The Rome Republic: The Power Of The Roman Republic

The Roman Republic is highly praised for the innovation, influence and expansion that it had on the rest of the world. In a period of expansion there was also a setting of constitutional precedent for the future late Republic and Roman Empire. The Roman Republic can also be viewed from the perspective of internal balances of power. That being said, although the Roman Republic as not a full democracy, as stated by Polybius, it did provide some political power to the people. Constitutionally, the Roman people played a large role in politics, but said power was limited through checks of the Senate and Consul, an most positions of power were very concentrated in the hands of Patricians and aristocrats, who can be seen as upper citizens in Rome.

That being said, he argues that the people have an important role to play in said government (Polybius 6.14). Although the people do not make decisions such as presenting bills, ordering allies as they please, or convening assemblies as the consul, who has the most power in the system, does (Polybius 6.12), they have other such important duties. According to Polybius, said duties include assigning office, such as voting on consuls, deciding penalties for offences, assessing legislation, voting on war proposals, as well as “ratify or abrogate alliances, truces and treaties” (Polybius 6.14). He also states that the Senate must act in the best interest of the people and cannot disregard the popular assembly, as they can vote to deprive the Senate of authority, and that the tribune of the people, who is obliged to always carry out the people’s decision, can veto the senate (Polybius 6.16). After reading this, one may assume that the people had a strong role in Rome and that the strongest element of the government is democracy given the responsibility held on the people. People had the right to hold assembly and vote, something seen as a building block of democracy, but in fact the people had very less power in