Treaties

[Horatius]

was wondering if anyone knows or can direct me to some good information on Roman diplomacy.How it worked and the official titles and so forth. I would be especially interested to know if there are any treaties that survive (or at least the text),seems there were many of them. Probably not a very glamorous subject but it always appeared to me that Rome was also noted for it's diplomacy. When I read about treaties with Parthia,Carthage or the different barbarian tribes I always wonder about the details of how they were done. Was there a Roman equivalent to the State Department? Did Roman generals have authorization to negotiate treaties or was there an official process that had to be followed? Was diplomacy a 'position' or was it just too dangerous and not done with any real expectation of immunity in most cases. I can not really find much on this subject (probably due to my meager research skills). Hope this is posted in the right place.

[Princeps]

Hostage taking was a time honoured way of enforcing treaties.

[Favonius Cornelius]

Interesting topic. Treaties had to be ratified by the people's assemblies, but the senate could appoint a commission of senators to be sent as a delegation to another power. I think also that acting Consuls had the right to conduct negotiations in their areas of influence, as determined by appointment by the senate, but even these decisions had to be ratified by the senate.

 

Treaties with other powers also had religious involvement. Particular priesthoods in the state cult would be responsible for performing rites to ensure that any agreements were in good stead with the gods.

Edited March 1, 2006 by Favonius Cornelius

[caldrail]

What about generals? I'm thinking in terms of people like Julius Caesar

[Favonius Cornelius]

A legatus or a praetor would not have the imperium for talks on that level.

 

Caesar as a general was a consul or proconsul, and therefore had the imperium to carry out such talks. Most acting generals had the status of proconsul.

[Primus Pilus]

Caesar as a general was a consul or proconsul, and therefore had the imperium to carry out such talks. Most acting generals had the status of proconsul.

 

Just a bit more definition to avoid confusion... most acting provincial governors (rather than just generals) in the late Republican period with armies at their command were of proconsular rank. There were many 'Generals' of varying rank who served within that proconsular army but were not themselves necessarily proconsuls or even propraetors.

[Horatius]

Found an interesting reference to a method of declaring war at least. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/650livy1-34.html. Would be intersesting to read a whole text of a treaty I think,how the terms and conditions were spelled out and the penalties. Polybius has some comments on treaties with Carthage "The first treaty between Rome and Carthage dates from the consulship of Lucius Junius Brutus and Marcus Horatius, the first Consuls after the expulsion of the kings, and the founders of the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus. This is twenty-eight years before the crossing of Xerxes to Greece. I give below as accurate a rendering as I can of this treaty, but the ancient Roman language differs so much from the modern that it can only be partially made out, and that after much application, by the most intelligent men". http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roma...olybius/3*.html apparently he is translating from some document he had access to. I wonder what the ancient Roman language he refers to is. Etruscan maybe?

[Favonius Cornelius]

Found an interesting reference to a method of declaring war at least. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/650livy1-34.html.

 

Yes the Fetials!

 

http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=2446

[Horatius]

"Yes the Fetials! http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=2446" HA! This actually does get interesting:) Sorry I missed that. So many things to read here and not nearly enough time. Thank you.