Choisir le meilleur: la royauté élective à Rome selon Denys d’Halicarnasse

Abstract

According to the historiographers’ unanimous tradition, since Romulus kings in Rome were elected by the populus Romanus after a fixed procedure. In particular, the one who stood as candidate to the votes was preselected by senators for his personal qualities : he had to be «the best » , and that is why Romans would not waver in choosing a foreigner, provided that he should come up to that degree of excellence. Thus the new king was legitimate on a double ground, political and moral. Among all the trustworthy authorities we have, Dionysius of Halicarnassus is one who lays the most significant stress on the part played by personal value in the choice of a king. Using mainly a comparison with Livy, this article intends to bring to light and explain how original Dionysius’s report is on that matter of the royal election.

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