icon 0
icon TOP UP
rightIcon
icon Reading History
rightIcon
icon Log out
rightIcon
icon Get the APP
rightIcon

Young Folks' History of England

Chapter 7 THE ROMAN GOVERNMENT.

Word Count: 1202    |    Released on: 01/12/2017

rsena was a real king, the war was not so honorable to the Romans as they said, for he took the city and made them give up

ebeians to get anything done for them was to become hangers-on-or, as they called it, clients-of some patrician who took care of their interests. There was a council of patricians called the Senate, chosen among themselves, and also containing by right all who had been chief magistra

OF JU

ch more power. Besides, the Senate and all the magistrates were in those days always patricians. These magistrates were chosen every year. There were two consuls, who were like kings for the time, only that they wore no crowns; they had purple robes, and sat in chairs ornamented with ivory, and they were always attended by lictors, who carried bundles of rods tied round an axe-the first for scourging, the second for beheading. There were under them two pr?tors, or judges, who tried offences; two qu?stors, who attended to the public buildings; and two censors, who had to look after the numbering and registering of the people in their tribes and centuries. The consuls in general commanded the army, but sometimes, when there was

E COS

r a public office wore it white (candidus), and therefore were called candidates. The consuls had it on great days entirely purple and embroidered, and all senators and ex-magistrates had broader borders of purple. The ladies wore a long graceful wrapping-gown; the boys a short tunic, and round their necks was hung a hollow golden ball called a bulla, or bubble. When a boy was seventeen, there was a great family sacrifice to the Lares and the forefathers, his bulla was taken off, the toga was put on, and he was enrolled by his own pr?nomen, Caius or Lucius, or whatever it might be, for there was only a choice of fifteen. After this he was liable to be called o

E COS

te, and many had no houses in the city. Each man was married with a ring and sacrifice, and the lady was then carried over the threshold, on which a sheepskin was spread, and made mistress of the house by being bidden to be Caia to Caius. The Roman matrons were good and noble women in those days, and the highest praise of them was held to be Domum mansit, lanam fecit-she stayed at home and

Claim Your Bonus at the APP

Open
1 Chapter 1 ITALY.2 Chapter 2 THE WANDERINGS OF NEAS.3 Chapter 3 THE FOUNDING OF ROME.4 Chapter 4 NUMA AND TULLUS.5 Chapter 5 THE DRIVING OUT OF THE TARQUINS.6 Chapter 6 THE WAR WITH PORSENA.7 Chapter 7 THE ROMAN GOVERNMENT.8 Chapter 8 MENENIUS AGRIPPA'S FABLE.9 Chapter 9 CORIOLANUS AND CINCINNATUS.10 Chapter 10 THE DECEMVIRS.11 Chapter 11 CAMILLUS' BANISHMENT.12 Chapter 12 THE SACK OF ROME.13 Chapter 13 THE PLEBEIAN CONSULATE.14 Chapter 14 THE DEVOTION OF DECIUS.15 Chapter 15 THE SAMNITE WARS.16 Chapter 16 THE WAR WITH PYRRHUS.17 Chapter 17 THE FIRST PUNIC WAR.18 Chapter 18 CONQUEST OF CISALPINE GAUL.19 Chapter 19 THE SECOND PUNIC WAR.20 Chapter 20 THE FIRST EASTERN WAR.21 Chapter 21 THE CONQUEST OF GREECE, CORINTH, AND CARTHAGE.22 Chapter 22 THE GRACCHI.23 Chapter 23 THE WARS OF MARIUS.24 Chapter 24 THE ADVENTURES OF MARIUS.25 Chapter 25 SULLA'S PROSCRIPTION.26 Chapter 26 THE CAREER OF POMPEIUS.27 Chapter 27 POMPEIUS AND C SAR.28 Chapter 28 JULIUS C SAR.29 Chapter 29 THE SECOND TRIUMVIRATE.30 Chapter 30 C SAR AUGUSTUS.31 Chapter 31 TIBERIUS AND CALIGULA.32 Chapter 32 CLAUDIUS AND NERO.33 Chapter 33 THE FLAVIAN FAMILY.34 Chapter 34 THE AGE OF THE ANTONINES.35 Chapter 35 THE PR TORIAN INFLUENCE.36 Chapter 36 THE DIVISION OF THE EMPIRE.37 Chapter 37 CONSTANTINE THE GREAT.38 Chapter 38 CONSTANTIUS.39 Chapter 39 VALENTINIAN AND HIS FAMILY.40 Chapter 40 THEODOSIUS THE GREAT.41 Chapter 41 ALARIC THE GOTH.42 Chapter 42 THE VANDALS.43 Chapter 43 ATTILA THE HUN44 Chapter 44 THEODORIC THE OSTROGOTH.45 Chapter 45 BELISARIUS.46 Chapter 46 POPE GREGORY THE GREAT.