Early Roman politics - Assignment Example

Early Roman Politics Early Roman politics began with the wealthy patricians who governed Rome from the Senate as the governing body elected yearly to office by the citizen’s assembly (Winterling 54). All political and social power rested on hands of few families like the Caesars and the Corneliis lineages. The emperors were more powerful than the Senate though patrician families had the freedom to lead public opinion. Even at the early times, the Romans had a constitution for providing checks and balances, as well as separation of balance of power.

The early constitution created a position for two consuls of senior magistrates to act as the executive authority. The era marked the creation of the Rome Republic ruled by magistracies including praetors, tribunes, censors, and aediles (Winterling 57). The Republic also had a voting assembly that would vote on crucial matters like war. Series of wars and attacks would weaken Romans political system, but the Republic was able to regain its dominance in the Mediterranean Sea region and become politically strong again.

The Late Republic era marked the dominance of senators on the countrys political system though emergency of influential individuals like Julio Ceasar would shape early politics in Rome (Winterling 54). Julio Ceasar came at a time when politics situation in Rome was restless with clear political divisions. The republic governance also marked early Roman politics. The Senate had full legislative power. The era also marked autocratic rule by emperors whose presence meant that the Senate could only function as an advisory body to the Emperor.

The early political situation in Rome depicts a republic with weak political institutions a factor that would lead to the fall of some governments. Work CitedWinterling, Aloys. Politics and Society in Imperial Rome. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2009. Print.