After The Fall Of Tarquinius Superbus’ Reign Of Rome, The

The Roman Republic was a “democratic” republic, which allowed first citizens to vote, and to choose their governors in the senate (Hence, their consuls). However, it was a nation ruled by its aristocracy, and, consequently, the entire Republic`s power was concentrated in a few individuals. Furthermore, the Senate was controlled by Patricians, which directed the government by using wealth to buy control and power over the decisions of the senate and the consuls. This situation aroused the inconformity of the people; as result, a civil war took place in the Republic (destroying it), and then the Roman Empire was born.

Part of current understanding of the Roman Army, especially during the Republic and before, can be concluded from a study of Roman political history. Rome began as a city founded by Romulus after he killed his brother Remus, both descended from Aeneas, who escaped the Sack of Troy of Illiad fame, or so the legend goes. The young city spent the better part of 200 years under the yoke of the Etruscan League, a confederation of Latin Tribes primarily to the east and north of Rome in Central Italy. The Etruscans were in turn fond of trading with the Greeks, not just for wealth, but also for ideas. Until c. 550 BC the Romans did not normally use a state controlled army, but

It must be noted that at this particular time, the Roman military was not a professional

The first century BC brought about a number of important changes for the Roman army. Most notably, the reforms of Gaius Marius and the aftereffects of both the Social and Civil Wars altered the Roman army as a whole. Bringing about both continuity and change, these events would help to shape the nature, composition and character of the army of the Late Republic period and beyond. Change came in the form of reforms brought about by Marius; the changing of the conscription of soldiers into the Roman army would alter not only the formation of the army, but also its nature and character. Furthermore, the granting of full citizenship to non-Roman troops who fought for the Roman army meant a blurring of a distinct Roman identity, or what it meant to be a Roman. However, despite these aspects of change, continuity too came out of this period. The troops of the army post-Marian reforms developed strong patron-client relationships with their generals that were not unlike the concept of the paterfamilias that had existed since the beginnings of Rome. Furthermore, leadership of the army was put into the hands of a select few, as it always had been, and these men would use the army as a means to further their personal ambitions.

Besides gaining an army, Marius gained something else: the extreme personal loyalty of the same landless masses which he recruited into his army. The recruiting of the masses would change the entire relationship between citizens, generals, the Senate and Roman institutional ideology. Prior to Marius, the armies may have been loyal to a particular commander or general, but still fought first and foremost for the Senate and People of Rome, as well as the preservation and expansion of their own estates. After Marius, they fought for their Legate, that is their legally appointed commander, and for the plunder and glory he could provide. These troops had no life outside the army, and served for very long periods, serving terms from 20 to 25 years.

This means a high class of wealthy elites dominated in the Rome Republic. Along with this, the head of the government was lead by two officials and had a Senate of the patricians. Most of the government was lead by people who were most commonly known as aristocrats. Aristocrats were members of the highest class Rome had and were often nobles or gained office through hereditary means. Contrasting with the Ancient Romans, Modern Americans lead a democracy. A democracy allows elected officials to decide government actions, but most importantly it means the government is in the hands of the people. This allows everybody to be able to vote. So, this is different than a republic because it is more involved from the people’s perspective. Having a democracy is not like having a republic as many would think, even though it had similar features and characteristics. Some of the current American government has adopted some features of Ancient Rome, like the Senate. The Senate is a group of legislative individuals elected by the states and people. Different from our Senate though, is Rome’s Senate has no legal power whatsoever. Instead the Senate acted a more a communication from the people to the emperor. The Senate brought what the people requested before the emperor to satisfy their wants, needs, and desires. Emperors, unlike Presidents were not elected, but passed down from family to family, or a specific person the emperor

Also, Augustus recruited soldiers from the Roman provinces. These auxiliary troops were granted Roman citizenship upon completion of military service, and they became important agents of Romanization because the provinces now had a share in the defense of the Empire. In addition, Augustus raised a new military force, the 9,000-strong Praetorian Guard, to act as personal bodyguards of the Emperor and to specifically protect the city of Rome from all enemies, foreign or domestic.

The Roman military was Rome’s greatest source of power; the unification of Italy allowed for large amounts of civilians who did not possess any land or employment to find work within the Roman military. Consequently, this enabled Rome to face invading forces with a limitless supply of soldiers it also facilitated the reinforcement of failing invasions with fresh soldiers without jeopardizing the safety of the capital itself. The Roman military's primary role was to expand the borders of the empire and to protect the Senate and Rome from all invading forces. In the early days of the Roman Republic the military consisted of annual levies of citizens as part of their service to the Republic, this became obsolete however when Marius opened military service as a career to the public in 107 BC during his Consulship and as the Republic began to expand its borders beyond the provinces around Italy and into areas such as Asia. The military was then divided into two areas of Legions made of citizens of Rome, and Auxilia; forces that were allies of Rome but were not included as citizens. The Roman army was also one of Rome’s main sources of maintenance and construction of the Republic as all Roman soldiers were to serve the state, meaning that they could be called upon for a large number of tasks including the construction of roads, aqueducts and other major projects. This furthered the expansion of the Republic as the trade skills of their soldiers enabled them to repair and enhance the roads and surrounding infrastructure of the area to support the now garrisoned Roman army. The widespread employment of skilled workers into the military additionally allowed Rome to maintain a strong economy, and to avoid paying for

Economic hardship began when Emperors began paying mercenaries for their personal protection as well as protection for Rome’s borders. Severus would reward faithful soldiers with a raise which increased military pay by a third.

