The Roman Constitution - Past Paper PDF

**The Roman Constitution (as described by Polybius)** Not a written document, but unwritten guidelines/principles developing over time: [A. The social orders:] \- Class divisions\ 1) Men \> Women\ 2) Free \> Slave\ 3) Patrician \> Plebian [B. Government constituted of Magistrates and Assemblies\...

**The Roman Constitution (as described by Polybius)** Not a written document, but unwritten guidelines/principles developing over time: [A. The social orders:] \- Class divisions\ 1) Men \> Women\ 2) Free \> Slave\ 3) Patrician \> Plebian [B. Government constituted of Magistrates and Assemblies\ ] - Magistrates: 1-year terms, 2 of each magistrate [C. Combines elements of monarchy, aristocracy and democracy ] **Monarchic (Consuls):** 1\) [Consuls] (highest magistrates)\ - Commands army in war, city in peace\ - 2 powers: Imperium (command army) and Auspicium (seek approval of the gods) 2\) [Censors] (most prestigious office)\ - 18-month terms\ - Conducts census 3\) [Praetors] back up consuls 4\) [Aediles] in charge of public building, festivals, order 5\) [Quaestors] in charge of treasury 6\) [Tribune of the Plebians\ ] - Created in order to protect the interests of the plebs\ - SACROSANCT 7\) Dictator\ - Appointed by Senate in times of emergency\ - Extraordinary powers for 6 months **Oligarchic (Senate):** 1\) [Senate] (still an assembly of the people, just the richer ones)\ - Advisory board (*Senatus consulta*)\ - Controls finances, foreign policy\ - Appointed by consuls **Democratic (Popular assemblies):** 1\) [Centuriate] [Assembly]\ - All Roman citizens (based on military "centuries")\ - Declares war, deals with treason\ 2) [Tribal] [Assembly]\ - All Roman citizens (based on geographical location)\ - Elects consuls/quaestors\ 3) [Plebian Assembly]\ - Only plebian Roman citizens\ - Elects tribunes/aediles of the plebs **How each branch is a check to the other branches:** [Consuls:\ ]1)Two consuls have veto authority on the other consul\ 2)No bringing army into the city (pomerium) [Censors:]\ 1) Determines membership in the Senate\ 2) Polices the Senate [Senate:\ ]1) Senate's *senatus consulta,* though not having direct legislative power, had powerful influence over magistrates' decisions.\ 2) Senate can appoint a dictator in times of crisis [Assemblies:\ ]1) Checks the consuls/senate by electing officers and passing laws\ 2) Direct involvement of citizens in government [Tribune of the Plebs:]\ 1) Has veto power against laws that could against the good of the common people **[Cursus honorarum: (path of honors)] *No one could immediately rise to high power, rather they have to follow a sequence of offices. Therefore power is distributed over many for different periods of time, no one can monopolize power.*** **Roman Expansion / Deterioration of Constitution (Marius, Sulla, Pompey)** **Harmful Consequences of Roman Expansion:** 1\) Government:\ -More land = need for more soldiers\ -Tension with Rome's allies\ -Increased number of praetors, *prorogation* 2\) Cultural:\ -More Greek influence on culture\ -Influx in luxuries = decline in morals (mores maiorum)\ -Leads to sumptuary laws (restrict excessive spending, displays of wealth) 3\) Societal changes:\ -More land = gobbled up by landowners\ -*Latifundia* = small land owners suffer from this\ -Rise in urban poor\ -Influx in slaves (fear of revolts, latifundia depend on slaves) **The Gracchii try to solve these problems:** [Tiberius proposes land reforms (limits latifundia)\ ]1) Bypasses Senate to pass laws\ 2) Deposes opposing tribune\ 3) Influx of wealth to be used for said reforms\ 4) Runs for re-election (not 1-term) and Killed (APPIAN) [Gaius becomes tribune the year after, proposes Tiberius' reforms\ ]1) 1^st^ term successful, but 2^nd^ term not (policies begin to fail)\ 2) Creates violence in the streets, tension between *populares* and *optimates* **Marius and Sulla** [Marius (rises to power after war with Numidia):\ ] - Reforms the military into a client army\ - Accepts from the lowest class, promises land\ - Loyalty to generals instead of the state\ - Elected 5 TIMES [Sulla (rises to power after Social War 91-87)\ ] - Rival of Marius, brings his army into the city (BAD)\ - Instituted various political reforms as DICTATOR (max terms, need senate approval)\ [MAIN CHANGES]: Loyalty to general rather than the republic, rule under one man, first civil war **Octavian**