Moral and Social Reforms
Why were they needed?
In 28 BC, Horace's Odes 3.6 state that adultery was "widespread across our [Rome's] fatherland and populance", and even goes as far to suggest that it often happened with "her husband in the know".
Andrew Wallace-Hadrill states that: "Augustus could generate a sense of unity and identity that was precious in an unstable society".
Andrew Wallace-Hadrill states that: "Augustus could generate a sense of unity and identity that was precious in an unstable society".
Lex Julia, 18 BC
Lex Julia was the first in a series of reforms aimed at solving the problems Augustus saw in Roman society. It was a change to marriage and relationship in Rome:
- Romans were only permitted to marry other Romans.
- Adultery was punishable with exile and the father of an adulterous daughter could even kill her.
- Roman men could enter political offices early if they were married and had children.
- Roman women were not permitted to have sex before marriage, unless registered as a prostitute.
- Roman men were permitted to have sex with any non-Romans.
- If Roman men did not marry, or have children, then they would lose their inheritance.
- If Romans were married and had children, then they could inherit from outside of their own family.
- Romans were only permitted to marry other Romans.
- Adultery was punishable with exile and the father of an adulterous daughter could even kill her.
- Roman men could enter political offices early if they were married and had children.
- Roman women were not permitted to have sex before marriage, unless registered as a prostitute.
- Roman men were permitted to have sex with any non-Romans.
- If Roman men did not marry, or have children, then they would lose their inheritance.
- If Romans were married and had children, then they could inherit from outside of their own family.
Augustus' view that adultery was a public concern was a marked change from the Roman tradition of respect for the privacy of the marital relationship and the right of the 'pater familias' to control matters in the household. The penalties instituted by the law for all his parties were severe, however, whether they were an effective deterrent was doubtful.
Lex Fufia Caninia, 2 BC
Limited the number of slaves that could be freed. For example, if three slaves were owned, two could be released. If between four and ten slaves, a half could be released. If between eleven to thirty slaves, only a third could be released.
Lex Aelia Sentia, 4 AD
Forbade anyone under the age of twenty to release slaves and slaves could only be released once they had turned thirty.
Offspring of freed Latin men and Roman women could apply for citizenship, although logistical issues often made this difficult.
Offspring of freed Latin men and Roman women could apply for citizenship, although logistical issues often made this difficult.
Freedom of the Slaves
Limitations to the number of manumissions were introduced under Augustus as the number was so large that it was perceived as a challenge to Rome's social structure, which was built on slavery. Suetonius suggests that Augustus introduced limits as he wanted to keep the supposedly pure Roman stock from corruption by foreign or slave blood.
Lex Papia Poppaea, 9 AD
In order to promote marriage, those people unmarried within one hundred days after the death of somebody would be unable to claim the inheritance and it would go to the state. Freedmen were released from certain obligations if they had a certain number of children. If a family had three children in Rome, four in Italy and five in the provinces then they were excused from the office of 'curator' or 'tutor'.
Those couples who were married but had no children (between twenty-five and sixty years old for the male and twenty and fifty years old for the female) could only claim half of the inheritance. This led to a number of adoptions to avoid this penalty but the Senate later ruled this as a void attempt to avoid the penalty.
Those couples who were married but had no children (between twenty-five and sixty years old for the male and twenty and fifty years old for the female) could only claim half of the inheritance. This led to a number of adoptions to avoid this penalty but the Senate later ruled this as a void attempt to avoid the penalty.
Suetonius"He was also given the supervision of morals and of the laws for all time".
"He revised existing laws and enacted some new ones, for example, on extravagance, on adultery and chastity, on bribery, and on the encouragement of marriage among the various classes of citizens. Having made somewhat more stringent changes in the last of these than in the others, he was unable to carry it out because of an open revolt against its provisions, until he had abolished or mitigated a part of the penalties, besides increasing the rewards and allowing a three years' exemption from the obligation to marry after the death of a husband or wife. And on finding that the spirit of the law was being evaded by betrothal with immature girls and by frequent changes of wives, he shortened the duration of betrothals and set a limit on divorce". |
Res Gestae Divi Augusti“I passed new laws which restored exemplary practices of our ancestors... and I transmitted exemplary practices to posterity for their imitation."
States that he gave 8 gladiatorial games, 3 athletics games and produced 27 shows (including the Secular Games in 17bc). He was the first to produce games of mars in 2bc, thus establishing a new tradition. |