The Roman Republic

I. Romans believed their virtues made them great

A. Pietas

1. Civic priesthood to honor the gods

2. Goddess of the home--Vesta

3. family gods

B. Genius

1. Character of a family passed through generations

2. Patrician with Busts

a. compared with Doryphoros

C. Gravitas

1. sense of responsibility and seriousness of purpose

2. gravitas was essential to the working of the republic

3. heroes of gravitas: Cincinnatus and Cato the Elder

D. Severitas

1. self-discipline

2. key virtue of both politicians and soldiers

II. Republican idea is power sharing

A. Patricians and Plebian

1. Senate of patricians (fathers)

a. rotation of offices

2. Plebian challenge (c. 450 BCE)

a. tribal assembly elects tribunes

b. tribal assembly has final power of approval by 287 BCE

c. extended legal rights for plebians, especially intermarriage

3. power of elections in the centuriate assembly

a. link of military obligations and political rights

B. How republican balance was maintained

1. Roman virtue

2. marriage and family connections

3. patrons and clients

4. regular conquest

5. potential for instability

III. Expansion of the Republic

A. Military greatness

1. importance of Roman virtues

2. refusal to accept defeat

B. Practical genius in politics and law

1. forming alliances and permitting local autonomy

2. extending citizenship and rule of law

C. When it almost came to an end

1. Second Punic War

2. Why Rome survived