The Roman Republic: Rise of an Empire
From a city-state to Mediterranean superpower — the republic that shaped the world
10 Episodes
Audio Lessons
264 Minutes
Total Learning
Beginner
Friendly
The Republic That Conquered the World
For nearly 500 years, Rome was a republic — governed not by kings or emperors but by elected officials, complex institutions, and citizen soldiers. This republic conquered the Mediterranean, destroyed Carthage, absorbed Greece, and spread Roman law, language, and roads across three continents.
Then it tore itself apart in civil wars, paving the way for the emperors.
What You'll Learn
The Birth of the Republic
509 BC: Rome expels its kings and creates something new. Two consuls share power. The Senate advises. Citizens vote. It wasn't democracy — but it wasn't tyranny either.
SPQR: How Rome Was Governed
The Senate, magistrates, assemblies, and the delicate balance of power. How Romans prevented any one man from dominating — until they couldn't.
The Citizen Soldier
Rome's military was its citizens. The legions conquered because Romans saw war as a civic duty. We'll explore how the army worked and evolved.
Wars of Expansion
The Fall of the Republic
Gracchi reforms, Marius and Sulla, Pompey, Caesar — the republic's final century was marked by violence, ambition, and the erosion of norms. How did a centuries-old system collapse?
All Episodes
10 audio lessons • 264 minutes total
Birth of the Republic: Overthrowing the Kings
Coming SoonThe legendary kings of Rome. The rape of Lucretia and the revolt. 509 BC and the new constitution. Why Romans hated the word 'king.'
~25 min
SPQR: How the Republic Worked
Coming SoonThe Senate and its powers. Consuls, praetors, tribunes. The assemblies. Checks and balances. Cursus honorum. The class struggle: patricians vs plebeians.
~30 min
The Roman Legion: Citizens at War
Coming SoonEarly legion structure. The manipular system. Marian reforms. How legions fought. Engineering and logistics. Why Roman armies won.
~25 min
The Punic Wars
Carthage: the rival power. First Punic War and naval invention. Hannibal's invasion. Cannae disaster. Scipio Africanus. Destruction of Carthage.
Conquering the Greek World
Coming SoonMacedonia and the Hellenistic kingdoms. Roman intervention in Greece. Corinth destroyed. Cultural conquest: Greece captures Rome.
~25 min
Rome’s Provinces
Coming SoonFrom city-state to provincial power. How Rome governed conquered lands. Exploitation and taxation. Governors and corruption. Benefits of Roman rule.
~25 min
Crisis Begins: The Gracchi Brothers
Coming SoonLand reform crisis. Tiberius Gracchus and the tribunate. His murder and precedent. Gaius Gracchus continues. Violence enters Roman politics.
~25 min
Marius and Sulla: Military Strongmen
Coming SoonMarius's military reforms. Private armies. Sulla's march on Rome. Proscriptions and dictatorship. The precedent for Caesar.
~25 min
Pompey and Crassus: The First Triumvirate Era
Coming SoonRise of Pompey. Slave revolt and Crassus. The First Triumvirate. Caesar in Gaul. Political maneuvering and breakdown.
~25 min
The Republic's Fall: Why It Ended
Coming SoonStructural causes. Military loyalty to generals. Wealth inequality. Political violence. Optimates vs populares. Was the fall inevitable?
~30 min
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