Western Civilization I / Unit 6 WC1 0514 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Clientage: How the Late Republic Really Worked
Captions available
The idea
Patrons, men and women, secured contracts, commissions and land for clients; clients voted as directed, blocked rivals and escorted patrons publicly as a show of strength. Assemblies, Senate, ten tribunes, consuls and courts still met, but client networks decided.
In practice
Not hidden influence. A public institution.
Where people slip
The average plebeian was unrepresented; wealthy client-plebeians ran the Plebeian Assembly.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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