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Introduction: Polybius Roles in Roman Rise
Polybius was a Greek historian and admirer of the Roman Republic of the Hellenistic period who wrote extensively regarding the political system of Rome. His belief states that Rome's rise to power was due to the political powers that were achieved by the constitution of Rome. Contrary to the belief of Polybius, it can be said that he thought the Republic of Rome had a government that allowed a distribution of power among the Senate, Consults, and the popular assemblies that are known to be the different branches of the government. In this essay, there will be discussions related to the turmoil of Catiline's uprising in 63 BC [1]. This will include the nature of the Catiline policy, an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the Roman constitution, a comparison between the political and other ancient or modern systems and limitations of using a single historical event to evaluate the effectiveness of the political system. Furthermore, the long-term impacts of the Catiline conspiracy on the Roman political system have also been considered in the discussion.
Thesis statement
"There is an analysis of Polybius' Roman Constitution and its balance of political powers that will be providing an evaluated explanation for Rome's rise to power, as it has prevented the concerns of the power in the hands of the individuals or the groups to ensure stability and success for the Roman Empire".
Discussion
Causes and nature of the Catiline conspiracy and how they reveal a weakness in the roman political system
The Catiline conspiracy, also known as the Catiline uprising, is a political crisis that occurred in Rome in 63 BC. Lucius Sergius Catilina (Catiline) led to the overthrow of the Republic of Rome to seize its power for the people [2]. This conspiracy also involves a plot involving a group of senatorial aristocrats. Some of the causes of the Catiline Conspiracy are stated below:
Economic inequality: During the conspiracy, the people of Rome were struggling with their economic conditions as a result of the fact that the gap between the rich and the poor increased with time [3]. It was aimed at addressing these issues related to economic stability to win the support of the disaffected.
Corruption: The situation in Rome during the conspiracy was rife with corruption, and the individuals, rather than showing their interest in the Republic of Rome, were more focused on advancing their own interests. This has become the power for Catiline to gain support from the people and be able to recruit followers.
Political patronage: Aristocrats during the conspiracy gained power and influence as they were involved with the powerful patrons with their beholden [4]. This has created a situation in which Catiline and his followers sought to exploit political favours.
The nature of the Catiline conspiracy gives rise to several weaknesses that are stated below:
Lack of effective law enforcement: The Republic of Rome has a lack of police force as a result; the Catiline's conspiracy was difficult to prevent from forming [5]. This is the situation that formed during the time, as the legal system was dependent on the reported crimes of the individuals.
Inadequate checks and balances: The seized power of Catiline was so strong that the Roman Constitution, despite having checks and balances, was not able to prevent the situation.
Fragmented political power: It is a known fact that the Republic of Rome was divided among different categories of government, namely, the consuls, the senate, and the popular assemblies [6]. This has generated a situation where there are coordination measures for obtaining a combined response to implement actions for preventing the Catiline conspiracy.
Overall, it can be said that the Catiline conspiracy was a political crisis that highlighted the weaknesses of the Roman political system.
An analysis of the roman constitution and its strengths and weaknesses
Since the founding of Rome in the 8th century BC, the Roman constitution has enjoyed a complex system of governance that evolved in the 5th century AD. During this time span, it has given rise to several strengths and weaknesses that are stated below:
Strengths:-
Separation of power: The problem that is raised due to the separation of power is that all the branches of the government that enjoy power are concerned with the power of the other branch [7]. They thought that all the branches must enjoy equal powers and would not have any extra concern for any of them. This has been done to ensure equality among all the branches so that the work done will be beneficial for the residents.
Written law: There was a written law that states the rules and regulations that are framed under the constitution are applicable to all citizens [8]. This was published in written form to ensure that all citizens will have knowledge regarding the laws and a common understanding of the legal systems to promote stability.
The senate: The senate used to form a forum for deliberation and advice, as this group comprises the most senior members of Roman society [9].
The popular assembly: The popular assemblies are focused on allowing the ordinary citizens of the Republic of Rome to participate in the political processes. They are responsible for electing officials, framing laws, and approving treaties.
