62-666: Imperial Italy may refer to: Roman Italy , the Italian peninsula during the Roman Empire Kingdom of Italy (Holy Roman Empire) , a constituent kingdom of the Holy Roman Empire Italian Empire , Italy's colonies in the age of neo-imperialism Italian imperialism under Fascism Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with
124-595: A Arverni and not a Gallo-Roman; being the relations between the natives and the Franks seen not as Romans against barbarians, as is popularly believed, but as in the case of Gregory, a relationship of coexistence between Arverni and Franks (Franci) as equals. It must also be remembered that Clovis I was born in Gaul, so according to the Edict of Caracalla that made him a Roman citizen by birth, in addition to being recognized by
186-577: A Pragmatic sanction which maintained most of the organization of Diocletian . The "Prefecture of Italy" thus survived, and was reestablished under Roman control in the course of Justinian 's Gothic War . As a result of the Lombard invasion in 568, the Byzantines lost most of Italy, except the territories of the Exarchate of Ravenna – a corridor from Venice to Lazio via Perugia – and footholds in
248-727: A Social War in the middle of Italy. However, Roman citizenship was recognized to the rest of the Italians by the end of the conflict and then extended to Cisalpine Gaul when Julius Caesar became Roman dictator . In the context of the transition from Republic to Principate , Italy swore allegiance to Octavian Augustus and was then organized in eleven regions from the Alps to the Ionian Sea with more than two centuries of stability afterward. Several emperors made notable accomplishments in this period: Claudius incorporated Britain into
310-464: A pater familias , but he did not control the property or possessions of a woman and was generally only needed to give his permission when a woman wanted to perform certain legal actions, such as freeing her slaves. Officially, one required Roman citizenship status to enrol in the Roman legions, but this requirement was sometimes overlooked and exceptions could be made. Citizen soldiers could be beaten by
372-818: A class of citizens who held the Latin rights ( ius Latii ), or the rights of ius commercii and ius migrationis (the right to migrate), but not the ius conubii . The term Latini originally referred to the Latins , citizens of the Latin League who came under Roman control at the close of the Latin War , but eventually became a legal description rather than a national or ethnic one. The Latin rights status could be assigned to different classes of citizens, such as freedmen , cives Romani convicted of crime, or colonial settlers. Under Roman law, citizens of another state that
434-440: A conquered people (a tribe or a city-state) like Sparta and the conquered Helots , Rome tried to make those under its rule feel that they had a stake in the system. The ability of non-Roman born individuals to gain Roman citizenship also provided increased stability for those under Roman rule, and the system of sub-division within the different types of citizenship allowed for Roman rulers to work cooperatively with local elites in
496-456: A fact which had considerable bearing on Paul's career and on the religion of Christianity. Citizenship in Rome could be acquired through various means. To be born as a citizen required that both parents be free citizens of Rome. Another method was via the completion of a public service, such as serving in the non-Roman auxiliary forces. Cities could acquire citizenship through the implementation of
558-402: A migration and reduction in status had to be a voluntary act. Roman citizenship was also used as a tool of foreign policy and control. Colonies and political allies would be granted a "minor" form of Roman citizenship, there being several graduated levels of citizenship and legal rights (the Latin rights was one of them). The promise of improved status within the Roman "sphere of influence" and
620-408: A specific social class in Rome had modified versions of citizenship. Roman citizens enjoyed a variety of specific privileges within Roman society. Male citizens had the rights to vote ( ius suffragi ) and hold civic office ( ius honorum, only available to the aristocracy). They also possessed ius vitae necisque, "the right of life and death." The male head of a Roman family ( pater familias ) had
682-531: The imperium domi (police power) as an alternative to the imperium militiae (military power). Italy's inhabitants included Roman citizens , communities with Latin Rights , and socii . The period between the end of the 2nd century BC and the 1st century BC was turbulent , beginning with the Servile Wars , continuing with the opposition of aristocratic élite to populist reformers and leading to
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#1732765995404744-645: The Crisis of the Third Century the Roman Empire was on the verge of disintegration under the combined pressures of invasions, military anarchy, civil wars, and hyperinflation. In 284, Emperor Diocletian restored political stability. He carried out thorough administrative reforms to maintain order. He created the so-called Tetrarchy whereby the empire was ruled by two senior emperors called Augusti and two junior vice-emperors called Caesars . He decreased
806-607: The Dioecesis Italiciana . It included Raetia . It was subdivided into the following provinces: Constantine subdivided the Empire into four praetorian prefectures . The Diocesis Italiciana became the Praetorian prefecture of Italy ( praefectura praetoria Italiae ), and was subdivided into two dioceses. It still included Raetia . The two dioceses and their provinces were: Diocesis Italia annonaria (Italy of
