Roman Republic

Three Major Periods of Roman History Roman Origins Circa BCE Earliest settlements on Palatine Hill 753 BCE – Legendary founding of Rome by Romulus and Remus Roman Republic BCE Etruscan kings overthrown under leadership of Lucius Junius Brutus, the traditional founder of the Republic, in 509 BCE Republic = “thing of the people” Ended with Battle of Actium in 31 BCE Roman Empire 31 BCE-476 CE Began when Octavian’s forces defeated the forces of Antony and Cleopatra End of Western Roman Empire traditionally dated to 476 CE, when last emperor, Romulus Augustus, deposed Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire continued until conquered by the Turks in 1453

Rome was founded about 509 BCE. Romans founded a new type of government called a republic. In a republic people chose officials to represent them. * Rome was founded about 509 BCE. Romans founded a new type of government called a republic. In a republic people chose officials to represent them. ONLY FREE-BORN MALES COULD VOTE (ROMAN MEN ’ S CLUB) * ONLY FREE-BORN MALES COULD VOTE (ROMAN MEN ’ S CLUB) Start of a new Roman Government

 Rome’s republic was shaped by a struggle between wealthy nobles and regular citizens. Plebeians Patricians

 Plebeians 1. Majority of the population 2. Artisans, shopkeepers, small farm owners 3. Citizens (male)– could vote, pay taxes, serve in army 4. Could not marry a Patrician 5. Could not serve in government  Patricians 1. Wealthy land owners 2. Nobles that made up the ruling class 3. Citizens (male)– could vote, had to pay taxes and serve in the army 4. Could not marry a Plebian 5. Could serve in government

Although the PATRICIANS controlled the government, they found themselves unable to exist without the plebeians. The PLEBEIANS produced the FOOD and supplied the LABOR that kept the Roman economy going. They also supplied the soldiers for the Roman MILITARY – especially important since Rome was in continual military conflict during the age of the Republic.

Senate Assembly Consuls Dictator. How the Republic Works Division of Power 1 person 2 men 300 members Rest of population population

1. T op government official 2. T wo chosen every year 3. H eaded the army and ran the government 4. S erved short term….avoided risk of abusing power 5. V eto The right of the consul to reject the other’s decision. Latin for “I forbid” Consuls

men 2. C hosen for life 3. A dvise Consul 4. D eal with other countries 5. P roposes laws 6. A pprove public works 7. D eal with daily government problems Senate Latin for “old men”

Assembly 1. C itizen soldiers – a voting assembly 2. P ower comes slowly 3. First step towards democracy

PLEBEIAN STRUGGLE FOR EQUAL RIGHTS For more than two centuries following the establishment of the Republic, the plebeians struggled for political and social equality. Outright civil war was averted by the willingness of the patricians to compromise. Much of the plebeians ’ success in this struggle was also due to their tactics of collective action and to their having organized a corporate group within the state.  The unofficial body was known as the PLEBEIAN COUNCIL.  It was presided over by plebeian officials called TRIBUNES, whose job was to safeguard the interests of the plebeians and to negotiate with the consuls and the Senate.

The Roman Republic – The System of Checks and Balances The system was based on balance of interests MonarchicalAristocraticDemocratic 2 Consuls + other magistrates SenateAssembly of Tribes Tribune Directed government and army Acted as judges Could issue edicts Acted as chief priest Controlled state budget Could pass laws Approved/rejected laws Decided on War Tribune could veto actions of magistrate Acted as final court Basis of power: possess imperium, the right to rule need for leadership Basis of power: members were richest men in Rome. Basis of power: provided most of the soldiers Limits on power: one year term each could veto Limits on power: could not control army needed majority as soldiers. Limits on power: Could not suggest laws often paid as clients by the elite

FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS Because the consuls often interpreted Rome's unwritten customary law to suit PATRICIAN INTERESTS, the plebeians demanded that it be written down. Plebeians go on strike for more say in the government. Leave the farms and the army to go sit on the Palatine Hill (Forum) Patricians compromise- Pass a written code of law called the TWELVE TABLES. Laws were harsh, but equal As a result, about 450 B.C., the law was inscribed on twelve tablets of bronze and set up publicly in the Forum. The LAW OF THE TWELVE TABLETS was the first landmark in the long history of Roman law.

