Page:Roman Constitutional History, 753-44 B.C..djvu/35

Rh II. The Constitutional Reforms of Servius Tullius.

The Four Servian Districts. — The admission of the new clans still left the plebeians outside the regular military organization of the citizens proper, and hence it was not an adequate measure. The plebeian class continued to increase, and was able to furnish the additional soldiers needed by the warlike state. Accordingly the next king, Servius Tullius, is said to have introduced for military purposes a general and thorough reform.

As an initial step, the public lands which the subjects of Rome had been permitted to retain and occupy, may have been given them in full ownership, in order to make them trustworthy soldiers. Then Servius Tullius divided all the Roman territory in city and country, which was owned by private individuals, into four districts (tribus): Palatina; Suburana, including the Caelian hill; Collina, including the Quirinal; and Esquilina, the suburb between the Quirinal and the Caelian. Probably he tried to make the districts equal in extent and in population. He placed a tribune (tribunus or curator tribus) at the head of each, and instituted the rule that troops were to be levied, taxes were to be imposed, and a census was to be taken on the basis of these districts, which consequently superseded the curies in administrative affairs.

The Census. — According to the new census, all the free persons who dwelt in the districts and belonged to the Roman state, whether freeholders (assidui or locupletes) or not (proletarii), whether patricians, clients, or plebeians, were to be enrolled and assessed from time to time. The freeholders were enjoined to give an account of their families and real estate, the others were required to state their occupation and personal status.