Рим и Римский мир

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Literary sources about the warfare between Etruscans and the Roman gens of Fabii in 477 BC show that both groups acted like initiatory groups of youths, which were characteristic for many primitive peoples. Thus, Fabii performed plundering raids into the Etruscan territory and acted very quickly and cunningly. Then, during their last battle at the Cremera river they demostrated rage and frenzy resembling to those of German berserks.

The present article deals with the legal status of tribal Moorish cavalry in Late Roman Army of North Africa. The author proposed a hypothesis, that the inclusion of these troops in regular Roman military forces was made in two stages: first, the different tribal home guards, belonged to the local chieftains, received the rank of frontier units – limitanei. And then they were modified in field’s army units by transfer from frontier garrisoned forts in big cities within the province.

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The article is devoted to interpretation of “republicanism” and “traditionalism” in the historiography. Modern researchers don’t see a special difference between “traditionalism” and “republicanism” and correlate them with aristocratic values of the senate supporters, natives of the upper classes. However, according to the author, “republicanism” and “traditionalism” can’t be synonyms as the latter was the basis for outlook of all Roman society, regardless of citizens’ estate belonging or political convictions.

The author examines the circumstances of the early youth of Octavian and Agrippa and the beginning of their friendship. Agrippa’s family was probably wealthy but its origin was quite humble, and Octavian’s lineage was not much higher; his ancestors, except his grandmother Julia, belonged to Italian municipal families. It appears that Agrippa met Octavian in the house of the latter’s stepfather Philippus, and in the same house Agrippa’s brother made acquaintance with Cato, the son-in-law of Philippus.

The games sponsored by Octavian in late July 44 BC were the means through which he wanted to communicate with the Roman people and Caesar’s veterans. During the games Octavian publicly declared his desire to preserve Caesar’s memory as a member of his family and he was applauded by the spectators, both the people and veterans. As result of the games he acquired a great political prestige that forced Antony under the pressure Caesar’s veterans to agree to public reconciliation with him.

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The article deals with the problem of seniority of Crassus’ sons. The author argues that, contrary to the opinion of several modern researchers, Marcus was the elder son of Crassus born in the first half of 85 B. C., and Publius was the younger son born in 82 or 81 B. C. The latter didn’t hold quaestorship or enter the senate. Nevertheless he served in Gaul under Caesar earlier than his elder brother.

The article considers the military and diplomatic activity of Marcus Claudius Marcellus in Spain (152–151 BC). In 152 BC he was elected consul for the third time to finish arduous war in Hispania Citerior. He successfully attacked the Celtiberians, efficiently combining method of force with flexible diplomatics, then he helped Atilius Serranus, governor of Hispania Ulterior in his fighting against Lusitanians, this was to contribute to Celtiberians’ conciliation.