Did Rome Get Too Much Power Essay

After the Romans drove out their Etruscan rulers in 509 B.C.E., they decided to implement a republic, or “thing of the people”, where the common people could decide some of their political leaders. The reasoning behind this sort of political system was that it would allow no individual to gain too much power because their source of power would be limited. The most powerful governing body was the senate, comprised of 300 patricians, or the rich and landholding members of the upper class of Roman society. The members of the senate, called senators, served for life. The senators made the laws in the political system of the Romans. These powerful men (women, as is common in the early eras of human society, did not have nearly as much power or

To obtain all of this land in the first place, they conquered many other cities and civilizations. Generally, Rome treated its defeated enemies in a firm, yet considerate, fashion. “Conquered peoples had to acknowledge Roman leadership, pay taxes, and supply soldiers for the Roman army. In return, Rome let them keep their own customs, money, and local government.” In other words, the Romans enforced a few basic rules, but gave their subjects many rights that other, not as agreeable, civilizations would not have granted them. One of the most uncommon rights that was granted to the defeated enemy was the ability to become a citizen. Of course, any person descended from another Roman was almost automatically considered a citizen, but one could also become a member of Roman civilization even if they were from another civilization entirely. “Rather than rule those people as conquered subjects, the Romans invited them to become citizens” (The Roman Republic). Full citizenship meant they would be granted the same rights as any other Roman person would. Others became “partial citizens”, who would be granted the rights to marry Romans. They were also allowed to continue their trade in Rome. Although all regular Romans were Roman citizens, there were many foreign Roman citizens from other countries that were granted citizenship by the