Why did the Romans give full citizenship to conquered people living close to Rome?

Answer 1

Rome extended citizenship to their conquered peoples because they did not want to govern over that conquered land. They would let the conquered people become citizens and have the same positions they held when they were in charge. This made it easier for the senate to rule over peoples. Also if they had more people supporting their cause, and collecting taxes from them. The Roman Republic will have more means to conquer other land.

Answer 2

The Romans gave full Roman citizenship to her Italic allies of central and southern Italy after they rebelled and fought Rome in what historians call the Social War or the War of the Allies because Rome refused to give them Roman citizenship. We know that by the time Julius Caesar seized power all the Italic peoples south of the River Rubicon (in northern Italy), had Roman citizenship. We do not know why the Italic peoples who were not allies of Rome (such as the Ligurians, the Etruscans, the Bruttii, the Messapi, the Iazynges and the Dauni) were granted Roman citizenship. The sources do not tell us.

Answer 3

The Romans gave citizenship to local elite men who were loyal and of service to Rome. In 212 the emperor Caracalla extended Roman citizenship to all freeborn males in the empire. The ancient Romans historian Tacitus thought that he did this so that he could tax non-Romans.

Answer 4

When the Romans expanded into Italy, they made alliances with a number of Italic peoples, who supplied soldiers who supported Roman legions. This considerably increased the pool of military manpower available to Rome. Rome granted citizenship to leaders of the towns of the allied peoples who showed loyalty as a reward for for this. Following a war which was caused by a rebellion of the allies because Rome refused to grant them Roman citizenship, the Romans awarded such citizenship to them. Julius Caesar also granted Romans citizenship to the peoples of northern Italy which at the time was not considered to be part of Italy.

When Rome expanded beyond Italy she continued to grant citizenship to elite men in the conquered areas who showed loyalty to Rome.

In 212 AD the emperor Caracalla extended Roman citizenship to all freeborn men in the empire. Tacitus, an ancient Roman historian thought that he did this so that he could tax them as well.

Answer 5

The Romans granted citizenship to conquered territories because it was one of their means of pacification. A person living under Roman law and experiencing Roma benefits was not about to make trouble or revolt. Julius Caesar gave many towns citizenship, but for rather selfish reasons, as these communities then became clients of his and were a great help to him in his civil war.

Answer 6

To give citizenship meant that the population wouldn't revolt against Rome. They became part of the solution rather than a problem. Often the Roman officers would also marry local women.