Natalie Barefield

Mr. Wisner

M/W 2nd

7 October 2016

Today, we take for granted our citizenship in the United States. As long as we were born

here, we're a citizen. It wasn't always like this in the world. Athens and Rome both had certain

systems of citizenship they followed. Egypt, Babylonia, and ancient China people were referred

to as subjects not citizens. Power was in the hands of a pharaoh, king, or emperor. 6 century

BCE, new ideas were thought of that ordinary people play an important role in the life of the

state. While Athens emphasised on citizen responsibility more than citizen rights. Rome was

more concerned on how citizens acted with family, neighbors, and his property. Rome had an

overall better system of citizenship, because they were far more organized, they allowed more

people to become citizens, and allowed more freedom compared to Athens.

The Roman Republic, in many ways, set the standard for the future of many countries.

The Roman system of citizenship was superior because of the stability and order of the Roman

senate. Not every Roman citizen could be a senator. It had more to do with wealth, family

standing, and competence (Doc F). This was not true in Athens, where any of Athens 40,000

citizens were welcome to attend sessions of the Athenian Assembly (Doc E). The two images in

Documents E and F fairly show the difference in atmosphere in the two bodies. In Athens, there

is a casual informality, a kid of leveling that might encourage too much power to the middling
man. In the Roman Senate, however, there is a stability of old families and old wisdom, of men

who in protecting their own interest would be protecting the interest of the whole empire.

The Roman Republic allowed more than just adult males to become citizens. Unlike

Athens women could be citizens but had limited rights, they could not vote or hold public office.

They could not defend themselves in court. A woman was under the full authority of her

husband's head of his family and had no legal say in much of anything. So, although women

might be given the title of full citizen, they did not have the rights of a full citizen. Sons of freed

slaves were allowed to be citizens. Female children and native-born male children were allowed

citizenship if their parents were Roman citizens.

Rome granted more freedom than Athens. Roman women inherited property, they spoke

at public gatherings and were allowed opinions. They were educated and literate, sometimes

more than males. Plebeians went to school for free, they even accepted boy and girl slaves to be

educated. Plebeians werent stuck in their social classes, they could break out of their class

through marriage or wealth. Even some slaves were educated, they could also be freed at the age

of 30 or earlier with permission.

Although Rome was not perfect, they were better than Athens. They were very

successful, stayed organized, granted citizenship not only to men, and allowed much freedom.