Patronage - Stage 31

1. Various kinds of patronage

a. How could a patron help a merchant?

By arranging business contacts

b. How could a patron help a poet?

By providing money and gifts, and by organising a venue and an audience for his readings.

c. How could the poet repay him?

By flattering him in his works.

d. Pliny

i) How did Pliny try to help someone who wanted to make a name for himself as a lawyer?

He said that he would only make a speech in a case if his young friend could too.

ii) How did Pliny help Erucius?

He wrote to an ex-consul and contacted other people in order to encourage them to vote for Erucius.

iii) What was Pliny's home-town? Comum

How did he help it? He provided money for a teacher.

iv) Of what other town (near which he had a villa) was he patron?

Tifernum-on-Tiber

2. What was the commonest type of patronage?

A rich man helping poor people.

a. What was the morning ceremony called? The salutatio

b. Who visited whom? The poor men called on the rich one.

c. What was often given? What form did it normally take by the time of Domitian?

A handout, originally of food, but then more commonly of money

d. What was it important for the clientes to do? (2)

To wear a toga and call the patronus "domine".

e. What could a client receive apart from money or food? (4)

Presents, advice, employment, a speech in court

f. Were clientes treated like friends at a cena?

Often they were given food and wine which were inferior.

g. What did the patronus get in return? (3)

They could do jobs for him, help him at elections, applaud his speeches, accompany im in public, as a bodyguard and to make him look important.

3. If a servus became a libertus, what used the man who is now his patronus to be? dominus