Ancient & Modern | 28 February 2009

To general disapproval (and in direct contradiction to the Chancellor Alistair Darling), Lord Mandelson has suggested that the government should not be too hasty in removing bonuses from (presumably) ‘hard-working’ bankers.

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Gavin Mortimer

Why do the French hate J.D. Vance so much?

To general disapproval (and in direct contradiction to the Chancellor Alistair Darling), Lord Mandelson has suggested that the government should not be too hasty in removing bonuses from (presumably) ‘hard-working’ bankers. How very ‘New Roman’. There were far-reaching social and cultural changes in the Roman world from 100 bc to ad 120, during the collapse of the republic and growth of empire (beginning with the first Roman emperor Augustus, 27 bc–ad 14). As a result, the old Roman nobility which had formed the republican elite was gradually replaced by a new elite, outsiders (like Augustus), Italians and provincials. When Trajan and Hadrian, both born in Spain, became emperors (ad 98 and 117), the die was cast.

Much had happened to bring about this change. Access to elite education (learning the skills of oratory, vital for advance in the key areas of law and politics) was now no longer the privilege of the old nobility. ‘New’ Romans were perfectly at ease with Greek culture (language, dress, etc), which earlier generations had often seen as a threat. The architect Vitruvius showed that it was quite possible to fuse Roman architecture with Greek and Italic models. The research of scholars like Varro demonstrated that ancient beliefs about ‘the Roman way’ and ancient traditions of ritual and worship (especially of ancestors), so vital for nobles’ credibility, were often completely wrong. No wonder the republic was going to pot, concluded Cicero.

Another important development in undermining the old families’ claims on power was the huge expansion of wealth that accompanied Rome’s fast-growing empire.