Seminar – The Mob, Crowds & The People of Ancient Rome

While the Roman Empire is often remembered for its foreign conquests, many of its conflicts were internal. During times of unrest, the Populus Romanus, or people of Rome, played a crucial role in shaping the city’s history. They influenced political decisions through assemblies, protests, and voting, using their collective power to challenge the establishment. Known for their ability to resort to violence and chaos, Roman mobs frequently gathered in stadiums, amphitheaters, circuses, and voting assemblies.

Between 494 and 287 BCE, there were five non-violent walkouts in ancient Rome known as the secessio plebis, or the secession of the plebs. The plebeians, or common people, organized these walkouts to protest their lack of power against the patricians, the aristocratic ruling class. By withdrawing from the city, the plebeians demonstrated their collective power and forced the patricians to address their grievances.

• The first secession (494 BCE) was triggered by widespread indebtedness among the plebeians and harsh treatment by patrician creditors. Following the secession, the Senate forgave debts and created the office of Tribune of the Plebs. Only plebeians could serve as tribune, and they had the power to veto legislation that threatened plebeian interests.
• The second secession (449 BCE) was provoked by the decemviri, a group of ten officials responsible for drafting a new law code, who abused their powers. To end the secession, the Senate agreed to disband the decemviri, restore the power of the tribunes, and pass the leges Valeriae Horatiae which expanded the rights of plebeians.
• The third secession (445 BCE) was sparked by the prohibition on marriages between patricians and plebeians. To appease the plebeians, the Senate passed the Lex Canuleia which allowed intermarriage.
• The fourth secession (342 BCE) led to the passage of the Lex Genucia, which mandated that at least one consul be a plebeian.
• The fifth secession (287 BCE) was sparked by economic inequality and indebtedness. In response, the Senate passed the Lex Hortensia, which ensured that laws passed by the Plebian Council were binding on all citizens – including patricians.

Roman mobs contributed to the political violence that defined the late republic. During this period, Roman politicians learned how to exploit mob violence to further their own ambitions and political agendas. In 132 CE, a mob of senators attacked and killed Tiberius Gracchus, a reform-minded tribune of the plebs who was running for an unprecedented second consecutive term. In 121 CE, another senatorial mob attacked and killed his younger brother, Gaius Gracchus, who was also a progressive reformer. Both brothers’ populist policies threatened the senatorial class and its entrenched power, leading to their violent deaths.

Food was another source of mob violence in Rome. The city relied heavily on grain imports and often faced food scarcity. During one such shortage, a mob ambushed emperor Claudius in the forum. According to the historian Cassius Dio, Claudius barely escaped and had to sneak into the palace through a back door. This experience had a lasting impact on Claudius. In 42 CE, he began constructing a new port at Ostia, which allowed grain to be shipped into Rome year-round. Later emperors also recognized the importance of keeping the people fed and entertained, enacting “bread and circuses” programs to keep the mob happy and distracted.

Whether through violent uprisings or peaceful demonstrations, the people of Rome were able to exert their will and became a powerful force in Roman history.

Bibliography

• Claudius. Imperial Ostia and Portus in Ancient Texts. https://www.ostia-antica.org/~atexts/presentation/anctexts-d5.htm
• Potter, D.S. & Mattingly, D.J. (1999). Life, Death, and Entertainment in the Roman Empire. University of Michigan Press.
• Schmitz, Leonhard. (1875). Plebs. In the Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (p.923-927). Retrieved from: https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA*/Plebs.html

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Cite this page as: Darius Arya, The American Institute for Roman Culture, “Seminar – The Mob, Crowds & The People of Ancient Rome,” Ancient Rome Live. Last modified 08/20/2024. https://ancientromelive.org/seminar-the-mob-crowds-the-people-of-ancient-rome/

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