The Roman Republic
, The Roman Republic
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From 736 to 509 BC, Rome was ruled by Kings until it became a Republic, as the
people of Rome thought the previous King Tarquinius was a tyrant
Roman
Society
Government Citizen
s
Senat Consul Assemblie Patricia Equite Plebeians
e s s ns s
Patr ician s → The oldest and most powerful Roman families
Equites → middle class (mostly merchants and traders)
Plebs → common body of Roman citizens (mostly poor but could become powerful)
Sen ate → People elected by citizens who decide what should and should not happen
Con suls → Two senators elected to act as consuls for 1 year - the leaders of the state
Assem bly → gathering of Roman citizens (male Roman citizens aged over 17) who
discussed new Laws and elected consuls and Senators; however, the rich had more
votes, so power was not equally shared (women, slaves and people born in provinces
had no power)
Politics and Military:
The office of tribune would veto any Law - however, some tributes were bribed by
participants which was problematic as other Tribunes can veto each other
The Roman Legions formed the backbone of military power and were used to expand
its borders (to eventually dominate most of Europe and the area around the
Mediterranean Sea). They showed high levels of discipline, training and
professionalism and the whole army mattered more than individuals. Soldiers were
completely dependent on their commanders and were given a plot of farmland upon
retirement or at the end of a campaign - before 107 BC, you had to own land to serve
in legions, but it got too difficult to recruit, so you were given land after serving
instead
,The Punic Wars were 3 wars to establish Rome’s dominance of the Mediterranean
over Carthage
Key Problems of The Republic:
● A politicised military
● Economic problems
● Political polarisation
● Social Tension - Patricians vs Plebs
● Although it was presented as a democracy, not many had the right to vote due
to extremely strict voting requirements
The Senate
Sen ate → The Senate is a council of 200-300 members that advises on domestic and
foreign policy, finance, and religion and offers guidance on legislative proposals.
Originally made up of 200-300 Senators – usually patricians, but equites and plebs
could also be Senators
To become a Senator, you had to be elected to the junior office of quaestor by the
people. Once elected, you were a Senator for life.
An advisory body usually did not pass laws – these were voted upon by the people in
the Roman assemblies but the Senate’s advice was usually followed by the people and
the magistrates
The only permanent body in the ruling of Rome
As a Senator, you could be elected by the people as a Quaestor, Aedile, Tribune (if you
were a pleb) Praetor and then Consul
All Senators were elected by the popular vote of the people’s assemblies
Meetings for the Senate took place in the Senate house or some other religious place,
but the general public was not admitted, and the Senate discussions were not
officially recorded until Julius Caesar as consul, in 59 BC, arranged this in hope of
discrediting his opponents
, Consuls and praetors received imperium (the power to command Roman soldiers
and dispense justice)
The Cursus Honorum:
These were the main officials of the Roman Republic, and you had to be a Senator to
hold one of these roles (path of offices)
Th e Sen ate → Debates laws and policies and sends governors to provinces. Elects
dictators and ratifies treaties.
Th e cur sus H on or um → The political ladder of Republican Rome.
In a period of national crisis, the Senate could elect a Dictator for 6 months, giving a
consul full control over all civil and miliary affairs.
