MOS MAIORUM

The '''mos maiorum''' were the ancestral traditions, an unwritten code of laws and conduct, of the Romans. It institutionalized cultural traditions, societal mores, and general policies, as distinct from specific laws.
The eight cornerstones of ''mos maiorum'' were:

★ fides — fidelity, loyalty, faith

★ pietas — piety, devotion, patriotism, duty

★ religio — religious scruple, reverence for higher power(s), strictness of observance, conscientiousness precision of conduct

★ disciplina — discipline, diligence

★ constantia — firmness, steadiness

★ gravitas — seriousness, dignity, authority

★ parsimonia — frugality

★ severitas — strictness in the moral sense
It was partially typified by a respect for fathers and husbands and acknowledgement of one's subservience to them. One of the best illustrations of this tradition is found in the writings of Cato the Elder.