Auctoritas

Auctoritas is a big word that means something like "the power to make people listen to you and believe what you say." Think of it like how important people have more influence than regular people – imagine if your teacher said something and you believed it more than if your classmate said the same thing.

In ancient Rome, auctoritas was really important because it was a kind of power that came from being respected and trusted. The people who had auctoritas were often leaders, like politicians or generals, and they could use it to persuade others to do what they wanted.

Even though we don't use this word very often today, the idea of auctoritas is still really important. People who are experts in a certain field or who have a lot of experience often have auctoritas because others trust that they know what they're talking about. It's like when your doctor tells you to do something – you probably listen to them because you trust that they know what's best for you.