Rome, city, Italy: The Roman Republic

The Romans overthrew their foreign rulers c.500 b.c. and established the Roman republic, which lasted four centuries. The patrician class controlled the government, but the plebs (who comprised by far the major portion of the population) were allowed to elect the two patrician consuls, who held joint power. The vitality of the patricians was remarkable, and long after political power had been granted to the plebs, experienced patricians continued to govern Rome.

As the majority realized its power and the aristocracy continued its rule, the people demanded (and received) privilege after privilege; the greatest were the election of plebeian tribunes (see tribune) and the codification (c.450 b.c.) of the Twelve Tables. With the growth of the city, multiplication of consular duties called for new officials: quaestor, praetor, and censor. The three popular assemblies, or comitia, developed slowly, but they quietly abstracted legislative power from the patricians. The ancient senate, theoretically the supreme power of the state, became more and more powerful until in the 3d cent. b.c. it controlled the consuls completely.

Although the Roman republic was never a true democracy, historians have modified the traditional view that it was the tool of a powerful aristocracy and have acknowledged that the system had open aspects beyond the control of the ruling class. It remains true, however, that it was under senatorial administration that Rome began its march to world supremacy and that in the end the senate was crushed under the weight of the huge problems of empire.

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Napoleon to the Present
• Rome during the Renaissance
• Renaissance and Modern Rome
• Medieval Rome
• The Empire Declines
• Augustus and the Pax Romana
• Julius Caesar
• Effects of Expansion
• Conquests Overseas and to the East
• The Subduing of Italy
• The Roman Republic
• Rome before Augustus
• Landmarks and Institutions
• Economy
• The Modern City

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