LA CIUDADANIA EN GRECIA Y ROMA

Main Ideas & Concepts

1) Citizenship in Ancient Greece (polis-based)

• Origin: Greek citizenship traces back to the polis (the city-state), described as independent and autonomous.
• Who counted as a citizen: Citizenship was exclusive, belonging to people connected to the polis; it distinguished citizens from non-citizens such as:
  • Slaves
  • Foreigners
  • Women
• Core rights and responsibilities of citizens:
  • Participation in politics
  • Participation in justice
  • Participation in religion
  • Participation in war
  • Ownership of land and property
• Key characteristics:
  • Hereditary and exclusive (citizenship could be passed down)
  • Dependent on belonging to a local community
• Varied political systems: Each polis had its own government type, which could include:
  • Monarchy
  • Aristocracy
  • Tyranny
  • Democracy
• Athenian democracy as the best-known example:
  • Male citizens aged over 18 could vote
  • They could also be elected to public office
• Limitations and contradictions:
  • Citizenship excluded most of the population
  • It was tied to the exploitation of other peoples
• Historical significance:
  • Presented as the first attempt to build a society around equality, freedom, and participation
  • Also served as inspiration for later Roman models of citizenship

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2) Roman Citizenship (from Early Class Divisions to Expansion)

• Early Roman stage (Roman monarchy period):
  • Patricians (noble families descended from Rome’s founders) had full citizenship
  • Plebeians (the rest of the free population) had:
    • Limited citizenship
    • No political representation
• Plebeian struggle and reforms:
  • Plebeians fought to expand their rights
  • Result: creation of the Plebeian Council
    • Its purpose was to defend plebeian interests
    • It could enact laws
  • Over time, plebeians reached legal and political equality with patricians
• Expansion of citizenship across the empire/regions:
  • Latins (inhabitants of the region referenced as “Io,” per the subtitle text) had a special form of citizenship allowing them to acquire Roman citizenship if they met certain requirements
  • Socii / Soosi (Rome’s allies in Italy, per the subtitle text) could obtain Roman citizenship for:
    • Loyalty
    • Service
  • Peregrines (foreigners living in the empire):
    • Had an inferior legal status
    • Were governed by the local laws of each province

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