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The Republic

The Republic. Plebeian Reforms. 509 BC. Romans drive out last king Leading families take power Rule as the Senate Model for our Senate. Consuls. Two senators were chosen as consuls 1 year term, each could veto the other Could not declare war by themselves

Samuel
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The Republic

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  1. The Republic Plebeian Reforms

  2. 509 BC • Romans drive out last king • Leading families take power • Rule as the Senate • Model for our Senate

  3. Consuls • Two senators were chosen as consuls • 1 year term, each could veto the other • Could not declare war by themselves • Responsible for public finances, justice and city administration

  4. Patrician • Horsemen • Cavalry • Claim leadership over other Romans

  5. Plebeian • Change in fighting techniques added plebeian infantrymen • “common man” in combat became very important • Small-farmer, plebeian soldiers win the right to be elected military tribunes

  6. Debt Slavery • If a plebeian owed money, the patricians could demand that a plebeian work off his debts • Plebeians rebel and peasant soldiers used force to protest this form of punishment

  7. Plebeian Reforms • Go on strike (farms shut down, stores close) • Demand more land • Demand abolition of debt

  8. Military Tribunes • Could veto laws • Could initiate legislation • Share authority with consuls when in battle

  9. Comitia Plebus (471 BC) • Name of law that created plebeian assembly • Could meet and express their opinions to military tribunes • Assemblies met to vote, but not to initiate action

  10. Comitia Centuriata (450) • Military assembly of Patricians and Plebeians • Met to elect consuls • Vote on legislation • Decide if Rome should go to war

  11. Censor • Two censors • Took the census • Collect taxes and organize military duties

  12. Equites • Censors determined how much property people had • This determined what kind of equipment they had to have for war • Class of plebeians who could afford to own a horse and equipment

  13. Three branches of gov’t • Executive (Consuls) • Legislative branch (Senate and Assemblies) • Judiciary (Praetor and jurors)

  14. Praetor • In charge of judiciary branch of gov’t • Elected by military assembly • Jurors were expected to be honorable in their judgements

  15. Twelve Tables (451-450) • Before this, laws were not written down • Laws connected to religious lore • Patricians interpreted the laws • Plebeians demanded laws be written down

  16. Twelve Tables • Written on twelve bronze tablets • Open to legislative changes • 442 - intermarriage between plebeians and patricians

  17. Jurors • Q: Who could be a juror in ancient Rome? • A: Only aristocrats, as they had the leisure time

  18. Laws • Q: Why were the laws written down? • A: Plebeians did not like how arbitrary the laws were

  19. Criminal Transgressions • Q: How were you punished if you broke the laws? • Often punished by exile rather than death • Vestals and those who consorted with the enemy were killed

  20. Roman Law • Recognized supremacy of the father • Sell children into slavery • Tell them who to marry and divorce

  21. Moderatio • What are exemplary examples of vice or virtue? • When moderation is observed, all is well in Rome • If not, disaster abounds

  22. Problems in the Republic • Ambition of individuals • Patricians vs. Plebeians • Threat of outsiders

  23. Moderation is the key • Cincinnatus (Moderatio) • Quinctius Capitolinus (Moderatio) • Appius Claudius (Immoderatio)

  24. Cincinnatus • From plow to dictatorship • Trial of son, Caeso • Forced to live in a hovel • Not afraid to tell senators that limited power of individuals is what Rome needs

  25. Speech of Cincinnatus • “Sunk as you are in a morass of impiety and crime, yet you continue to assert that you will get the law through before the year is out” • Courage, constancy, all the virtues which in civil or military life, were the true glory of manhood, had followed his son Caeso into banishment

  26. Caeso, son of Cincinnatus • Plea for tribunes to have the power to legislate what the consuls can do by Terentillus • Caeso “Anyone who dared cross him soon found himself the worse for wear, or with his clothes stripped from his back” • Capitol charge and trial

  27. Caeso’s Trial • Bail is set and Caeso is free until trial • Goes into exile • Father is forced to sell everything he owns and move across the river to live “like a banished man”

  28. Appius Claudius • Abused his power as decemvir • Trial of Verginia • Father kills her to preserve her honor • Causes destruction of Verginia and himself

  29. The Decemvirs (451 BC) • 10 men appointed to codify the laws • At first all patricians • Began to behave like tyrants

  30. No less dreadful than rape of Lucretia • Appius Claudius attempted to seduce Verginia and declared her his slave • If people suffer inside the walls of Rome the worst horrors of a captured town, then why fight to protect the city? • Let the master through, to take possession of his slave

  31. Quinctius Capitolinus • Challenges Romans to live up to their ancestors • Scolds patricians (who want excessive power) • Scolds plebeians (who want unchecked liberty)

  32. Capitolinus • “Only tell me that you are sick at last of this state of affairs, that you are willing to go back to your old ways, like your fathers before you” • “I should like to please you, but I much prefer to save you”

  33. Results of Speeches of Cincinnatus and Q. Capitolinus • Romans want to serve their country again • Each acts not for selfish reasons, but for good of his people • Sacrifice personal convenience for higher good

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