Read Ancient Rome: An Introductory History for Free Online

the chest, and fell forward, dead. (Livy I.58.7-12)
Lucretia's father and husband were overwhelmed with grief. While they stood weeping helplessly, Brutus drew the bloody knife from Lucretia's body and holding it before him cried: "I swear by this bloodmost chaste until the prince's crime-and gods, I call upon you as witness that I, with as much force as I can muster, will drive Lucius Tarquinius the Proud, with his wicked wife and the whole stock of his children, out of Rome, and I will not allow them or any other man to be king in Rome!" (Livy I.59.1-2).
Lucretia's father and husband, shocked by Brutus' sudden transformation into a man of action, swore the same oath and carried Lucretia's body into the Forum. The public's anger, stirred by the grief of the father and husband weeping before their eyes, the sight of the bloody and dead Lucretia, and Brutus' words reminding them of Tarquin's usurpation of power and tyrannical rule, inspired them to take up arms against the king and to drive monarchy from Rome. Tarquin, who was still besieging Ardea, found Rome's gates closed to him when he returned to the city. Tarquin had ruled for twenty-five years. Monarchy in Rome ended in 509 B.C. , and the res publica , the Roman republic, was born.

 

Page 32
Chapter 6
The Res Publica
"Senatus Populusque Romanus"
To understand the history of republican, and then imperial, Rome, you must first understand the structure of the government: the parts of government, their powers, and their relations to each other. The description given here covers government offices that developed gradually over centuries, and did not exist in this form as early as the sixth century B.C. What is described here is the government of the Roman republic in its fully developed form, in the first and second centuries B.C.
The Romans called their city a res publica , "property of the people" (Cicero, De republica I.25). Despite the term res publica (which gives us the English word republic ), Rome was not a democracy. The government had three parts: the magistrates (government officials), the Senate, and the people (hence the phrase "senatus populusque Romanus," or "SPQR," meaning "the senate and the people of Rome''). Rome was governed mostly by the Senate and the magistrates, who were drawn largely from the Senate; Roman government thus was largely aristocratic. The Senate and its magistrates for most of Rome's history were dominated by the patricians, the ruling families of Rome, who could trace their ancestry back to the original senators chosen by Romulus. The common people's role in the government was the election of the magistrates.
The Magistrates
The Consuls
Being a consul was the dream of ambitious Romans, for the two consuls chosen every year were the chief magistrates of Rome and

 

Page 33
commanders-in-chief of the armies; the position conferred great glory (through military exploits) and even nobility upon the consul and his family forever. The two consuls assumed the king's position and authority: The broad purple stripe on their togas denoted their quasi-royal status. The Romans no doubt created the two consuls out of their fear and hatred of monarchy, for if one consul became too ambitious, the other consul could oppose him (in fact, all Roman magistrates except for the dictator had at least one colleague, to prevent abuses of power). The twelve lictors, each carrying a fascis while walking before the consuls, showed the consuls' imperium . The consuls could lead an army and administer justice, and they sat in a sella curulis, an ivory chair, also a symbol of imperium .
While leading an army, the consuls (who wore scarlet military cloaks called paludamenta ) had the power to punish soldiersincluding executing themwithout a trial. They could propose laws and issue edicts. They could convene the Senate and popular assemblies. The consuls received foreign embassies and conducted state business. They negotiated treaties and surrenders, subject to