1. The 2 Consuls - leaders of the Republic
2. Censor - ex-consul
3. The 8 Praetors - Second in command
4. The 4 Aediles - public admin
5. The 20 Quaestors - Assistant to the consul
6. Tribune - assembly of plebs
Social Divides in Rome
Society relied on patronage (the higher a man was in the social order, the greater his duty to
look after those below him; in return, he demanded obedience and unconditional support)
Patr icians
● Top of Roman society
● Made up of 30 rich and powerful families - at least 1 member of the family had served
in the Senate
→ Wealth came from owning land/estates, which grew with the Empire
Equites
● Wealthy men below the patricians
● Made up from knights and merchants
→ Wealth came from trade and business
Plebeians
● The majority of the people
● (Some plebeian families were very rich and served in the Senate as tribunes)
, The Roman Republic
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From 736 to 509 BC, Rome was ruled by Kings until it became a Republic, as the
people of Rome thought the previous King Tarquinius was a tyrant
Roman
Society
Government Citizen
s
Senat Consul Assemblie Patricia Equite Plebeians
e s s ns s
Patr ician s → The oldest and most powerful Roman families
Equites → middle class (mostly merchants and traders)
Plebs → common body of Roman citizens (mostly poor but could become powerful)
Sen ate → People elected by citizens who decide what should and should not happen
Con suls → Two senators elected to act as consuls for 1 year - the leaders of the state
Assem bly → gathering of Roman citizens (male Roman citizens aged over 17) who
discussed new Laws and elected consuls and Senators; however, the rich had more
votes, so power was not equally shared (women, slaves and people born in provinces
had no power)
Politics and Military:
The office of tribune would veto any Law - however, some tributes were bribed by
participants which was problematic as other Tribunes can veto each other
The Roman Legions formed the backbone of military power and were used to expand
its borders (to eventually dominate most of Europe and the area around the
Mediterranean Sea). They showed high levels of discipline, training and
professionalism and the whole army mattered more than individuals. Soldiers were
completely dependent on their commanders and were given a plot of farmland upon
retirement or at the end of a campaign - before 107 BC, you had to own land to serve
in legions, but it got too difficult to recruit, so you were given land after serving
instead
,The Punic Wars were 3 wars to establish Rome’s dominance of the Mediterranean
over Carthage
Key Problems of The Republic:
● A politicised military
● Economic problems
● Political polarisation
● Social Tension - Patricians vs Plebs
● Although it was presented as a democracy, not many had the right to vote due
to extremely strict voting requirements
The Senate
Sen ate → The Senate is a council of 200-300 members that advises on domestic and
foreign policy, finance, and religion and offers guidance on legislative proposals.
Originally made up of 200-300 Senators – usually patricians, but equites and plebs
could also be Senators
To become a Senator, you had to be elected to the junior office of quaestor by the
people. Once elected, you were a Senator for life.
An advisory body usually did not pass laws – these were voted upon by the people in
the Roman assemblies but the Senate’s advice was usually followed by the people and
the magistrates
The only permanent body in the ruling of Rome
As a Senator, you could be elected by the people as a Quaestor, Aedile, Tribune (if you
were a pleb) Praetor and then Consul
All Senators were elected by the popular vote of the people’s assemblies
Meetings for the Senate took place in the Senate house or some other religious place,
but the general public was not admitted, and the Senate discussions were not
officially recorded until Julius Caesar as consul, in 59 BC, arranged this in hope of
discrediting his opponents
, Consuls and praetors received imperium (the power to command Roman soldiers
and dispense justice)
The Cursus Honorum:
These were the main officials of the Roman Republic, and you had to be a Senator to
hold one of these roles (path of offices)
Th e Sen ate → Debates laws and policies and sends governors to provinces. Elects
dictators and ratifies treaties.
Th e cur sus H on or um → The political ladder of Republican Rome.
In a period of national crisis, the Senate could elect a Dictator for 6 months, giving a
consul full control over all civil and miliary affairs.
1. The 2 Consuls - leaders of the Republic
2. Censor - ex-consul
3. The 8 Praetors - Second in command
4. The 4 Aediles - public admin
5. The 20 Quaestors - Assistant to the consul
6. Tribune - assembly of plebs
Social Divides in Rome
Society relied on patronage (the higher a man was in the social order, the greater his duty to
look after those below him; in return, he demanded obedience and unconditional support)
Patr icians
● Top of Roman society
● Made up of 30 rich and powerful families - at least 1 member of the family had served
in the Senate
→ Wealth came from owning land/estates, which grew with the Empire
Equites
● Wealthy men below the patricians
● Made up from knights and merchants
→ Wealth came from trade and business
Plebeians
● The majority of the people
● (Some plebeian families were very rich and served in the Senate as tribunes)
