Definition:
Roman Terms > Roman International Relations and Treaty Terms > Obsequium
Obsequium is a Latin word that might be combined with dominantibus to mean "respectful attitude towards the powerful." Obsequium is commonly used of the duty-filled attitude and behavior of a freedman towards his patron. Reverentia is similar to obsequium.
References:
- "Encyclopedic Dictionary of Roman Law," by Adolf Berger; Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, New Series, Vol. 43, No. 2 (1953), pp. 333-809.
- "Tacitus's Dangerous Word," by Holly Haynes Classical Antiquity, Vol. 23, No. 1 (Apr., 2004), pp. 33-61.
Examples:
Gowing says "Prasutagus, king of the Iceni,... mistakenly believed that the obsequium of naming the emperor as his heir would safeguard his rule."
- "Tacitus and the Client Kings," by Alain M. Gowing; Transactions of the American Philological Association (1974-), Vol. 120 (1990), pp. 315- 331
