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Auctoritas, Dignitas, Otium

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2009

J. P. V. D. Balsdon
Affiliation:
Exeter College, Oxford

Extract

Auctoritas’ was naturally one of Cicero's favourite concepts. In the ideal republic power lay with the people, auctoritas with the Senate (‘Cum potestas in populo, auctoritas in senatu sit’, De leg. 3. 28). Alternatively, in a balanced state, potestas would lie with the magistrates, libertas with the people, but still auctoritas would be the property of the Senate, ‘in principum consitio’ [De rep. 2. 57).

Information

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Classical Association 1960

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