The Government of Rome

“At first Rome was ruled by kings, the last of whom was an Etruscan. Later, the people rebelled and set up a republic.” (Millard 86) “For the Romans, a republic was not a democracy.” (source)

The government was set up like this: “Two consuls who acted as heads of state and controlled the armed forces were elected each year. [A governing body called the Senate advised these elected consuls.] Other government officials included quaestors who dealt with the finances, censors who kept a register of citizens’ names, tribunes who protected the interests of working people and aedilies who supervised public works.” (Keller 8) In emergencies, Rome could bring in a dictator for a short time. “A dictator could give orders that even the two consuls had to obey.” (source)

“In the Roman Republic, only male citizens with money and property could vote. In addition, the more wealth a citizen had, the greater was his power.” (source) “The rich and powerful people of ancient Rome were the patricians.” (source) Only they could hold government offices. They were not allowed to marry plebians- the lower and more numerous class. Likewise, plebians could not marry patricians. (source)

However, Rome changed when “many men plotted to gain control and there were civil wars. Julius Caesar, a great general, marched his army to Rome in 49 B.C. Caesar soon gained power and brought peace. But one group, fearing he planned to make himself king, stabbed him to death on the Ides (the 15th) of March 44 B.C. There were more civil wars until Octavian, Caesar’s heir, defeated his rival, Mark Antony. Antony and his wife, Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, killed themselves. Octavian was given the title Augustus and later became the first emperor of Rome. He restored order in the army and revived old Roman customs.” (Millard 87) “The rule of Emperor Augustus brought an end to the Roman republic with elected leaders. In its place, a peaceful empire was set up.” (Millard 88)

“After Augustus, the Roman empire was ruled by strong emperors. From the time of Marcus Aurelius, however, the empire was troubled by barbarian invasions. Eventually Emperor Diocletian divided the empire into four parts, each with its own capital city.” (Millard 90) “People in the Roman empire asked barbarians to protect them against other barbarians. But the attacks went on…. Roman emperors, in need of good soldiers, paid barbarians to lead their armies.” (Millard 91) “In 410, the Goths, under Alaric, sacked Rome, practically ending Roman administration in the western Mediterranean.” (source) The Roman empire then split into two. The last emperor of the western empire was Romulus Augustulus. He was deposed by Odoacer, “a Germanic leader in the Roman army” (source) in 476, and Rome fell.


Works Cited

Foster, Genevieve. Augustus Caesar’s World: 44 B.C. to A.D. 14. Sandwich, Massachusetts: Beautiful Feet Books. 1947.

Millard, Dr. Anne and Patricia Vanags. The Usborne Book of World History. London: Usborne Publishing Ltd. 1995.