Weaknesses:-
Corruption: Although the Roman economy has the strengths of separation of power and written law, it is plagued by corruption. This implies that rich people tend to use their money to stand in the election and gain power, irrespective of the democratic process.
Limited franchise: The Roman Republic has access to popular assemblies that allow ordinary citizens to take active participation in the political process [10]. In spite of this, the rest of the citizens are not able to participate in the political process. The rest of the citizens include women, slaves, and foreigners, as they are excluded from the political process, limiting their reach to democracy.
Inequality: The republic of Rome was marked by social and economic differences or inequality. This implies that rich individuals have access to political power irrespective of the poor, as they are categorised as a marginalised group.
Fragmented Power: The Constitution of Rome enjoys fragmented power as the power is distributed among different branches of government [11]. They are often used to work at cross-purposes, leading to inaction. This generates a situation of not having access to address pressing issues.
Comparison of the roman political system and another ancient or modern political system
The comparison of the Roman political system with the modern political system comprises similarities and differences that are stated below:
Similarities:-
Separation of power: Both the Roman Republic and the United States enjoy a separation of power. The Republic of Rome has a separation of power that includes the consuls, the senate, and the popular assemblies, whereas the United States has a separation of power that includes the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government.
Written law: The Roman Republic and the United States exercise the power of written laws that are applicable to all citizens. The legal system enhances its predictability and stability with the publication of these laws.
Bicameral legislature: The Roman Republic has a bicameral legislature that includes the senate and the popular assemblies, whereas the United States has the House of Representatives and the senate as well [12].
Differences:-
Democracy: the Roman republic enjoys the benefits generated by the popular assemblies that allow the male citizens of the republic to access powers in the political process. In contrast, the United States enjoys an inclusive democracy for all citizens, including men, women, and older people. There is a criterion that all people who can have access to political power must be at least 18 years old.
Federalism: The power of the federal government and the individual states is shared among them in the United States. In contrast, the Roman Republic has a concentration of power with the centralised government.
Judiciary: The Roman republic and the United States have the power of judiciary, whereas the United States has a more powerful one [13]. There is a power of judicial review implemented by the Supreme Court that states they have the right to declare laws and unconstitutional actions of execution.
Term limit: the power of corruption and concentration is high in the Roman republic, as it does not have access to term limits for the officials. In contrast, the United States is concerned with the benefits of individuals, which implies a term limit has been generated for the elected officials so as to prevent the individuals from working long hours in the office.
The limitations of using a single historical event to evaluate the effectiveness of a political system
There are several reasons that have limited the use of a single historic event to evaluate the effectiveness of political systems. Some of them are stated below:
Sample size: There has been a complex political system in the Roman Republic for centuries. Evaluating the effectiveness of the system based on a single historical event will not be able to provide a comprehensive understanding of the practice.
Context: Historical events may not represent the overall functioning of the political system as the events are concerned with unique circumstances. Based on the Catiline conspiracy, the effectiveness of the Roman political system may not be evaluated, as it will not consider the other factors. This is due to the influence nature of the stability or instability of the system.
Bias: The historians or reliable sources under biased situations are influenced by the interpretation of the historical events. This was becoming an obstacle in providing an analysis based on the objects that need to be met in the political system.
Evolution: The political system that was established in 63 BC by the Roman republic provided an impact on the political stability for an era and ended in the 5th century AD. Taking the historic records of the political system of Rome under this time period will not be effective for proceeding further. This is due to the changes that took place during that era periodically will affect the effects of political stability over time. Thus, evaluating the effectiveness of the Roman Republic's political system may not be able to reflect the evolution of the systems over time.
Overall, it can be said that there should be considerations regarding different events that take place in the political systems of the Roman republic to measure the effectiveness of the systems implemented with time. This will help in gathering information and a more nuanced understanding of the political system of the Roman republic. Furthermore, in evaluating the effectiveness of the political system of Rome, one can consider civic participation, which implies the level of participation needed to ensure that the government was concerned with the needs and wants of the people.
