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Historical context
The date of origin of the phrase is not known, but its meaning places it generally in the Roman Republic. The two legal entities mentioned are the Senatus and the Populus Romanus. The populus is sovereign and the combination is so as well, but the Senate alone is not. Under the monarchy neither was sovereign. The phrase can be dated therefore to no earlier than the foundation of the Republic.
This signature continued in use under the Roman Empire. The emperors were considered the representatives of the people even though the senatus consulta, or decrees of the Senate, were made at the pleasure of the emperor.
Populus Romanus in Roman literature is a phrase meaning the government of the Republic. When the Romans named governments of other countries they used populus in the singular or plural, such as populi Priscorum Latinorum, "the governments of the Old Latins". Romanus is the established adjective used to distinguish the Romans, as in civis Romanus, "Roman citizen". The locative, Romae, "at Rome", was never used for that purpose. The Roman people appear very often in law and history in such phrases as dignitas, maiestas, auctoritas, libertas populi Romani, the "dignity, majesty, authority, freedom of the Roman people." They were a populus liber, "a free people." There was an exercitus, imperium, iudicia, honores, consules, voluntas of this same populus: "the army, rule, judgments, offices, consuls and will of the Roman people". They appear in early Latin as Popolus and Poplus, so the habit of thinking of themselves as free and sovereign was quite ingrained.
The Romans believed that all authority came from the people. It could be said that similar language seen in more modern political and social revolutions directly comes from this usage. People in this sense meant the whole government. The latter, however, was essentially divided into the aristocratic Senate, whose will was executed by the consuls and praetors, and the comitia centuriata, "committees of the hundreds", whose will came to be safeguarded by the Tribunes.
In more official contexts therefore Senatus Populusque Romanus was used for signing-off purposes. The singular was used for the nominative case. The plural could be used in other cases: senatu populoque consentientibus, "the senate and people ratifying" (an ablative absolute construction). In society SPQR was often "bully" language, the same as threatening to report or prosecute someone today.citation needed
During the regime of Benito Mussolini, SPQR was emblazoned on a number of public buildings and manhole covers in an attempt to promote his dictatorship as a "New Roman Empire."
Modern variants
The usage has been revived in modern times, throughout Europe and beyond. SPQ- is sometimes used as an assertion of municipal pride and civic rights. Reggio Emilia has SPQR in its coat of arms, standing for "Senatus Populusque Regiensis". There have been reports of SPQ- from:
- Amsterdam, at one of the major theatres and some of the bridges[1]
- Antwerp, on the Antwerp City Hall
- Benevento, on manhole covers[2]
- Bremen
- Bruges
- Bucharest, on the Lupa Capitolina statue in the Roman Square
- Brussels, found repeatedly on the Palais de Justice, and over the main stage of La Monnaie/De Munt opera house
- Florence[2]
- Florianópolis
- Hamburg
- Iaşi, on The Palace of Culture
- London
- Liverpool, on various gold doors in St George's Hall
- Lübeck, on the Holstentor
- Lucerne
- Olomouc
- Palermo
- Siena
- Solothurn, on the Cathedral of St Ursus and Victor
- Terracina
- Tivoli
- Verviers, on the Grand Theatre
- Vienna
There is an international Roman revivalist organization, Nova Roma, whose use-protected trade mark is also the famous four letters.
Popular Culture
- At National Junior Classical League Conventions, retired sponsors wear ribbons with SPQR printed on them, indicating their status as senior statesmen.
- In the Italian translation of the Asterix comics, it means "Sono Pazzi Questi Romani" ("These Romans are crazy"). It is not in the original French version, but was created by the Italian translator of the comics.
- In the movie Cleopatra starring Elizabeth Taylor, S.P.Q.R. is above the main exit door to the main steps from the senate chamber interior.
- In the movie Gladiator starring Russell Crowe, Maximus can be seen trying to remove his army tattoo that reads S.P.Q.R.
- In the movie Spartacus, when the character Glabrus is giving a speech to the senate, the motto can be seen on an altar in the senate chamber.
- In the movie Titus, which merges the Roman storyline with an anachronistic setting, SPQR is the radio callsign on Saturninus' microphone.
- Native football club A.S. Roma sported the "S.P.Q.R." insignia on their jerseys during the 2007-2008 preseason.
- The Roman Senate features heavily in the computer game, Rome Total War. The symbol of the Senate during gameplay features the letters "SPQR"
References
External links
- Instances of "Roman Senate and People" in www.Perseus.edu
- Lewis & Short dictionary entry for populus on www.Perseus.edu
- Polybius on the Senate and People (6.16)
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