Rome: Republic to Empire
Calvin Shaw 2016
I. Introduction: What is the ideal government?
 Monarchy?
 Democracy? This is the Athenian idea
 Republic? Pros and cons. In the US, we do have a republic, though it has some flaws.
timeline:
Roman monarchy 750-509 BCE
Roman republic 500 BCE – 0
Rise of Roman Empire 0
A. Monarchy (750-509BCE).
These stories are equally grounded in the mythic and the modern consciousness. There are
interesting founding myths: Romulus and Remus. We will watch a short video which will tell
us cultural truths as well as historical truths. Twins who were left in the wilderness to die, raised
by a wolf. Founded the city, but quarreled over who would be king. It was left to the augurs to
decide. Each brother was on a hilltop, but birds flocked over Romulus. Remus refused, and they
fought. Romulus killed Remus. “It was a fitting augury for the bloodshed and strife that lay
ahead.”
There were seven total monarchs between 750-500. The founder, Romulus. Some of this is
myth and some is reality. With every great leader, they have charisma, ability to go beyond
normal humans. One of the biggest accomplishments was granting citizenship to foreigners.
This increased the population of Romans.. Put together the Roman Army and the Roman
Senate. Rome would eventually take on its own divine persona. In other words, the place itself
would become holy in some way.
B. The Roman Republic (500-0)
This was a highly structured form of government with a number of elements. Goal: create a
government where no one was too powerful. Looking for fairness to the people. A constitution
that outlines individual rights. This was called the SPQR (Senatus populus que romanus) The
Senate and the People of Rome. You would see SPQR everywhere, deeply ingrained in the
Roman mindset. It was a three part government. They had a separation of powers and checks
and balances.
Executive was two consuls. These were elected by the citizens for one year terms. Each
consul has veto power over each other. They had power over the military, also power to make
judgments of laws. Once the consuls have a monopoly on the use of force, there might be some
trouble.
The Senate was made up of former consuls and aristocratic citizens. They were 300-800
old men who advised the consuls. They came from 10 percent of the population. They made the
laws, so the laws benefitted the rich old men. They served lifetime appointments.
The popular assembly was made up of the Centuries and the Tribes. The centuries were
the military. They elected the consuls, who were their leaders. The tribes were everyone else.
They were able to accept or reject laws that were made by the Senate.
You can see how this form of government has influenced the US government.
II. The Struggle of the Orders (the classes in society)
When you are a lower class, you want to be able to rise up in society. 90% of the people were in
the lower class. The plebeians sought political equality with the patricians. Result = revolt!
Patricians (10%) were the powerful ruling class. They were the land owners, legally
superior, had money for weapons.
The plebeians were peasants, shopkeepers, craftsmen and members of the military.
Soldiers were in the plebeian class. The Senate is making all the laws. Eventually, the consuls
started exerting more power. Plebeian rebellions 494 BCE. Sparked because Senators became
more greedy, land distribution was unfair. Land meant wealth. Military were unhappy. Many
did not have land. Plebeians wanted relief from debt, too many taxes, more land rights, fair,
written law codes out in the open.
The result was in 451 BCE the Twelve Tables were the main laws of Rome and were put
out into public: individual rights, marriage between classes (445 BCE) which allowed for social
mobility. Plebeians could be consul (367 BCE)
III. Key beliefs of Ancient Rome
mos maiorum “the ways of the ancestors.”
e pluribus unum “out of many, one”
amicitia “mutual friendship”
pater familias “father of the family”
The Patron-Client system was a unique feature of Roman society. Formed relationships that
acted as important links politically and socially. Patrons (citizens) took Clients (plebeians) and
provided advice, money, business opportunities, or representation in court.
The Clients helped the patrons enhance their status in many ways. Doing favors.
IV. Unification of Italy: e pluribus unum
Rome expanded into the rest of Italy. This was a manageable area. As Rome got bigger, there
was the problem of Imperial Overstretch. Why did Italy unify?
 unification against common enemies
 more human and natural resources
What were the results of this unification?
 conquered people were treated relatively well.
 linguistic and cultural integration
 increase of wealth
 expansion of army
“a looming threat to the Carthaginian Empire” in North Africa, settled by the
V. Punic Wars (264-146 BCE)
Three wars between Rome and Carthage. The Roman Empire expanded. They wanted to gain
land and domination around the entire Mediterranean. In the first war, Rome gained Sicily,
Corsica and Sardinia. In the second war, Carthage recovered Spain, Hannibal won the battle by
marching across the Alps. However, he was defeated in North Africa. The third war, “Carthage
must be destroyed” said Cato. Carthage was totally wiped out. Fields were spread with salt to
destroy the food source. In the end, Rome gained power, Carthage was destroyed.
VI. Fall of the Republic: Julius Caesar’s rise to power.
How did Rome change from a Republic to an Empire? We know that certain consuls were
getting fed up with the Senate.
Sulla (138-78 BCE) took leadership of the Republic by force.
Crassus and Pompey followed Sulla and took leadership by force also. Crassus and the
Senate started to worry that Pompey was getting to powerful. He had launched many military
campaigns. Julius Caesar and Crassus then aligned themselves together. Caesar had been very
successful in military campaigns. They formed the first triumvirate (Julius Caesar, Crassus
and Pompey) Julius Caesar ended up in power.
VII. Fall of the Republic and Caesar’s rise to power.
A series of civil wars happened. Caesar as a military leader was very powerful. He said veni,
vidi, vici. He conquered all over, including Gaul. Pompey and the Senate were afraid of Caesar.
All sought power, only one would survive and that was Caesar!
Rise of Caesar:
Elected consul in 59 BCE
Fights campaigns and is elected dictator.
Caesar came up with reforms to make the people favor him, took care of public
works, fixed roads, employed the jobless, he granted Roman citizenship to outsiders
Fall of Caesar (44 BCE)
conspiracy against him. the Senate told him that before he crossed the Rubicon
river he had to lay down his weapons. They invited him to the Senate and assassinated him.
Brutus said, “I favored Caesar just as you did, but I loved Rome more.”