Frolov R. The Designations of the Roman Non-Voting Public Meetings in Livy’s Work: the contio and Its Derivatives

R.M. Frolov*

THE DESIGNATIONS OF THE ROMAN NON-VOTING PUBLIC MEETINGS
IN LIVY’S WORK: THE CONTIO AND ITS DERIVATIVES

The paper analyses terminology used by Livy for designating the Roman non-voting public meetings. The initial term (contio) and its derivatives are considered. The author argues the following points: 1) The contio is one of the most generally used political language words in Livy's work; 2) The word originates from notions, which have general meaning “gather together”, and is associated with conventio (“agreement, covenant”), which of itself may indicate a respective contiones' function; 3) Livy uses the word contio in order to designate a meeting itself, its audience, a speech delivered here, and a speaker's platform; 4) Livy uses the word contio in order to designate both meetings, convoked by public officers, and those gathered on private individuals' initiative; 5) When designating meetings not authorised by magistrates, Livy often, but not always, specifies the term contio by additional pejorative words (though the same can be observed in respect of some official contiones, i.e. summoned and presided by magistrates); 6) Reason of such word usage is not that these meetings were not contiones, but that Livy by this medium expresses his attitude towards the events described.

See full version of the paper in Russian.