
There is no other published book in English studying the constitution of the Roman Republic as a whole. Yet the Greek historian Polybius believed that the constitution was a fundamental cause of the exponential growth of Rome's empire. He regarded the Republic as unusual in two respects: first, because it functioned so well despite being a mix of monarchy, oligarchy and democracy; secondly, because the constitution was the product of natural evolution rather than the ideals of a lawgiver. Even if historians now seek more widely for the causes of Rome's rise to power, the importance and influence of her political institutions remains. The reasons for Rome's power are both complex, on account of the mix of elements, and flexible, inasmuch as they were not founded on written statutes but on unwritten traditions reinterpreted by successive generations. Knowledge of Rome's political institutions is essential both for ancient historians and for those who study the contribution of Rome to the republican tradition of political thought from the Middle Ages to the revolutions inspired by the Enlightenment.
This work investigates the structural mechanics and evolutionary nature of the Roman Republic's political system to determine how its unique institutional framework facilitated the expansion of Roman power. Andrew Lintott, a scholar of Roman history, utilizes a synthesis of classical sources and modern historical analysis to argue that the Republic's strength lay in its unwritten, flexible traditions rather than rigid legal statutes. He examines the interplay between monarchical, oligarchic, and democratic elements that defined the Roman state.
What You Will Find
Scope Limits
Experts recognize this text as a foundational resource for understanding the complexities of Roman governance. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is tailored for students and scholars of ancient history.
Page Count:
312
Publication Date:
2003-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0191584673
ISBN-13:
9780191584671
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