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Romes Early Republic

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Democracy

  • Direct Democracy - A direct democracy is one in which every citizen votes on all important decisions. One of the first direct democracies was in Athens, Greece
  • Representative Democracy or democratic republic - is where the people elect representatives to run the government.

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Legend of Romulus and Remus

  • Romulus and Remus, twin brothers, are legendary founders of Rome.
  • The twins were abandoned as infants and miraculously saved by a she-wolf.
  • The two brothers over through the Monarchy
  • Romulus killed Remus in a dispute and founded Rome in 753 BC, naming it after himself.

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The Early Republic

  • Rome established a republic in 509 BC after overthrowing the monarchy.
  • In a republic, leaders are elected by the people to govern.
  • The Senate became the most powerful institution in the Republic.
  • Annual elections ensured no one person could gain too much power.
  • Although the Republic was a form of representative government, it was far from democratic.
  • However, the republic was dominated by a small group of wealthy families know as the patricians, while the common people had limited influence.

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Challenges from Outside

  • Rome faced continuous external threats shortly after establishing the republic.
  • The city was involved in nearly 50 years of warfare.
  • The Senate quickly learned that a republic was ineffective during times of war
    • They discussed every detail and made votes on all issues.
    • Too long to make decisions

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Dictator

  • In times of war/crisis, the Senate appointed dictators who held absolute power
  • Dictator would have complete power to get things done quickly
  • Dictators power limited to 6 months as a time, then power would return to the Senate

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Cincinnatus: The Ideal Roman Dictator

  • Cincinnatus, a farmer, was appointed dictator in 458 BC during a crisis.
  • He quickly defeated Rome’s enemies and resigned, returning to his farm before his term ended.
  • Cincinnatus became a symbol of civic virtue and duty.
  • His actions exemplified the Roman ideal of placing the state’s needs above personal gain.
  • Cincinnatus’s example influenced political thought beyond Rome, including in modern republics like the United States.
  • George Washington was often compared to Cincinnatus for similar reasons.