How Excessive Government Killed Ancient Rome - Bruce Bartlett
Rome government
Transcript of Rome government
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PART I
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When The Roman Kings’ Rule Ended• Recap: Romans revolted, threw out last of kings
Setup new type of government:
Republic—a state governed by elected officials
Who were the ‘Plebeians’?• from beginning, common people, plebeians, challenged patricians for power
• invaders threatened 494 BC; plebeians refused to fight until changes made
• patricians knew they would have no army, expanded plebeian rights
Who were the ‘Patricians’?• aristocratic families – wealthy and powerful
• patrician families controlled all society—politics, religion, economics, military
• maintained power through patronage system
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The Twelve Tables
• 450 BC, plebeians forced patricians to have all laws written down
• laws displayed in Roman Forum, central square, on 12 large bronze tablets
• because laws were posted, patrician judges could not make decisions based on own opinions or secret laws
Plebeian Council
• after receiving new rights, plebeians formed own assembly, Plebeian Council, to oversee affairs and protect interests
• gained right to elect officials known as tribunes
• Tribunes’ job—protect against unjust treatment by patrician officials
• gained right to veto—ban laws that seemed harmful, unjust
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POPULAR ASSEMBLIES
EXECUTIVE BRANCH/
MAGISTRATES
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
JUDICIAL BRANCH DICTATOR
ROMAN REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENT 509-31
BCE
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• Senate: 300 members, advised elected officials, controlled public finances, handled all foreign relations
• Popular assemblies: in these all citizens voted on laws, elected officials…
• Magistrates: governed in name of Senate and people, put laws into practice, acted as priests…
Elements of Government
• Patricians, plebeians worked out practical constitution
• Consisted of three parts: Senate, popular assemblies, magistrates
• Initially dominated by patricians; all state offices later open to both patricians, plebeians
New Offices and Institutions
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Consuls• two appointed - held imperium
(full power) for 1 year term
• chief executives, army commanders
• could veto (forbid) each other
Praetors• primarily judges, could act for
consuls if consuls away at war
• after terms ended, given military commands, appointed provisional governors
Censors• recorded wealth, residence of
population (census)
• ‘policed’ the Senate, in charge of public morality
Quaestors• served as assistants to consuls
• oversaw the financial administration of the republic
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Growth
• As Rome’s government changed, the Roman population continued to grow
• Rome needed more land for expanding population
• Began to settle surplus population on land acquired by conquering neighbors
Roman Army
• Organized into units called legions (approx. 4500 - 6000 men), backbone of which were centurions (commanders of 100 men units)
• Army highly disciplined, well-trained force, could fight in all types of terrain
Military Might
• Successful expansion not possible without powerful army
• All Roman men between ages 17 and 46 with minimum amount of property required to serve in army during times of war
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The Conquest of Sicily• Once in control of Italy, Rome turned attention to Sicily, large island to south
of Italian Peninsula
• In Sicily, Rome came into conflict with Carthage, powerful North African trading city
• Conflict grew into series of three wars
• Punic Wars raged for nearly 80 years
The Conquest of Italy• 265 BC, Romans had defeated Etruscans and Greek cities in Southern Italy
• Romans imposed two strict conditions on subject people—subjects had to provide troops for Roman army, abandon any dealings with foreign nations
• Other than those conditions, Rome rarely interfered with domestic affairs of people it conquered
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The Conquest of Sicily• Once in control of Italy, Rome turned attention to Sicily, large island to south
of Italian Peninsula
• In Sicily, Rome came into conflict with Carthage, powerful North African trading city
• Conflict grew into series of three wars
• Punic Wars raged for nearly 80 years
The Conquest of Italy• 265 BC, Romans had defeated Etruscans and Greek cities in Southern Italy
• Romans imposed two strict conditions on subject people—subjects had to provide troops for Roman army, abandon any dealings with foreign nations
• Other than those conditions, Rome rarely interfered with domestic affairs of people it conquered