Another factor is that slavery, which is heavily relied upon by the Roman Republic, has become a major flaw in the political system. It was an acceptable practice for economic gain to exploit the enslaved, contributing to the social and economic inequalities that are known to have existed in Roman society. Considering this as a different event for evaluating the effectiveness of the Roman Republic will generate an idea of the implemented political systems of that era.
Furthermore, the Roman republic has been praised for the achievements made with the expansion of the territory that was negotiated by some historians. This was due to the impacts of the expansion on the conquered or poor people of society, who are categorised as marginalized groups. This can also be considered to evaluate the effectiveness of the Roman Republic's political practices. These have been changed over time and the situation tends to be under control by the end of the era in the 5th century AD. There was a development in the legal system of the Roman Republic’s political practices, which has been termed to be beneficial for ordinary people as well.
The long-term impacts of Catiline’s conspiracy on the Roman political system
The Catiline’s Conspiracy was a political crisis that occurred in the Ruman Republic in 63 BCE. It was a conspiracy led by Lucius Sergius Catilina, a senator who wanted to overthrow the government of the Republic. The conspiracy had a profound impact on the Roman political system, and its consequences were felt for years to come. One of the most significant long-term impacts of “Catiline’s Conspiracy” was the increase in the power of the executive branch of the Roman government [14]. The conspiracy highlighted the weakness of the Roman Republic's political system, which was based on a balance of power between the executive branches of the Roman government. As a result, the executive branch, led by Consul Cicero, took on treated power to deal with the crisis. This set a precedent for a future crisis, and the power of the executive continued to grow.Another long-term impact was the erosion of the traditional Roman values of honesty and integrity in politics. The conspiracy was marked by corruption and deceit on both sides, with “Catiline” using bribery and intimidation to gain support and the government using fear-mongering and propaganda to discredit him. The public's faith in the political system was shaken, and many people began to see politics as a dirty business that required deceit and manipulation to succeed.
The “Catiline Conspiracy” also had a significant impact on the Roman social and economic system. The conspiracy was driven by the social and economic inequality that existed in Rome at the time, with many people feeling left behind by the elite. The crisis exposed these divisions, and the government's response, which focused on maintaining the status quo, did little to address them. This contributed to a growing sense of dissatisfaction among the lower classes, which eventually led to the collapse of the Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire [15]. The “Catiline Conspiracy” had far-reaching and long-lasting impacts on the Roman political system. It led to an increase in the power of the executive branch, eroded the traditional values of honesty and integrity in politics, and exposed the social and economic divisions in Roman society. Its legacy can still be seen in the way politics is conducted today, and it serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of corruption and inequality in any political system.
Conclusion
"The Catiline Conspiracy” was a pivotal moment in the history of the Roman Republic. It revealed the weaknesses of the Roman political system, including its inability to effectively address economic inequality, corruption, and political unrest. The conspiracy also highlighted the challenges of maintaining a democratic system of government in the face of intense social and political pressures. The Roman constitution, while innovative for its time, had several weaknesses that made it vulnerable to political instability. The lack of effective checks and balances, the absence of term limits for elected officials, and the reliance on a small group of elites to govern all contributed to the political instability that ultimately led to this conspiracy.
When compared to other ancient and modern political systems, the Roman system had both strengths and weaknesses. Its focus on civic participation and the rule of law was commendable, but its inability to adapt to changing circumstances and the concentration of power among a small group of elites made it vulnerable to instability. It is important to note, however, that the Catiline conspiracy should not be viewed as the sole measure of the effectiveness of the Roman political system.Its legacy serves as a cautionary tale for modern societies about the dangers of political instability and the importance of addressing the underlying causes of social and political unrest.
