- In 509 BC. the Romans rebelled against their Etruscan overlords replacing kingship with a republic (A country governed by the elected representatives of its people).

- The Senate evolved composed of 300 men from the wealthiest families of Rome.

- They were supposedly an advisory body but in actuality they were the center of all policy decisions concerning foreign affairs, military matters, finances, public land, and state religion.

- The middle class and poor were represented in 2 assemblies:

- The Assembly of Tribes - A legislative assembly of elected officials called tribunes and questors who passed laws and conducted minor trials.

- The Assembly of Centuries - Elected consuls, censors, and praetors. They could declare war

- The 2 Consuls were the chief executive officers. They were elected for one year terms. They presided over the Senate and were commander in chief during wartime. They were also supreme judges

- There were also 2 Censors (ex-consuls) who took the census, assessed the taxes, named senators, etc.

- 4 Aediles served as mayors ofthe city and 8 Quaestors acted as treasurers

- The 10 Tribunes protected the rights of the people from decisions of the senate. They had power to veto

- The judiciary branch of government were the 6 Praetors (elected for 2 years) who were the high judges.

- By the 2nd Cent. BC. more power was in the hands of the senate and they were becoming corrupt

Statesman of Republic Rome

- Rome's victory over Carthage marked the beginning of the end of the Roman republic.

- During the war there were revolutions, assassinations and things were moving toward a dictatorial rule.

Marcus Porcius Cato

- One of the reactionary men of this time was Marcus Porcius Cato

- Unpolished, hard, of peasant origins he became very powerful within the senate

- He hated all foreigners (especially Greeks cause of their religion and philosophy).

- He believed that Rome should rule the world with an iron hand.

Lucius Cornelius Sulla

- He was Rome's first dictator

- He upheld the senatorial privileges at all costs

- He resorted to mass killings and purges to destroy his political enemies.

- Finally all the powers of the senate were controlled by him

Marcus Tullius Cicero

- He was one of the most brilliant people of this era.

- He strongly defended traditional republican ideals

- He believed in a republican system based on an alliance of the middle-class and the aristocracy against dictators and the dissatisfied masses.

Gnaeus Pompey

- He was a brilliant cavalry officer and an outstanding athlete

- He fought in Sicily and Africa for Sulla and after Sulla's death he fought in Spain

- He also assisted in crushing the slave revolt led by Spartacus

- After 10 more years of fighting Rome's enemies he, and 2 others (Crassus and Julius Caesar) formed the triple alliance known as The First Triumverate.

- These 3 men assumed absolute power though they claimed to be a republic

- Pompey received large land grants in the eastern provinces

- Julius Caesar was given the governorship of Gaul which he held for 9 years.

Julius Caesar

- Julius Caesar in 59 BC. was a man hungry for power.

- He had fought in Spain and proved to be a brilliant but violently ambitious general.

- He drove his men hard and himself harder.

- In his 9 years in Gaul put down many rebellions, grew richer and more powerful by becoming governor.

- In 49 BC. he challenged Pompey for supreme leadership and there was conflict in Rome for 2 years until he finally defeated Pompey in battle and became the master of Rome.

Marcus Junius Brutus

- He was a politician and general who had sided with Pompey in the civil war but was pardoned by Caesar and became one of his followers.

- He was a firm believer of the power of the senate and the rule of the senatorial class.

- As Caesar was gaining power Brutus thought that by killing him the republic would be saved.

- This act plunged Rome into another terrible and bloody conflict which completely destroyed the Republic