868-645: The Edict of Thessalonica under Theodosius I . Italy was invaded several times by the wandering Germanic peoples and fell under the control of Odoacer , when Romulus Augustus was deposed in 476 AD. Since then, no single authority was established in Italy as a whole except for a brief Period when the Byzantine Empire reconquered Italy. Even the modern Republic of Italy only consists of most of Italian region , excluding Corsica and some other areas. Following
930-449: The Latin and Italian languages), also referred to as Roman Italy , was the homeland of the ancient Romans . According to Roman mythology , Italy was the ancestral home promised by Jupiter to Aeneas of Troy and his descendants, Romulus and Remus , who were the founders of Rome . Aside from the legendary accounts, Rome was an Italic city-state that changed its form of government from Kingdom to Republic and then grew within
992-457: The Latin law , wherein people of a provincial city of the empire could elect people to public office and therefore give the elected official citizenship. The legal classes varied over time, however the following classes of legal status existed at various times within the Roman state: The cives Romani were full Roman citizens, who enjoyed full legal protection under Roman law. Cives Romani were sub-divided into two classes: The Latini were
1054-659: The Roman expansion in the peninsula , when Rome formed a permanent association with most of the local tribes and cities. The strength of the Italian confederacy was a crucial factor in the rise of Rome , starting with the Punic and Macedonian wars between the 3rd and 2nd century BC. As Roman provinces were being established throughout the Mediterranean, Italy maintained a special status with political, religious and financial privileges. In Italy, Roman magistrates exercised
1116-514: The Roman family , Roman citizens possessed the right of ius conubii, defined as the right to a lawful marriage in which children from the union would also be Roman citizens. Earlier Roman sources indicate that Roman women could forfeit their individual rights as citizens when entering into a manus marriage . In a manus marriage, a woman would lose any properties or possessions she owned herself and they would be given to her husband, or his pater familias . Manus marriages had largely stopped by
1178-615: The annona - its inhabitants had the obligation to provide the court, the administration and the troops, first allocated in Milan and then in Ravenna, supplies, wine and timber) Diocesis Italia suburbicaria (Italy "under the government of the urbs ", i.e. Rome) In 330, Constantine completed the rebuilding of Byzantium as Constantinople . He established the Imperial court, a Senate, financial and judicial administrations, as well as
1240-580: The centurions and senior officers for reasons related to discipline. Non-citizens joined the Auxilia and gained citizenship through service. Following the early 2nd-century BC Porcian Laws , a Roman citizen could not be tortured or whipped and could commute sentences of death to voluntary exile , unless he was found guilty of treason. If accused of treason, a Roman citizen had the right to be tried in Rome, and even if sentenced to death, no Roman citizen could be sentenced to crucifixion . Ius gentium
1302-404: The ius gentium were considered to be held by all persons; it is thus a concept of human rights rather than rights attached to citizenship. Ius migrationis was the right to preserve one's level of citizenship upon relocation to a polis of comparable status. For example, members of the cives Romani maintained their full civitas when they migrated to a Roman colony with full rights under
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#17327659954041364-799: The East and West respectively, established themselves at Nicomedia , in north-western Anatolia (closer to the Persian frontier in the east) and Milan , in northern Italy (closer to the European frontiers) respectively. The seats of the Caesars were Augusta Treverorum (on the River Rhine frontier) for Constantius Chlorus and Sirmium (on the River Danube frontier) for Galerius , who also resided at Thessaloniki. Under Diocletian Italy became
1426-522: The Great had tried to "mingle" his Greeks with the Persians, Egyptians, Syrians, etc. in order to assimilate the people of the conquered Persian Empire , but after his death this policy was largely ignored by his successors . The idea was not to assimilate , but to turn a defeated and potentially rebellious enemy (or their sons) into Roman citizens. Instead of having to wait for the unavoidable revolt of
1488-436: The Imperial boundaries. Christianity then began to establish itself as the dominant religion from Constantine 's reign (306–337), raising the power of Eastern metropolises, later grouped into Pentarchy . Although not founded as a capital city in 330, Constantinople grew in importance. It finally gained the rank of eastern capital when given an praefectus urbi in 359 and the senators who were clari became senators of
1550-533: The Roman Emperor Caracalla , which declared that all free men in the Roman Empire were to be given full Roman citizenship and all free women in the Empire were given the same rights as Roman women, with the exception of the dediticii , people who had become subject to Rome through surrender in war, and freed slaves. By the century previous to Caracalla, Roman citizenship had already lost much of its exclusiveness and become more available between
