framework: from monarchy to republic fall of monarchy –tarquinius superbus –rebellion of...
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Framework: From Monarchy to Republic• Fall of Monarchy
– Tarquinius Superbus
– Rebellion of Aristocracy
Framework: From Monarchy to Republic• Fall of Monarchy
– Tarquinius Superbus
– Rebellion of Aristocracy
• What is a Republic?
– Res publica
– Senate populesque Romanus (SPQR)
– State without a…
– Checks and Balances
Framework: From Monarchy to Republic• Fall of Monarchy
– Tarquinius Superbus
– Rebellion of Aristocracy
• What is a Republic?
– Res publica
– Senate populesque Romanus (SPQR)
– State without a king
– Checks and Balances
• Arc of Republic
– Periodization
• Early Republic: 509 BCE-280s BCE
• Middle Republic: 280s BCE-133 BCE
• Late Republic: 133 BCE-27 BCE
– Aristocracy Retains Power
– Expansion of Empire
– Death of Republic
Structure of Republican Governance
“As for the Roman constitution, it had three elements, each of them possessing sovereign powers: and their respective share of power in the whole state had been regulated with such a scrupulous regard to equality and equilibrium, that no one could say for certain, not even a native, whether the constitution as a whole were an aristocracy or democracy or despotism.”
-Polybius, 2nd Century Historian
Structure of Republican Governance• Despotic Element: Consuls
• Aristocratic Element: Senate– Who are they?
– Becoming a Senator
– Tasks
– Proposing Laws
– “Advice”
– As Rome expands…
Structure of Republican Governance• Despotic Element: Consuls
• Aristocratic Element: Senate
• Democratic Element: Assemblies– Who could participate?
– Overview
» Rome
» What did they do?
» Discuss?
» The Real Power?
– Three Major Assemblies
» Comitia Centuriata (Century Assembly)
» Comitia Tributa (Tribal Assembly)
» Concilium Plebis (Plebeian Council)
Structure of Republican Governance• Despotic Element: Consuls
• Aristocratic Element: Senate
• Democratic Element: Assemblies
• Magistrates– Term Limits
– Elected by…
– Hierarchy
– Magistrates become…
– Evolution
– The Offices
Perpetuating Inequality and Senatorial Power• Unpaid Offices
Perpetuating Inequality and Senatorial Power• Unpaid Offices
• Centrality of Senate
FC.31B THE FLOW OF POWER IN THE ROMAN REPUBLICProblems of ruling an empire w/city-state govt. & army of short-term amateur officials &
militia(FC.30)
Senate: Advisory body of 300 ex-office holders whose decrees (senatus consulta) are not technically laws but
have virtual force of law to:
Rule on technical acceptability of treaties & laws
Assign budgets to. governors &
officials
Assign magistrates’ tasks (e.g., which proconsul rules which
province & for how long)
Centrality of Senate
1)“Advice”2)Shaped Laws3)Which
Assembly?4)Crucial Role in
Assemblies5)Senate =
Magistrates6)Dictated Tasks of
Magistrates7)Cursus Honorum
Senate controls popular assemblies through:
Comitia Centuriata• Votes on war & peace
• Weighted bloc voting to favor those who bear the
brunt of the fighting (which used to be the
rich)
Comitia Tributa;
• Votes on laws that only officials (who are also senators) can propose
• Open ballots Control votes of their clientes
(poor dependants)
Senate controls officials who return to Senate after 1-yr terms:
Tribunes(who are also members of
Senate) • Supposedly protect the
poor, propose laws, & can veto any act of state they or the senate want
Consuls & praetors (who are also members of
Senate) • Control what laws are
proposed to the assemblies, their text, &
who gets to discuss them
Priests (who are also senators) that can declare
bad omens & postpone govt. business for that day
Cursus Honorum The minumum age, number of times, & order one can hold
offices: Military tribune quaestor aedile or tribune praetor consul
Censors: 2 officials elected every 5 yrs to choose worthy men to fill the Senate to 300 &
expel unworthy senators
Senate controls various traditional and religious procedures:
FC.31B THE FLOW OF POWER IN THE ROMAN REPUBLICProblems of ruling an empire w/city-state govt. & army of short-term amateur officials &
militia(FC.30)
Senate: Advisory body of 300 ex-office holders whose decrees (senatus consulta) are not technically laws but
have virtual force of law to:
