Roman citizenship as a reward when he grad-
uated. He could then enjoy all the advantages
of his new status, including conubium, the
right to contract a legal marriage with a for-
eign woman.
The peregrini could also obtain the right of
citizenship by individual or collective con-
cession, sometimes as a reward for ex-
ceptional military action. In 89 B.C.,
the commander-in-chief of the
army, Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo
(father of Pompey the Great),
granted citizenship to a squad-
ron of 30 Hispanic horsemen
known as the turma Salluitana
to reward their valor in helping
to capture Asculum (modern As-
coli Piceno, Italy), a stronghold of
the rebels during the Social War of
the first-century B.C.dices of the time. Women were considered weak-
er, ignorant of legal matters, and lacking in judg-
ment. Having no legal authority, women could
not assume the role of head of the family. If they
became widows they could not adopt children or
exercise guardianship over any other member of
the family, including their own children.
During the late republic, a male slave had more
prospects of benefitting from the status of citi-
zenship than his wealthy Roman mistress. If
he was granted his freedom, a male slave could
then claim the right to be a citizen and could
pass this status on to his children. One slave who
later became a citizen was Tiro, the loyal scribe
of Cicero, who, once freed, retired to his estate
as a wealthy man.
From Soldier to Citizen
The military provided another route for non-
Romans to secure citizenship. As membership
of the legion itself was reserved for citizens,
a peregrinus (foreigner) could only be recruit-
ed into the auxiliary units. But on completing
25 years of service, he would be granted
PROVINCIAL
EMPEROR
S
econd of Rome’s “Five Good Em-
perors,” Trajan was the first em-
peror to be born outside of Italy.
Trajan’s ancestors hailed from
Umbria, but his father, a soldier and poli-
tician, was born and raised in the Roman
province of Baetica in Spain. Because of
his family’s Italian roots, Trajan was con-
sidered a full citizen. During his reign as
emperor, Trajan expanded the bound aries
of the empire to their farthest reaches. Per-
haps his most famous campaigns were
against the Dacians, a people who lived
in a mineral-rich area that corresponds to
modern Romania. Completed in a.d. 113,
Trajan’s Column commemorates his con-
quest of Dacia and features meticulously
detailed scenes (left)that depict memo-
rable episodes from the two campaigns,
including marches, preparations, battles,
negotiations, sacrifices, and speeches
delivered by Trajan.OUTSIDE ROMEDEA/SCALA, FLORENCECIVIC CROWNS SUCH AS THIS ONE WERE
AWARDED TO ROMANS WHO SAVED THE
LIFE OF A FELLOW CITIZEN IN BATTLE.
MUSEO DELLA CIVILTA’ ROMANA, ROME