As I was thinking about my third point, render unto Ceaser what is due to Ceaser, from “Shine Bright in Darkness”, it led me to wonder about the origins of citizenship? If I had been more into history, which I wasn’t, I may not have found myself pondering this question. Well, I’m not one to rest until I find the answers. 😊 But to my surprise, I found citizenship to be a fascinating topic. The more I learned, the more questions I had. I’m excited to share my perspective on citizenship and spiritual citizenship. You know me. I can’t leave out the spiritual aspect. I will try my best not to make this post too long. Again, I will try. LOL!
Citizenship, a concept deeply rooted in our sense of belonging and responsibility to a community or higher power, has a profound historical background. The start of citizenship is said to have originated in ancient Greece. Greek citizenship was primarily based on birthright and the city-state where one was born. The Romans, who followed the Greeks, significantly differed in their citizenship requirements. For instance, Roman citizenship could be granted to foreigners, conquered peoples, allies, and others who adopted Roman ways. In Rome, the government or state could grant citizenship based on specific legal requirements, such as a certain period of residency or service to the state; the government could also take it away as a form of punishment. However, Greek citizenship could not be taken away since it was considered part of your inheritance. The differences in approach to citizenship played a pivotal role in shaping the course of history.
Let’s delve into some of the differences. Greek citizens were confined to their city-states for business and personal affairs. In contrast, Roman citizens enjoyed the freedom to conduct business throughout Rome’s vast empire. To put it in perspective, imagine living in a specific city in Georgia, say Atlanta. Under Greek citizenship, you could only buy land, sell, trade, and operate in Atlanta among citizens of similar wealth and background. But as a Roman citizen, you would have had the freedom to conduct business throughout Georgia. Quite a difference, isn’t it?
Rome was also wise in providing more citizenship benefits than the Greeks. Unlike the Greeks, who excluded foreigners and subjected people from participating in political affairs, Rome allowed conquered peoples into its social and political system based on specific protocols.
In addition to political participation, Roman citizens had a range of rights. They had the right to vote in elections, opportunities to hold public office, military protection, and legal rights. For example, they could own property, make contracts, sue, and be sued in court. Greek citizens did not have these rights.
The Roman army protected Roman citizens from attacks or invasions. In contrast, Greek citizens would only have protection from the city-state army. How strange is that? So, if I lived in Greece and my town encountered an attack or an invasion, I would only have the protection of something like a police department or squad compared to an army. Sounds crazy, right?
After studying the topic, it’s clear that the different approaches to citizenship gave Rome a significant advantage over Greece and contributed to overpowering Greece and expanding the Roman Empire. As Greece focused more on birth and ancestral rights, Rome strategically focused on political power and unity of citizens. My opinion is that Rome understood that more citizens meant more power. How is that? There’s a saying that two heads are better than one. More influential and wealthy people in political power working toward a common goal can’t help but achieve momentous results. It’s also a given that more people equated to more money in collecting taxes, which allowed them to invest in their military system. This, in turn, led to a larger and more advanced military, which was a significant factor in Rome’s ability to conquer and control other territories, ultimately becoming one of the greatest empires of all time.
While they had differences in approach to citizenship, there is one ideology that the Romans and Greeks shared alike. Can you guess what that is?
Social Classes!
In Greece, a person’s wealth, job, and birthplace were considered when determining if one was to be classified as Upper, Middle, or Lower class. The Upper class comprised the wealthiest and most influential citizens, while the Lower class comprised the poorest and least influential. The middle class was between the upper and lower classes.
In Rome, the social hierarchy was even more structured, with clear divisions between the Patricians, Equestrians, and the Plebeians. The top of the hierarchy in Rome started with the emperor, the wealthiest, the head of Roman society, and ruler of Rome, followed by the Patrician families, Equestrians, and Plebeians. Patricians were the group who had the most wealth, land, elaborate homes, and political power in the Senate. The Equestrian Class was notably distinct from the other classes in that they were required to possess a certain amount of wealth as defined by the Roman government and be equestrians, arms manufacturers, or jewelers. Politically, this class was known to hold high-level offices, including positions in the Senate, governorships, and top military roles within the Roman Empire. The next group was the Plebeians, working-class people who worked or provided services for a Patrician family. This group was primarily made up of blue-collar workers, freed slaves, prisoners of war, and abandoned children who a patrician family owned.
And wouldn’t you guess? Your assigned social class determined your treatment, legal rights, and protection as a citizen. Does this sound strikingly familiar?
I will say that it was an eye-opener to learn that the history of the United States has some similarities, not only in the requirements for citizenship but also in the way marginalized groups in society, specifically women, enslaved people, or the poorer members, were denied full citizenship rights despite being born and raised in a country.
Keeping my word by not making this post too long, I’ll pause here and finish up on my next post. I welcome you to share comments or thoughts in my inbox. I would love to hear someone else’s perspective.
Stay tuned for the continuation of citizenship and spiritual citizenship. In my next post, I’ll share one of my random secrets of the heart concerning citizenship.
As always, stay in this journal with me.
Lady K