disaster came upon disaster, ever more rapid. Three of the monarchic principes fell by the sword. Five civil wars and more in tw

not in virtue of written law, but through auctoritas; and the name of principes civitatis came suitably to be applied to the more

direct the policy of the imperial Republic as consul or as one of the principes . Cicero lacked the full equipment. He imagined th

fashion or other almost all the chief members of the government, the principes viri of note during the first decade of its exist

secution of the tribune Cornelius ‘dixerunt in eum infesti testimonia principes civitatis qui plurimum in senatu poterant Q. Hort

r 74. PageBook=>023 After a time the most distinguished of the principes , resentful or inert, came to shun the duties of t

ician demagogue lacked fear or scruple. Contending against two of the principes , he won through bribery and popular favour the pa

ses bound in loyalty to the Senate and guided by modest and patriotic principes . 2 Which was harmless enough, had he not been emb

d behaviour, public demonstrations of loyal acquiescence. 5 The three principes now dominated the State, holding in their hands t

um and tribunicia potestas were the two pillars of the edifice. The principes strove for prestige and power, but not to erect a

oked by his ruthless ambition, by his acts of arrogance towards other principes and by his support, when consul and proconsul, of

by contemporaries, who recalled his behaviour towards certain of the principes of the Sullan oligarchy, Catulus (Velleius 2, 43,

cter but equally a joy and comfort to their enemies. Certain of the principes by providential death had been spared the experie

abate his sincere efforts in the cause of concord. So much for the principes : before long, most of the Pompeian consulars were

as yet merciful to the Roman People, for it suppressed along with the principes a source of intrigue and feuds. Pompeius they m

itas he might acquire recognition and official standing. Which of the principes were ready to give their sanction? NotesPage=&g

Geist des Römertums (1938), 142 ff. PageBook=>145 ranks of the principes for varied talent, for civil as well as military

vilian rather than in military garb; and the ambition of unscrupulous principes is strongly denounced. 2 The lust for power ends

ory, no doubt showing how far, for all their splendour and power, the principes Crassus, Caesar and Pompeius had fallen short of

about the De re publica (De civ. dei 5, 13): ‘loquitur de instituendo principe civitatis quem dicit alendum esse gloria. ’ 6 A

a not very distant past. Less spectacular than the decadence of the principes , but not less to be deplored, were the gaps in ot

noblest names of Rome. No consulars, it is true, for the best of the principes were already dead, and the few survivors of that

anks of the dynastic houses of the old plebeian aristocracy among the principes not a single Metellus, Marcellus, Licinius, Juniu

hand. The leading statesmen of the Republic had commonly been called principes , in recognition of their authority or their power

inceps’, but not as part of any official titulature. There were other principes in the State, there could not fail to be such in

the whole Senate as a body and to the individual senior statesmen or principes viri. 2 Augustus was the greatest of the principe

enior statesmen or principes viri. 2 Augustus was the greatest of the principes . It was therefore both appropriate and inevitable

ssed indefinite and tremendous resources, open or secret—all that the principes in the last generation held, but now stolen from

ecurus, quae triumviratu iusserat abolevit deditque iura quis pace et principe uteremur. acriora ex eo vincula. ’ PageBook=>

erning oligarchy, with especial reference to its leading members, the principes viri. PageNote. 348 1 Dio 52, 8, 4 (Agrippa t

ro, si quaeris, innumerabiles, neque enim aliter stare possemus; sunt principes consili publici, sunt qui eorum sectam sequuntur,

s in the last century of the Free State, now stand foremost among the principes viri in an aristocratic monarchy linked with one

enue of political honours to the consulate, an imposing collection of principes viri stood massed around the Princeps bringing di

ability and experience lay idle or was dissipated in politics. The principes of the dying Republic behaved like dynasts, not a

perhaps as many as forty. For the future, the chief purpose of these principes was to be decorative. Except for Agrippa, only si

merits, Tiberius was not the only general or administrator among the principes . Other competent men now emerge and succeed to th

he élite of the governing class, to set forth the manner in which the principes were employed. Including the four governors of Ga

inisters of government. But it was not in the provinces only that the principes were trained and yoked to service. The city state

Rome. Augustus soon after Actium set about restoring temples; and the principes viri prosecuted the programme of public works. St

the second founder of Rome. A government had been established. The principes viri were tamed, trained and harnessed to the ser

ius Maximus. 4 On all sides the monarchic Princeps robbed the other principes of power and honour. In the interests of an order

but the qualification for a career in the service of the State. The principes of the Free State might take counsel together, in

io 55, 9, 2. 3 Tacitus, Ann. 1, 3: ‘necdum posita puerili praetexta principes iuventutis appellari, destinari consules specie r

of his dearest hopes. 1 They were not lost upon Tiberius or upon the principes , his rivals. In this emergency Augustus remained

st conversations, at which the claims and the dispositions of certain principes were severally canvassed. M. Aemilius Lepidus,

ni mores ac vitia non Romana’. 2 It was not merely the vices of the principes that barred them from recognition. Their virtue

hivalry of Antonius all these qualities had to be eradicated from the principes of the New State. If anything of them remained in

ncement to their friends or fellow countrymen. 2 Agricola, one of the principes viri of the Flavian age, and M. Ulpius Traianus,

t nobility of Rome revealed its inner falsity in the character of the principes viri, stupidly proud or perversely brilliant. The

sPage=>516 1 Dial. 41, 4. 2 Ann. 4, 33. 3 De clem. 1, 4, 3: ‘ principes regesque et quocumquc alio nomine sunt tutores st

e irreproachable garb of Princeps, beyond contest the greatest of the principes and better than all of them. They had been selfis

n found, trained in his own school, a Roman aristocrat from among the principes , by general consent capable of Empire. It might h

of ‘Magnus’. Augustus, in glory and fortune the greatest of duces and principes , intended to outshine them all. At the very momen

sion to, 342 f., 346, 415 ff., 521 f.; the ‘optimus status’, 518 f. Principes , definition of, 10, 311; ideal principes, 37, 145

e ‘optimus status’, 518 f. Principes, definition of, 10, 311; ideal principes , 37, 145; as political dynasts, 8 f., etc.; inade

l principes, 37, 145; as political dynasts, 8 f., etc.; inadequacy of principes in 43 B.C., 197; function under Augustus, 348, 37