Language

[Bryan]

I am wondering what if anything a Roman citizen would call another citizen but of a higher class. Most other class systems (ie England) have words used by commoners to describe nobility. Is there evidence in the ancient historical sources or plays of any pronouns such as "Lord" or "Sire" that a lower member of the 5th class might call a member of the equites? Or were they more egalitarian calling each other just by name?

Look forward to some good replies!

[Luc. Ambr. Ianuarianus]

Bryan,

are you thinking of a word such as "dominus?" I was under the impression that 'dominus' could have two functions. One being a title for someone you answer to specifically and the other being a more general title for people more senior than yourself.

[Epictetus]

I glanced through Fronto's letters. He typically uses some variation of dominus - my lord - when he addresses the imperial family, and simply the name when he addresses equals. He also uses only the name when he addresses his son-in-law, who might(?) be considered of an inferior rank.

[Forty-One]

On the Vindolanda tablets dominus is used for addressing officers. frater is used frequently among equals (who from context were evidently not actual brothers).

[Nathan Ross]

Dominus could be used formally, as an address to a superior, or a client to a patron, or informally (but respectfully) to friends or family members. Suetonius describes the Emperor Claudius addressing the entire audience of an amphitheatre as domini to put them in a good mood. Antoninus Pius addressed Fronto as 'mi domine magister' (my lord master), and a man could address his friend as domine frater (lord brother). In the later empire, nuns were addressed as 'dominae veneribiles sorores' (venerable lady sisters).

Seneca mentions that it was also common to address strangers as dominus, to avoid giving offence.

Magister (master) is also sometimes used as a respectful term of address (in Gellius, for example) - magister optime is 'great master'. A client might even address his patron as rex or regina (king/queen). Men of rank, however, were sometimes addressed by their full name or title in official circles.

Between equals, as noted above, frater was common - also pater, mater, soror and filius, depending on the age of the addressee.

[Bryan]

I am pulling this one out of the dustbin but I was wondering if some of the august members of this board could shed some light on titles given during military service.

Specifically, would ranker soldiers of the Republican era address centurions, tribunes, legatii and Consuls by their titles or just Dominus? Could both work?

Would it seem disrespectful for a lower ranking person to call a senior man from either a higher class or military rank by their name or cognomen without including a reference to their title?

Would a Consul prefer to be called Imperator, Consul, Pro-Consul, etc.?

Lastly, being from a class based republic system, could it be expected that fraternization between ranks in terms of conversations would be more common place or would it be closer to say, the British military of the 1700 to 1900s where Other Ranks weren't supposed to speak to officers unless addressed?

[Nathan Ross]

For the republic there's not much evidence either way. At a guess, I'd say that 'Dominus', as in the Vindolanda example, would be a good general address for superiors. Whether centurions would warrant it I don't know - tribunes and above would be members of the aristocracy (equestrian order or senatorial).

being from a class based republic system, could it be expected that fraternization between ranks in terms of conversations would be more common place or would it be closer to say, the British military of the 1700 to 1900s where Other Ranks weren't supposed to speak to officers unless addressed?

The only direct address of soldier to superior I can think of is Crastinus' comment to Caesar before Philippi: Simul respiciens Caesarem, "faciam," inquit, "hodie, imperator, ut aut vivo mihi aut mortuo gratias agas." (Bellum Civile III.91). Crastinus is a senior centurion, former primus pilus and now possibly a member of Caesar's praetorian cohort - but he addresses Caesar as Imperator, a honorory title gained after military victory. Other senior commanders, again at guess, may have been addressed by title: Proconsul, Consul. Giving the full name might be an alternative - e.g. "Marcus Licinius Crassus, we will do what we are ordered and at every command we will be ready!" (a generic oath taken from the much later Dura papyrii!).

Whether soldiers actually addressed their superiors or not probably depends on context. There are many references to soldiers interrupting the speeches of their generals, for example, but this was during a public meeting, structured as a symblic 'dialogue' (the soldiers cheering or gesturing assent, ideally).

But it probably did happen - there are plenty of examples of British soldiers of the 19th century cheekily addressing their commanders - some commanders, who liked the common touch, clearly relished this sort of thing (in moderation). Others did not, and the troops probably well knew which was which!

[M. Demetrius]

and the troops probably well knew which was which

...or else the mystery was revealed post haste. :lol:

[Lyceum]

There is a vast body of literature on socio-linguistics in the classical world. I'm sure you can find it with ease.

[Bryan]

Lyceum,
Could you elaborate?

Mr. Ross,
Thanks for the help.

[Lyceum]

Ita, amice.

The last part of the Blackwell Companion to the Latin Language has an assortment of articles, bits and further bibliographies and is a veritable gold mine in general. I also heartily suggest you look towards the ancient texts themselves if you wish to avoid anything too technical: Plautus and Terrentius are actually a philologists treasure trove, full of colloquialisms, class specific registers and social play, archaisms etc. It's certainly much more useful than the letters despite their comparative earliness.

Oh and I guess they're funny too, if you're into that sort of stuff.

See if only you had asked me about Greek I'd be much more helpful, I don't trust my work on Latin socio-pragmatics etc since it's been three years.