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Social/Political relations - Coggle Diagram
Social/Political relations
Patronage
Relationship between a
patron
and a
client
Patron
: A man of significant social standing, offers resources (financial, legal or simply food) to his clients
Client
: Citizens bound by loyalty to their patron to support him in all his public interests (e.g. in elections) in exchange for resources
Nobiles were typically patrons and had large numbers of clients each
Patronage not bound by law and had no legal bounds
A man (
novus homo
) wanting to step into the political industry may look into patronage for funding
Novus homo
: Marius, Cicero
Amicitia
Alliances established between families for benefits
Examples include offering political, legal or financial support to marriages (Pompey + Julia Caesar), or even the adoption of grown men as heirs (Caesar + Octavius)
S
yme
: ‘a weapon of politics’
Opposite:
Inamicitia
Examples of patronage from Cicero and Cato
Cicero:
Civil War (takes Senate’s side)
Attitude to Ides of March (even though was formerly on somewhat relations with Caesar)
Novus homo
In Verrem
Cato
Not consul
Prosecuting Murena despite formerly being friends
Divorcing Marcia
Noble plebian
Leader of optimates
Examples of amicitia in Cicero and Cato
Cicero
Letter to Pompey
Panthers to Caelius
Wants to see Atticus when in Cilicia
Cato
Granted Pompey Civil War command