Henrik Mouritsen Book order

A very readable introduction exploring much-contested issues and debates, and providing an original synthesis of this important topic.

The first comprehensive study of Roman freedmen and women in over a century, covering all major aspects of the subject. These include manumission practices, legal status, the patronus-libertus relationship, freedmen's place in public life and the self-representation of freedmen and women through epigraphic and literary sources.

Focusing on the dynamics of political participation in republican Rome, this book explores the extent of the people's influence within the Roman state, questioning whether they were genuinely involved or sidelined by the elite. It examines the functioning of political meetings and assemblies, as well as the role of crowds in these events. By situating the discussion of Roman "democracy" within a social framework, it offers fresh insights into the complexities of popular engagement in ancient governance.