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How Did Romans Become Citizens

Decent Essays

The Romans created a great and mighty empire. Their effects are still present today,such as the idea of citizenship and how to become one. One way they made people become citizens is by rewarding conquered people become citizens. Everyone except slaves were given some form of rights, even the lower classes. In addition, they did not exile their own citizens when they were too powerful, they just reorganized them. When a territory or area was conquered, her people were made citizens of the empire. The Roman emperor Claudius from document A said that “What was the ruin of Sparta and Athens,but this, that mighty in war, they spurned from them as aliens those whom they had conquered.” The Romans welcomed conquered people as fellow citizens when they became part of the empire. This helped diffuse tension between the foreigners and the Romans. Even if you were not Roman, if your nation was an ally, you could become a citizen if you served military service. So even if you were not eligible to become a citizen by birth or social background, you could still become a citizen, unlike Athens where you had to be born to it. …show more content…

They were allowed to travel within the empire & were allowed to do business as well. In addition, those who served on the military for allied nations and countries were also given a limited citizenship. In document A, it is seen that only the slaves and freed slaves could never be citizens, while all others could. It is also seen that the Athenians would only allow the native-born adult Athenian males were allowed to be citizens, while all others would never attain citizenship. While in contrast, the Romans allowed the native-born males and females to be citizens. Even children and sons of freed slaves could be citizens too if they showed they could meet the

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