How The World’s First Republic Was Born
The story of Rome’s transition from kings to politicians
“A republic, if you can keep it.”
— Benjamin Franklin
It is often forgotten that the world used to be full of monarchal kingdoms. From early Mesopotamia to the great clash of the First World War, few societies ruled without kings. This was not always the case, the idea of societies being ruled by a republic is a fairly new concept. It is no secret that the United States built the foundation of its constitution on the Republic of Rome. But Rome was not always a republic. Before it was a republic, it was a kingdom.
The republic that once ruled Rome ousted their kings. Forever after, it was ingrained in the minds of the Romans to fear a man who would call himself a Rex. But how do we know the story of the Roman Kings, and what happened to them? What can we learn from their rule and why did the Romans preserve their memory? How was the oldest republic formed, and what knowledge can we gain from it?
Titus Livius, Our Only Source
Something that must be pointed out is when this story was written and who wrote it. Titus Livius, commonly called Livy, is our main source. Livius lived during the time of Augustus…
