Cliens
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In Rome, cliens (plural clientes) referred to the lesser partner in the Ancient Roman social institution of clientela, obligated through a debt of loyalty to repay received favors that he had received from his patronus. 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 were patrician and plebeian, 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 the dowry 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 the Roman 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.
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[edit] References
- Badian, Ernst (1959), Foreign Clientelae, Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press.
- Long, George (1875), in William Smith, A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: John Murray.
- Rich, John, ed. (1990), Patronage in Ancient Society, London and New York: Routledge.
- Saller, R.P (1984), Personal Patronage in the Roman Empire, Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press.
