Pompey, Cato, and the Governance of the Roman Empire

Nonfiction, History, Ancient History, Rome
Cover of the book Pompey, Cato, and the Governance of the Roman Empire by Kit Morrell, OUP Oxford
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Kit Morrell ISBN: 9780191071256
Publisher: OUP Oxford Publication: March 16, 2017
Imprint: OUP Oxford Language: English
Author: Kit Morrell
ISBN: 9780191071256
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Publication: March 16, 2017
Imprint: OUP Oxford
Language: English

Provincial governance under the Roman republic has long been notorious for its corrupt officials and greedy tax-farmers, though this is far from being the whole story. This book challenges the traditional picture, contending that leading late republican citizens were more concerned about the problems of their empire than is generally recognized, and took effective steps to address them. Attempts to improve provincial governance over the period 70-50 BC are examined in depth, with a particular focus on the contributions of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (Pompey) and the younger Marcus Porcius Cato. These efforts ranged well beyond the sanctions of the extortion law, encompassing show trials and model governors, and drawing on principles of moral philosophy. In 52-50 BC they culminated in a coordinated reform programme which combined far-sighted administrative change with a concerted attempt to transform the ethos of provincial governance: the union of what Cicero called 'Cato's policy' of ethical governance with Pompey's lex de provinciis, a law which transformed the very nature of provincial command. Though more familiar as political opponents, Pompey and Cato were united in their interest in good governance and were capable of working alongside each other to effect positive change. This book demonstrates that it was their eventual collaboration, in the late 50s BC, that produced the republic's most significant programme of provincial reform. In the process, it offers a new perspective on these two key figures as well as an enriched understanding of provincial governance in the late Roman republic.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Provincial governance under the Roman republic has long been notorious for its corrupt officials and greedy tax-farmers, though this is far from being the whole story. This book challenges the traditional picture, contending that leading late republican citizens were more concerned about the problems of their empire than is generally recognized, and took effective steps to address them. Attempts to improve provincial governance over the period 70-50 BC are examined in depth, with a particular focus on the contributions of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (Pompey) and the younger Marcus Porcius Cato. These efforts ranged well beyond the sanctions of the extortion law, encompassing show trials and model governors, and drawing on principles of moral philosophy. In 52-50 BC they culminated in a coordinated reform programme which combined far-sighted administrative change with a concerted attempt to transform the ethos of provincial governance: the union of what Cicero called 'Cato's policy' of ethical governance with Pompey's lex de provinciis, a law which transformed the very nature of provincial command. Though more familiar as political opponents, Pompey and Cato were united in their interest in good governance and were capable of working alongside each other to effect positive change. This book demonstrates that it was their eventual collaboration, in the late 50s BC, that produced the republic's most significant programme of provincial reform. In the process, it offers a new perspective on these two key figures as well as an enriched understanding of provincial governance in the late Roman republic.

More books from OUP Oxford

Cover of the book Jansenism and England by Kit Morrell
Cover of the book The Oxford Handbook of Women and Gender in Medieval Europe by Kit Morrell
Cover of the book Microeconomic Theory by Kit Morrell
Cover of the book Oxford Handbook of Mental Health Nursing by Kit Morrell
Cover of the book A Dictionary of Psychology by Kit Morrell
Cover of the book Climate Crisis and the Democratic Prospect by Kit Morrell
Cover of the book Mors Britannica by Kit Morrell
Cover of the book The English People at War in the Age of Henry VIII by Kit Morrell
Cover of the book Personality : What Makes You The Way You Are by Kit Morrell
Cover of the book The Oxford Handbook of Populism by Kit Morrell
Cover of the book Presocratic Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction by Kit Morrell
Cover of the book The T�in: From the Irish epic T�in B� Cuailnge by Kit Morrell
Cover of the book The Oxford Handbook of Organizational Paradox by Kit Morrell
Cover of the book Making Sense of Old Testament Genocide by Kit Morrell
Cover of the book Aristotle in Aquinas's Theology by Kit Morrell
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy