Roman Empire Early Asylum System

Political institution belongs to important scope of history study, it is the result of development of social economy, likely, it influences the development of social economy. Since the period of Rex in Rome, patronage which was one of the most important institutions in Rome begins to sprout. With the enlargement of roman territory the institution plays a more and more vital role. Through the analysis of first source, such as letters of Pliny the Younger,the thesis intends to explore the condition of patronage in early Roman Empire, and introduce the development shape of patronage in the whole roman history.The subject of the thesis is patronage in early Roman Empire. The thesis consists of two parts, the introduction and the main body. The introduction deals with the status quo of domestic and international academy study on patronage in Roman Empire. The main body includes four chapters. The first chapter introduces the formation and development course of patronage in Pre-Empire period, involves the definition of patronage. The second to the forth chapter are the emphasis of the whole thesis, they expound the condition of political and economy in Early Empire and the relationship between emperor and patronage and the relationship between aristocrat and patronage and the conditions of patronage in North African province, they also tell the benefaction which emperor dispenses to his subjects and then forms a ligament of social relationship.In brief, it will help us to know more about the condition of political and economy and social life in the period of Roman Empire through the study of patronage.