- Cliens
In Rome, cliens (plural "clientes") referred to the lesser partner in the
Ancient Roman social institution ofclientela , obligated through a debt of loyalty to repay received favors that he had received from hispatronus . The term "cliens" may be derived from the Latin word "cluere" (to "hear" or "obey") or be cognate with κλίνω (to "lean" or "depend"). In early times, patrons and clients werepatrician andplebeian , respectively.A "cliens" had had certain obligations towards their "
patronus ", including social ones. They were required to show up every morning as their patrons "levy" to see if there was any service that their patron required of them that day. Additionally, "clientes" were expected to contribute toward thedowry of their patron's marriageable daughters. "Clientes" could not be compelled to testify against their patron in a court of law. Traditionally, "clientes" accompanied their patrons in times of war, as vassals. There were other restrictions, both social and legal.By the late
Roman Republic , influential Roman senators might have entire foreign city or states as "clientes", and occasionally theRoman Senate would refer decisions involving them to the "patroni". Some scholars argue that Rome regarded itself as the "patronus" of the "client" states subject to it, but this remains controversial.ee also
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clientela
*patronus References
*Harvard reference | Surname= Badian | Given=Ernst | Year= 1959 | Chapter= | Editor= | Title=Foreign Clientelae | Edition= | Publisher=Oxford University Press | Place=Oxford and New York | p= |URL= | Access-date=.
*Harvard reference | Surname= Long| Given= George | Year= 1875 | Chapter= | Editor= William Smith | Title= A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities | Edition= | Publisher= John Murray | Place=London | p=295‑297 |URL= | Access-date=.
*Harvard reference | Surname= | Given= | Year= 1990 | Chapter= | Editor=Rich, John | Title= Patronage in Ancient Society | Edition= | Publisher=Routledge | Place=London and New York | p= |URL= | Access-date=.
*Harvard reference | Surname= Saller | Given=R.P | Year= 1984 | Chapter= | Editor= | Title=Personal Patronage in the Roman Empire | Edition= | Publisher=Cambridge University Press | Place=Cambridge and New York | p= |URL= | Access-date=.External links
* [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA*/Cliens.html LacusCurtius • The Roman Client (Smith's Dictionary, 1875)]
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