Page:Roman Constitutional History, 753-44 B.C..djvu/168

154 Its Influence on the Foreign Policy. — This class wielded a great influence on the foreign policy of Rome, too, as is indicated by the fact that the barbarous destruction of Corinth and of Carthage was due chiefly to the efforts of the capitalists to get rid of two commercial rivals. Enjoying the financial and political support of the state, the Roman capitalists outstripped all competitors. They began to monopolize the business of banking, and developed Roman commerce throughout the empire. Roman superiority in business and wealth was as marked as in war and politics.

Privileges of the Equestrian Class. — Although the equestrian class was not exclusive like the nobility and did not form a close corporation, it desired to have privileges and distinctions. It became more and more common for all those who were not nobles, but possessed the equestrian census ($22,000) and served in the equestrian centuries, to use the silver trappings (phalerae) formerly belonging to the nobility, to wear tunics with narrow purple stripes (tunicae angusticlaviae), and later gold rings. Probably the equestrian centuries about this time (in 145) obtained special seats in the theatre, the fourteen rows next to the senatorial seats.

III. The Assemblies.

The Enrollment of the Poor. — Neither the general organization nor the respective functions of the assemblies were much changed at this time. The nobility considered it sufficient to apply the rules of auspicial obstruction (p. 141) to the plebeian assembly, and to alter somewhat the enrollment of the poor (proletarii) and the freedmen.

The freeborn citizens assessed at from $88 to $550 (4000 to 25,000 asses), and possibly those assessed as low as $33 (1500 asses), belonged to the fifth Servian class. This