Pierre Willems
Encyclopedia
Pierre Willems was a Dutch philologist and historian of Ancient Rome
.
Following the custom of Belgian students he did not confine himself to the courses at Catholic University of Leuven
(French: Louvain) but went to Paris to hear Julius Oppert
, Émile Egger
, and Henri Patin, and to Berlin, Utrecht
, and Leyden, where he followed the courses of Cobet. On his return in 1865 he was appointed professor of Latin philology at the Catholic University of Leuven
; here he spent the remainder of his life, the only events being his lectures and his works.
His two chief works are Le droit public romain (Roman Public Law), first issued under the title, Les antiquités romains envisagées au point de vue des institutions politiques (Louvain, 1870; 7th ed. by his son Joseph Willems, Louvain, 1910), and Le sénat de la republique romaine (3 vols., Louvain, 1878–85). The first work is a handbook which stops at Constantine I
in the first three editions and now goes as far as Justinian I
. The author combined systematic and historical order by dividing the history of Roman institutions into "epochs" and "periods", viz., epoch of royalty, epoch of the republic, epoch of the empire, subdivided into the period of the Principate
and that of monarchy. In each of these sections Willems studies the conditions of persons, government, and administration.
The book on the Roman Senate
shows more evidence of personal research. It contains a new opinion concerning the recruiting of the Senate; Willems does not admit that there were plebeian senators in the century following the expulsion of the kings. It was by the exercise of the curule magistracies that the plebs entered the Senate, in fact after 354-200; a plebiscite proposed by the Tribune
Ovinius and accepted at the end of the fourth century hastened the introduction of the plebeians, and, in short, made the Senate an assembly of former magistrates.
He completed his work by a series of studies on the composition of the Roman Senate in 575-179, in 699-55 in his great work, and in A. D. 65 in the Musée belge (published by his son, 1902). He also contributed to the Bulletins of the Brussels Academy a memoir on the municipal elections of Pompeii
(1902). He assisted in the foundation of the second Belgian periodical for classical philology, Le Musée belge (1897), and organized a Societas philologa, at Louvain, one of the oldest members of which was the Liège professor, Charles Michel, author of the Recucit d'inscriptions grecques (1900–12). He belonged to the Flemish
party and collected materials for a work on the Flemish dialects, which remains unfinished.
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
.
Following the custom of Belgian students he did not confine himself to the courses at Catholic University of Leuven
Catholic University of Leuven
The Catholic University of Leuven, or of Louvain, was the largest, oldest and most prominent university in Belgium. The university was founded in 1425 as the University of Leuven by John IV, Duke of Brabant and approved by a Papal bull by Pope Martin V.During France's occupation of Belgium in the...
(French: Louvain) but went to Paris to hear Julius Oppert
Julius Oppert
Julius Oppert , French-German Assyriologist, was born at Hamburg, of Jewish parents.After studying at Heidelberg, Bonn and Berlin, he graduated at Kiel in 1847; and the next year went to France, where he was teacher of German at Laval and at Reims...
, Émile Egger
Émile Egger
Émile Egger was a French scholar who was born in Paris.From 1840 to 1855, Egger was assistant professor, and from 1855 until his death he was professor of Greek literature in the Faculté des Lettres at Paris University...
, and Henri Patin, and to Berlin, Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
, and Leyden, where he followed the courses of Cobet. On his return in 1865 he was appointed professor of Latin philology at the Catholic University of Leuven
Catholic University of Leuven
The Catholic University of Leuven, or of Louvain, was the largest, oldest and most prominent university in Belgium. The university was founded in 1425 as the University of Leuven by John IV, Duke of Brabant and approved by a Papal bull by Pope Martin V.During France's occupation of Belgium in the...
; here he spent the remainder of his life, the only events being his lectures and his works.
His two chief works are Le droit public romain (Roman Public Law), first issued under the title, Les antiquités romains envisagées au point de vue des institutions politiques (Louvain, 1870; 7th ed. by his son Joseph Willems, Louvain, 1910), and Le sénat de la republique romaine (3 vols., Louvain, 1878–85). The first work is a handbook which stops at Constantine I
Constantine I
Constantine the Great , also known as Constantine I or Saint Constantine, was Roman Emperor from 306 to 337. Well known for being the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, Constantine and co-Emperor Licinius issued the Edict of Milan in 313, which proclaimed religious tolerance of all...
in the first three editions and now goes as far as Justinian I
Justinian I
Justinian I ; , ; 483– 13 or 14 November 565), commonly known as Justinian the Great, was Byzantine Emperor from 527 to 565. During his reign, Justinian sought to revive the Empire's greatness and reconquer the lost western half of the classical Roman Empire.One of the most important figures of...
. The author combined systematic and historical order by dividing the history of Roman institutions into "epochs" and "periods", viz., epoch of royalty, epoch of the republic, epoch of the empire, subdivided into the period of the Principate
Principate
The Principate is the first period of the Roman Empire, extending from the beginning of the reign of Caesar Augustus to the Crisis of the Third Century, after which it was replaced with the Dominate. The Principate is characterized by a concerted effort on the part of the Emperors to preserve the...
and that of monarchy. In each of these sections Willems studies the conditions of persons, government, and administration.
The book on the Roman Senate
Roman Senate
The Senate of the Roman Republic was a political institution in the ancient Roman Republic, however, it was not an elected body, but one whose members were appointed by the consuls, and later by the censors. After a magistrate served his term in office, it usually was followed with automatic...
shows more evidence of personal research. It contains a new opinion concerning the recruiting of the Senate; Willems does not admit that there were plebeian senators in the century following the expulsion of the kings. It was by the exercise of the curule magistracies that the plebs entered the Senate, in fact after 354-200; a plebiscite proposed by the Tribune
Tribune
Tribune was a title shared by elected officials in the Roman Republic. Tribunes had the power to convene the Plebeian Council and to act as its president, which also gave them the right to propose legislation before it. They were sacrosanct, in the sense that any assault on their person was...
Ovinius and accepted at the end of the fourth century hastened the introduction of the plebeians, and, in short, made the Senate an assembly of former magistrates.
He completed his work by a series of studies on the composition of the Roman Senate in 575-179, in 699-55 in his great work, and in A. D. 65 in the Musée belge (published by his son, 1902). He also contributed to the Bulletins of the Brussels Academy a memoir on the municipal elections of Pompeii
Pompeii
The city of Pompeii is a partially buried Roman town-city near modern Naples in the Italian region of Campania, in the territory of the comune of Pompei. Along with Herculaneum, Pompeii was destroyed and completely buried during a long catastrophic eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius spanning...
(1902). He assisted in the foundation of the second Belgian periodical for classical philology, Le Musée belge (1897), and organized a Societas philologa, at Louvain, one of the oldest members of which was the Liège professor, Charles Michel, author of the Recucit d'inscriptions grecques (1900–12). He belonged to the Flemish
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
party and collected materials for a work on the Flemish dialects, which remains unfinished.