Some Labour MPs are demanding that Colonel Alistair Carns, a former Royal Marine who served in the military for 24 years and was awarded the Military Cross for his service in Afghanistan, become leader of the party. The Romans would have approved, but might have felt he was not quite rich enough.
Rome fought its rivals for control over the only resources anyone had: land and its products and people. The more territory a state controlled, the more powerful it would be. Those doing the fighting were led by the phenomenally wealthy landowners who, combining political authority with military command, controlled the Senate. Success in the field of battle virtually guaranteed an influential political career.
Every Roman male underwent some military training from age 17, but for the elites it could last up to ten years. The more credit they built up at that time, the better. Their aim was to enter the ‘race for honours’ (cursus honorum) – the four posts designed to give men the responsibility and experience which they needed to reach the very top. Each post, in which they also served as senior staff officers and commanders, lasted for one year. The ‘race’ started at the age of 28, when they hoped to be elected to the Senate as a quaestor, with mainly financial responsibilities.
At 36, they could stand as an aedile, organising Rome’s water and grain supply, street cleaning, festivities and public order, and at 40 as a praetor, running Rome’s legal system. Only at 42 could they stand to become one of Rome’s two consuls, the ultimate goal. Normally, they had to wait ten years to repeat any post.
The voting for all these posts was heavily weighted in favour of the wealthy. Only they had the time and the funds for senatorial politics, while pouring money into public works, games and other means of winning popular support. Further, as senators they knew what kept the state running and how to secure Rome’s long-term future. Rome’s success depended on them, and the more success Rome had, the wealthier they and Rome became.
So Colonel Carns must dismiss MPs. End the welfare state. Er…
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