Quote:
Originally Posted by Hitman
Correct me if I'm wrong, but "Senatus Populusque Romanus" meant the alliance between senate (which essentially represented the blue blooded in the first ages) and the free citizen. It was a somehow primitive but effective "social contract" between classes long before the state and Rousseau's concept appeared. Rome was thus integrated by both, acting in alliance together.
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Yes. I just pointed at the origin of the meaning of the word "people" and "citizen". Originally a "people" were an organised band of free man carrying weapons - soldiers in small units, that is. Free and full-righted citizens were not just everybody.
As I said, only 5-15% of the population in an ancient Greek polis were considered to be "citizens".