How Roman Republican Government Worked
The Roman Republic (509-27 BCE) developed a complex system to prevent any one person from gaining too much power.
The Consuls
- Led armies
- Presided over Senate
- Could veto each other
- Couldn't serve consecutive terms
In emergencies, the Senate could appoint a Dictator with absolute power — but only for six months.
The Senate
- Advised consuls on policy
- Controlled public finances
- Managed foreign affairs
- Assigned military commands
Senators served for life. Real power resided here.
Popular Assemblies
Centuriate Assembly: Elected consuls, declared war. Votes weighted by wealth.
Tribal Assembly: Elected lower magistrates, passed laws.
Plebeian Council: Elected tribunes, passed laws binding on all citizens.
The Tribunes
- Could veto any official action
- Were sacrosanct (attacking them was capital crime)
- Proposed laws to Plebeian Council
Tribunes were the common people's protection against patrician abuse.
The Cursus Honorum
Romans climbed a ladder of offices:
1. Quaestor (treasury) — age 30+
2. Aedile (public works) — optional
3. Praetor (courts, military) — age 39+
4. Consul (executive) — age 42+
5. Censor (census, morality) — ex-consuls only
This system ensured experience before power.
Why It Fell
- Wealth concentrated in few hands
- Armies became loyal to generals, not Rome
- Politicians used violence
- The system couldn't handle empire-scale challenges
Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon. The Republic was finished.
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