Save the Roman Republic

Panel Debate

Introduction

Imagine you are a Roman consul. Consuls have some power, but they are not gods. They must obey the will of the people, keep the rich happy, and still save Rome from self-destruction. As elected consuls, leaders of government, your job is to solve the major problems facing the Republic.

Assignment

Your study groups will be assigned a role and develop arguments and questions based on the following problems:

PROBLEM 1: Slaves are brought back from each conquered land. These slaves are assigned jobs in the factories and on the farms, working for much less than any free Roman can. These slaves are putting free citizens, who are laborers and small farmers, out of work. Poor Romans are starving to death. What can we do?

PROBLEM 2: Rome needs tax money. The government needs to pay the legions, build roads, sewers, aqueducts, arenas, and pay for the welfare program in Rome. To get this tax money, Rome uses tax farmers. Tax farmers are Romans who pay a flat fee to the Roman Republic for the privilege of collecting taxes from a territory. To recoup these monies, tax farmers then levy a tax against every citizen in their territory. Tax collectors expect to make a profit, as they are in the business of tax collection. This is understood. However, under this system, there are many abuses, as the government can not control how each tax farmer runs their individual business. How can we stop the abuses while still continuing to get the tax money we need to run the Republic? This job was called a "tax farmer". When a farmer plants a seed, that farmer expects a large return from just one seed. Such was true of the position and goals of the tax "farmer". Each tax farmer paid an amount to the Republic, and expected a large return from their investment.

PROBLEM 3: Another problem we face involves Rome’s Socii states, which are areas that Rome has conquered that are now allied to Rome. They pay taxes, they contribute food and soldiers, but they are not citizens of Rome. They are pushing for greater citizenship rights since they are citizens in everything but name. What should we do about these Socii states to avoid a Social War?

PROBLEM 4: Under the Republic, elected officials use their positions to get rich. To get elected, some people are buying votes. The poor are quite happy to sell their votes to the highest bidder. Under this system, many people are elected who are poor governors. Graft and corruption are rampant. How can we ensure good government for Rome?

PROBLEM 5: Warlords and demagogues are creating client armies that conquer huge areas around the Mediterranean and expand the influence of Rome, but those warlords are enriching themselves. They use there tremendous wealth in both slaves and loot to pay their soldiers as devoted servants to the cult of personality that they are creating, and the soldiers can no longer be trusted to protect Rome. These soldiers are also voters, so the sway that these warlords have over the electoral process is destroying our traditional Republican system with a grassroots movement that could put too much power in the hands of the demagogues. The recently approved Lex Gabinia serves as a perfect example of how much power one warlord can possess and make it look legal. How can we maintain the protection of Rome, while keeping its legitimacy as a Republican form of government?

Suggested Resources

⦿ Can you save the Roman Republic? (choose your own adventure scenario quiz)

⦿ General Resource for all perspectives: The Fall of the Roman Republic

⦿ General Resource for all perspectives: Rome’s Transition from Republic to Empire

⦿ General Resource for all perspectives: Social War (just read the first part of the article)

Possible resources for your assigned perspective:

⦿ Cicero’s Republic versus Dictatorship

⦿ Cato the Younger: Ambition in the Service of Principle

⦿ Last Hero of the Republic: Pompey the Great

⦿ Accomplishments and Legacy of Julius Caesar

Written Assignment

Using the assigned perspective (listed below), you will write TWO or more bullet points for EACH PROBLEM described above. Your written assignment must contain specific examples and quotes from historical resources to help you prove your point. This written assignment must be submitted BEFORE the debate begins.

Assigned Perspectives

Your study groups will be assigned the following perspectives, and you will each prepare written arguments to present to the assembly, and you will debate the topic based on the historical record:

• Stosstruppen - Julius Caesar

• Thigh Men - Cicero of the Senate

• Praetorians - Cato the Younger & Brutus of the Senate

• Complaint Table to Ea-Nasir - Gnaeus Pompeius, “Pompey the Great”