PATRON178 (Lat.). In Roman Law A modification of the Latin word pater, father. A denomination applied by Romulus to the first senators of Rome, and which they always afterwards bore.
Romulus at first appointed a hundred of them. Seven years afterwards, in consequence of the asso ciation of Tatius to the Romans, a hundred more were appointed, ehooen from the Sabines. Tar quinine Priscus increased the number to three hun dred. Those ap,pointed by Romulus and Tatius were called patres majorunt gentium, and the others were called petrel, minor:on gentian. These and their descendants constituted the nobility of Rome. The rest of the people were called plebeiana, every one of whom was obliged to choose one of these fa thers as his patron. The relation thus constituted involved important consequences. The plebeian, who was called diens (a client), was obliged to•fur nish the means of maintenance to his chosen pa tron, to furnish a portion for his patron's daugh ters, to ransom him and his sons if captured by an enemy, and pay all sumo recovered against him by judgment orthe courts. The patron, on the otbei hand, was obliged to watch over the interests of his client, whether present or absent, to protect his person and property., and especially to defend him
in all actions brought against him for any cause. Neillier could accuse or bear testimony against the other, or give contrary votes, etc. The contract was of a sacred nature : the violation of it was a sort of treason, and punishable as such. According to Cicero (De Repub. ii. 9), this relation formed an integral part of the governmental system, Et hobuit plebent 1.71 clientelas principum .descriptum, which he affirms was eminently naefnl. Blackstone traces the system of vassalage to this ancient rela tion of patron and client. It was, in fact, of the same nature as the feudal institutions of the middle ages, designed to maintain order in a rising state by a combination of the opposing interests of the aristocracy and of the common people, npon the principle of reciprocal bonds for mutual interests. Dumazeau, Barreau Remain, iii. Ultimately, by force of radical changes in the institution, the word patronus came to signify nothing more than an advocate. Id. iv.