Politics in the Roman Republic Key Themes in Ancient History Series

The politics of the Roman Republic has in recent decades been the subject of intense debate, covering issues such as the degree of democracy and popular influence, 'parties' and ideology, politics as public ritual, and the character of Rome's political culture. This engaging book examines all these issues afresh, and presents an original synthesis of Rome's political institutions and practices. It begins by explaining the development of the Roman constitution over time before turning to the practical functioning of the Republic, focusing particularly on the role of the populus Romanus and the way its powers were expressed in the popular assemblies. Henrik Mouritsen concludes by exploring continuity and change in Roman politics as well as the process by which the republican system was eventually replaced by monarchy. This original and readable book will be important for all students and scholars of Roman history and of politics in general.

1. Senatus Populusque Romanus: institutions and practices; 2. Leaders and masses in the Roman Republic; 3. Consensus and competition; Bibliographic essay.

Henrik Mouritsen is Professor of Roman History at King's College London. He has published widely on aspects of Roman history from local and republican politics to slavery, manumission, and epigraphy. His books include Elections, Magistrates and Municipal Elite (1988), Italian Unification (1998), Plebs and Politics in the Late Roman Republic (Cambridge, 2001), and The Freedman in the Roman World (Cambridge, 2011).