Summary

**The Roman Republic **
  The Roman Republic was a period of time in ancient Roman civilization which began with the overthrow of the Etruscan monarchy, in 510 B.C. and lasted over 450 years. This republic had no king and it had a democracy much like the Greek city state of Athens. The leaders of this republic consisted of two consuls, a council of 300 patricians (or wealthy people), and in 494 BC the plebians (or poor people) got a say in government through the use of tribunes. The republic consisted of three different branches of government, including the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches. The republic was based on a system of checks and balances so that there was a fair division of power. However, the Romans would appoint a dictator in times of crisis. Tiberius served one year as a tribune, and then sought to serve a second term. At this point, Tiberius began to seek dictatorial powers. Before Tiberius ever got the chance to become a dictator, he was murdered by the Senate through Political violence, which is a daily tool of Romans.   Gaius Marius is elected as a tribune after the murder of Tiberius. Gaius Marius ends the land requirement to serve in the military, so that it is no longer required that one has land in order to be a soldier. This rule results in the Plebeians joining the military. Loyalty is no longer to Rome, and is to your Patrician general. At this time, Sulla is a popular general of the Roman Army. Sulla becomes a popular general during the Social Wars against the Italians, which were fought over voting rights. During the Social Wars, the Romans divided their Army of 150,000 men into 2 consuls. During the time that Sulla was in charge of the Campanian force, the Romans invaded Italia, and the Romans ended up victorious in the Social Wars. Both Sulla and Marius had their own private Armies that cared very little about the Republic. In 82 B.C., Sulla returned to Rome and overthrew Marius, and took the position of Consul. Eventually, Sulla was appointed dictator by the Senate, and he was able to restore the Republic. In restoring the Republic, Sulla further empowers rich people (Patricians), in particular, the Senate. While Sulla was dictator, he was able to strengthen the powers of the Senate, and he killed many of Marius' supporters. Various changes in leadership made the loyalty of the Romans shift to the desires of the military people. Sulla surprised the world by retiring in 79 B.C. He retired because he believed that peace had been established and Rome's government was functioning as it was in its glorious past, and he felt that he had finally accomplished setting the world right. After having a year of peace and contentment, he died, unaware that the Roman government still lacked what was essential for peace.  Pompey, Crassus, and Caesar formed the 1st Triumvirate so that they could combine their influence to seize power in Rome. The 1st Triumvirate was significant in proving that the Senate had little control over Rome. The grounds for the Roman oligarchy to collapse were formed by the 1st Triumvirate. Crassus was killed in battle, and war broke out between Pompey and Caesar for control of Rome. Caesar's Army ended up being superior in the end, and Pompeys' Army was defeated and Pompey was killed.  Unlike the 1st Triumvirate, the 2nd Triumvirate was formed as a legal arrangement and consisted of a joint dictatorship. Octavian, Antony, and Lepidus formed the 2nd Triumvirate in 43 B.C., and seized the power of Rome. The 2nd Triumvirate was in control of more legions of Rome than the Republic. In 42 B.C., the 2nd Triumvirate defeated the Republic, and eventually the Roman world was split between Octavian, Antony, and Lepidus. Each one of these 3 members of the 2nd Triumvirate ended up with their own regions, and they all had their different viewpoints on control, which created all different kinds of divisions of Rome, therefore, leading to the Fall of the Roman Republic.

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