Gli equilibri della cittadinanza romana, fra sovranità ed impatto sociale The Roman Citizenship and its legal Rules between Sovereignty and social impact

The paper will be undertaken to assess the legal developments - in the Imperial Age - dating from the Roman conception of private hospitium as contractual relation, derived from a simple expressed agreement between the different parties. In fact, this simple mechanism that allows legal relations in the Republican period to ensure the guests a range of benefits, becomes, in the imperial age, "public ", so as to bind the two countries or, to be more responsive to our sources, two "communities". The guest will become "permanent", will seek the integration. The reception will no longer be assured and guaranteed by the individual, but by the populus Romanus. This development, which opens the door to the barbarian peoples, will end up legitimizing the legal settlements that distort the balance of the empire and the great Roman land ownership and contribute to affect the social balance of the Empire. The impact of the “interest of state" will prevail, but - fatally - will mark the progressive decline of the system.