Fall Of The Republic

2 Pages 427 Words

Roman Republic’s Demise

The Roman republic was a system of government, which gave most of its power to their officials and the senate. The senate was composed of aristocrats who generally ran the government with the approval of the consuls, 2 officials who held president-like positions and were voted in by the senate for a one-year term. Under the consuls were the financial officers called quaestors. Next in power would be the preators, who were in charge of military campaigns, and were elected in for one year, but were allowed an extended stay in office during times of war. Next, under the preators where the censors, who’s position was to classify the wealth and tax status of the population. Though this duty was originally the consuls’, it was handed down to the censors.
However, because the republic was run by the aristocratic senate and government officials, the plebeians, or peasants, could not productively participate in their government. This caused the republic to be chaotic, and often violent between the aristocracy and the lower class population. So since the republics inception in 509 B.C. to its demise with the accession of Octavian as Augustus Caesar, in 27B.C. the republic was often in turmoil.
As Octavian rose as a figure of power, he saw the benefits of a republic, but also the chaos, and was determined to find a better path of rule. After becoming a consul, he preached to restore the republic to glory, yet being deceptus, or sly, he secretly plots to form the government into a monarchy.
Octavian then formed a new senate, which was composed of members who he personally appointed. He then bestowed upon the senate his power, which he fully expected them to return. As he had expected, the senate humbly returned his favor, giving him even more supremacy then he had started with. After receiving this abundant amount of authority the senate named him Augustus Caesar, or leader king.
Though the governme...