References
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Blackman, R.H., 2021. Will the Real Catiline Please Stand Up? Framing Intimidation in the National Assembly of 1789.French History & Civilization,10. https://h-france.net/rude/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/10-BLACKMAN.pdf
Campbell, J.W., 2020. Buying the honor of thieves? Performance pay, political patronage, and corruption.International Journal of Law, Crime and Justice,63, p.100439. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlcj.2020.100439
Coudry, M., 2022. The Senate.A Companion to the Political Culture of the Roman Republic, pp.206-219. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119673675.ch15
Dunn Cavelty, M. and Wenger, A., 2020. Cyber security meets security politics: Complex technology, fragmented politics, and networked science.Contemporary Security Policy,41(1), pp.5-32. https://doi.org/10.1080/13523260.2019.1678855
Gandini, C., 2022. Misquoting, Misplacing, Misusing: Some Observations on Cicero’s De consulatu suo.The Limits of Exactitude in Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Literature and Textual Transmission,137, p.207. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110796612
Goldsmith, I., 2022. Animi Imperio, Corporis Servitio: Violence and Social Division in Sallust’s Bellum Catilinae.Brown Classical, p.77. https://www.brown.edu/academics/classics/sites/academics-classics/files/BCJ%202022.pdf#page=85
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[1] Ramsey, J.T., 2019. The Date of the Consular Elections in 63 and the Inception of Catiline’s Conspiracy.Harvard Studies in Classical Philology,110, pp.213-270. https://www.jstor.org/stable/48623477
[2] Blackman, R.H., 2021. Will the Real Catiline Please Stand Up? Framing Intimidation in the National Assembly of 1789.French History & Civilization,10. https://h-france.net/rude/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/10-BLACKMAN.pdf
[3] Bapuji, H., Ertug, G. and Shaw, J.D., 2020. Organizations and societal economic inequality: A review and way forward.Academy of Management Annals,14(1), pp.60-91. https://doi.org/10.5465/annals.2018.0029
[4] Campbell, J.W., 2020. Buying the honor of thieves? Performance pay, political patronage, and corruption.International Journal of Law, Crime and Justice,63, p.100439. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlcj.2020.100439
[5] Malyshev, K., 2022. METHODOLOGICAL BASICS FOR THE FORMATION OF THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM.Global Prosperity,2(2), pp.18-28. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2856-3641
[6] Dunn Cavelty, M. and Wenger, A., 2020. Cyber security meets security politics: Complex technology, fragmented politics, and networked science.Contemporary Security Policy,41(1), pp.5-32. https://doi.org/10.1080/13523260.2019.1678855
[7] Ndulo, M.B., 2020. Bill 10, if Enacted, Will Install a Constitutional Dictatorship and Undermine Democracy in Zambia.Southern African Journal of Policy and Development,5(1), p.7. https://scholarship.law.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1062&context=sajpd
[9] Coudry, M., 2022. The Senate.A Companion to the Political Culture of the Roman Republic, pp.206-219. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119673675.ch15
[10] Goldsmith, I., 2022. Animi Imperio, Corporis Servitio: Violence and Social Division in Sallust’s Bellum Catilinae.Brown Classical, p.77. https://www.brown.edu/academics/classics/sites/academics-classics/files/BCJ%202022.pdf#page=85
[11] Gandini, C., 2022. Misquoting, Misplacing, Misusing: Some Observations on Cicero’s De consulatu suo.The Limits of Exactitude in Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Literature and Textual Transmission,137, p.207. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110796612
[12] McCracken, M., 2022. The Twilight of Liberty: Lessons for the United States from Rome’s Dying Republic. https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1299&context=hsgconference
[13] Stoner, R., 2022. The Difficult Defense of Cicero’s Goodness.Studies on Roman Thought and Its Reception, p.83. https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/53707/1/9783110748703.pdf#page=106
[14] Nebelin, K., 2022. Late Republican Local Rebellions and Marches against Rome: Agency and Initiative in the “Catilinarian Insurgency”. InLeadership and Initiative in Late Republican and Early Imperial Rome(pp. 409-432). Brill. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004511408_016
[15] Ramsey, J.T., 2019. The Date of the Consular Elections in 63 and the Inception of Catiline’s Conspiracy.Harvard Studies in Classical Philology,110, pp.213-270. DOI: https://www.jstor.org/stable/48623477
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