Roman Republic Research Paper

The later Roman Republic and early Roman Empire controlled most of modern day Europe through Northern Africa to Asia Minor. This time of complete dominance over much of the known world propelled Rome into a new era of wealth and prosperity that allowed Romans to look past military expansion. The Roman state now turned towards betterment of society and the “craving for a good education.” Education was seen not only as a tool for the furthering of personal careers, but as a way to improve Rome. Education passed along virtue and the skills necessary to run the Republic and early Empire. This knowledge began in the home, transferring from father to son through the role of fathers as paterfamilias or head of household. Fathers were in charge of ensuring the best possible education for their sons in hope that they would further the ideals and goals of a glorious Rome. Education, through the different steps of the informal Roman education structure and through the influence of the father, furthered the ideal of Roman virtue and ensured generations of virtuous leaders.

Chalking up the fall of the Roman Republic to a decline in traditional Roman morality, while not false, sells the events and changes that were the causes for the fall of the Republic short. At the end of The Third Punic War with Carthage we arguably see the Republic at its height. However in only a decade things begin to change, we see events that send Rome as a Republic past a point that Rome could not recover. Gaius Marius’s military reforms, specifically that of allowing for the captive cencsi, men who owned no property, and the creation of professional soldiers is the true catalyst for the downfall of the Republic. By enacting these reforms Marius opened up military duty to Rome’s largest group of citizens, however it created unforeseen issues, such as what to do with these men once they returned from battle. These reforms opened the door for military generals like Sulla and Caesar to gain the unquestioned support of their troops, in many instances gaining more respect from the soldiers then they had for the Roman state itself. These military reforms are a constant through line through the fall of the Republic, touching large political issues such as the conflicts between the Populares and the Optimates, or the rise of The First Triumvirate; socioeconomic issues such as the rise of Roman aristocracy, development of a slave based agriculture system to the profits from war. The complexity in which these reforms help lead to this immoral Roman state is complex and has been

From 509 BC to about 27 BC, Rome was considered a republic. During this time there was no single leader of Rome and the government was run by elected officials. The main leaders of the Roman Republic were the consuls. There were always two consuls in power at a time. Each year new consuls were elected to serve for a one-year term. This kept any one man from becoming too powerful in the government. At the time the Senate was the most powerful governing body in Rome. The Senate had control of the state’s finances and foreign policies. Senators were elected by the people to represent them in government. The Senate was made up of 300 of the most elite and wealthiest of the Roman Republic. One of the most important roles of the Senate to undergo the checks and balances of the Roman government. Checks and balances are the “principle of government under which separate branches are empowered to prevent actions by other branches and are induced to share power” (The Editors). The checks and balances of Rome helped to stabilize the government and allowed the power to be distributed somewhat equally between the consul, the Senate, and the people. However, the fall of the Roman Empire eliminated this type aspect of government in Rome (Kagan 101-103).

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.

Prior to Octavius’ ascension to his power, the Roman society functioned as a republic, wherein assemblies and elected officials shared political prerogatives and balanced each other’s influence. The Senatus, composed of 300 Patricians of enormous wealth appointed by the Consuls, directed foreign and domestic affairs, managed public treasury, directed instructions to all magistrates save the Tribunus, and declared wars; however, the Tribunus Plebis, elected by the Plebeii, could veto any of its actions, and Censors could impeach its members. Its humbler counterpart, the Concilium Plebis, the popular assembly, enacted laws as the Republic’s ultimate legislative institution, yet, in reality, their legislation proved enforceable only with the cooperation of the Patrician magistrates. Meanwhile, the two Consuls functioned as the head of the entire government and the army, but each had only a single year term. Censors hold the power to eliminate senators, but they were elected by the Comitia

When Rome was founded in 753 BC it was constructed as a representative republic in which the governing body consisted of the Senate, the assemblies and two consuls. This system was suitable as the city was “a sanctuary of refuge for all fugitives, which they called the temple of the god Asylaeus, where they received and protected all, delivering none back, neither the servant to his master, the debtor to his creditor, nor the murderer into the hands of the magistrate, saying it was a privileged place (Plutarch’s Romulus).” Allowing representation to the people who were the outcasts in other societies created fierce loyalty. As the size of the Roman Empire increased around much of the Mediterranean Sea the difficulty of governing such an expansive amount of land became clear and the switch from the Republic to the Principate, in which one ruler led the people, aided in its ultimate decline. Leadership was constantly changing in the first century BC and caused inconsistencies in direction and many forms of political corruption. Looking specifically at the reforms of Sulla, Caesar, and Augusts it will become evident that over expansion, military reforms, consolidation of power and corruption created by these administrators ultimately led to the dissolution of the Roman Republic.

Imagine… you are a working citizen in Rome, neither wealthy nor poor… you make just enough money to get by, you are an average citizen in a vast land of honor. In Rome, they had simular food to present day, traded for commodities, and even were almost as advanced as we are in the medical region today.

