Sullas Program of Political Reform - Essay Example

Sulla’s programme of political reform xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Name xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Course xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Instructor xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Date Examine Sulla’s programme of political reform. To what extent were these reforms necessary? To what extent were they successful? Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix commonly referred to as Sulla was a Roman statesman and general and is known for the various political reforms. Sulla is largely remembered for bringing its army into Rome, and extra legal killing of citizens. Sulla is also known of his dictatorships especially during the struggle between the populares and optimates. During this time the optimates sought for a more conservative approach in order to ensure there are in a position to maintain their traditional oligarchic power within the republic whereas the populares were involved in challenging the existing order in a way of increasing their influence. Due to the various constitutional crises, Sulla used his powers to enact various reforms through the establishment of a programme of political reform. To his ability, Sulla programme of political reforms was largely meant to restore a balance between the tribunes and senate. This paper aims to assess the extent to which the Sulla political reforms were necessary and how they impacted the Rome politics. Keaveney (2005) maintain that, for many of Sulla critiques, the political reform structures remain an enigma on the Roman political history. He is considered by many as an aristocrat that largely achieved the ultimate power of his dictatorship while at the same time he abdicated at the highest point of power in Rome. Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix was a conservative and thus his conservative nature was considered to be more reactionary than visionary and thus led to the establishment of the political program reforms. According to Keaveney (2005), the political reforms were largely aimed at strengthening his aristocracy as well as senate. Despite his dictatorial nature, Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix made various significant political reforms that were defined in his program and this evidently strengthened the Roman aristocracy. Sulla was from a patrician family, he despite the tribune as well as any institution that gave voice to the plebeians. Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix believed that the Roman Republic was largely being weakened by the aggressive democracy and thus the need to establish a political reform program. The political reforms were not necessary since it saw the killing of many senators. Primarily, Sulla main concern was focused on the Tribune. Keaveney (2005) asserts that, Sulla prohibited the Tribune from legislative the state law not forgetting prohibiting it from changing from one position to another. For instance, the creation of the “Leges Corneliae” Sulla main intention was to strengthen the senate while at the same time eliminating demagoguery legislation. This idea was not necessary due to the fact that it enlarged the senate sphere and this led to the destruction of censorship. In order to understand the extent to which the political reforms of Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix were necessary it is important to examine Sulla’s program of political reforms. The political reforms of Lucius Cornelius Sulla are laws that were enacted between 80 and 82 BC. During Sulla dictatorship regime, various political development occurred which significantly weakened aristocratic control especially on the roman constitution. Additionally, during his regime, he developed a programme which was considered to be one of the most important developments in the Roman Republic history. It is evident that the political reforms by Sulla greatly served as a warning for the republic civil war which would have a negative impact of the Roman Republic and lead to the establishment of Roman Empire. For many historians, Sulla reform program incorporated changes in the roman legal system. These changes were to people many less contentious. Keaveney (2005) asserts that, Sulla was involved in the establishment of new courts that were aimed at dealing with various specific offences thus differentiating between criminal and civil law (Badian, 1970). During his tenure, S Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix was involved in preventing the jury system from being used up by ambitious politicians who constantly attacked the senator after their time in office. Keaveney (2005) asserts that, this was very unnecessary in the sense that he turned the right to empanel the juries completely over to the senate. This was clearly a wrong political move as many senators took advantage of the reform as there were increased cases of corruption. The roman public got to experience the corruption and avarice of the senatorial group. Another ambitious political reform by Sulla was that the leader reaffirmed the requirement of a person to wait for about ten years before being reelected to any state position. Through this reform, Sulla wanted to reduce the risk of being over through and thus to continue to maintain his power. After this reform, Sulla further created a system whereby all Praetors and Consuls served in Rome in their time in office (Badian, 1970). Clearly, these two reforms meant to ensure that no governor at any given time will be able to commend the same soldiers for a given time and this minimal threat to him. This was not a necessary political reform as it gave Sulla power to continue with his dictatorial leadership. Badian (1964) maintain that, despite the fact that the Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix political reforms were necessary, it is evident that the programme was mainly to reorganize the Roman constitution so as to ensure power is for the upper classes. Badian (1964) maintains that, Sulla through his political reforms was involved in virtually nullifying the traditional influences especially of the tribunes of the roman people. Badian (1964) maintains that, the reforms that involved doubling up of the senate membership were unnecessary as most of the senate members held the same position for ten year. Clearly, this political reform was not necessary as destroying the traditional tribune; Sulla had blocked the plebs from their only defined avenue of addressing their grievances and concerns. With lack of a proper communication channel, the plebs continued to be angered and this led to a wave of destruction that saw the consumption of the senate and the shattering of the republic (Badian, 1970). Another notable political reformed defined in the Sulla program was the CENSOR. Sulla main idea in this reform was to control the power of the CENSOR. This reform allowed was viewed to be ambitious in the sense that Sulla tended to remove power from an individual who in one way or another try to block his progress. Further, Sulla redrafted the Lex Villia Annalis and restricted the age of individual holding magistracies. By so doing he intended the state offices would be held by most responsible and mature politician limited other people. Clearly, age did not mean maturity rather allowed greedy politicians who were more radical. Sulla political reformed also incorporated the juries. Badian (1964) maintain that, during his tenure, Sulla was involved in preventing the jury system from being used up by ambitious politicians who constantly attacked the senator after their time in office. This was very unnecessary in the sense that he turned the right to empanel the juries completely over to the senate. This was clearly a wrong political move as many senators took advantage of the reform as there were increased cases of corruption. The roman public got to experience the corruption and avarice of the senatorial group (Badian, 1970). Notably, despite the various political reforms programs as well as the quasi legal basis define in his style of leadership, it is evident that power of the implementation of the program was largely rested upon his old soldiers. Badian (1964) maintain that, many indicated that Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix political reform programs as absurd as many could not understand why Sulla use the army to overthrown a government on the basis of a reform. Instead of Sulla program on political reform to bring sanity in Rome, his actions elevated from one can be termed to be civil strife to a civil war. It is quite evident that Sulla political reforms can be viewed to be an attempt to stop the progress of the drift towards totalitarianism by showing the Roman just how frightening a tyrant can be. The reforms are not necessary as the only significant contribution of Sulla political reform was negative as he demonstrated how a leader could turn his soldiers into loyal servants and use them to gain supreme power amidst the increased killing of civilians (Badian, 1964). In conclusion, Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix political reform program can be viewed as being radical due to the fact that excessive force was used in its implementation. It is quite evident that these political reforms were not necessary as they can be considered to be an urgent response to his political circumstances at that particular moment of the roman republican political environment. Sulla political reform program can be viewed as his own set pattern that was aimed to seize power and in turn change things as they were being carried out by the armed forces. The reforms were not necessary since they failed to resolve the constitutional reforms in Rome. The political reform structures remain an enigma on the Roman political history. He is considered by many as an aristocrat that largely achieved the ultimate power of his dictatorship while at the same time he abdicated at the highest point of power in Rome. References Keaveney, A. 2005. Sulla: The Last Republican. Second edition. London and New York: Routledge Badian, E. 1964, 'Waiting for Sulla' in Badian, E. (ed.) Studies in Greek and Roman History, Oxford: 206–34 Badian, E. 1970. Lucius Sulla: The Deadly Reformer. Sydney: Sydney University Press Read More