Citizenship and Class Structure

Concepts of Citizenship

Civitas

• relationship between man and city; responsibilities of a member of collective society
• most important value; linked to ownership of self, self-posession, self-control (moderation, temperance)
• individual value is based on other's perceptions; social currency
• individual value is conditional

Gloria - glory; reputation, fame

Dignitas - dignity; position in the social order

Fama - fame; others report of an individual, more well-known the better

Honos - a post of honor or elected office

Individual Citizen's Value = Gloria + Dignitas+ Fama + Honos

Class Structure

Patrician (senatores) - families from the founding of the city; senate is heads of patrician families

Equestrian (equites) - elevated middle class; knight or elevated plebean; earned through acts of great bravery or procurement of wealth

Plebeian (plebs or vulgus) - middle or lower class; freeborn citizens of newer families, tribes

Salves (servi), Foreigners (peregrini), Non-Citizens - little or no value

Unit 1: Ab Urbe Condita - The Culture of Rome through Foundation History/Myths

Now that the course has begun, here is a brief outline of the essential aspects of our first unit.

• Essential Question: To what degree are history and mythology distinct?
• Essential Understanding: The cultural values of a society can be understood by the myths it creates concerning its origins.
• Essential Question: How does story reflect values of its time?
• Essential Understanding: Stories often tell us more about the context in which they are written than their subject(s).

Text to be used: Virgil's Aeneid

Focus on History:

• Foundation Myths
• Religion
• Vocabulary
• Roman Kingdom

Focus on Composition:

• Personal Myths (earliest memory)
• Multi-event, multi-character,
  three act structure

Focus on Skills:

• Reading - Identify evidence in accounts
• Writing - Apply evidence in composition
• Thinking - Evaluate evidence identified