Abstract: The social aid ethics in ancient Rome had developed from the traditional civic philia to the Christian agape or charity. In the traditional philosophy, the aim of life is to pursue happiness which is inseparable from virtue and goodness. As a philia exclusively among citizens rather than poor relief,benevolenceor évergétisme is in itself and for civic virtue based on principles of equality, reciprocity and righteousness.Depending on the city-state and especially its land tenureship, it fails to survive with the collapse and disappearance of the foundation.For Christians, the aim of life is the eternity or salvation based on the faith in God and evinced by agape or brotherly love.As the agape encompassing all human beings and the poor relief in itself,benevolence or almsgiving is the token of faith and the love toward God in terms of need rather than citizenship. The Christian social aid ethics which coincides with and voluntarily adapts itself to the emerging Roman Empire had inherited and updated the traditional one by adding faith andenhancing love to the existing virtues before its institution became the new establishment.

Key words: philia, agape, ancient Rome, social aid ethics