Renfrew and IE Overlords

[JoatSimeon at aol.com]

In a message dated 1/22/00 5:20:06 PM Mountain Standard Time,
rmccalli at sunmuw1.MUW.Edu writes:

>Roman citizenship wasn't universally granted until 212 AD or so. Before
>then, you either had to be of Italic ancestry or do something meritorious
>such as serve in the legions to get it.

-- exactly.  It was originally the badge of membership in a conquering,
ruling _ethnos_, and conveyed considerable legal privilege.

(Eg., St. Paul was a Roman citizen, and so could appeal from a local court to
the Emperors' judgement in Rome.)