''Dignitas'' () is a

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

word referring to a unique, intangible, and culturally subjective

social Social organisms, including human(s), live collectively in interacting populations. This interaction is considered social whether they are aware of it or not, and whether the exchange is voluntary or not. Etymology The word "social" derives fro ...

concept in the

ancient Roman In modern historiography, ancient Rome is the Roman people, Roman civilisation from the founding of Rome, founding of the Italian city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, collapse of the Western Roman Em ...

mindset. The word does not have a direct translation in English. Some interpretations include "

dignity Dignity is a human's contentment attained by satisfying physiological needs and a need in development. The content of contemporary dignity is derived in the new natural law theory as a distinct human good. As an extension of the Enlightenment- ...

", which is a ''derivation'' from "dignitas", and " prestige", "charisma" and "power from personal respect". '' Dignitas'' was the influence a male citizen acquired throughout his life, including personal reputation, moral standing, and ethical worth, along with the man's entitlement to respect and proper treatment owing to the reputation and standing of his family. The ''

Oxford Latin Dictionary The ''Oxford Latin Dictionary'' (or ''OLD'') is the standard English lexicon of Classical Latin, compiled from sources written before AD 200. Begun in 1933, it was published in fascicles between 1968 and 1982; a lightly revised second edition ...

'' defines the expression as fitness, suitability, worthiness, visual impressiveness or distinction, dignity of style and gesture, rank, status, position, standing, esteem, importance, and honour.

Origins

Authors who had used ''dignitas'' extensively in their writings and oratories include

Cicero Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, orator, writer and Academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises tha ...

Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caesar's civil wa ...

Tacitus Publius Cornelius Tacitus, known simply as Tacitus ( , ; – ), was a Roman historian and politician. Tacitus is widely regarded as one of the greatest Roman historians by modern scholars. Tacitus’ two major historical works, ''Annals'' ( ...

, and

Livy Titus Livius (; 59 BC – AD 17), known in English as Livy ( ), was a Roman historian. He wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people, titled , covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome before the traditional founding i ...

. The most prolific user was Cicero, who initially related it to the established term '' auctoritas'' (

authority Authority is commonly understood as the legitimate power of a person or group of other people. In a civil state, ''authority'' may be practiced by legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government,''The New Fontana Dictionary of M ...

). These two words were highly associated, with the latter defined as the expression of a man's ''dignitas''.

Personal significance

The cultivation of ''dignitas'' in ancient Rome was extremely personal. Men of all classes, most particularly noblemen of

consul Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states thro ...

ar families, were highly protective and zealous of this asset. This is because every man who took on a higher political office during the

Roman Republic The Roman Republic ( ) was the era of Ancient Rome, classical Roman civilisation beginning with Overthrow of the Roman monarchy, the overthrow of the Roman Kingdom (traditionally dated to 509 BC) and ending in 27 BC with the establis ...

considered ''dignitas'' as comprising much more than just his dignity. It referred to his "good name" (his past and present reputation, achievement, standing, and honour). Its importance within the hierarchical classes of Roman society meant many historical figures would kill, commit

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...

(e.g.,

Mark Antony Marcus Antonius (14 January 1 August 30 BC), commonly known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman people, Roman politician and general who played a critical role in the Crisis of the Roman Republic, transformation of the Roman Republic ...

), or enter

exile Exile or banishment is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons ...

in order to preserve their ''dignitas''.

Influence on conflict

The personal significance of one's ''dignitas'' had encouraged several conflicts in ancient Rome. Florus claimed that the stubbornness of Cato the Younger had driven Pompeius Magnus to prepare defences in order to build up his ''dignitas''. Cicero wrote that Caesar valued his status so greatly that he did not want anyone to be his equal in ''dignitas''. Aulus Hirtius had written that Marcus Claudius Marcellus, who was one of the instigators of Caesar's recall from Gaul, had attempted to build all of his own reputation on his success on turning people's feelings against Caesar. Whether the exact term was used much during these times is unknown; however, the concept of ''dignitas'' was certainly influential and worth fighting for.

Changing definition

Over the course of ancient Roman history, ''dignitas'' had never taken on all of the aforementioned descriptions simultaneously. The term took on different meanings over time, adjusting for the gradually changing viewpoints of society, politicians, and the various authors. Years after Caesar's death, his heir

Augustus Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...

rejected the contemporary meaning of ''dignitas''. Augustus found the related term '' auctoritas'' to be a suitable alternative. In 46 BC, Cicero cited the ambiguous nature of the concept of ''dignitas''. He wrote, "And so I have, if loyal feeling for the state and winning good men's approval of those loyal feelings is all that ''dignitas'' amounts to; but if in ''dignitas'' you include the power of translating those loyal feelings into action or of defending them with complete freedom, then ''ne vestigium quidem ullum est reliquum nobis dignitatis'' ot even a trace is left to us of our dignity"Cicero
Ad Familiares 4.14
(latin text).

Combination of ''dignitas'' and ''otium''

When paired with the term '' otium'', the word ''dignitas'' took on a different meaning. Cicero did not consider himself worthy of having ''dignitas'' alone because he felt that—by turning his back on the Roman public—he had neglected the duty of one whose life had normally exemplified the concept. He then altered the definition to mean " ifetimeimpact", to better describe his unique status. By this time, Cicero's political life had ended, and he labelled his past political influence as his ''dignitas'', and his present standing as ''otium''.

References

Bibliography

* Balsdon, J.p.v.d. "Auctoritas, Dignitas, Otium." The Classical Quarterly ns 10 (1960): 43–50. * Barschel, Henriette. ''Dignitas – Genese eines römischen Wertbegriffs. Eeine begriffsgeschichtliche Untersuchung'' ignitas - Genesis of a Roman concept of value. An investigation into the history of concepts Wiesbaden: Reichert, 2016, . * Radin, Max. "Roman Concepts of Equality." Political Science Quarterly 38 (1923): 262–289. * Remy Debes (ed.), ''Dignity: a History'', New York:

Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the publishing house of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world. Its first book was printed in Oxford in 1478, with the Press officially granted the legal right to print books ...

, 2017. * Ridler, Vivian. "Dignitas." In: Oxford Latin Dictionary. Volume 1. London: Oxford UP, 1968.

External links

* {{Virtues Ancient Roman virtues Latin words and phrases Latin legal terminology Roman law Political philosophy Philosophy of law de:Dignitas