CLA233H1 Lecture : The Public Sphere- Patronage, Politics, and Government.docx
Document Summary
The distinctive and formalized relationship between an individual of higher socio-economic status (the patronus) and an individual of lower status (cliens) It is a largely instrumental friendship and an important and defining social structure and experience for romans. It is reciprocal; involving exchanges of services over time between two parties. It involves a personal relationship of some duration as opposed to commercial transaction. However there are economic benefits to this relationship. Needs to have the allusion that it is a long standing relationship. It is asymmetrical, that is between parties of different status. It is almost always voluntary and not legally enforcable. They competed amongst each other to see who had the most clients. Would go into the city with their trail of clients to display how powerful they are. Because they were banned from trade, they could use their clients to participate in trade.
