Malcolm Rivera
The Roman Republic, which began in 509 BCE, was the first constitutional system of Rome. It emerged after the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, which was ruled by a succession of kings. The Roman constitution was a democratic society consisting of the Senate and four assemblies: the Comitia Curiata, the Comitia Centuriata, the Concilium Plebis, and the Comitia Tributa. The constitution was unwritten and evolved over time, with institutions such as the consuls, the senate, and tribunes taking on significantly different roles in the early republic compared to the fourth century BC. The first written law code of Rome, the Law of the Twelve Tables, was inscribed on 12 bronze tablets in 451 BCE.
Explore related products
$16.45 $18.95
What You'll Learn
The Roman Republic
The magistrates were the most important part of the Roman Republic's constitution. The most important magistrates were the consuls and the plebeian tribunes. The consuls' main role was to lead the republic's armies in war, and they were endowed with the power to command and consult the gods. In times of emergency, a consul could appoint a dictator, who usually exercised absolute command before resigning. The plebeian tribunes had the power to veto any other magistrate's actions and were the main legislators, with the power to call an assembly of the people and propose laws. Almost all magistrates served for a term of one year.
The Conflict of the Orders granted plebeian citizens equal political rights, creating the tribunate to check patrician power and empowering the plebeian assembly, an assembly composed of the plebeians of Rome, with full legislative authority. The plebeians, or common people, had their own council in which they enacted resolutions called plebiscita. After the passage of the Lex Hortensia in 287 BC, these plebiscita became binding on all classes of citizens.
Octavian's First Political Reinvention: A Masterful Transformation
You may want to see also
The Law of the Twelve Tables
The original tablets were destroyed, according to tradition, when Rome was sacked by the Gauls in 390 BC. However, their content has been partially reconstructed through references in later juridical writings. The Law of the Twelve Tables remains a significant milestone in the evolution of Roman law and the protection of citizens' rights.
The Body's First Defense: Understanding Disease Resistance
You may want to see also
The Conflict of the Orders
The conflict arose from the plebeians' dissatisfaction with their treatment by the patricians, who held all political power. The plebeians, who comprised the majority of Roman society, endured long working hours, had minimal benefits, bore the brunt of taxation, and were not recognised as equals. In 495 B.C.E., the plebeians took their first significant action, staging a labour strike known as the first secessio plebis. They abandoned their fields and businesses, retreating to the Sacred Mountain in Roman religion, known as Mons Sacra. This act of protest demonstrated the growing discontent among the plebeians, who sought to assert their rights and gain political representation.
Gradually, the plebeians made strides towards achieving their goals. By the end of the conflict in 287 BC, they had attained political equality with the patricians. While initially, only patricians could hold political office, these restrictions were eventually lifted, and all offices became accessible to plebeians. This shift in power dynamics marked a significant turning point in the history of ancient Rome, reshaping the social and political landscape of the Roman Republic.
It is worth noting that the understanding of the Conflict of the Orders is based primarily on historical accounts by writers such as Livy and Cicero, which may blend facts with fable. Additionally, the lack of contemporaneous records and the uncertainty surrounding the identity of the plebs contribute to the challenges in fully comprehending this complex period in Roman history.
Murder in the First Degree: Understanding the Legal Definition
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$19.75 $29.95
The Roman Empire
The Roman Republic lasted from 509 to 27 BC, when the Roman Empire was established. The Roman Republic emerged after the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, which was traditionally dated to 509 BC, though the preceding regal period (753–509 BC) is one of the most poorly documented periods of Roman history. The Roman monarchy is thought to have been terminated through military defeat and foreign intervention, with the Etruscans, the people of the central Italian region of Etruria, playing a significant role.
The Roman Republic was in a near-constant state of war, while the Roman Empire's first 200 years were relatively peaceful. The Roman Republic was also a time of great legislative activity, with the creation of the Lex Hortensia in 287 BC, which gave the common people, or plebeians, the power to enact resolutions that were binding on all classes of citizens. The Roman Republic saw the development of provincial administration and the promagistracy, with Rome acquiring overseas provinces for the first time, which were governed by consuls or praetors assigned by the senate.
The transition from the Roman Republic to the Roman Empire was marked by the rise of Octavian, who was granted the title of "Augustus" by the senate and was made the master of the state by the Senate and the People of Rome. Octavian retained control over the Praetorial provinces, which gave him command over most of the Roman army. He also took the title of Princeps, or "first citizen", presenting himself as the “first among equals" rather than a king, as monarchy was still repugnant to most Romans.
The constitution of the Roman Empire under Augustus retained the three main bodies of the Roman Republic: the magistrates, the senate, and the people. However, the powers of the various Roman assemblies were reduced, and elections were done away with in favour of appointments by the emperor. Augustus held tribunician powers, which allowed him to call the senate, propose legislation, and exercise a veto. While he refused to take on more powers than he was granted, he did, at times, exercise powers that he did not legally have, securing temporary legislation to do so. One significant flaw in the constitution left by Augustus was the matter of succession, which led to a violent crisis in 69 AD.
The Evolution of Pakistan's First Constitution
You may want to see also
The Dictator and Magister Equitum
The Roman Republic was a democratic society with a government consisting of the Senate and four assemblies: the Comitia Curiata, the Comitia Centuriata, the Concilium Plebis, and the Comitia Tributa. In times of emergency, the Senate and consuls could appoint a temporary dictator to rule for a limited time. The dictator was selected by the consuls to resolve issues facing the republic that ordinary magistrates could not deal with. The dictator had summum imperium and supreme authority within the scope of his mandate.
The dictator's lieutenant was the magister equitum, or "master of the horse". The magister equitum was appointed by the dictator and had similar plenary authority, with parallel and somewhat subordinate authority to the dictator. The magister equitum's nominal function was to serve as commander of the Roman cavalry in times of war, but they could also operate independently of the cavalry. The magister equitum was a valuable stepping stone for those seeking higher office in the Roman state. In the later republic, it was common for the magister equitum to be chosen from men of praetorian rank.
The magister equitum was entitled to wear the toga praetexta, sit in the sella curulis, and was escorted by six lictors, a ceremonial bodyguard awarded to magistrates with imperium. The magister equitum could be prosecuted after their term ended, and their appointment expired when the dictator's emergency had passed or after six months.
The first dictator is believed to have been either Titus Larcius in 501 BC or Manius Valerius Maximus, though Livy thought it improbable that it was the latter as he had not previously been a consul. The first magister equitum was Spurius Cassius Vecellinus.
The Evolution of Connecticut's First Constitution
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The first constitutional system of Rome was that of the Roman Republic. It developed after the overthrow of the Roman monarchy in 509 BC.
The Roman Republic was a democratic society that was in a near-constant state of war. Its government consisted of the Senate and four assemblies: the Comitia Curiata, the Comitia Centuriata, the Concilium Plebis, and the Comitia Tributa.
In 451 BC, Rome received its first written law code, inscribed upon 12 bronze tablets and publicly displayed in the forum. The Law of the Twelve Tables covered legal procedure, debt foreclosure, paternal authority over children, property rights, inheritance, and funerary regulations.
