Mos Maiorum

Roman Social Tradition was unwritten, but preserved instead through Social Custom. It was the Duty of every Paterfamilias to uphold Roman Social Customs.
Social Censure by fellow Romans would follow if the Paterfamilias did not conform, and this acted as a sufficient discipline.
However, the Society of the Roman Republic was able to transform itself into the Society of the Roman Empire, specifically because these Social Traditions were unwritten and could be changed gradually.

Fides:
- meaning the Duty of Faith and Trust.
- In Roman Law Bona Fides meant the absence of Fraud and Mala Fides or Dolus Malus meant the presence of Fraud. As many Roman contract were verbal, if they were then broken, the Roman Court of Law would decide on a verdict based on the prescence or absence of Fides.
- Fides was a Virtue embodied in the Roman Goddess Fides: The Temple of Fides was dedicated in c. 254 BCE on the Capitoline, Rome.

Pietas:
- meaning the Duty of Respect.
- This meant respect towards the Family, Parents, the State, and the Roman Gods.
- This Virtue was embodied in the Roman Goddess Pietas. The Temple of Pietas was dedicated in 181 BCE in the Forum Holitorium, Rome.

Religio and Cultus:
- meaning the Duty of Worship.
- Religio meant the Bond between the mortals and the Gods. Cultus meant observing and performing the Rituals.

Disciplina:
- meaning the Duty of Discipline.
- This meant conforming within the Social Hierarchy. Roman Society was a parallel of military Hierarchy.
- The position and wealth of an individual in Society was reflected in his Status and Rank in the Army.

Gravitas and Constantia:
- meaning the Duty of self control and Perseverance in Adversity.

Dignitas and Auctoritas:
- Dignitas meant the Reputaion of a Man, and Auctoritas meant his Prestige.
- The ideal Roman Man had these as a result of observing all the other Duties.