HISTORY AND ETHNOLOGY. 43 



the kings as well as at the beginning of the republic, as 'the wars considera- 

 bly diminished the numbers of the citizens. But by degrees, as the state 

 increased, and the true spirit of republicanism had grown strong, so that it 

 became an object of ambition to be a Roman citizen, only few were 

 admitted to this honor. Later, entire cities obtained the right of citizenshij) 

 without interfering with their own municipal privileges. All Italian 

 tribes who had been allies obtained that right after the Social War ; 

 Julius Caesar gave it to Gallia ; and, in the process of time, even foreign 

 cities and provinces gradually rose to similar equality, until finally all 

 freemen of the Roman empire became Roman citizens. (PI. 12, fig. 10, 

 Roman citizen and his wife.) 



To express the grand totality of the citizens, the term Roman People 

 {Populus Romanus) was employed. They exercised their political rights,! 

 especially the passing of laws and the election of ofiicers, in assemblies, 

 to which they gave the name of Comitia. In this assembly inhered the 

 whole authority {Majestas).^ and it was responsible to no one. 



The senate, chosen from the people, constituted the legislative body, while 

 the executive power was lodged with the magistrate. 



Members of the senate constituted a social order {or do senatorius). At 

 a later period, another rank appeared, in the persons of knights {prdG 

 equestris). The remaining population formed no particular class, or at least- 

 had no special denomination. s 



The knights originally consisted of such citizens as had served in war, 

 as horsemen ; and, as their profession involved considerable expenditure, it 

 was open, of course, only to the wealthy. The possession of a certain 

 fortune, without regard to his connection with either the Patrician or 

 Plebeian order, qualified a man for election to knighthood. The consent of 

 the highest authorities (kings, consuls, censors, or emperors) was required 

 for the admission to the knightly order. This order, in later times, 

 enlarged their prerogatives, and at the courts of justice took their seats with 

 the senators. By their wealth they secured to themselves the farming of 

 the revenues (the most profitable pecuniary speculation at that period), and 

 they became so strongly united by undertakings of common interest, that 

 even in the times of the emperors they were able to maintain themselves 

 as an order. 



The senate, as the first legislative body, originated with Romulus, and 

 was composed entirely of the Patrician class. The members were called 

 Senators, or Patres, and at first numbered only one hundred. They were 

 afterwards increased to one thousand, but Augustus reduced them to six 

 hundred. Though at first (until 306 B.C.) none but the Patricians were 

 eligible to the ofiice, the position was, later, also accessible to the Plebeians, 

 and finally the order of knights furnished the majority of the members of the 

 senate. The prerogatives of the senators were not always the same, but 

 the following appear to have constituted their general duties : 1. They 

 regulated the service of religion. 2. They managed the finances. 3. 

 They appointed officers to the provinces : in the times of the emperors only: 

 to certain provinces. 4. Tliey could invest individuals with the highest^ 



215 



