Controversy over Citizens, Aliens, and Race in the Roman Empire
Greco-Roman History
Volume 6 | Issue II | June 2022
St George’s School ’23
British Columbia, Canada
Beside me, a gold coin depicting Venus rests on Julius Caesar’s bust, which I have painted; this artwork symbolizes my diverse interests: Latin, art, history, and economics. Motivated by my curiosity and love of Roman history, I wrote this essay, which explores the integration of foreigners into Roman society. Using books and online resources like JSTOR and LanusCurtius, I examined Roman perceptions of foreigners and analyzed how the relationship between the imperial government and the senatorial aristocracy affected policies concerning citizenship and aliens. The essay published in The Schola inspired my dream to provide pathways to citizenship to remedy temporary migration programs, which exclude migrant workers from citizenship rights and keep many in the form of modern-day indentured labor. As studying history enables us to better understand social issues, I plan to study history at university and then pursue a career in public service. In fall, I will attend the University of Oxford to study the History and Economics course.