This post will point out some of the quintessential values that existed in the Roman Republic and expound on how those values worked together to define the Republic. This post will also explain how these defining values demonstrated what Romans were supposed to care about and conform to. The reference for quintessential values in the Roman Republic this article uses will be the mos maiorum.
The mos maiorum was a collective of principles, behaviors, and social practices that affected the lives of individuals and society as a whole in the Roman Republic. Found in the mos maiorum are some values that stand out because of how significantly they defined the Republic. This post will analyze how two of these values, pietas and gravitas,defined the Republic and the citizens therein.
Pietes was a Roman value that personified a respectful and faithful attachment to the gods, the Republic, and relatives. The concept of pietes was eventually made into a Roman goddess named Pietas, who was imprinted on Roman coins and had a temple dedicated to her in 181 BC (Encyclopædia Britannica). Pietes towards the gods went much deeper than rituals and sacrifices and involved inner devotion and spiritual justification. Pietes towards relatives and the Republic was of great importance in the Roman Republic. An order was established where the gods were of upmost importance, then the Republic, then the family, and then finally the individual’s own self. This value lead to the cultivating of the Roman Republic as an nation with great emphasis on respect and devotion. This in turn created devoted religious cults, a unified military, and important family ties.
Gravitas was a Roman value that described the dignity and self-control of a Roman citizen. In order to gain and retain a proper place in the Roman community it was absolutely necessary for a citizen to have gravitas. Without gravitas, a Roman citizen would not only be prevented from excelling in the Roman community, but also could be lowered in the status of the community. This in turn would lower the status of even the children of the individual lacking gravitas and this was a major offense, due to the Roman value pietes (Tatum, Bronwyn). The affect of gravitas on the Roman Republic was significant. It cultivated mighty leaders and officials that pushed the Republic to great strengths. It also encouraged the civilians of the Republic to excel in society, and that in turn made for better soldiers, merchants, and many other members of that society.
The quintessential Roman values were what made the Roman Republic unique from other civilizations. It gave citizens ideals to live by that Rome considered positive and allowed those citizens to prosper in their communities. Many of these values, especially pietas and gravitas, encouraged behavior in citizens that led to a stronger Roman Republic. It was these values that helped the Roman Republic make achievements that the world had never seen before.
“Pietas”. Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Bri tannica Inc., 2016. Web. 21 Jun. 2016 <http://www.britannica.com/topic/Pietas>.
Tatum, Malcolm, and Bronwyn Harris. “What Is Gravitas?“ WiseGeek. Conjecture, n.d. Web. 21 June 2016.