The Roman Republic

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The Roman Republic
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Creating a Republic
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Senatus Populus Que Romanus
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Two classes of Romans

• Romes upper class
• Both were citizens
• Had the right to vote, pay taxes serve in army
• Patricians
• wealthy landowners
• Plebeians
• common people
• Limited say in the government
• Farmers, merchants, artisans

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Roman Forum
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Roman Forum
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Power in Rome
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Divisions of Government

• Senate
• 300 men
• Patricians who served for life
• Controlled public funds
• Made political appointments
• Propose pass laws
• Dealt with foreign policy
• Most important and most powerful group of people

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Senate House of Rome

• Senate Curia

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Divisions of Government cont

• Assembly of Centuries
• 193 men (patricians)
• Made up of
• 170 foot soldiers
• 18 Calvary soldiers
• 5 non-combatants
• Dealt with military matters
• Declared war and peace
• Elected consuls and praetors

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Praetors and Censors

• The next in the line of command
• Praetors
• Also known as judges
• Interpreted the laws of Rome
• Censors
• Counted the people of Rome and registered them
  according to their income. Determined how much
  taxes would be paid

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Power of Roman Government

• Consuls
• Chosen by Patricians
• 2 people served one year terms
• Chief executives of the empire
• Army commanders
• Had veto power over everybody
• I Forbid

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Dictators

• In times of crisis the consuls were replaced by
  an appointed dictator
• Dictator had absolute power over everything
• Chosen only in times of danger
• Six month limit on their terms
• Cincinnatus
• 15-16 days
• Returned to farm

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Cincinnatus
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Divisions of Government cont

• Council of Plebs
• Created in 471 BC after plebeians went on strike
• Right to veto government decisions
• 455 BC allowed to marry patricians
• 300 BC allowed to become consuls
• In 287 BC able to pass laws in Rome
• Now all males in Rome had equal political
  standing (at least in theory)

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Roman Laws

• Twelve Tables
• 400 B.C.E.
• Carved in stone and placed at Roman Forum
• Basic laws of the land
• Law should apply equally to everyone (only
  citizens)
• Wills, family law, property right, court cases
  and public behavior
• Law of Nations
• Applied to everyone in the empire
• rule of law idea in legal system that laws
  apply equally to everyone
• Basis for our legal system today

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Examples of laws in Twelve Tables

• Table I mandates that when a person is accused of
  something, both accused and accuser must be
  present at a hearing or trial on the matter.
  Also, if both parties don't show up for a court
  date, the judge is free to rule in favor of the
  party that did show up.
• Table III gives debtors 30 days to pay off a
  debt. After that, a creditor is free to seize the
  debtor and make him or her a prisoner.
• Table IV makes a man's will binding.
• Table VIII lists specific punishments for certain
  crimes. It also says that if a person fails to
  show up as a trial witness, then that person will
  never again be allowed to be a witness. Most
  importantly, it says that a person shown to have
  lied in court will be put to death.
• Table IX specifies capital punishment for judges
  who have taken bribes and for people who have
  committed treason. 

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Twelve Tables