The Rise of Rome and Its Republic

753–44 B.C.E.

When the Roman republic was founded in 509 B.C.E., few could have foreseen its future as a mighty imperialist state. At the time, Greece was on the threshold of its Golden Age, which was soon followed by Macedonia’s meteoric rise to power. Yet throughout this period, the Romans gradually expanded their territories and wealth so that by the end of the second century B.C.E., they controlled most of southern Europe, North Africa, and beyond. Victory came at a price, however, as Roman politicians and military leaders came to value their individual successes more than that of the republic. The documents in this chapter help us chart the republic’s development from several different angles. Together, they reveal the pillars of the republic—law, tradition, and communal values—while providing a glimpse of their ultimate demise.