Page 4 - Cause & Effect: Ancient Rome

CHAPTER THREE

How Did Internal Conflict

Destroy the Republic and

Give Birth to an Empire?

Focus Questions

1. What qualities do you believe are most important in those
who wish to lead a nation, and why do these qualities matter?
2. What safeguards exist in the US Constitution to prevent mili-
tary generals from exercising too much power, as happened
during the Roman Republic, and how eff ective would these
safeguards be if this were to happen today? Explain your an-
swer.
3. Do you believe that nations can ever benefi t from autocratic
rulers? Why or why not? Provide examples to support your
answer.

he Roman Republic proved strong and resilient for several cen-
Tturies. Th e ability of the voters to replace weak or corrupt leaders
through annual elections was only one of many features that made the
government fl exible and ensured its ongoing popularity among the
Roman people. Th e Romans’ republican system gave them the ability
to learn from their mistakes and made it easier for them to bounce
back from major military defeats and other disasters. Along with oth-
ers, these factors allowed Rome to conquer large parts of the Mediter-
ranean world.
In spite of its strengths, however, the Republic also contained the
seeds of its own undoing. In the turbulent fi rst century BCE, one
military or political crisis after another rocked the Roman world. Th e
Romans dealt with these problems. But often they did so by allowing

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