Download The Roman Republic was established in 509 B.C., after Roman

The Roman Republic was established in 509 B.C., after Roman nobles overthrew the king. The new gover
nment kept many features of the earlier system, including the Senate and citizen assemblies. Two ele
cted officials called consuls headed the government. The consuls shared power, but either consul cou
ld veto the actions of the other. A consul served for only a year. The Senate was the most powerful
government body of the Roman Republic. The Senate conducted foreign policy, passed decrees, and hand
led the government's finances. Senators, unlike consuls, served for life. At first, all senators wer
e patricians. Patricians were members of Rome's oldest and richest families. Patricians controlled n
ot only the Senate but also the assembly that elected the consuls and other important officials. All
the rest of Rome's citizens, who were called plebeians, had little political influence. To obtain p
olitical rights, plebeians formed their own assembly, the Concilium Plebis, and elected leaders call
ed tribunes. Largely through the work of the tribunes, plebeians gradually gained the same political
rights as the patricians. In time, a new and larger assembly, the Comitia Tributa, developed. It re
presented both patricians and plebeians, but plebeians largely controlled the assembly. Expansion ov
erseas made Rome a mighty kingdom during the 200's and 100's B.C. Rome came into conflict first with
Carthage, a sea power and trading center on the coast of northern Africa. Rome and Carthage fought
for mastery of the Mediterranean Sea in three struggles called the Punic Wars. In the First Punic Wa
r (264-241 B.C.), Rome conquered Sicily, an island off the tip of Italy, and made it the first Roman
province. Rome also seized two other Mediterranean islands--Sardinia and Corsica. In the Second Pun
ic War (218-201 B.C.), the brilliant Carthaginian general Hannibal Barca led his army over the Alps
into Italy. He won several key battles, but Roman manpower and endurance eventually wore him down. U
nder Publius Cornelius Scipio's leadership, the Roman forces defeated Hannibal in 202 B.C. In the Th
ird Punic War (149-146 B.C.), Rome destroyed Carthage. These victories brought the Mediterranean coa
sts of Spain and Africa under Roman control. After the Second Punic War, Rome began to expand in the
east. At first, Rome acted to protect its allies along Italy's east coast from pirate raids. Howeve
r, it soon became involved in conflicts between Greece and Macedonia. Macedonia, which lay north of
Greece, had conquered the Greeks in 338 B.C. Rome posed as the liberator of the Greeks. Nevertheless
, by the 140's B.C., it had taken control of Greece and Macedonia. In 133 B.C., King Attalus III of
Pergamum, a Roman ally, died and left his kingdom (now part of Turkey) to Rome. Two reasons help exp
lain Rome's remarkable expansion overseas. First, Rome built an alliance of cities in Italy that sup
plied the army with enormous manpower. Second, pride in their military power and government institut
ions gave the Romans great confidence in their superiority and in the justness of their cause. Altho
ugh the Romans had triumphed overseas, they faced growing discontent at home. Wealthy Romans profite
d from the tax revenues, slaves, and looted property that poured into Rome from defeated lands. But
unemployment rose as plantations worked by slaves drove out the small farmers, and the gap between r
ich and poor widened. In 133 and 123 B.C., two Roman tribunes tried to help the poor. Tiberius Gracc
hus and his brother, Gaius Gracchus, promoted a program to distribute state-owned land to the poor.
However, the majority of the Senate opposed them, and both brothers were assassinated. Conflicts amo
ng leaders caused upheaval in the Roman Republic during its last 100 years. Revolts by Rome's Italia
n allies, a war in Asia, and unrest at home weakened the republic. In 82 B.C., the Roman general Luc
ius Sulla became dictator. Sulla restored stability to the government and strengthened the Senate by
bringing in new leaders. Sulla retired in 79 B.C., but he had given Rome a taste of one-man rule. I
n the 60's B.C., Rome again began to expand overseas. The Roman general Pompey conquered eastern Asi
a Minor, Syria, and Judea. He returned to Rome a popular hero, but the Senate refused to recognize h
is victories. As a result, Pompey and two other Roman leaders--Julius Caesar and Marcus Crassus--for
med a three-man political alliance called the First Triumvirate in 60 B.C. Crassus died in warfare i
n 53 B.C. Other Roman leaders then tried to split the two surviving members of the Triumvirate. From
58 to 51 B.C., Caesar conquered Gaul, thereby adding the huge territory west of the Rhine River to
the Roman world. Pompey and the Senate feared Caesar's power and ambition, and they ordered him to g
ive up his command. But Caesar marched his troops across the Rubicon, a stream that separated Italy
from Gaul, and invaded Italy in 49 B.C. In the civil war that followed, Caesar defeated Pompey and h
is followers. By 45 B.C., Caesar had become sole ruler of the Roman world. A group of aristocrats wh
o hoped to revive the Roman Republic assassinated him in 44 B.C. Civil war again broke out after Cae
sar's death. In 43 B.C., Caesar's adopted son and heir, Octavian, formed the Second Triumvirate with
two army officers, Mark Antony and Marcus Lepidus. Octavian and Antony defeated Caesar's enemies an
d soon pushed Lepidus aside. Octavian and Antony then fought each other for control of Rome. Antony
sought the support of Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, and they fell in love. In 31 B.C., Octavian defeate
d the forces of Antony and Cleopatra in the Battle of Actium off the west coast of Greece. The next
year, the Romans conquered Egypt and made it a Roman province. After the defeat of Antony, Octavian
was the unchallenged leader of the Roman world. In 27 B.C., he became the first Roman emperor and to
ok the name Augustus, meaning exalted. In spite of his power, Augustus avoided the title of emperor.
