Roman Republic

Between 509-27 BCE, the Government of Ancient Rome was conducted on the basis of a Republic.
It voted to replace the Kings with a Constitution in 449 BCE, and be ruled by two Consuls who were elected every year.

In 510 BCE, the last of the Roman Kings (753-510 BCE), Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, was forced to abdicate and in 509 BCE the Republic was declared by the Senate.
The Republic lasted for almost 500 years, but was superseded by a period of civil wars resulting in a monarchical style of government known as the Empire.

SPQR - Senatus Populusque Romanus meant the ‘Senate and the People of Rome’.
This started being used on coins under Sulla between 82-80 BCE. Before this coins were inscribed with ‘ROMA’.

Constitution of the Roman Republic was based on the Twelve Tables.
There were three branches of government: the Legislature, consisting of the Roman Senate and the Three Popular Assemblies, the Judiciary, made up of eight judges, and the Executive formed of two Consul‘s.
The Two Consuls ruled Rome and were elected annually from 509 BCE-476 CE. After 27 BCE they became administrative figureheads with no power.
The Cursus Honorum was the career ladder for the Patrician class to govern.

The Roman Toga was worn as the national dress of Roman citizens from at least the reign of the third Roman King, Tullus Hostilius (673-642 BCE).

7 of the 11 Aqueducts of Ancient Rome were built during the Republic.
The first aqueduct to be built was the 10 mile (16km) long Aqua Appia in 312 BCE, which ran underground before reaching Rome then went through tunnels and along part of the top of the Servian Wall before emptying into 20 reservoirs.
The Via Appia, the first of the Roman Roads of Italy, was also built in 312 BCE. It ran for 350 miles (563km) between Rome and Brindisi.
The Temple of Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill was completed in 509 BCE, influenced by both Etruscan and Greek architecture. It became the basis for other Roman Temples during the Republican era.

The Republican Army adopted the Greek Phalanx System during the 5th century BCE, which acted like a giant battering ram. But this required flat ground and the Phalanx could only move forward or backward with all the soldiers compressed together.
After their complete defeat at the Battle of the Caudine Forks in 321 BCE, the Republican Army adopted the Maniple System (315-107 BCE) copied from the Samnites. This separated the Legion into 60 Maniples of 120 men, arranged in three rows. Each Maniple was separated from the next by a gap of one Maniple and each legionary now had a six foot square to himself to wield his sword in. The Legion was no much more flexible.
The Maniple system was used to great effect during the Punic Wars (264-146 BCE) and the Macedonian Wars (214-148 BCE).
Between 107-101 BCE, the Marian Reforms introduced the Cohort System. The 60 Maniples became 10 cohorts, each with 480 men, divided into 6 centuries of 80 men. The 10 cohorts faced battle in 2 rows. The cohort could turn and fight in any direction, or be separated from the main army and fight alone. The Legion was now completely flexible and could operate on most terrain.

Etruscan Wars continued from the 7th century BCE until 264 BCE.
Latin Wars (353-338 BCE) resulted in control over Latium and the cities of the Latin League.
Samnite Wars (343-290 BCE) resulting in control over central and southern Italy.
Pyrrhic War (290-275 BCE) resulting in the annexation of Magna Graecia.
Etruria finally conquered (265-264 BCE)

Punic Wars (264-146 BCE) acquisition of Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia, Iberia and North Africa.
Macedonian Wars (214-148 BCE) acquisition of Greece.
Mithridatic Wars (88-63 BCE) acquisition of Turkey, Syria and Judaea.
Gallic Wars (58-50 BCE) acquisition of Gaul up to the Rhine.
Crassus invasion of Parthian Empire resulted in catastrophe at the Battle of Carrhae (53 BCE)
Battle of Actium acquisition of Egypt (30 BCE)

First an 8 year period during which Sulla and Marius attempted to seize power from each other.
Then an 18 year period of Roman Civil Wars starting with Julius Caesar against Pompey, when he crossed the Rubicon in 49 BCE. Completed in 31 BCE by his successor Octavian when he won the Battle of Actium.

The Roman Republic was never officially abolished, but on the 16 January 27 BCE, Octavian was proclaimed Augustus by the Roman Senate in the First Settlement, and given all the High Offices of State, effectively ending the democratic structure of the Roman Republic.
The Republic was finally dissolved in 476 CE when the Germanic Barbarian Odoacer became King of Italy.