1612-481: The Roman Empire, Vespasian subjugated the Great Revolt of Judea and reformed the financial system, Trajan conquered Dacia and defeated Parthia , and Marcus Aurelius epitomized the ideal of the philosopher king . During these centuries of imperial stability , Italy was referred to as rectrix mundi ("governor of the world") and omnium terrarum parens ("parent of all lands"). The Crisis of
1674-471: The Social War, or who were willing to cease hostilities immediately. This was extended to all the Italian socii states when the war ended (except for Gallia Cisalpina ), effectively eliminating socii and Latini as legal and citizenship definitions. Provinciales were those people who fell under Roman influence, or control, but who lacked even the rights of the foederati , essentially having only
1736-570: The Third Century hit Italy particularly hard, but the Roman empire managed to survive and reconquer breakaway regions. In 286 AD, the Emperor Diocletian moved the imperial residence associated with the western provinces (the later Western Roman Empire ) from Rome to Mediolanum . Meanwhile, the islands of Corsica , Sardinia , Sicily and Malta were added to Italy by Diocletian in 292 AD, and Italian cities such as Mediolanum and Ravenna continued to serve as de facto capitals for
1798-595: The West. Although, in late antiquity , Italy was also sub-divided into provinces, it remained the centre of the Western Roman Empire and had a status that gave her the name of domina provinciarum ("ruler of the provinces") by glossators of the Corpus Iuris Civilis . The Bishop of Rome had gained importance gradually from the reign of Constantine , and was given religious primacy with
1860-454: The census. The exact extent of civic duties varied throughout the centuries. Much of Roman law involving the rights and functions of citizenship revolved around legal precedents. Documents from Roman writer Valerius Maximus indicate that Roman women were in later centuries able to mingle freely about the Forum and to bring in concerns on their own volition, providing they acted in a manner that
1922-957: The context of a peninsula dominated by the Gauls , Ligures , Veneti , Camunni and Histri in the North , the Etruscans , Latins , Falisci , Picentes and Umbri tribes (such as the Sabines ) in the Centre , and the Iapygian tribes (such as the Messapians ), the Oscan tribes (such as the Samnites ), and Greek colonies in the South . The consolidation of Italy into a single entity occurred during
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1984-642: The current region of Calabria ); later the term was extended by Romans to include the Italian Peninsula up to the Rubicon , a river located between Northern and Central Italy . In 49 BC, with the Lex Roscia , Julius Caesar gave Roman citizenship to the people of the Cisalpine Gaul ; while in 42 BC the hitherto existing province was abolished, thus extending Italy to the north up to
2046-499: The decline of the city of Rome (which was sacked in 410 for the first time in almost eight centuries). The name Italia covered an area whose borders evolved over time. According to Strabo 's Geographica , before the expansion of the Roman Republic , the name was used by Greeks to indicate the land between the strait of Messina and the line connecting the gulf of Salerno and gulf of Taranto (corresponding roughly to
2108-535: The end of the Social War in 87 BC, Rome had allowed its fellow Italian allies full rights in Roman society and granted Roman citizenship to all fellow Italic peoples . After having been for centuries the heart of the Roman Empire , from the 3rd century the government and the cultural center began to move eastward: first the Edict of Caracalla in 212 AD, extended Roman citizenship to all free men within
2170-415: The end of the fourth century by eight consulares ( Venetiae et Histriae , Aemiliae , Liguriae , Flaminiae et Piceni annonarii , Tusciae et Umbriae , Piceni suburbicarii , Campaniae , and Siciliae ), two correctores ( Apuliae et Calabriae and Lucaniae et Bruttiorum ) and seven praesides ( Alpium Cottiarum , Rhaetia Prima and Secunda , Samnii , Valeriae , Sardiniae , and Corsicae ). In
2232-588: The exact duties or expectations of a citizen varied throughout the history of the Roman Empire . The oldest document currently available that details the rights of citizenship is the Twelve Tables , ratified c. 449 BC. Much of the text of the Tables only exists in fragments, but during the time of Ancient Rome the Tables would be displayed in full in the Roman Forum for all to see. The Tables detail
2294-597: The fifth century, with the Emperors controlled by their barbarian generals, the Western Imperial government maintained weak control over Italy itself, whose coasts were periodically under attack. In 476, with the abdication of Romulus Augustulus , the Western Roman Empire had formally fallen unless one considers Julius Nepos , the legitimate emperor recognized by Constantinople as the last. He
2356-458: The inhabitants throughout the different provinces of the Roman Empire and between nobles such as kings of client countries. Before the Edict, however, a significant number of provincials were non-Roman citizens and held instead the Latin rights . The Bible's Book of Acts indicates that Paul the Apostle was a Roman citizen by birth – though not clearly specifying which class of citizenship –
