Change For the Better or Worse?
The Roman government went through many huge and sudden changes, as did Rome as a whole. They were the some of the most influential people in the world as they were conquering it. They conquered what was at their time; the middle of the world and out. They went through extreme changes and somehow managed to hold on to their nation for so long. They went to extremes to get to where they were. It was a time when change was everywhere and for everybody, as the government changed. The changes everywhere that were made influenced the world as they owned it. The Roman government was one of the most influential changes that was made. The dictatorship changed to a republic, which changed to what we now know as the Roman Empire. Was this change a good or a bad thing for the Romans? There are many factors in this and not everyone agrees.
A small dictatorship in one city is how Rome started and Rome started to get bigger. Some dictators were to much of control freaks some times. Then came along this guy named Tarquin. The people got really fed up. They finally decided to do what Greece did at first. They overthrew him and eventually came up with the Roman Republic. But the people would not remember this lesson they learned.
A republic is a form of government where there are representatives that are elected by citizens who are supposed to have say or power in the government. In Rome they had a bit of different way of running the government. They had an assembly which a little bit like the modern day house of representatives. That branch resembled a democracy. They then had the senate which resembled an aristocracy. There were then the two consuls who were like monarchs, but could veto each other. There was then one dictator who would only have control for six times at a month when there was a huge emergency.
Julius Caesar had been a dictator and then bent the rules. He ended up being a dictator for over 10 years. He was very good and became extremely powerful and popular. He was killed by the members of the senate because they were afraid of him getting to much power. Julius threw out the republic and things could change in a heart beat. He chose three people to run the government. Octavian had got rid of the other two and took power. He started Pax Romana and Rome prospered. He died and passed power to Tiberius who was about fifty five when he took power. Tiberius once had a problem with soldiers rebelling since they thought they were treated unfairly. He sent out Germanicus who had a son named Caligula. Germanicus settled the issue. Tiberius later killed Germanicus’s family accept for Caligula because Germanicus gained to much power. Tiberius later started to like Caligula and made him the heir to the throne. Caligula did well until he went crazy. He would have “quick affairs” with other men’s wives and then talk about it during desert. He also killed Jews and mocked them while saying that he was a god. He was assassinated. His heir was Claudius who actually had some disabilities and was sort of an outcast. He was extremely humble. He conquered Britain and Rome prospered. He was famous for having a wife killed when she was with a guy who she was helping to get power. Otherwise he built, renovated, and was the best that Rome had seen.
I think that the republic was the best form of government. Things were getting continually better with it until Julius threw it out. Things were not consistent with the Empire. Things were getting consistently better in the Republic. One crazy person could not as easily destroy the world of Rome. In conclusion the Republic was more consistent and should have been kept.
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