The Politics of ROME
Politics means government - and the Roman government changed a lot throughout the years!
The amount of power people like you and I had changed dramatically with each of the three different governments.
The amount of power people like you and I had changed dramatically with each of the three different governments.
1. Rome is founded as a MONARCHY
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Before Rome became a republic, it was ruled by kings in a system called a monarchy. In a monarchy, one person, the king, rules the whole country. The king usually gets his power by being born into the royal family and claiming that the gods granted them power. The crown is passed from one king to the next, often from father to son. The king has the most power in the country and makes the important laws and decisions for the people. The people have no voice at all and have to do whatever the king says. If the people keep the king happy, the king provides protection from invasions. When the king decides to make a law, he can just command it to be done and no one can argue with him.
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2. Rome creates a REPUBLIC
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After the Romans got angry with their last king and banished him, Rome became a republic. In a republic, the people like you and me vote for leaders to make decisions for them instead of having one king. Power is transferred through elections, where the people vote for new leaders. The main leaders were called senators, and they shared power so no one person became too strong. The Senate, made up of wealthy and powerful men, had the most influence of anyone. This left women, children, slaves, and non-citizens with no voice in government.
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3. Rome becomes an EMPIRE
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After a terrible civil war, Rome abandoned the republic and became an empire. In an empire the senators, now chosen by the emperor instead of being elected by the people, became powerless figureheads. One person, the emperor, had control over everything - including the land, people, and military. The transfer of power from one emperor to the next goes to a chosen heir, not nescessarily a son. Like a king, no-one can stand in the way of the emperor when he wants to make a decision. It was during this time that Rome achieved the golden age called Pax Romana, or the Roman Peace. This was when most fighting was directed outward to expand the borders.
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