The Roman military was not successful. Soldiers didn't take orders, wear armor,and they were very lazy.To begin, Roman military used to be great. They had breastplates , helmets, and other armor as well. The armor is a major contribution to be successful in the military.For instance, in the “concerning military matter article” it stated, "because of negligence and laziness, parade ground drills were abandoned," This evidence shows soldiers don't care about their job, Their job was to protect and serve the Roman Empire . The soldiers didn't want to fight. Another job they had was to follow orders and give orders. For example,a chief would tell the soldier to gather the rest of the troops for a meeting.soldiers thought it was to much work.The

Power hungry leaders surged, leading to divisions in loyalty within the Roman government. One such leader was General Sulla, a dictator who held onto power for nine years, violating the temporary terms of the office he held. The wars that earned Rome so much territory also created serious social and political problems. Many soldiers returned home to find their farms destroyed. They were forced to sell their land, becoming landless and ruined. These veterans were unable to find work, causing anger and unrest. One notable government reformer, Gaius Marius, promised men land for their service to put down a rebel king in Africa, but the promise never crystallized. As a result, soldiers shifted their alliances, no longer aligning themselves with the Senate, but supporting their military commanders instead (McKay et. al.,

The Republic thus enjoys a fuller life than a principality (democracy) would, as it is able to shift with diverse circumstances (Discourses, I-IX). According to Machiavelli, the Romans effectively blended the three forms of government: monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy. Instead of letting democracy dominate, they built a sort of civic republicanism that emphasize the interconnection of civilian freedoms and civic involvement with the encouragement of the common good. When regarding a mix of the three types of regimes within Rome, Machiavelli contends that “The power of the tribunes of the plebs in the city of Rome was great, and it was necessary, as had been discoursed of by us many times, because otherwise one would not have been able to place a check on the ambition of the nobility, which would have corrupted that republic a long time before it did corrupt itself” (Discourses, III-XI). These tensions, between the plebs and the senate, is what ultimately accounted for the Romans’ superiority. Blending the three types of estates made the ideal commonwealth, as the Tribunes also worked together with many other commoners to get rid of those who sought to

This is a selection from Livy’s History of Rome where he explains the circumstances under which the republic was born. First established as a monarchy, Rome’s last king was Tarquin the Proud. Tarquin’s son was an ambitious and dishonorable individual whose heinous crime ultimately led to the fall of the monarchy and the foundation of the republic.

Political conflicts were aroused, for the Romans, after the war of conquest. After coming back from war, soldiers’ farmlands were destructed. They sold their land to people who were rich and moved to the city but they were not able to find jobs. Citizens without land were not permitted to serve in the army. Romans believed that only people with lands should have the ability to serve in the army since they had something to fight for. Landless citizens were angry and willing to follow any leader that was willing to help them. Tiberius Gracchus was the only leader who promised to answer their prayers so they elected him in 133 B.C.E. He suggested that they divide the public land and distribute it amongst the poor. He was soon murdered by senators that disagreed with his proposal. This triggered political violence for a long period of time. Tiberius’ brother, Gaius Gracchus, proposed a law that supplied cheap grain to the poor to advocate change for the better. He, as well, was murdered by senators who disagreed. The next leader was Gaius Marius. He recruited men without land into the army. In exchange for their service, they were promised land but the senate declined his promise to the people. The civil war of the late republic was fought for full power by famous Roman figures. This war was fought between Pompey (consul) and Caesar (an able general) for power after the First Triumvirate fell apart. This First Triumvirate was a political alliance between

The new form of Cohort structure increased the number of recruitable soldiers and extended military service by incorporating the lower classes of Plebeians into the Roman gears of war. Poor free citizens could volunteer and become trained warriors, with arms and armor to equip themselves. The notion of a professional military would be adopted by the Romans, known by modern scholars as the Cohort structure. Gaius Marius would be the Roman general to push for a reform of the old Maniple structure. He would become the primary inspiration for new military organization. The Cohort structure would become the classical legion associated with the Roman Empire. Throughout the Late Republic and Imperial Eras, Rome would expand to encompass the Mediterranean and Western Europe.