The Roman Identity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Roman Identity - judge ExampleTraditions were supported with the mos maiorum. According to tradition the father was the integrity who made decisions in the family. These decisions were as prefatory as acknowledging parentage when a baby was born to deciding who his children would marry.In a larger signified Roman society had identity defined by where they were (Alban vs. Roman, etc.), city names and traditions specific to cities. In Livys hold one, the first paragraph shows how the Romans took their beliefs seriously especially when it came to hospitalityTo begin with, it is generally admitted that after the capture of Troy, whilst the proportionality of the Trojans were massacred, against two of them--Aeneas and Antenor--the Achivi refused to exercise the rights of war, partly owing to old ties of hospitality. (Livy, 1.1)Rules, written or unwritten were big to the Romans. Later in the first chapter Livy records how the issue of hospitality reared its head again when Romul us invited all the nearest races to a celebration. When the people were in his city they were invited into Roman homes throughout the city. A signal was given and Roman youths carried away the unmarried women. Of course this made a lot of people upset and Romulus was accused of violating the rules of hospitalitymaidens retired, plain of the violated compact of hospitality, and invoking the god, to whose solemn festival and games they had come, having been deceived by the pretence of religion and dangerous faith. (Livy 1.)The compact of hospitality shows commitment of the Romans and their guests to certain rules, principals, or values. By ordering the women carried off Romulus was, in fact, violating the rights of the fathers to decide who their daughters would marry (called patria potestas). This was Romulus strive to solve the problem of too few women in his community. It was paterfamilias that gave the father this right to rule all over his family. Roman society outside the home was an extension of paterfamilias. Outside the family the Romans belonged to a patron who took care of his charges during good and bad times. This patron in turn received the support of his charges. The selection is quoted to show how committed the people of that time were to their beliefs, religion, and good faith and how their beliefs/laws were violated.The Rome that Livy writes about contains numerous examples of how important family values were. Romes growth was fleshly and moral. The Romans were caught up in the beauty of their land and the love for their familiesBefore they had become united in pure tone by commitment to wives and children and by love for the soil the nation not yet grown up, would rescue been torn apart by dissension (Livy, 2.1)The challenge to maintain the values and virtues of Roman society was met with temptations and excesses. more Romans fell to these temptationsThere has never been any state grander, purer, or richer in good examples, or one in to which greed and luxury gained entrance so late (Preface)Among the Roman youth there were several of high gear birth who had lived under the monarchy a more irresponsible and pleasure seeking lifemissed the license that had been theirs and with everyone now enjoying oppose rights they began to complain