Two sets of brothers and the forward stride to granting Roman citizenship...
by Michael Lambert
November 2022
Two sets of brothers and the forward stride to granting Roman citizenship...
by Michael Lambert
October 2022
Two dates are important: 753 BCE and 212 CE
The Romans proved the founding myth of Romulus and Remus was true. As a tourist, you could visit Romulus’s preserved, one-room hut on the Palatine Hill. As for the suckling lupa and the crime of fratricidium, the less said, the better
Romulus, on founding Rome, needed men and women to populate the settlement. He invited others to join him, and if they did, they too had full citizenship
The second date refers to Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, known as Caracalla. History parallels itself: Caracalla’s younger brother Publius Septimius Geta often referred to as Geta, died on alleged orders from Caracalla. The year following Geta’s murder, Caracalla pursued a relentless damnatio memoriae to remove his brother from memory. During the same turbulence, Caracalla publishes the Constitutio Antoniniana edict which granted full Roman citizenship to all free men
Commentators at the time and historians since, have debated the raison d’être of Caracalla’s sweeping gesture. The edict enfranchised approximately 30 million free men. (Rome’s total population is estimated at 55 million. The difference is existing citizens and others, such as; slaves)
To find the answer, the basis for Caracalla’s gesture, look to events forward from Romulus
From the outset, Rome had pursued an aggressive policy of expansionism throughout the Italian peninsula. The first peoples to encounter Roman aggressiveness were the Latini, the people of Latium
While the Latini sought greater inclusion, Rome was reluctant. In brief, the Social War, bellum sociale was fought from 91 to 87 BCE. What is important is not the cause of war, but the result of war. The Latini achieved inclusion, the status and influence, and the right to vote, that had accrued as a result of association with Rome. Now, they too, were Romans
Importantly, three pieces of legislation were passed that included all Italic peoples, the socii. The three laws are, the Lex Iulia de Civitate Latinis (et sociis) Danda conferred Roman citizenship on all citizens of Latin towns and Italic towns who had not rebelled. The Lex Plautia Papiria de Civitate Sociis Danda granted Roman citizenship to all federated towns in Italy south of the river Po. And the third piece of legislation is the Lex Pompeia de Transpadanis which granted ius Latii to the communities of Transpadania, a region north of the Po, who had sided with Rome. To be precise, citizenship was granted to civic officials in their respective municipal roles
The above laws are broad. Included in the three pieces of legislation is the affirmation of ius Latii. Some variance in rights may have occurred, but similarity prevailed:
- ius commercii. The Right to Trade. The right to have commercial relations, common procedures of contract
- ius connubii. The Right to Marry. The right to marry pursuant to law
- ius migrationis. The Right to Migrate. The right to retain citizenship on relocation to another municipality
- ius suffragii. The Right to Vote. To vote, but the right must be exercised in Rome
- ius civitatis mutandae. The Right to Become a Roman Citizen. If you are free born
Caesar, in 44 BCE, just before his assassination, granted ius Latii to Sicily (Rome’s first overseas acquisition)
With continued Roman expansion overseas, ius Latii became a means to integrate far-held lands. Vespasian extended ius Latii to all of Spain in 74 CE, and Hadrian in 123 CE extended the ius Latii to all who had held an office of magistratus
Why Caracalla granted the Constitutio Antoniniana is unknown.
The following is suggested: It is asserted the driving force for the publication of the Constitutio Antoniniana edict is Iulia Domna
Iulia Domna, first under her husband, Septimus Severus, and then under her elder son Caracalla; handled much of the imperial correspondence. She also had an interest in philosophy. Thus, by personal inclination and position, she would have had understanding and insight concerning official policies and issues. (How far back did she read chancery records?) In her role as matriarch, to preserve her husband’s memory and, to counter the charge of fratricidium; did she published the edict under Caracalla’s name to safeguard the Severan dynasty?
We know only of a son who had no interest in governance and focused on military matters