Roman Republic
Topic: The Roman Empire · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 2 "An Empire Across Three Continents"
Meaning
The Roman Republic was the system that governed Rome from 509 to 27 BCE, before there were emperors. Real power lay with the Senate, a body controlled by the richest landowning families. During the Republic, Rome grew from a city into the master of much of the Mediterranean. Slaves may have formed a large share of the workforce in Republican Italy. The Republic was torn apart by civil wars. It ended when Octavian took power and became Augustus, the first emperor, in 27 BCE.
Example
Julius Caesar's conquest of Gaul and his murder in 44 BCE belong to the last years of the Republic.
Don't confuse with
- Principate: this was the rule of emperors that began in 27 BCE. The Senate stayed respected under it, but the emperor held real power.