Novus homo

Novus homo ( new man Latin ) means loosely translated as upstart, even novice ( newly promoted ). What he meant was in ancient Rome, especially during the time of the Roman Republic, a man who held the first of his family or the consulate in higher office, which was mostly old limited occurred. Specifically, this was due to people from the equestrian order of the Republic minted ( which must not be confused with the medieval chivalry ).

The term itself is derogatory to understand and thus also corresponds to the balance of power in Rome: The Senator families saw themselves as self-contained community. Therefore, it was also not appreciated that someone who came from an unknown Plebejerfamilie, suddenly held public office and this, as in the example of Marcus Tullius Cicero (also other ancient bailiffs ), usually done in the minimum age. Since the exercise of these offices was a condition to be included later in the Senate, these families felt threatened in their de facto monopoly on public offices and associated senator chairs. Particularly negative were those senatorial families who belonged to the tiny group of the nobility ( nobilitas ), the quasi presented all consuls and censors during the Republic.

Especially in the heyday of the Republic of the phenomenon of homo novus was therefore rare. The only exceptions in the list of consuls are therefore relatively well known: Gaius Flaminius, consul in 223 BC, and Marcus Porcius Cato, consul 195 BC

In the period of crisis the Republic in the 1st century BC, there are two known exceptions again. It involves Gaius Marius, consul for the first time in the year 107 BC, and then from 104 BC to 100 BC and ending in AD 86 consul, Marcus Tullius Cicero, consul in 63 v. Chr

In the late period of the Republic and during the imperial period, the number of these social climbers increased significantly. The knighthood was also limited, more and more shrunk by the extinction of many families over the centuries.