Republic Flashcards
Republic Founding
-Begins in 509 BC with the ousting of Tarquin the Younger by Lucius Junius Brutus
-Brutus and Collatinus established a Republic
-Tarquin tried 3 times to take Rome back with the Etruscans
The 3 Classes
-Patrician (nobleborns)
-Equites (wealthy plebs, commonly merchants)
-Plebians (commoners)
Initial Government Structure
(in order of most to least powerful)
-2 consuls
-300 to 600 members of the senate + 10 Tribunes
-comitae (citizen’s assembly)
Consuls
-Most powerful and ran the government and military
-Nominated by the Senate, elected by the people
-Patricians only later changed to one patrician and one plebian
-One year terms
-Could veto one another
-Together with the Senate, could appoint a dictator in an emergency
-were in charge in alternating months (starting with who got the most votes)
-minimum age 42
-possessed imperium (the power to command armies)
-could only be elected every 10 years
Dictator
-supreme power
-6 month term
-elected in emergencies by the consuls and senate
Senate
-300-600 men
-initially patricians only (later allowed plebs)
-Served for life
-Advised the consuls
-suggested laws
Comitiae (people’s council)
-several types of assemblies, electing multiple different officials
-plebeian assemblies elected tribunes
-military assembly elected consuls
-voted yes or no on laws
Tribunes
-est after 471
-comprised of only plebs
-could veto senate
-were sacrosanct (protected by holy law)
-anyone who harmed them was put to death
Cursus Honorum
-“course of offices”
-ladder of political advancement
Quaestor
-20 at a time
-treasures
-became eligible for appointment to the senate
-either treasures for Rome or aids to provincial governors
-minimum age 30
Aedile
-4 at a time (2 must be plebs)
-not required on cursus honorum
-event planners
-in charge of food supply
-minimum age 35
Praetor
-8 at a time
-judges
-ran Rome in the absence of consuls
-could convene with senate and assemblies
-had imperium (power to command armies)
-had lictors (bodyguards)
Censor
- 2 at a time
-former consuls
-elected every 5 years for 1.5 year terms
-conducted census
-moral authority
-appointed or ejected senators
Proconsuls
-ex-consuls appointed as provincial governors
-generally super-corrupt
Roman Full Citizenship
-granted to free and landowning men over the age of 15
-could vote
-could marry free persons
-could buy/sell/trade goods
-hold public office
Roman Half Citizenship (Women)
-could not hold office
-could not vote
-could own property and engage in trade