#lictors

Philopappos Hill Athens Greece

Stuff About If They Did Fighting:  - they def wore clothing more practical than a toga Outside of rome, and said clothing sounds vaguely army-ish? - from some rummaging there are a bunch of mentions of lictors in military settings but none (that i’ve found!!!) actually Fighting. (plutarch mentions them hanging around w generals occasionally and appian (book 5 para 54) has one on a ship w antony) - like the roman army was very. structured and i’ve never seen a reference to where a bunch of lictors could fit into that Structure. and i can’t find any mentions of them fighting, and they were exempt from military service... - so i’d say they just hung around rip

Stuff About What They Did When A Magistrate Wasn’t Doing Anything:  - magistrates of the roman republic vol 2 talks about “[caesar’s] revival of the custom of being followed by his lictors in the months when he did not hold the fasces (Suet. Iul. 20. 1)” which means that Before That a consul only had them every other month... but i’m fairly sure other magistrates and especially not promagistrates didn’t do the alternating month thing and so. ???? - livius says “The lictor was also responsible for the safety of the magistrate when he was at home. We read about visits to temples, theaters and even baths.” SO maybe they did just chill at the magistrates’ houses. must suck if you’re consul and have a small house and have to fit 12 extra people in it

here’s my worst “source” ever it’s the first man in rome glossary entry: