Extract
[...] They are often already members of the equestrian order but also have a progressive career. They must complete the 3 equestrian militias in order to advance in rank. First, there is the prefect of the cohort who commands 500 men, then becomes commander of a cohort of 1,000 men. And finally, the prefect of the wing, which is a command of 500 cavalrymen. A 4th militia is added by Hadrian and it is to command 1,000 cavalrymen. After that, a promising career would open up. [...]
[...] However, the great prefectures are not the only pinnacle of the equestrian career, posts such as responsible for finances and responsible for the private fortune of the emperor also allow reaching the pinnacle of the equestrian career with annual salaries of 300,000 sesterces per year. III. The 2nd century, a stabilization of the equestrian-senatorial order ratio A. The knights: the base of management for the emperor's benefit The knights are therefore the base of the management of the emperor's administration, they are 'ranked' by their annual salary which defines their rank. We can see here a summary table of the different posts with their corresponding salary. [...]
[...] C. An order in opposition to the senatorial order? The equestrian order is often seen in opposition to the senatorial order. However, in reality, they formed a Roman aristocracy. In fact, there were marriages between the two orders, which shows that the two orders were linked. Furthermore, this opposition is relative when we know that the emperor resorted to adlectio to fill the ranks of the senatorial order, and it was often members of the equestrian order who were chosen. [...]
[...] After that, we saw the prototype of the equestrian career and its evolution, with the army or being a fiscal advocate as the basis of the equestrian career, the continuation of the equestrian career according to the needs of the emperor, and the procuratorships at the end of the career. To finish, we analyzed the 2nd century until the Severans, with a stabilization of the relationship between the equestrian order and senators. With the knights as the basis of the administration, ? [...]
[...] The equestrian order is not, however, a mark of wealth, as the census does not easily allow one to live as prestigiously as their rank. But the most important criterion is the imperial will, as it is the emperor who makes Roman citizens knights according to his desires. There would be around ten thousand knights under Augustus, and this number continues to increase throughout the principate. B. The equestrian order: a heterogeneous order that allows the integration of provincials The equestrian order was a very open order, which facilitated the integration of the elite from the provinces who came from the decurial order. [...]
