According to the majority of scholars who dealt with the topic, SPQR is the acronym for “Senatus populusque romanus“, which in Latin means”The Senate and the Roman people“. The abbreviation is attested starting from the period of the late Roman Republic, or at the beginning of the first century AC starting from this period, it appears on some epigraphs and on conii of some coinsespecially at the time of the first emperor August (31 AC-14 DC). The complete wording is also attested on the epigraphs of different public monuments, such as Trionfo arches of imperial era. However, it cannot be excluded that the use of this sentence dates back to older periods in Roman historyand that in the past the “q” could mean anything else, like “Quritum“. In this sense, the wording would have been”Senatus populusque quiritum Romanus“, or” the Senate and the Roman people of the Quiriti “. The term”Quirite“It is very ancient, and it indicates i Roman citizens of the origins. It is traditionally associated with the inhabitants of Rome of the time of Romolo, in the eighth century. to. C.
The formula “The Senate and the Roman people” have a intrinsic meaning very important in the representation of the power of the Roman state. In fact he certifies theunits of intentions between the Senate, which in the Republican era was the main institutional organ of the Republic, and the rest of the Roman people, who in theory had to act in Communion. If the origin of this sentence is to be found in the republican era, its authority he made a symbol also in imperial timeswhen the Senate had already been emptied of its real political power. While the princepsMeaning what the emperorruled in the name of the Roman people, in theory he exercised power in accordance with the Senate, the assembly that brought together the oldest and most illustrious families of the city.
The abbreviation SPQR returned to vogue starting from Middle Ages. The power of this symbol was made its own by Municipality of Romeconstituted in XII century In opposition to the temporal power of the Pope, who chose him to represent himself.
