Reading a book referred to by one of DK's readers, by Tom Holland, one comes away with some insights.
Ancient Rome was of course a class system.
Yet it had at times opportunities for advancement from below.
It had a relentless competition, among the nobility, for advancement up state offices, a meritocratic but also inter familial rivalry and also a factionalism, which extended over many generations.
There was a populist aspect to Roman politics, notably the tribunate, which was also played upon by certain noble families for political advantage, these nobles being tagged as populares, or what we might call Democrats. Caesar and Marius were notable examples. The Gracchi from prior generations.
No comments:
Post a Comment