Scipio Aemilianus and the Strategies of Aristocratic Rivalry between Mid- and Late Roman Republic

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Jan-Markus Kötter
• Subject Area: Ancient History
• Term: from 2017 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 376449813

There is no systematic study of the aristocratic competition in the later years of the Roman mid-Republic. This is all the more remarkable as the 140s and 130s BC are particularly instructive in explaining some phenomena, which led to the dynamic weakening of the Roman political system after the landmark year of 133. This begs the question whether and to which extent such phenomena are to be traced back already to the times of the allegedly more stable mid-Republic. Furthermore, this involves the still important question of the conceptualization of this mid-Republic within the wider republican era, particularly regarding its political culture and the relative proportion of consensus-orientated and confrontational action schemata of Roman aristocrats. The proposed project will examine this set of questions by analyzing the aristocratic competition within the later mid-Republic. It will systematically clarify which steps within the politic competition during the time of observation were imaginable, as well as which of these imaginable steps were in fact enforceable (and on what basis this could have happened). Thus, the project contributes to a deeper understanding of the transition of the mid- to the later Republic, especially with regard to possible ruptures and continuities. At the heart of the study, there is Scipio Aemilianus, a protagonist of the observed decades, whose political success was based in fact on shortcuts regarding common career patterns. Nevertheless, he should not be seen a priori as an exceptional case, since all the issues outlined above are to be examined on the basis of his very career. However, it needs to be assured to interlink the individual scope of Scipio with more structural levels of interpretation, to subordinate it to a distinct theoretical foundation, and to analyze it in consideration of the broad interactional variety of aristocratic interrelationships.By means of a monographic study, but as well expanded to academic presentations and articles, the project aims to supplement research on the Roman Republic with a detailed examination of a chronologically crucial point in history. At the same time, it aims to generate impetus for further discussions on the beginning disintegration of the political system in late republican times. For example, the project takes a glance at the early stages of popular politics, without stating an abrupt rupture of political acting modes in 133. Furthermore, the emphasis on the significance of mobilizing crises for the breakup of the strongly levelled chances of success within the normal modes of Roman politics can offer explanatory approaches not only for the growing tribunician violence, but also for the more frequent appearance of preeminent aristocratic individuals in late republican times.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants