Transcript The Establishment of the Roman Republic PowerPoint

The Roman Republic
Senatus Populusque Romanus=
Senate and People of Rome
TIME PERIODS
Roman Origins: Legend states 753 BCE
• settlements on Palatine Hill along the Tiber River
• ( Romans dated events from this starting point (A.U.C- “Ab Urbe
Condita”=from the founding of the city)
• Taken over by the ETRUSCANS to the North
Roman Republic 509-31 BCE
• Etruscan kings overthrown ; Rome wants to no more KINGS.
• A political system called a REPUBLIC is established with power in the hands of
elected officials as well as an elite group of men from the founding aristocracy:
THE SENATE
• Ended with Battle of Actium in 31 BCE
Roman Empire 31 BCE-476 CE
A series of EMPERORS (some effective, many ineffective, self-serving and dangerous)
End of Western Roman Empire traditionally dated to 476 CE, when last emperor,
Romulus Augustus, deposed by invading BARBARIANS.
Summary of WHO held the power in
the Early Republic
• The ruling aristocracy were called the Patricians:
Patres=Father
• Originally, only men from these historically "great"
families could hold political or religious office: i.e. Julii,
Claudii, Cornelii
• All Roman citizens who were NOT patricians were
classed as PLEBEIANS (it is inaccurate to called this
division a rich vs. poor one since MANY plebeians were
quite wealthy.
• The wealthy Plebeians would soon take on a leadership
role by rallying their class to seek more political equality
in Rome.
Early Government of the Republic:
Patricians and Plebeians
Patricians
• Land holding aristocracy
• Controlled the government of the
Republic
• Two consuls elected for a one-year
• One could be given title of dictator
in times of crisis(but only for 6
months)
• Senate About 300 patricians
• Served for life
• Controlled by about 12 Patrician
families
Plebeians
• Middle and Lower class of people
• Some owned land, owned businesses
or worked farms as tenant farmersthus, all levels of wealth
• Forced to serve in the military if they
met the requirements (had to own land
and provide own weapons)
• Few rights and little power
• Could not run for public office, but
could vote (often bribed)
• Could not marry into the nobility (the
patrician class)
• Little say in the creation of laws
• Continuously threatened to break
away from Rome and create their own
city.
Other Elected Roman Officials
(Public Offices)
Dictators, with
absolute power, were
elected by the Senate
in times of emergency
to rule for six months.
Praetors were in
charge of administering
justice, could command
armies
Aediles ran city
(“local”) government:
maintained roads, water
supply, roads and
games
Censors kept track of citizen property lists,
Quaesters were in
charge of Roman finances.
and in later years took charge of public
morality. Could appoint new senators and
remove any for impropriety. MOST famous
was CATO the Elder
The Plebeian struggle for Social and Political rights is called
the Conflict of Orders
The Issues:
1. Plebeians are spending a lot of time serving the army during the many wars of
the republic.
RESULT: Plebeians are going into debt because they cannot work their farms
2. There is no uniform system of laws.
RESULT: The Plebeians are being taken advantage of by the Patricians who
control the law courts.
3. Political offices are not open to the Plebeians
RESULT: They cannot pass or influence laws that would benefit them and help
them remedy the above
***They also WENT ON STRIKE and refused to serve in the Roman military.
(this made the Patricians listen…. SEE NEXT SLIDE)
Plebeians finally start to earn greater political
rights in Rome.
After over 100 years of protests and conflicts,
This is what they got….
ASSEMBLY: Plebeians
got their own assembly.
(Concilium Plebis)
PUBLIC OFFICES: These
were opened to Plebeians.
Even election to be a
consul
TRIBUNES: Plebeians got to elect 10 tribunes.
These were officials with veto (“I forbid”) power. Their
role was to watch for abuses against the Plebeians in
any of the Public Offices and intervene on the behalf
of the Plebeians. (could veto unjust laws for instance)
They could also propose NEW LAWS in the
assembly)
TWELVE TABLES:
Laws were written
down. This
protected
plebeians from
biased patrician
judges. 450 B.C.E.
INTERMARRIAGE:
Plebeians were
given the right to
marry patricians.
To Summarize…
• Rome was governed by the SENATE and
PEOPLE of Rome….very much in that
order.
• Even though public office was open to all
male citizens of Rome (democratic), the
SENATE still held the most power as they
influenced policy and made the military
decisions.
Typical Roman “Career” Path
•
•
•
•
Start off as Quaestor at age 28 (min. age)
Next, become an Aedile or Tribune of the People
Seek election as Praetor
If you are VERY popular, you could now seek election to become a
consul
• After your term, you could end your career as a Censor
Competition amongst the ELITE for these positions
was INTENSE.
The Roman Ideal…
• Being part of the Senatorial Elite was the ultimate in
social and political status in Rome.
• There was a pecking order in the Senate determined by
each man’s “Dignitas” (based on your ancestor’s
reputation and the honourable deeds of your family)
• A man could “add” to his family’s dignitas by increasing
his own through “Gloria” .
• The highest form of gloria was achieved through
war, through leading armies to victory
• Every Roman noble sought gloria to increase his dignitas
and surpass his rivals within the senatorial elite.
Why the Punic Wars are
Important…
Yes, Rome gains its first provinces and begins to
build an Empire.
But also, the “model” of the Roman Ideal emerged
in Scipio Africanus.
Men who sought to outdo to prestige of this man,
would soon threaten the very system that gave
them power….THE REPUBLIC
SCIPIO AFRICANUS
Scipio, was the incredibly successful Roman General during the
Second Punic War. In him we see for the first time a man whose
personal authority and gloria threatened the collective rule of the
senate. When Scipio became consul in 205 before the ZAMA
campaign, he had only just reached 30 ears of age. He had never held
any of the junior offices usually required before the consulship and was
given command ahead of older men of his time. Scipio’s
unprecedented career, raised the bar of competition for all of the
senatorial elite. We can see now, that Scipio was the first of the
Republican Warlords. Men whose charisma, wealth and gloria gave
them the status to rival the senate. It was inevitable that others would
seek to rival Scipio’s achievement. The long line of warlords to emerge
after him, culminated in Julius Caesar….
~Paraphrased from The Roman Republic By David M Gwynn~
WHAT PROBLEMS DO WE
SEE IN ROME’S FUTURE?