He preferred to be called princeps, meaning first citizen. Nearly 20 years of civil war had destroy
ed the republic. Only a strong central authority seemed able to govern the empire. This where the Ro
man Republic ended and the Roman Empire began. The reign of Augustus marked the beginning of a long
period of stability, which became known as the Pax Romana (Roman Peace). The Pax Romana lasted about
200 years. Augustus reestablished orderly government and the rule of law. The Senate, consuls, and
tribunes still functioned, but Augustus had supreme power. He commanded the army, controlled the pro
vinces, and filled the Senate with his supporters. The United States of the 21st Century faces strug
gles that can be compared in some ways to the struggles that the Roman Republic faced. Overall thoug
h, the United States is not in the same position as the Roman Republic was when it transformed into
an empire. The Roman Republic had been weakened by years of civil war. The change of government from
a republic to an empire was almost necessary for the survival of Rome. After the many conflicts due
to civil wars, the Republic was nearly destroyed and the situation in Rome was chaotic. A change to
an empire was really the only solution to the problems. As stated earlier, only a strong central au
thority seemed able to govern the empire. Another thing to keep in mind is how much society has chan
ged since the Roman Republic. Many of the conflicts that occurred toward the end of the Roman Empire
would never occur within the modern society of the United States. For example, If a leader from ano
ther country were to assassinate President George Bush, they would not take control over our governm
ent. Also, in order to avenge his brother's death, you would not find Jeb Bush raising an army and a
ttacking the enemy. The reason for this is simple; the United States of the 21st Century is not near
ly as archaic and barbaric as the Roman Republic was. Although some of our situations may be compare
d to those Roman Republic faces during its change to an empire, overall our problems are different i
n nature. The United States will remain a strong democracy and will not follow the same path as Rome
...One that led to disaster and downfall.
roman republic established after roman nobles overthrew k
ing government kept many features earlier system including senate citizen assemblies elected officia
ls called consuls headed government consuls shared power either consul could veto actions other cons
ul served only year senate most powerful government body roman republic senate conducted foreign pol
icy passed decrees handled finances senators unlike consuls served life first senators were patricia
ns patricians were members rome oldest richest families patricians controlled only also assembly tha
t elected other important officials rest rome citizens were called plebeians little political influe
nce obtain political rights plebeians formed their assembly concilium plebis elected leaders called
tribunes largely through work tribunes plebeians gradually gained same political rights time larger
assembly comitia tributa developed represented both largely controlled expansion overseas made rome
mighty kingdom during came into conflict first with carthage power trading center coast northern afr
ica carthage fought mastery mediterranean three struggles punic wars first punic conquered sicily is
land italy made province also seized other mediterranean islands sardinia corsica second punic brill
iant carthaginian general hannibal barca army over alps into italy several battles manpower enduranc
e eventually wore down under publius cornelius scipio leadership forces defeated hannibal third dest
royed carthage these victories brought mediterranean coasts spain africa under control after second
began expand east acted protect allies along italy east coast from pirate raids however soon became
involved conflicts between greece macedonia macedonia which north greece conquered greeks posed libe
rator greeks nevertheless taken control greece macedonia king attalus pergamum ally died left kingdo
m part turkey reasons help explain remarkable expansion overseas built alliance cities that supplied
army with enormous manpower second pride their military power institutions gave romans great confid
ence their superiority justness cause although romans triumphed overseas they faced growing disconte
nt home wealthy romans profited from revenues slaves looted property that poured into from defeated
lands unemployment rose plantations worked slaves drove small farmers between rich poor widened trib
unes tried help poor tiberius gracchus brother gaius gracchus promoted program distribute state owne
d land poor however majority opposed them both brothers assassinated conflicts among leaders caused
upheaval republic during last years revolts italian allies asia unrest home weakened general lucius
sulla became dictator sulla restored stability strengthened bringing leaders sulla retired given tas
te rule again began expand general pompey conquered eastern asia minor syria judea returned popular
hero refused recognize victories result pompey julius caesar marcus crassus formed three alliance tr
iumvirate crassus died warfare then tried split surviving members triumvirate caesar gaul thereby ad
ding huge territory west rhine river world pompey feared caesar ambition they ordered give command m
arched troops across rubicon stream separated gaul invaded civil followed defeated followers become
sole ruler world group aristocrats hoped revive assassinated civil again broke after death adopted h
eir octavian formed triumvirate with army officers mark antony marcus lepidus octavian antony enemie
s soon pushed lepidus aside octavian antony then fought each control sought support cleopatra queen
egypt they fell love forces cleopatra battle actium west coast next year egypt made province defeat
unchallenged leader world became emperor took name augustus meaning exalted spite augustus avoided t
itle emperor preferred princeps meaning citizen nearly years civil destroyed only strong central aut
hority seemed able govern empire this where ended empire began reign augustus marked beginning long
period stability which known romana peace romana lasted about years reestablished orderly rule still
functioned supreme commanded controlled provinces filled supporters united states century faces str
uggles compared some ways struggles faced overall though united states same position when transforme
d empire been weakened change almost necessary survival many conflicts wars nearly destroyed situati
on chaotic change really solution problems stated earlier strong central authority seemed able gover
n another thing keep mind much society changed since many occurred toward would never occur within m
odern society united states example leader another country assassinate president george bush would t
ake over also order avenge brother death would find bush raising attacking enemy reason this simple
century nearly archaic barbaric although some situations compared those faces during change overall
problems different nature will remain strong democracy will follow same path disaster downfallEssay,
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