Page:Roman Constitutional History, 753-44 B.C..djvu/85

Rh Progress of the Plebeians. — It might have been supposed that after the passage of the Licinian law the patricians would be, if not sufficiently fair and just, at least sensible and clear-sighted enough to see that further resistance to the plebeian demand for equal rights would be useless; but they were not. They claimed sole eligibility to the dictatorship and censorship, and they even went so far as repeatedly to elect two patrician consuls in open violation of the law. Nevertheless the plebeians secured admission to additional magistracies; a plebeian had been master of horse in 368; another became dictator in 356, and censor in 351.

The Rich and the Freedmen. — The Licinian law left the wealthy an excellent opportunity to enrich themselves. The rich plebeians no doubt made the most of it. Licinius, for instance, emancipated his son from his paternal authority in order that they might together occupy about a square mile of the public lands and enjoy also the privilege of grazing two hundred head of cattle and a thousand sheep in the public pastures. Agriculture carried on in this way — that is, on public lands subject to no tax — could hardly fail to be profitable.

The plebeian aristocrats at this time manumitted slaves in great numbers. The freedmen were more enterprising and trustworthy than slaves, and more obedient than freemen, as they could be reduced to slavery if disobedient. In addition, they had votes, but were not liable to military service. They were able to render their plebeian patrons the same services, and lend them the same dignity, as the numerous clients did their patrician lords. The patricians were not equally interested in manumissions. As a result, a patrician consul, who was some distance outside the city and safe from interference on the part of his colleague and the plebeian tribunes, convened the people in 357 and