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Capitalism, Empire, and Commodification

This student project was completed as part of a 2016 collaborative course, "Panama Silver, Asian Gold," in University of Miami (Mario Ariza), University of Florida (Janna Moretti and Romy Rajan), Amherst College (Alexis Teyie)

Mario A. Ariza, Janna Moretti, Romy Rajan, Alexis Teyie, Authors

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Civis Romanus Sum

22 Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said,“ Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.”23 And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, 24 the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by flogging, to find out why they were shouting against him like this. 25 But when they had stretched him out for the whips,[a] Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?” 26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.” 27 So the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.” 28 The tribune answered, “I bought this citizenship for a large sum.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.” 29 So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.

-Acts 22:22-29

The Latin phrase civis romanus sum (I am a Roman citizen) was quoted by Cicero in In Verrem, and was later famously invoked in the Houses of Parliament by Lord Palmerston in 1850 to justify his choices during the Don Pacifico Affair.

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