Social conditions of the Roman Empire; What to Learn for Decision Making

 

Roman Empire, Social Condition

The social conditions of the Roman Empire can be taken into consideration as follows: 

Roman State

Two Segments-Societies

The empire was socially divided into two segments. The first segment was the aristocrats. The second was consisting of prosperous persons. They enjoyed the full rights of citizenry which possessed larger parts of fertile lands. 

The whole people consisting of this segment lived a life of luxuries. Some of the individuals also used to work in their agricultural fields. 

An individual from the aristocratic segment, namely Cincinnatus played his heroic role in defending the empire as a commander in chief in the 5th century BC. Interestingly, whenever, he was invited to wage a war, was found busy in plough in his fields. 

Unprivileged Public

A large chunk of the population belonged to the public. They were partially citizens. At the beginning of the democratic era, they were not allowed to be enlisted in the Army and perform security chores. 

Political Rights

However, they enjoyed specific political rights unlikely the slaves of Sparta who were deprived of any political rights. After the demolition of kingship, the aristocrats occupied the entire institutions of the democracy. 

Senate and Assembly

The members of the senate and assembly were selected from the aristocratic segment. The counsel was also taken from the said above segment which was selected for one year and given the authority of the administration. One group of the council was also bestowed a veto power against the other group. 

In ordinary circumstances, the council as per the counsel of the senate ran the governmental affairs. The numbers of senate members were 300 who were taken from the aristocratic segment. The senate had the power to veto the decisions taken by the assembly. The citizens of the empire had a right to participate in the assembly. 

Change in Government System

The public did not endorse the monopoly of the aristocratic segment in the national decision making. So, they started to demand their basic rights. The Roman Empire considering the sensitivity of the circumstances accepted the public demands and brought a change in the governmental system. The public was given the following rights:

1.  A Right to marry in the aristocratic segment

2.  Right to become a member of the senate

3.  Right to select on the position of Counsel

These members from the public also constituted the rules for loans and the cultivatable lands. Before this time, the farmers were forced to withdraw from the ownership rights of their lands due to the inability to reimburse the loans. The democratic government introduced laws for not awarding sentences to those who were indebted and also limitations were designed for the feudal. Nobody was allowed to possess a land more than a declared limit. 

Federation and Non-Interference

The federation rarely interferes in the decisions and authorities set by the counsel if the following conditions and responsibilities are sincerely fulfilled:

1.  The council paid the set taxes by the government.

2.  At a time of war, it provided the soldiers.

3.  It played its due role in worshipping the king.

 

No Spending on Education

During the kingship era, the governments had never ensured spending on the educational institutes. And no governmental patronage was seen during this era. Thus, the educational expenditure at that time was less-affordable. Only the rich can afford to educate their children in educational institutes. 

Justinian Era and Educational Apathy

During the Justinian era, the institutes which used to impart the education of philosophy and oratory art were shut off. The properties associated with these institutes were confiscated by the government. He banned all institutes in Athens in 529 AD. Thus, the Greek philosophy ceased to spread after it lit the light for almost 11 centuries. 

Thus, there was a great verge between the rich and poor segments of societies in the Roman Empire. The military chariots and their respective competitions were held by the government. The poor were allowed to participate in it to change their fate. Hence, they were destined to lose all that they possessed in their pockets.