Lesson plan
Adlecti
During the Roman Kingdom, Roman Republic and later, adlecti, or allecti were those who were chosen to fill up a vacancy in any office or collegium, and especially those who were chosen to fill up the proper number of the senate. As these would be generally equites, Festus defines the adlecti to be equites added to the senate: and he appears in this passage to make a distinction between the adlecti and the conscripti. This distinction is supported by the summons form used to call the senate, which reads pares and conscripti beginning in 509 BC. Others argue that they were the same; for in another passage, Festus gives the same definition of the conscripti as he had done of the adlecti, and Livy (ii.1) says conscriptos in novum senatum appellabant lectos. The adelecti were also those persons under the empire who were admitted to the privileges and honours of the praetorship, quaestorship, aedileship, and other public offices, without having any duties to perform (Historia Augusta, "Helvius Pertinax", 6). In inscriptions, we constantly find, adlectus inter tribunos, inter quaestores, inter praetores, etc.
Article summary
During the Roman Kingdom, Roman Republic and later, adlecti, or allecti were those who were chosen to fill up a vacancy in any office or collegium, and especially those who were chosen to fill up the proper number of the senate. As these would be generally equites, Festus defines the adlecti to be equites added to the senate: and he appears in this passage to make a distinction between the adlecti and the conscripti. This distinction is supported by the summons form used to call the senate, which reads pares and conscripti beginning in 509 BC. Others argue that they were the same; for in another passage, Festus gives the same definition of the conscripti as he had done of the adlecti, and Livy (ii.1) says conscriptos in novum senatum appellabant lectos. The adelecti were also those persons under the empire who were admitted to the privileges and honours of the praetorship, quaestorship, aedileship, and other public offices, without having any duties to perform (Historia Augusta, "Helvius Pertinax", 6). In inscriptions, we constantly find, adlectus inter tribunos, inter quaestores, inter praetores, etc.
Key claims
No claims recorded.
Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
No sources recorded.
Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.