1. Political Set-up of Ancient Rome
WHI: SOL 6c
Political Set-up of Ancient Rome

2. Birth of a Republic Rome began in 509 b.c.e
Established a republic “that which belongs to the people”
People chose some of the officials
Meant to prevent any individual from gaining too much power

3. Features of the Roman Republic
Representative democracy
Assemblies
Senate
Consuls
Tribunes
Laws of Rome codified as Twelve Tables

4. Political Set-up (Senate)
Senate made the laws and controlled the government
300 members
All patricians (at first)

5. Political Set-up (Consuls)
Each year, senate chose two consuls (patricians) who commanded the armies and supervised the business of the government
Could only serve one term
Had to approve each other’s decisions

6. Political Set-up (Assemblies)
Assemblies were used to vote on legislative, electoral, and judicial matters.
A gathering that was deemed to represent the entire Roman people.
Conventions were simply forums where Romans met for unofficial purposes, for example, to hear a political speech.
Voters always assembled first into Conventions to hear debates and conduct other business and then into Assemblies to actually vote.

8. Political Set-up (Tribunes)
In time, plebeians gain the right to elect their own officials called tribunes
10 members to evaluate laws passed by the Senate
The tribunes could veto, or block laws that they felt were harmful to the plebeian class
Eventually the plebeians forced the senate to choose plebeian consuls and admit plebeians to the senate

10. Emergency Plan (Dictator)
In the event of war or crisis, the senate would choose a dictator or ruler who has complete control over the government for 6 months
Each dictator had control for 6months than had to give up power
Ex. Cincinnatus (organized the army, led them to victory, attended celebrations then returned to his farm all in 15 days)

11. Law Code (Twelve Tables)
450 b.c. inscription of laws of Rome on 12 tablets
Tablets were set-up in the Roman forum (marketplace)
Plebeians had protested that citizens could not know what the laws were because they weren’t written down
Laws of the Twelve Tables- codified set of laws applied to all citizens
Made it possible for the plebeians to appeal a judgment handed down by a patrician judge

14. Expansion of the Republic
Citizen-soldiers made up the army
Small stipend, mostly glory and spoils of war
Legion-about 5,000 men
Roman soldiers valued courage, loyalty, and respect for authority

15. Expansion of the Republic
Rome treats conquered people with justice
Had to acknowledge Roman leadership, pay taxes, and supply soldiers
Rome let them keep their cultures
A few were granted full citizenship
Some partial citizenship- ability to marry Romans and participate in Roman trade
Built all weather roads, posted military throughout its territory