2418-549: The last years of unity of the pars occidentalis , a moment in which the old tribalisms and the proto-feudalism of Celtic origins, until then dormant, would re-emerge, mixing with the new ethnic groups of Germanic origin. This being observed in the writings of Gregory of Tours , who does not use the dichotomy Gallo-Roman - Frankish , but uses the name of each of the gens of that time existing in Gaul (arverni, turoni, lemovici, turnacenses, bituriges, franci, etc.), considering himself
2480-405: The law: a colonia civium Romanorum . Latins also had this right, and maintained their ius Latii if they relocated to a different Latin state or Latin colony ( Latina colonia ). This right did not preserve one's level of citizenship should one relocate to a colony of lesser legal status; full Roman citizens relocating to a Latina colonia were reduced to the level of the ius Latii , and such
2542-492: The lowest rank as clarissimi . As a result, Italy began to decline in favour of the provinces, which resulted in the division of the Empire into two administrative units in 395: the Western Roman Empire , with its capital at Mediolanum (now Milan ), and the Eastern Roman Empire , with its capital at Constantinople (now Istanbul ). In 402, the Imperial residence was moved to Ravenna from Milan, confirming
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2604-499: The military structures. The new city, however, did not receive an urban prefect until 359 which raised it to the status of eastern capital. After the death of Theodosius in 395 and the subsequent division of the Empire, Italy was home base of the Western Roman Empire . As a result of Alaric's invasion in 402 the western seat was moved from Mediolanum to Ravenna . Alaric , king of Visigoths , sacked Rome itself in 410; something that had not happened for eight centuries. Northern Italy
2666-538: The number of Roman citizens throughout the empire. The surviving totals were 4,063,000 in 28 BC, 4,233,000 in 8 BC, and 4,937,000 in AD 14, but it is still debated whether these counted all citizens, all adult male citizens, or citizens sui iuris . Estimates for the population of mainland Italy, including Cisalpine Gaul, at the beginning of the 1st century range from 6,000,000 according to Karl Julius Beloch in 1886, to 14,000,000 according to Elio Lo Cascio in 2009. During
2728-512: The provinces. With the settlement of Romanization and the passing of generations, a new unifying feeling began to emerge within Roman territory, the Romanitas or "Roman way of life", the once tribal feeling that had divided Europe began to disappear (although never completely) and blend in with the new wedge patriotism imported from Rome with which to be able to ascend at all levels. The Romanitas , Romanity or Romanism would last until
2790-508: The right to legally execute any of his children at any age, although it appears that this was mostly reserved in deciding to raise newborn children. More general rights included: the rights to property ( ius census ), to enter into contracts ( ius commercii ), ius provocationis, the right to appeal court decisions, the right to sue and to be sued, to have a legal trial, and the right of immunity from some taxes and other legal obligations, especially local rules and regulations. With regards to
2852-558: The rights afforded to the socii and with the growing manpower demands of the legions (due to the protracted Jugurthine War and the Cimbrian War ) led eventually to the Social War of 91–87 BC in which the Italian allies revolted against Rome. The Lex Julia (in full the Lex Iulia de Civitate Latinis Danda ), passed in 90 BC, granted the rights of the cives Romani to all Latini and socii states that had not participated in
2914-419: The rights of citizens in dealing with court proceedings, property, inheritance, death, and (in the case of women) public behavior. Under the Roman Republic , the government conducted a census every five years in Rome to keep a record of citizens and their households. As the Roman Empire spread so did the practice of conducting a census. Roman citizens were expected to perform some duties ( munera publica ) to
2976-559: The rights of the ius gentium (rules and laws common to nations under Rome's rule). A peregrinus (plural peregrini ) was originally any person who was not a full Roman citizen, that is someone who was not a member of the cives Romani . With the expansion of Roman law to include more gradations of legal status, this term became less used, but the term peregrini included those of the Latini , socii , and provinciales , as well as those subjects of foreign states. Individuals belonging to
3038-455: The rivalry with one's neighbours for status, kept the focus of many of Rome's neighbours and allies centered on the status quo of Roman culture, rather than trying to subvert or overthrow Rome's influence. The granting of citizenship to allies and the conquered was a vital step in the process of Romanization . This step was one of the most effective political tools and (at that point in history) original political ideas. Previously, Alexander
3100-598: The size of the Roman provinces by doubling their number to reduce the power of the provincial governors. He grouped the provinces into several dioceses (Latin: diocesis) and put them under the supervision of the Imperial vicarius (vice, deputy), who was the head of the diocese. During the Crisis of the Third Century the importance of Rome declined because the city was far from the troubled frontiers. Diocletian and his colleagues usually resided in four Imperial seats. The Augusti, Diocletian and Maximian , who were responsible for
