Evergetism

The evergetism (or, rarer, evergesy ) is a term introduced at the 20th century into the French-speaking lexicon by the historian André Boulanger. It derives directly from the Greek verb εύεργετέω meaning “I make good”. In its original definition, the evergetism consists, for the notable ones, to make benefit the community from its richness. It supplements the Clientélisme, individual bond and personnel between the owner and his customers.

Hellenistic generosity

Appeared in the world Hellénistique, this social practice becomes a moral obligation for the rich person, and an obligation very runs for very entered an important magistrature: the Consul of Rome, the municipal official of a Latin city gave Jeu X at the time of their entry in load, and it was of good tone to be generous while giving more than the practice. The generous notable ones could add benefits of all kinds: public banquets, free spectacles, and brighter still, financing of buildings of public utility: Roman Thermal baths, theater S, Amphitheaters, etc, bearing for eternity the name and the title of the giver, follow-up of a modest mention, D.S.P.F. ( Of Sweated Pecunia Fecit , “Made with its financing”).

The Empereur was obviously largest of the évergètes. Suétone instruction systematically in its life of the twelve Césars generosities which they lavished to the Roman people. Panem and circenses (of the bread and the plays) formed the evergetism of the daily newspaper, and the splendid and disproportionate buildings that the emperor inaugurated supplemented it in historical records. As long as the Roman Empire was prosperous, everyone found its account there: the notable ones were ruined against popular glory, and humble folk benefitted from it without shame. To our knowledge, only some stoical intellectuals or rigorous Christian pestèrent against the immorality of the spectacles offered.

It should be noted that this concept comes from the Greeks, concept taken again by cultural taste by the young Roman rich person.

End of the evergetism

From the 3rd century and more and more at the time of the following centuries, the economic tensions made the evergetism more difficult to practice. Constructions of monuments rarefy, the expensive entries according to the magistrates start to move away the candidates. An example of this crisis is the Arc of Constantin primarily made up of re-employments. The evergetism will be dried up in Occident with the disappearance of the Western Empire. In the Byzantine Empire, the evergetism of the emperor and magistrates will disappear under Justinien Ier, which will remove the consulate, and will let the churches take again the social role of the évergètes.

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