Roman Elections: The Rise and Fall Of Eccentric Roman Politicians

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Cicero Denounces Catiline  by Cesare Maccari  (1888) (Public Domain)

Roman Elections: The Rise and Fall Of Eccentric Roman Politicians

In the ancient world, the early distribution of political power was dictated by the availability of fresh water, fertile soil and a temperate climate, all of which were important for the development of organized societies. This greatly clarified the object of politics at the time which was to define boundaries. Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia were able to equip their large rivers with irrigation systems that allowed higher agricultural productivity and thus sustained surpluses and population growth. The Mesopotamians even innovated the first laws.

Etruscan painting; dancer and musicians, Tomb of the Leopards, Tarquinia, Italy (Public Domain)

Etruscan painting; dancer and musicians, Tomb of the Leopards, Tarquinia, Italy (Public Domain)

Later, the Greeks began to colonize the Mediterranean region. This facilitated trade, which then caused a shift in the politics of the city-states. In Italy, the Etruscans wielded the most influence until Rome developed into one of the largest cities of the region by the end of the sixth century. Rome’s evolution from a minor power into an imperial behemoth complicated the concept of politics even further. The structure of the early Roman Republic was a hybrid between the Athenian style direct democracy, the Spartan style oligarchy, and the Etruscan style monarchy. This system seemed to be complicated by design to prevent any single entity from gaining too much power.


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