Roman history. According to Ian Haynes, a professor of Archeology in Newcastle University, Regina and Victor were once slaves and then set free. Regina is depicted with a basket of wool and a jewellery box. Furthermore, she is described as a free woman and a wife. This statement establishes and also questions female ideals in Roman times. Victor was a Moorish slave of the cavalry trooper Numirianus, who eventually freed him. The lines engraved say "(Numirianus) who most devotedly conducted him to the tomb." This tombstone raises questions not only about hierarchy in the Roman empire but also is an understatement about their personal relations. Relationships in the Roman empire is becoming a very popular topic especially when it comes to values such as gender equality and solidarity. This topic of Roman history gradually becomes more popular because it offers interpretations to contemporary issues, regarding class, gender

Some time later the Roman government became a Republic and split itself into three segments. There was the Senate, which was made of Patricians and unusually wealthy Plebeians.The Assembly was the second part of this government. It was made of the Plebeian class and It elected Consuls, the leader of the Assembly. They choose who is elected in the Senate and to become one, you must be popular in the Assembly, or Plebeians. The Consuls also led the army into battle whenever Rome got into war or to suppress a rebellion.

A long time ago B.C.E., There was an Empire called ¨The Roman Empire¨. The Roman Empire invented a lot of things that we still use today like theaters and sewer systems. But, the Roman Empire is a critical part of historical investigation. First of all, There was not enough soldiers to fight the barbarians , Second, Government corruption and political instability, Lastly, Christianity and the loss of traditional values.

At the end of the monarchy in 509BC, Rome expelled the old kingship and introduced the new political system, the Roman republic. (Zetzel) argues that in a monarchy “there is no holy bond or trust” and because of the importance of popular sovereignty there was no appeal to maintain the monarchy and therefore resulting in the rise of the mixed constitution. The mixed constitution allowed a balanced government which resulted in the combination of the monarchy, aristocracy and democracy. The constitution of the Roman republic was not a written document but rather a system of constant change, evolution and development (Lackoff). The Roman republic comprised of two classes: the patricians class who derived from their aristocratic families and the plebeians who were everyone else in the state. The combination of all three constitutions provided a share of power among both classes in order to lessen the difference of wealth between all the citizens in the Roman society (Lackoff). In this essay I aim to show who ruled the Roman republic by looking at the three most important institutions. Firstly, we will look at the importance of the legislative assemblies and how it relates to a democracy. Secondly, we will look at how the aristocratic senates play a major role in the ruling of the state and the influence they have within the mixed constitution. Thirdly, we will look at the highest ranked institution, the consul and see how they relate to the monarchy and the powers they possess as

The major positions and bodies of the Roman include republican era, and imperial era. Republican era consist of executive power such as consul and dictator; legislative power such as senate and tribal assembly; veto power such as tribunes which voted and chosen by Roman citizens. Albeit there was Emperor who is the ruler of Rome during the imperial era, it is never a hereditary position. Those people who were Emperors, they were the war hero and military genius which mean knowing how to obtain the support from the army and Roman citizens. All these helped to set up the foundation of the Roman democracy. As the information provided, it reflects that ancient Roman already had a concept of voting the ideal people to represent them. If the government is not responding citizens’ appeal, they would refuse to participate in national military service and labor as to require the government to agree or response. This is very similar to strike nowadays. Workers united together as a way to negotiate with the boss. It can be considered as a phenomenon which often happens in a democratic

​After the kingship, the consulship was the first form of government established tin Rome. In those days, Rome was experiencing the Republic for the first time. Consequently, the political, social and economic structure of Rome was an emerging one. The upcoming events would finally shape the definitive government form of the republic. Anyway, we can clearly assert that at the genesis of the Roman republic the political system was rather an Aristocratic one, instead of a Democratic one. In other words, the inequality between the Patricians and the Plebeians described a contrasting landscape. Thus, those lines are about to discuss how the economic and political differences between both patrician and plebeian classes ultimately led to a plebeian revolt.

The Roman Empire expanded from being a small country to controlling almost all of Europe and parts of Asia and Africa. Rome grew from being a small town in Italy in eighth century B.C to transforming into the Roman Republic in 509 B.C. It was one of the biggest empires the world will ever see. The Roman Republic lasted 450 years, during this time it established the separation of powers, defeated the Greeks and Ottoman Empire. In 31 B.C Julius Caesar took power and started the Roman Empire, which would last for the next 507 years. How did the Ancient Rome fall after one thousand years of civilization? The causes of the fall of the Roman Empire are the unfair power between the Senate and the Emperor, persecution of Christians, and the invasions

The government of Roman Republic was certainly a precursor of modern government. Social class played a vital role in the beginning of Republics. Whether a person was a wealthy patrician or common plebeian decided what role he can play in the government. Consuls stayed above Senate. Senate made decisions on spending, taxation and relationship with foreign powers. Last there was the Assembly, which continued to change the rules and rights. Roman society and its politics were quite patriarchal nature, suggesting that men were the one to rule. Roman citizens were classified into two classes: patricians (powerful nobility, land owning upper classes) and plebeians (most people, merchants, farmers, and artisans). Slaves were not based on race. The Roman Republic had a representative democracy. Citizens had the right to elect representatives who serve in the government and represent their interests. One important branch of the republic government was the Senate, assembly of elders. There were 300 members for life and patricians only. The Senate were appointed provincial governors. Their major responsibility included debate, recommend policy, ratify treaties, declare martial law and approve dictators (people in charge of the government for only six month). Only one man can be elected as a dictator over the republic. Another branch was the Consuls. The government of Roman Republic allowed two consuls at the same time, who were elected by the senate. The