METUS HOSTILIS AS Α FACTOR OF ROMAN HISTORY ACCORDING ΤΟ SALLUST

Abstract

According to Sallust and his main model Thucydides, ingenium humanum or natura hominum (φύσις aνθρώπων) is one of the basic powers which move history. The sentiment of fear (metus) possesses a central place in human nature. Among the many aspects of fear, we examine here Rome's fear of its enemies.
The existence of strong and dreadful enemies, among which Carthage had the first place, held the Roman people in the proper course and measure, in concordia and virtus, whereas the destruction of the aemula imperi Romani started all the evils in Roman society.
So Sallust presents the positive side of fear: it is a means to equalize the social contrasts and avoid the conflicts. But there are many other aspects and effects of fear which influences human life, and that are expressed by some sayings and proverbs: Timor addit alas pedibus, He died from fear etc.
On the other hand, the lack of fear and pressure from outside and easy living (ευπετείη) lead individuals and societies into the relaxing of morals and decline, because they liberate all the vices and evil hidden in the human soul.
The theory of the positive influence of external pressure and fear οn the Roman State, which we find in Polybios, Sallust, Angustine and other writers, seems to be rather Greek than Roman: its first nucleus has been found in the Politics of Aristotle.
The fear that Romans will lose the hegemony of the world (imperium) after the relaxing of morals effected by lack of foreign fear and pressure together with his writer's ambition seem to be the principal reason for why Sallust exchanged the sword of the warrior for the pen of the historian.