Rome

The Roman Republic (Latin: *Res publica Romana* [ˈreːs ˈpuːblika roːˈmaːna]) began with the overthrow of the Roman Kingdom in 244 AUC (509 BC), the year of Brutus and Collatinus. Rome's control of Italia rapidly expanded after the fall of the tyrannical monarchy.

Roman society under the Republic is primarily a cultural mix of Latin and Etruscan societies, as well as of Sabine, Oscan, and Greek cultural elements. The political organization developed, at around the same time as direct democracy in Ancient Greece, with collective and annual magistracies, overseen by a senate. The top magistrates were the two consuls, who had an extensive range of executive, legislative, judicial, military, and religious powers. Even though a small number of powerful families (called *gentes*) monopolised the main magistracies. Roman institutions underwent considerable changes throughout the Republic to adapt to the difficulties it faced, such as the creation of promagistracies to rule its conquered provinces, or the composition of the senate.

**----> Rome's Discord <----**

## History

### The Founding of the Republic

Rome had been ruled by monarchs since its foundation. These monarchs were elected, for life, by men who made up the Roman Senate. The last Roman monarch was named Lucius Tarquinius Superbus (colloquially known as "Tarquin the Proud") and in traditional histories Tarquin was expelled from Rome in 244 AUC because of his son's, Sextus Tarquinius, actions. The husband of Lucretia, Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus, together with Tarquin the Proud's nephew, Lucius Junius Brutus, mustered support from the Senate and Roman army and forced the former monarch into exile to Etruria.

After this incident, the Senate agreed to abolish kingship. In turn, most of the former functions of the king were transferred to two separate consuls. These consuls were elected to office for a term of one year, each was capable of acting as a "check" on his colleague (if necessary) through the power of veto that the former kings had held. Furthermore, if a consul were to abuse his powers in office, he could be prosecuted when his term expired. Lucius Junius Brutus and Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus became first consuls of the Roman Republic (despite Collatinus' role in the creation of the Republic, he belonged to the same family as the former king and thus was forced to abdicate his office and leave Rome. He thereafter was replaced as co-consul by Publius Valerius Publicola.)

### Expansion

The first Roman Republican wars were wars of both expansion and defence, aimed at protecting Rome itself from neighbouring cities and nations and establishing its territory in the region. Initially, Rome's immediate neighbours were either Latin towns and villages, or else tribal Sabines from the Apennine hills beyond. One by one Rome defeated both the persistent Sabines and the local cities, both those under Etruscan control and those that had cast off their Etruscan rulers. Rome defeated its rival Latin cities in the Battle of Lake Regillus in 257 AUC, the Battle of Ariccia in 258 AUC, the Battle of Mount Algidus in 295 AUC, and the Battle of Corbio in 307 AUC. However it suffered a significant defeat at the Battle of the Cremera in 476 AUC wherein it fought against the most important Etruscan city of Veii; this defeat was later avenged at the Battle of Veii in 357 AUC, wherein Rome destroyed the city. By the end of this period, Rome had effectively completed the conquest of their immediate Etruscan and Latin neighbours, and also secured their position against the immediate threat posed by the nearby Apennine hill tribes.

From 410 to 412, Rome won two battles against their Samnite neighbours, but were unable to consolidate their gains, due to the outbreak of war with former Latin allies. In the Latin War (413–415), Rome defeated a coalition of Latins at the battles of Vesuvius and the Trifanum. The Latins submitted to Roman rule. A Second Samnite War began in 426. The fortunes of the two sides fluctuated, but from 439, Rome was dominant, and offered progressively unfavourable terms for peace. The war ended with Samnite defeat at the Battle of Bovianum (448). By the following year, Rome had annexed most Samnite territory and began to establish colonies there; but in 455 the Samnites rebelled, and defeated a Roman army, in a Third Samnite War. Following this success they built a coalition of several previous enemies of Rome. However, the war eventually ended with a Roman victory in 463. At the Battle of Populonia, in 471, Rome finished off the last vestiges of Etruscan power in the region.