned with the citizenship of a city state, but rather with the privileged status of the elite within an empire.
How Generous were the Romans in Granting Citizenship?
Altay Cosku
Labyrinth: An online journal published by the Classical Studies Department of the University of Waterloo, Issue 91 (2010)
Abstract
The Romans are famous for having fostered urban culture throughout the Mediterranean world. This was coupled with the spread of literacy and a marvellous production of Latin and Greek literature. Their empire not only covered the largest territory in antiquity, but its long duration has even remained unrivalled in world history. Since the 3rd century BC, it has been acknowledged that the preparedness to share some legal and material privileges, if not full citizenship, with immigrants, former slaves, and even defeated enemies contributed strongly to the growth and stability of the Roman state and empire. Ancient as well as modern authorities have thus been appraising the inclusive and generous nature of Roman citizenship policy.
As one out of many examples, I quote a passage from the Roman Antiquities (1.9.4=1.26f.), written by Dionysius of Halicarnassus in 8/7 BC: And when Romulus established the city named for him … they adopted the name which they have now. And over time they managed to become the greatest nation from the smallest one, and the most famous from the most obscure, both by humanely welcoming those seeking a home among them, and by sharing citizens’ rights with
those who had been conquered in a nobly fought war, and allowing the slaves who were manumitted among them to become citizens, and by scorning no condition of men from whom the commonwealth might gain an advantage.
Before we embrace the Romans’ attitude as a model for integrating migrants today, it is worthwhile having a closer look at the conditions under which the Romans accepted new citizens into their state. Apparently, Dionysius is no longer concerned with the citizenship of a city state, but rather with the privileged status of the elite within an empire.
Click here to read this article from the University of Waterloo
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