3162-601: The south Naples and the toe and heel of the peninsula. 42°00′00″N 12°30′00″E / 42.0000°N 12.5000°E / 42.0000; 12.5000 Roman citizens Citizenship in ancient Rome ( Latin : civitas ) was a privileged political and legal status afforded to free individuals with respect to laws, property, and governance. Citizenship in ancient Rome was complex and based upon many different laws, traditions, and cultural practices. There existed several different types of citizenship, determined by one's gender, class, and political affiliations, and
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#17327659954043224-643: The southern foot of the Alps . Under Augustus, the peoples of today's Aosta Valley and of the western and northern Alps were subjugated (so the western border of Roman Italy was moved to the Varus river ), and the Italian eastern border was brought to the Arsia in Istria . Lastly, in the late 3rd century, Italy came to also include the islands of Sicily , Corsica and Sardinia , as well as Raetia and part of Pannonia . The city of Emona (modern Ljubljana , Slovenia)
3286-474: The state in order to retain their rights as citizens. Failure to perform citizenship duties could result in the loss of privileges, as seen during the Second Punic War when men who refused military service lost their right to vote and were forced out of their voting tribes. Women were exempt from direct taxation and military service. Anyone living in any province of Rome was required to register with
3348-431: The time of Augustus and women instead remained under the protection of their pater familias. Upon his death, both the men and women under the protection of the pater familias would be considered sui iuris and be legally independent, able to inherit and own property without the approval of their pater familias. Roman woman however would enter into a tutela , or guardianship. A woman's tutor functioned similarly to
3410-497: The title Imperial Italy . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Imperial_Italy&oldid=932412739 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Roman Italy Timeline Italia (in both
3472-487: Was allied to Rome via treaty were assigned the status of socii . Socii (also known as foederati ) could obtain certain legal rights of under Roman law in exchange for agreed upon levels of military service, i.e., the Roman magistrates had the right to levy soldier from such states into the Roman legions . However, foederati states that had at one time been conquered by Rome were exempt from payment of tribute to Rome due to their treaty status. Growing dissatisfaction with
3534-622: Was assassinated in 480 and may have been recognized by Odoacer. Italy remained under Odoacer and his Kingdom of Italy , and then under the Ostrogothic Kingdom . The Germanic successor states under Odoacer and Theodoric the Great continued to use the Roman administrative apparatus, as well as being nominal subjects of the Eastern emperor at Constantinople . In 535 Roman Emperor Justinian invaded Italy which suffered twenty years of disastrous war. In August 554, Justinian issued
3596-599: Was attacked by Attila 's Huns in 452. Rome was sacked in 455 again by the Vandals under the command of Genseric . According to Notitia Dignitatum , one of the very few surviving documents of Roman government updated to the 420s, Roman Italy was governed by a praetorian prefect , Prefectus praetorio Italiae (who also governed the Diocese of Africa and the Diocese of Pannonia ), one vicarius , and one comes rei militaris . The regions of Italy were governed at
3658-608: Was becoming of their family and station. Much of our basis for understanding Roman law comes from the Digest of Emperor Justinian . The Digest contained court rulings by juries and their interpretations of Roman law and preserved the writings of Roman legal authors. The Edict of Caracalla (officially the Constitutio Antoniniana in Latin: "Constitution [or Edict] of Antoninus") was an edict issued in AD 212 by
3720-410: Was privileged by Augustus and his heirs, with the construction, among other public structures, of a dense network of Roman roads . The Italian economy flourished: agriculture, handicraft and industry had noticeable growth, allowing the export of goods to the provinces. The Italian population may have grown as well: three censuses were ordered by Augustus, in his role as Roman censor , in order to record
3782-595: Was the easternmost town of Italy. At the beginning of the Roman Imperial era, Italy was a collection of territories with different political statuses. Some cities, called municipia , had some independence from Rome, while others, the coloniae , were founded by the Romans themselves. Around 7 BC, Augustus divided Italy into eleven regiones , as reported by Pliny the Elder in his Naturalis Historia : Italy
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#17327659954043844-505: Was the legal recognition, developed in the 3rd century BC, of the growing international scope of Roman affairs, and the need for Roman law to deal with situations between Roman citizens and foreign persons. The ius gentium was therefore a Roman legal codification of the widely accepted international law of the time, and was based on the highly developed commercial law of the Greek city-states and of other maritime powers. The rights afforded by
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