Page:The history of Rome. Translated with the author's sanction and additions.djvu/121

Rh their authority to the testaments of soldiers made before battle (P. 82), and whose consent the king had to ask before beginning an aggressive war (P. 83). It is important, on account of the subsequent course of development, to note these first indications of the centuries taking part in public affairs; but the centuries came to acquire such rights at first more in the way of natural sequence than of direct design, and subsequently to the Servian reform as before it the assembly of the curies was regarded as the proper burgess-community, whose homage bound the whole people in allegiance to the king. By the side of these full-burgesses stood the clients having freeholds, or, as they were afterwards called, the "burgesses without right of voting" (cives sine suffragio), who participated in public burdens, the service of the army, tribute, and taskwork (hence municipes); but they ceased to pay protection-money, which was thenceforth paid only by the metœci who were beyond the pale of the tribes, that is, who were non-freeholders (ærarii).

In this way, while hitherto there had been distinguished only two classes of members of the community, burgesses and clients, there were now established three political classes of active, passive, and protected members respectively; categories which exercised a dominant influence over the constitutional law of Rome for many centuries.

When and how this new military organization of the Roman community came into existence, can only be conjectured. It presupposes the existence of the four regions; in other words, the Servian wall must have been erected before the reform took place. But the territory of the city must also have considerably exceeded its original limits, when it could furnish 8000 holders of entire hides of land and as many who held lesser portions, or sons of such holders, and in addition a number of larger landholders and their sons. We are not acquainted with the superficial extent of the normal Roman farm; but it is scarcely possible to estimate it as under twenty jugera. If we reckon