ipl-logo

Roman Government Essay

784 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Democracy through the Roman republic

Located north of Rome, the Etruscans ruled the Romans for centuries. Many Romans were unhappy with the oppressive and corrupt rule of King Lucius Tarquinius Superbus so, in 509 BCE, the Romans avenged their defeat at the hands of the Etruscans by overthrowing the king and setting up a new political system (Boundless World History, 2022). Initially, power was held exclusively by wealthy citizens (the patricians), and the commoners (the plebians) had no voice in government (Khan Academy, n.d.).
New political offices were established between 494 and 287 BCE and Plebeians were granted access to higher political office, including the consulship. The plebeians finally felt that they had a voice in Roman politics due to the proliferation of voting …show more content…

The monarch was deposed in Rome, and two governors, the consuls, were elected to serve one-year terms with many of the king's powers. The Roman Senate was also an ancient Roman Republic governmental organization. The consuls and, subsequently, the censors appointed its members rather than having them run for office. While the consulship as we know it today did not likely come into existence until sometime around 300 BCE, the notion underlying it, that no one man should have too much power, was evident in early Roman philosophy and influenced the development of many of Rome's political systems (Khan Academy, …show more content…

To remain in office, a consul had to once again be chosen by the people in an election. The Roman people could vote for representatives to make laws on their behalf, each representative having the right to veto any proposed legislation or government action they disagreed with. To achieve this goal, the Roman people elected the Plebian Council, which could overturn any law passed in their name (Khan Academy, n.d.).
As we know ‘democracy’ today, some of its characteristics are the establishment of liberty, the rule of the majority, individual rights, free and open elections, public participation, and open agreement (Tomyn,

Show More
Related

How Democratic Was The Roman Republic Dbq

690 Words | 3 Pages

The Roman Republic was often known for its lasting influence for the development of Western political governance and ideals and is often hailed as a beacon of democracy in ancient history. But an in depth look reveals it to be more complex. While the Roman Republic held democratic elements that allowed citizen participation and representation, its political structure was ultimately characterized by a significant concentration of power among the elite and few for the average person. This essay will explore the extent of democracy within the Roman Republic, analyzing key aspects such as the electoral system, legislative bodies, and social hierarchy and the democratic nature and the implications it had on the overall governance of the state.

Read More

Similarities Between Han China And Imperial Rome

440 Words | 2 Pages

Imperial Rome had a democratic government, where the people voted for everything. They had two classes, the patricians and the plebeians. The Plebeians had all the control over the Senate and the Consuls for a while. Eventually, the plebeians were given control over the Tribunes to give them a voice. The patricians were the wealthy, land owners, and the upper class citizens.

Read More

Similarities Between Han China And Roman Empires

932 Words | 4 Pages

He was elected consul several times, and was the undisputed ruler of rome He provided land pensions for his soldiers, restricted the debts of a huge percentage of Rome’s debtors, and modified the calendar to make it appear more like the one used today Caesar was stabbed 23 times by the Senators in Rome because they declared that he had too much power Octavius, Lepidus, and Antony created a triumvirate, but it failed because it created a war Octavius won against Antony in the war, changed his name to Caesar Augustus, adopted the title emperor, and started printing coins The Roman Republic was not intact, and the Senate became useless Rome was first a city, then a city state, and then a republic Hannibal did not win against the Romans, so they were able to acquire

Read More

Key Differences Between The Roman And Roman Republic

193 Words | 1 Pages

The most important officials were the consuls, who served as chief executives of the government. They were elected every year by an assembly of citizens. The Roman Empire, on the other hand, was ruled by an emperor who had absolute power over the state. Another key difference

Read More

How Did Polybius Show The Perceptiveness Of Rome's Mixed Government

972 Words | 4 Pages

The kingship (or monarchy) would be represented by the consuls, the aristocracy by Senate, and democracy be represented by the assemblies. By complementing one another, this would ensure that the government would work efficiently without having any party rising to sole power. The effectiveness of this government was so overwhelming, even Polybius admitted that this led to “nearly the whole world fell under the power of Rome in somewhat less than 53 years – an event certainly without precedent” (Polybius, VI.

Read More

How Did Greek Government And Culture Influence Western Government

908 Words | 4 Pages

This shift was not in the form of a sudden revolution, and rather grew as a gradual switch from a monarchy previously under the Etruscans. The republic stood for liberty and extended citizenship of the people. In the Roman republic, the people chose officials to represent their interests. Dominating the government was a senate that was primarily made up of the wealthy, landholding class, known as patricians. This outraged the lower class plebeians, who later gained power and elected their own officials.

