During the monarchical era and early republican periods, the forms of social organization showed complexity and diversity. By the mid-5th century BC, social groups of Romans based on common occupations, beliefs, or regions were widespread. In the long course of the Republic's development, there has been an increasing number of voluntary associations of associations, often for different purposes, such as trade associations, religious organizations, social drinking clubs, funeral societies, etc.
As an important part of urban life in the Roman Empire, social groups were formed by freedmen or slaves who volunteered based on common trades or a particular religious worship of a certain deity. In Rome, there were many different groups and guilds. Different professions can form their own trade associations, such as olive oil makers, shoemakers, coachmen, timber merchants' associations, etc.
In addition, there are administrative and priestly groups, including priestly assistants, junior administrators, clerks, and missionaries. These groups can be seen as microcosm of the larger society, hungry for joy and camaraderie.
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Every community has management, the managers serve a one-year term, and the chamber is a place where everyone meets. In this way, the community provides an opportunity for those who are usually excluded from the official position of the state to become managers in the community and exert certain control measures on the members of the community.
At the same time, donors regularly donate money or other items to associations, just as some patrons support specific cities. This agreement gave the nobility the opportunity to become donors, and the community could thank them for their support, support for the donor, and the patron. Associations not only helped the urban poor to form their own layers of social relations, but also regulated the relations between ordinary people and minority aristocratic groups.
During the Imperial period, various different types of groups flourished more than before. For people of all different classes, these societies constituted an important feature of urban social life during the imperial period. At a higher level, the ancient sacrificial community retained an important function, responsible for a variety of activities, which were later reorganized by Augustus as part of religious and social reforms.
Those officials who served the consuls included the attendants of the poles, the officials who punished the people, the scribals and the messengers, who constituted an important class of upward mobility, who were relatively cultured and ambitious, and who undoubtedly formed the various groups they formed, as well as their private feasts, strengthened their sense of status and their social ties with each other. Augustus straightened out the hierarchy of these groups and tried to reorganize the regional societies of Rome so that they could organize festivals, competitions, and banquets in an orderly manner.
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Outside Rome, Augustard had developed rapidly since the time of Augustus, presumably with the support of the emperor. The members of these groups were generally wealthy, mainly freed slaves, who were selected to form groups responsible for ceremonies related to the worship of the emperor. They need to prove themselves as the right person through public donations and are expected to continue to show their public spirit at events such as competitions, public banquets, statues and temple donations. In return, they could gain a recognized position in society, especially for wealthy freed slaves, who could not run for consulship or hold other official positions, and were therefore more eager to gain recognition in this way.
Although their primary task was to be responsible for ceremonies related to the worship of the emperor, the group provided an opportunity for wealthy freed slaves— who could not hold city official positions due to their origins and status. Augustal often funded city recreation and public works as a donor, thus gaining privileges almost equal to that of city officials and priests. ”
The Augustar organization flourished and seemed to show particular dynamism in the cities near the Bay of Naples, a region known for its economic prosperity, openness to Greek and Oriental culture, and a leisurely lifestyle, so that freed slaves were more likely to succeed here and there were plenty of opportunities for status-seeking freedmen.
This group could help the emperor consolidate his dominance through loyalty, dedication, and protection; and in areas where unrest often occurred, the organization's presence could serve as a socio-political stability.
There is also a category of young men's organizations. Young men's organizations that have existed since the republican period inherit the form of youth groups of the Hellenistic era, which may have been influenced by Greece and Etruscans from a very early age. In Italy, however, such organizations appear to show greater interest in hunting, horseback riding, and military training than in sports and fitness. Augustus developed these traditions while making them more standardized.
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In the city of Rome, young knights led the way and were encouraged to regularly ride horses in The Mars Square, marching in columns of cavalry and demonstrating riding in so-called ancient horseback performances. Groups of young men were gradually recognized by various cities and Romanized western provinces, and these organizations provided opportunities for the sons of local nobles and wealthy classes to train games together, allowing them to participate in many urban ceremonies and preparing them for military or political careers.
These young men's groups are also encouraged to show their skills to the public, with teams of representatives from different towns engaged in hunting or gladiatorial competitions in theaters or coliseums.
Augustus and later emperors were suspicious and cautious about other organizations that were not strictly controlled by the authorities. Augustus seems to have reinstated Caesar's decree that "dissolve guilds except those that have been established for a long time and for the sake of law-abiding.".
Generally speaking, all guilds needed to seek the approval of the elders or emperors in order to survive. Religious, social, or funeral societies are usually approved because these aspects of daily life are indispensable. Of course, there are also many associations that have not been officially approved, but they also exist, especially in the provinces. Naturally, such groups will have some problems. Tiberius was concerned about some foreign rituals, especially Jewish rituals and organization.
In Italian towns and western provinces, various guilds of craftsmen, slate merchants, timber workers, etc. could form fire brigades to extinguish fires and solve the troubles of poor families in ancient cities. However, when Pliny the Younger asked Trajan if the Craftsmen's Guild could be established in Nicomedia after the fire, Tula really replied very cautiously, believing that such guild activities often disturbed the order of the province, and whenever people gathered, they would become a political organization; he suggested that property owners should be encouraged to take charge of fire extinguishing equipment and temporarily gather fire extinguishers.
The lower mass organizations have a variety of different purposes, but even trade associations do not consider the economic interests of their members primarily. They differ from unions in modern societies in that their members are primarily employers, not employees. The central government and certain guilds have limited links in key areas. Concerns about the supply of grain and the price of bread by the emperor and related officials led them to deal with shippers, merchants, and bakers. They should select candidates for long-term cooperation and provide them with special licenses and tax incentives. Fire brigades of craftsmen or slate merchants also received tax incentives. Thus, groups can attain a higher status in their regions and increase common property through donations from wealthy members.