Moribus antiquis res stat Romana

Ennius' well-known saying that "the Roman cause rests upon the old men and customs" highlights appropriately the significance of the mos maiorum in Roman society, as the epitome of values, precedents and conventions, understood as obligations inherited from the forefathers. Besides essays on the various literary forms of communication dealing with the mos maiorum, the depiction of Roman values in the archeological record is also covered.