1960/11/01 by D. R. Shackleton Bailey · 1 citation
Social Sciences · Arts and Humanities · #Classical Antiquity Studies #Classical Studies and Legal History #Nobility #Humanities #Casual #Spanish Civil War #Ancient history #History #Art #Philosophy #Political science #Law #Politics
paper · doi:10.1017/s000983880000402x
openalex publication_date 1960/11/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/21
A Significant distinction can be noticed in Cicero&s contemporary references to the anti-revolutionary parties in the first two Civil Wars. For both he claims superior dignitas: Rosc. Am. 136 quis enim erat qui non videret humilitatem cum dignitate de amplitudine contendere? (cf. Phil. 8.7. ne dominarentur indigni ), Lig . 19 principum dignitas erat paene par, non par fortasse eorum qui sequebantur . But in the Pro Roscio dignitas and nobilitas go together. Sulla's cause is causa nobilitatis (135,138), his party is the nobility (141, 149), his triumph victoria nobilium (142). Such expressions, frequent and casual, evidently belonged to current usage and may be assumed to have fitted the facts. Marian nobiles are indeed not lacking; but the records are meagre, and presumably they were a small minority in their class. An ironical hit at Verres (not a nobilis , though of senatorial family) tells the same tale ten years later: ut possit aliquis suspicari C. Verrem, quod ferre novos homines non potuerit, ad nobilitatem, hoc est adsuos transisse ( Verr . 2. 1. 35)—for a nobilis , as such, Sulla was the only leader. Verres' true motive for changing sides, discreditable of course, is explained later on (§37); eo Sullanus repente foetus est, non ut honos et dignitas nobilitati restitueretur .