Read More

What Changes Did Augustus Bring To Rome

661 Words | 3 Pages

Rome was always a complex republic with democratic features, not a democracy in the contemporary sense. Rome had several kinds of citizen-driven institutions in the Republic (509–27 BC), including the Senate and the Assembly, but the system was strongly biased in favor of the rich and royal class. 1. What is the difference between a. and a. Participation of the public : Although frequently under the sway of the elites, the Roman Assembly gave the people the right to vote on legislation and choose magistrates. 2.

Read More

Examples Of How Democratic Was The Roman Republic

273 Words | 2 Pages

People known as Plebeians were excluded from many government jobs, voting was unfair, and everything outside of Rome was settled by the senate. The Roman government excluded the Plebeians from most rights that the Patricians had. Fifteen years after the Roman Republic formed, in 494 B.C., the Plebeians rebelled due to lack of political rights and tons of debt.

Read More

Roman Republic Dbq

184 Words | 1 Pages

If it weren 't for need for power and jealously/rivalry between generals ( Maricus, Sulla, Caesar, ad Pompey) the republic would have survived, thrived, and been more democratic. Rome developed into a city-state, first ruled by kings, then formed a new form of government called the Republic. For 500 years, Ancient Rome was governed by the Roman Republic. The Roman Republic was not upheld by a written document. The United States government is very similar to Rome’s model of the Republic.

Read More

How Did The Government Build The Roman Empire

1162 Words | 5 Pages

During the rule of the Roman Republic, most governmental power was given to the Senate, however, the people often needed one true leader. “In times of military emergency, when unity of command was sometimes necessary, Rome appointed a dictator” Since the people of the Roman Republic wanted a sole leader to completely unify them in times of hardship, it would only make sense to have a single ruler at all times to keep the Roman people from dividing. The government of Rome already knew how to shift from the power being in the hands of a sole leader because the government was made so it could be controlled by one person, so even though this was a major change, the government was already built to be able to handle it. The empire continued to have key features of the republic that increased stability. For example, the Senate continued from the government of the Roman Republic to the

Read More

Roman Bill Of Rights Essay

564 Words | 3 Pages

The citizens would elect Praetors, these were judges that ruled in the judicial branch and would be voted for each year(AR). Usually only the wealthy Praetors would be elected leaving out the middle and lower class citizens of Rome(AR).Today in The U.S., people can vote on issues that are addressed within America and are also able to vote on who is elected as the president no matter what financial state they are in. In Rome, the lower class citizens also known as the plebeians, were forced into the army and were furious at the fact that

Read More

Why Did The Roman Republic Fall

913 Words | 4 Pages

The Senate decided this was an opportunity for Pompey to take charge although many Senators became concerned of what may result in giving one man so much power. They had such reason to fear this as in 70BC a joint consulship was elected by the Popular Assembly between Pompey and Marcus Licinius Crassus, an extremely wealthy Roman general and politician. Although Sulla had in place, laws to prevent Pompey reaching such office at such a young age (34), Pompey’s overwhelming popularity easily overcame these obstacles and held no reason to pass through normal stages of office. The joint consulship of Crassus and Pompey was one of the most crucial political developments in the fall of the Roman Republic. It allowed for laws to once again be changed including restoring the power of tribunes.

Read More

How Democratic Was The Roman Republic

744 Words | 3 Pages

Introduction The Roman Republic was established in 509 BCE, after a long struggle against kingship. The Roman Republic was characterized by elements of democracy, such as the election of officials and the creation of a representative government. However, the Republic was also marked by undemocratic practices, such as the exclusion of plebeians and women from political power. This paper will discuss the circumstances that led to the establishment of the Roman Republic, the democratic elements of the Republic, and the undemocratic practices that made the Republic questionable.

Read More

Teen Advisors Essay

1266 Words | 6 Pages

“To empower and equip students to impact their peers through positive peer pressure” stated Teen Advisors, an organization trying to better society (Teen Advisors). Teen Advisors was put together to unite teens to work together to make an impact on people. The founder, DeeDee Stephens, found that teens can have a huge impact on one another. Teenagers can easily influence one another to perform the same actions. Teen Advisors developed a group that would represent a positive influence on people, encouraging kids not to condone drugs or sex.

Read More

The Role Of The Senate In The Ancient Roman Republic

293 Words | 2 Pages

The Roman government had many bodies, The Senate was a body which had 300 members, the senate was a political institution in the ancient Roman Republic. It was not an elected body, but one whose members were appointed by the consuls, and later by the censors. Various popular assemblies in which all citizens voted on laws and elected officials. Officials were called magistrates, who put the law into practice, governed in the name of the senate and people, and acted as priests. The point when the most recent ruler was taken out by two magistrates known as consuls.

Read More

More about Roman Government Essay

Related Topics

Open Document