Download How was Rome governed in the Late Republic

How was Rome governed in the Late Republic?
First off, we should note that the term ‘Late Republic’ usually refers
to the period from 133-31 BCE.
The basic government structure that existed at the dawn of the Late
Republic was a hierarchical system of offices, like the following:
Consul
Praetor
Aedile
Tribune of the Plebs
Quaestor
The Senate and the Citizen Assemblies were what we would equate with
the primary legislative bodies. This basic system remained throughout
the Late Republic, with some alterations by Sulla and various other
leaders.
The Consuls (of which there were two) were the joint Roman heads of
state, as well as commanders-in-chief of the army.
The Praetors (six after 197 BCE but this number tended to vary) were in
effect the chief law officer in Rome. He was in charge of the
judiciary and acted as the chief judge unless either of the Consuls
felt so inclined.
The Aediles (of which there were 4) was basically the manager or
supervisor of public works. They oversaw the organization of public
festivals and games (sweet job) and also the construction of temples
and administration of markets.
The Tribune of the Plebs (of which there were 10) were originally meant
to be the protectors of Plebeian interests, but later came to be
representatives of the Populus Romanus as a whole. They could veto the
action of any magistrate, propose laws to the Plebeian Assembly.
The Quaestors (originally 4, later 10) were in charge of the military
and civic treasury of Rome. Also were the primary record-keepers and
acted as aides to the two consuls. This office was the lowest
magistracy in Rome, often acted as the jumping-off point for aspiring
public figures.
Now for the Late Republic in particular...
The Late Republic is widely considered to be the creation of
Sulla and his reforms. The future leaders of Rome were hugely effected
by Sulla’s career, as they would have grown up during his rule and been
subject to reforms. As a result, those who would become Rome’s leading
political figures reacted in one of two ways to Sulla’s program: it was
either regarded as a paradigm to follow, or a path of corruption to be
avoided at all costs.
One of Sulla’s first moves following his ascent to power was to
institute his proscriptions (published lists of individuals who were
automatically condemned to death without trial) in 82 BCE. The sons
and grandsons of any individuals cited on the proscription lists were
barred from entering political life. Sulla’s proscription lists were
extensive– an indicator of the number of opponents to his enforced
rule– and thus deprived the state of the majority of political talent
available in Rome. On the whole, this caused severe social and
political disruptions which would set the tone for his later reforms
and the government of the Late Republic.
Sulla was determined to restore the state to the stable
condition that existed before the Gracchi instigated a series of reform
movements that would upset that balance. Following his proscriptions,
the Senate ranks were severely depleted, but Sulla made up the
difference and expanded the number of senators to 600, twice its
original size. Sulla evidently felt that a strong and dominant Senate
would provide the state with the stability he sought. He also revived
many of the restrictions on office that had long been ignored by
magistrates. These regulations restricted the praetorship to exquaestors and the consulship to ex-praetors. He also reinstated the
age restrictions that had previously been in existence. These changes
served to reinforce the hierarchical nature of the Roman government,
forcing politicians to move slowly up the magisterial ladder.
For Sulla, the tribunate represented one of the more dangerous
and variable offices. In the past, much of the ‘revolutionary
tendencies’ of the Roman populace had been instigated or fed by the
Tribunes. To prevent a repetition of the Gracchi’s political agenda,
Sulla curtailed the Tribunes’
powers to a great extent, and banned those who became Tribunes from
holding any other offices within Roman government. Sulla also had a
hate on for the equestrians, as many of them had stood in opposition to
his rule and reforms. As a result, he targeted them throughout his
career. They were already largely reduced in number as a result of the
proscriptions, and Sulla placed many of those who remained in the
Senate in an effort to blur their cultural identity. (The equestrians
had traditionally been strong opponents of the Senate and its members)
Many of Sulla’s reforms would eventually be reversed, the first
failed attempt by Lepidus in 78 and then later successfully by Pompey
and Crassus in 70. As consuls, Pompey and Crassus restored full powers
to the tribunate and re-established equestrian identity by choosing
two-thirds of the jurymen from among their ranks.
The Late Republic is characterized by a series of vibrant and
ambitious leaders, and marked by several dynamic power struggles
between these personalities. The Roman governmental system was
employed throughout the Late Republic as a means by which to gain
popularity and authority. Instead of having as its focus the proper
administration of the city and its inhabitants, the hierarchical system
of magistracies was used time and time again as a pawn and an
instrument by which to attack one’s personal opponents and secure the
road to power.