The plebeians in time acquired other fundamental rights and safeguards: They secured the right to APPEAL A DEATH SENTENCE imposed by a consul and to be retried before the popular assembly. The tribunes gained a VETO POWER over any legislation or executive act that threatened the rights of the plebeians. MARRIAGE between patricians and plebeians, prohibited by the Law of the Twelve Tablets, was legalized. The enslavement of citizens for DEBT was abolished

POLITICAL POWER Little by little, the plebeian class acquired more power in the functioning of government. In 367 B.C., ONE CONSULSHIP was reserved for the plebeians. Before the end of the century, they were eligible to hold other important positions: PRAETOR (in charge of the law courts), QUAESTOR (treasurer), CENSOR (supervisor of public morals and state contracts).  Some plebeians succeeded in gaining entry to the SENATE.  The long struggle for equality ended in 287 B.C. when the PLEBEIAN COUNCIL was recognized as a constitutional body, henceforth known as the TRIBAL ASSEMBLY, with the right to PASS LAWS that were binding on all citizens.  The Roman Republic was now technically a democracy, although in actual practice a senatorial aristocracy of patricians and rich plebeians continued to control the state.

Problems Facing the Senate the various expansion and conquests of war changed the dynamic of the Roman Republic as the wealthy had enjoyed the spoils of war, the slave population had increased and depressed the wages of poorer Romans In turn the poor Romans could not join the military (as it was expensive to afford all the armour) so army numbers decreased as well as cohesion and loyalty to the state the Senate did not do anything to resolve this problem

Gracchus Brothers Gracchus brothers (Tiberius and Gaius) were both tribunes who tried to bring in land reforms to give publically owned land to dispossessed farmers which would in turn increase the wealth of farmers who could then join the army. BUT he submitted his bill without the approval of the Senate and eventually the Senate had him murdered. His brother Gaius tried to limit the powers of the Senate such as assigning governors to provinces who were notoriously corrupt and as well tried to pass land reforms. The Senate passed a resolution known as the 'last decree' which declared martial law and Gaius was hunted down by a mob and killed.

New Reforms Marius Reforms: Gaius Marius made reforms to the Roman army that men did not need to own property to join the army, volunteers would be accepted which changed the army to be largely of poor men who served their commander, received booty from him (land) which changed the army into an instrument of ambitious commanders Senate denied a bill made by Marcus Livius Drusus that would have granted Italian ppls who were Rome's allies Roman citizenship. They then killed him.

Caesars' Grab for Power Caesar's conquest in Gaul enriched Rome but the Senate was worried that he would use his popularity to seize power as a dictator. Senate ordered Caesar to lay down his command, and under the martial law 'last decree' ordered Pompey to command his armies against Caesar. Senate then threatens the lives of any tribunes who opposed the Senate (which allowed Caesar to campaign that he was defending the rights of the tribunes (common ppl) and of his men in his army). Caesar then crosses the Rubicon and 'invades' Rome.

Caesar vs the Senate After Pompey's death by the Egyptians and his political and romantic establishment with Cleopatra VII and Egypt, Caesar becomes dictator and consul in Rome in 44 BCE. He extends his dictatorship beyond the legal 6 month limit and names himself dictator for life and takes complete authority to pass laws, declare war and appoint men to office. He raises the membership of the Senate to 900 men and includes his veteran officers. Here the Senate loses its former authority and settles his soldiers in new colonies and grants citizenship to some provinces.

Ides of March… Enter Octavian! Senate then conspires and assassinates Caesar as self proclaimed 'defenders of liberty' which effectively destroys the Roman Republic Octavian (Augustus) becomes the first Emperor and gives the Senate control of the pacified provinces (Asia, Africa, Greece) to be ruled by governors appointed by the Senate- After the transition of the Republic into the Principate, the Senate lost much of its political power as well as its prestige. Emperor Diocletian put into constitutional reforms which made the Senate became politically irrelevant, and never regained the power that it had once held. When the seat of government was transferred out of Rome, the Senate was reduced to a municipal body.