List of Roman tribes
Voters in ancient Rome were registered not by political party, but by tribe (Latin tribus).
Contents |
Original tribes [edit]
Latin tribus derives from trēs ("three", dative and ablative plural tribus). In the earliest period of Roman history, in the legendary time of Romulus, there were only three tribes:[1]
- Ramnes
- Tities
- Luceres
Tribes as of 242 BC [edit]
In 242 BC, the official number of tribes was set at 35:
Urban tribes [edit]
People of the city of Rome itself, typically belonged to the four urban tribes,[2] which were the largest and had the least political power. These tribes were named for districts of the city.
- Collina
- Esquilina
- Palatina
- Suburana
Rural tribes [edit]
Landowners and aristocracy traditionally belonged to the 31 smaller rural tribes. Many rural tribes derive from prominent Roman gentes, or family names, such as Cornelia or Fabia.
- Aemilia
- Aniensis
- Arniensis
- Camilia
- Claudia
- Clustumina
- Cornelia
- Fabia
- Falerna/Falerina
- Galeria
- Horatia
- Lemonia
- Maecia
- Menenia
- Oufentina/Oufetina
- Papiria
- Poblilia
- Pollia
- Pomptina/Pontina
- Quirina
- Romilia
- Sabatia/Sabatina
- Scaptia
- Sergia
- Stellatina
- Teretina
- Tromentina
- Velina
- Voltinia/Votinia
- Voturia
Two of the tribes are unclear; the thirty-fifth tribe has been found listed as both Succusana and Pupinia.
References [edit]
- ^ About.com: 35 Tribes of Rome, accessed 2nd October, 2010, 4:15 am (GMT)
- ^ About.com: Names of the 35 Tribes of Rome, accessed 2nd October, 2010, 4:25 am (GMT)
External links [edit]
- http://www.roman-Britain.org/roman_tribes.htm[dead link]
- Names of the Roman Tribes, Names of the 35 Major Roman Voting Tribes, By N.S. Gill, About.com Guide