Rule on technical acceptability of treaties & laws
Assign budgets to. governors &
officials
Assign magistrates’ tasks (e.g., which proconsul rules which
province & for how long)
Voting
1)In Rome2)Vote by Tribe/Century3)Bloc Voting
Senate controls popular assemblies through:
Comitia Centuriata• Votes on war & peace
• Weighted bloc voting to favor those who bear the
brunt of the fighting (which used to be the
rich)
Comitia Tributa;
• Votes on laws that only officials (who are also senators) can propose
• Open ballots Control votes of their clientes
(poor dependants)
Senate controls officials who return to Senate after 1-yr terms:
Tribunes(who are also members of
Senate) • Supposedly protect the
poor, propose laws, & can veto any act of state they or the senate want
Consuls & praetors (who are also members of
Senate) • Control what laws are
proposed to the assemblies, their text, &
who gets to discuss them
Priests (who are also senators) that can declare
bad omens & postpone govt. business for that day
Cursus Honorum The minumum age, number of times, & order one can hold
offices: Military tribune quaestor aedile or tribune praetor consul
Censors: 2 officials elected every 5 yrs to choose worthy men to fill the Senate to 300 &
expel unworthy senators
Senate controls various traditional and religious procedures:
Bloc Voting in Comitia Centuriata• 193 Centuries, split up according to property and age
– 18 for equites
– 170 for enlisted
» Split up, disproportionately, on property lines
» 85 for over 46
» 85 for under 46
– 5 for others
» Just 1 for the mass of very poor
• Result: _________________________
FC.31B THE FLOW OF POWER IN THE ROMAN REPUBLICProblems of ruling an empire w/city-state govt. & army of short-term amateur officials &
militia(FC.30)
Senate: Advisory body of 300 ex-office holders whose decrees (senatus consulta) are not technically laws but
have virtual force of law to:
Rule on technical acceptability of treaties & laws
Assign budgets to. governors &
officials
Assign magistrates’ tasks (e.g., which proconsul rules which
province & for how long)
Voting
1)In Rome2)Vote by Tribe/Century3)Bloc Voting4)Vote in order of5)Justification6)Open Ballot
Senate controls popular assemblies through:
Comitia Centuriata• Votes on war & peace
• Weighted bloc voting to favor those who bear the
brunt of the fighting (which used to be the
rich)
Comitia Tributa;
• Votes on laws that only officials (who are also senators) can propose
• Open ballots Control votes of their clientes
(poor dependants)
Senate controls officials who return to Senate after 1-yr terms:
Tribunes(who are also members of
Senate) • Supposedly protect the
poor, propose laws, & can veto any act of state they or the senate want
Consuls & praetors (who are also members of
Senate) • Control what laws are
proposed to the assemblies, their text, &
who gets to discuss them
Priests (who are also senators) that can declare
bad omens & postpone govt. business for that day
Cursus Honorum The minumum age, number of times, & order one can hold
offices: Military tribune quaestor aedile or tribune praetor consul
Censors: 2 officials elected every 5 yrs to choose worthy men to fill the Senate to 300 &
expel unworthy senators
Senate controls various traditional and religious procedures:
Patronage/Clientage• Paternalism and Pietas
• Nature of Patron/Client Relationship– Patron provides…
– Client provides…
– Traced back to…
• Effect on Politics…
Social ConflictPatriarchs and the Plebeians
Overview:Monarchy into Early Republic
Who were Patricians?What did they do?How did you become a Patrician?Traces back to…
Social ConflictPatriarchs and the Plebeians
Overview:Monarchy into Early Republic
Who were Patricians?What did they do?How did you become a Patrician?Traces back to…
Struggle of the OrdersPlebs gain status from 509-287Original RestrictionsPlebeian Progress
Plebs want…TechniquePleb VictoriesLex Hortensia
Social ConflictThe New Aristocracy and the Retention of Privilege
Which Plebs benefit?The New AristocracySame Families…Justification
“Between the weakness of the ruler and the rashness of the masses, the aristocrats have occupied a middle position, and there is no position more moderate than theirs.” --Cicero