Roman Cities

  • The acceptance of Roman Culture and Civilisation was based on the Romanised city, whose characteristic architectural features were the Forum, the Theatre, the Amphitheatre, the Roman Temple and the Basilica.
  • The Romans allowed the cities within the Roman Empire to be self-governing whilst based on Roman Law, with varying degrees of Roman Citizenship being applied. The cities followed a hierarchy with the Colonia having the highest status.

Roman Cities by status

  1. Colonia
  2. Municipium
  3. Civitas
  4. Civitatae Foederatae
  5. Oppida
  6. Vicus
  7. Free Cities

Roman Town Planning

  • All Roman towns, cities or forts had a grid system of streets based on two intersecting roads:
    • Cardo Maximus
      • or Cardo, was the main north-south road.
    • Decumanus Maximus
      • was the main east-west road that intersected the Cardo.
    • Forum
      • Every Roman town or city had a Forum placed at the intersection of these two main roads.

The Roman Cities in Italy

  • Lex Julia (90 BCE)
  • Imperium  domi
    • To distinguish Italy from the Provinces, Magistrates in Italy ruled through Imperium domi (Police power), whereas in the Provinces they ruled through Imperium militia (Military power).
  • Rectrix mundi
    • Italy, not just Rome, was referred to as ‘Rectrix mundi’ or Queen of the world and Ruler of the Provinces.

The Three Types of Roman City in the Provinces

  1. Colonia
    • The Roman Colony, originally founded by retired Roman Legionaries, followed Roman Law and Roman Institutions. They were effectively an extension of the city of Rome, with Latin Rights and full Roman Citizenship.
  2. Municipium
  3. Civitas or Civitas Peregrina

The Five Largest Cities in the Roman Empire (100 CE)

  1. Rome, Italy
    • Population: 1,000,000 (by 400 CE only 500-750,000 and by 500 CE only 100,000)
  2. Alexandria, Egypt
    • Population 500-750,000
  3. Antioch, Syria
    • Population 350-500,000
  4. Ephesus, Asia Minor
    • Population: Estimates vary between 225,000 and 500,000. In 27 BCE It replaced Pergamun as the Capital of Asia.
    • Also Smyrna had a Population of 250,000 and Pergamum of 150,000.
  5. Carthage, North Africa
    • Population: 350-500,000, by 100 CE.
  6. Other important cities:

Other Cities in the Roman Empire

  • Constantinople
    • By 330 CE, ‘The new Rome’, had a population of c. 30,000, by 400 CE, it had increased to c. 300,000, and by 565 CE , it had reached c. 750,000.
  • Leptis Magna, North Africa
    • Population: c. 100,000
  • Aquileia, Italy
    • Population: c. 100,000 by 150 CE
  • London, Britannia
    • Population: c. 60,000
  • Medium to large cities in Italy, Africa and the East
    • They had populations of c. 50-100,000.
  • North European Cities in the Roman Empire
    • They had populations of c. 10-25,000.

Comparable Population size in Cities in Parthia

Roman Taxation of Cities

  • Rome and the Italian Cities

    • In 167 BCE Rome and Italia were made Tax exempt, because there was sufficient Tributum coming in from the newly conquered Provinces.
    • In 290-291 CE, Diocletian brought back Taxation to Italia, but Rome remained exempt.

  • The Cities in the Provinces

  • Tax Collection under the Roman Republic

    • This was done by Roman Tax Farmers operating through Roman Joint Stock Corporations known as Publicani.
    • They bid for the right to collect Taxes at Auction, paying the Aerarium (Treasury) in advance, and then collected the Taxes themselves in the hope of making a surplus.
    • Taxes varied between 1-3%. There was no census and individual land and wealth wasn’t assessed accurately.
    • In the Provinces it was sometimes easier to assess a whole community, who then had to pay one tithe of their income.

  • How the Roman Republic ruled the newly conquered cities of Sicily

    • The cities of newly conquered lands were prevented from revolting by:
      • Not being allowed to join together, but had to look to Rome for leadership.
      • Not being forced to send troops and ships, unlike Italian Cities, but had to send Tribute of Money and Grain.
    • The Four Classes of City:
      1. Allied Cities: Paid no Taxes but had to send Troops.
      2. Free Cities (of Asia)
      3. Tributary Cities (Sicily under the Lex Hieronica)
      4. Cities under Roman tributary Laws

  • Lex Hieronica in Sicily

  • The Free Cities in the Province of Asia

    • The Free Cities of the Roman Province of Asia refers to a period under the Roman Republic between 188-30 BCE, when these cities were exempt from Tribute and Taxation, but were required to send troops and ships if requested.
    • The practice of Free Cities was discontinued under the Roman Emperors.

  • Tax Collection under the Roman Empire

  • Augustus (27 BCE-14 CE)
    • He abandoned the use of the Publicani, and instituted a comparatively advanced Tax System using Flat Rate levies based on a Census.
  • Roman Census:
    • Augustus ordered a census to be held every 14 years throughout the Roman Empire. Each individual City was then instructed to pay a certain amount of Taxes.
    • The Individual paid the City. Provincial Magistrates were responsible for the Tax Collection in that City and its surroundings. Taxes were paid either in Cash, or in Goods or by Services.
    • The cities then paid Rome via the Fiscal Procurator, the amount varying according to their status.
    • Eligibility for Taxation seems to have started at 14 for men and 12 for women, and ended either at 60 or 65 years old.

 

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