Ang Republikang Romano (Latin: Res publica Romana) ay ang kapanahunan ng sinaunang Romanong

kabihasnan na may Republikang uri ng pamahalaan. Nagsimula ang republika matapos ang pagbagsak ng
Kahariang Romano noong 509 BK at nagtapos noong 27 BK sa pagtatatag ng Imperyong Romano. Sa
panahon na ito lumawak ang kontrol ng Roma mula sa kapaligiran ng lungsod hanggang sa gahum ng
buong Mediteraneong mundo.

Sa panahon ng unang dalawang siglo ng pag-iral nito, lumawak ang Republikang Romano sa
pamamagitan ng kumbinasyon ng pananakop at pakikipag-alyansa, mula sa gitnang Italya hanggang sa
buong tangway nito. Nang sumunod na siglo, nakabilang nito ang hilagang Aprika, Espanya, at ang
ngayon ay timog Pransiya. Dalawang siglo matapos noon, sa bandang huli ng ika-1 siglo BK, nakabilang
na ang natitirang bahagi ng modernong Pransiya, Gresya, at karamihan ng silangang Mediteraneo. Sa
panahon na ito, ang mga panloob na salungatan ay humantong sa isang serye ng mga digmaang sibil,
umabot sa kasukdulan noong panahon ng pagpaslang kay Julio Cesar, na humantong sa transisyon mula
sa republika sa pagiging imperyo. Ang eksaktong petsa ng pagtransisyon ay bukas sa interpretasyon.
Maraming historyador ang nagpapahayag na ang pagtawid ni Julio Cesar ng Ilog ng Rubicon sa 49 BK,
ang paghirang ni Cesar bilang diktador pang habang-buhay sa 44 BK, at ang pagkatalo ni Mark Antony at
Cleopatra sa Labanan ng Actium sa 31 BK. Gayunman, ang ginagamit ng karaniwan ay ang parehong
petsa na ginamit ng mga sinaunang Romano, ang pagkaloob ng pambihirang kapangyarihan kay
Octavian at ang kanyang paggamit ng titulong Augustus noong 27 BK bilang ang pagtukoy sa kaganapang
nagtapos sa Republika.

Ang Romanong pamahalaan ay pinamunuan ng dalawang konsul, inihahalal taun-taon ng mga

mamamayan at pinapayuhan ng isang senado na binubuo ng hinirang na mga mahistrado. Dahil napaka
makaherarkiya ng Romanong lipunan sa modernong pamantayan, ang pagsulong ng pamahalaang
Romano ay lubhang naiimpluwensyahan ng pakikibaka sa pagitan ng mga patrisyo, ang pagaangkin ng
lupa ng Romanong aristokrasya, na kung sino ay sinaliksik ang kanilang lahi sa pagtatag ng Roma, at ang
mga plebo, ang higit na mas maraming mamamayang karaniwang tao. Sa paglipas ng panahon, ang mga
batas na nagbigay ng eksklusibong mga karapatan sa mga patrisyo sa pinakamataas na mga tanggapan
ng Roma ay nabago o pinahinaan, na humantong sa mga plebong pamilya na maging ganap na kasapi ng
aristokrasya. Ang mga pinuno ng Republika ay nakabuo ng isang malakas na tradisyon at moralidad na
nangangailangan ng pampublikong serbisyo at pagtataguyod sa kapayapaan at digmaan, na gumawa ng
hindi mapaghiwalay na ugnay sa militar at pampulitikang tagumpay. Marami sa ligal at lehislaibong
istraktura ng Roma (mamaya isinabatas sa Justinianong Kodigo, at muli sa Napoleonikong Kodigo) ay
maaari pa ring ma-obserbahan sa buong Europa at karamihan sa mundo sa modernong mga estadong
bansa at internasyonal na mga organisasyon.
EXECUTIVE BRANCH: The Elected Magistrates. With the exception of the dictatorship, two men held all
offices (collegial). All members of a college were of equal rank and could veto acts of other members;
higher magistrates could also veto the acts of lower magistrates. With the exception of the dictatorship
(6 months) and the censorship (18 months), the term of office was limited to one year. The rules for
holding office for multiple or successive terms were a matter of considerable contention over time.

CONSULS (2): the chief civil and military magistrates. They convened senate, curiate, and centuriate
assemblies.

PRAETORS (2-8): their main functions were military commands and the administration of civil law in
Rome.

AEDILES (2): could be plebian (plebian only) and curule (plebian or patrician). They were in charge of
religious festivals, public games, temples, upkeep of city, regulation of marketplace, and grain supply.

QUAESTORS (2-40): financial officers and administrative assistants in both civil and military functions.
They were also in charge of the state treasury at Rome and in the field they served as quartermasters
and seconds-in-command.

TRIBUNES (2-10): they were charged with the protection of lives and property of plebeians. Their
persons were considered inviolable, they had the power of veto over elections, laws, decrees of the
senate, and the acts of other magistrates (except dictator), convened tribal assembly and elicited
plebiscites.

CENSORS (2): elected every 5 years to conduct census, enroll new citizens, review roll of senate,
controlled public morals, and supervised leasing of public contracts. They ranked below Praetors and
above Aediles, but in practice this position was the pinnacle of the senate career and carried enormous
prestige and influence.

DICTATOR (1): in times of military emergency he was appointed by consuls. He appointed a Master of
the Horse to lead the cavalry. His tenure was limited to 6 months or the duration of the crisis whichever
was shorter. He was not subject to veto.

Only certain families were part of the patrician class and you had to be born a patrician. The patricians
were only a small percentage of the Roman population, but they held all the power. All the other
citizens of Rome were Plebeians. Plebeians were the farmers, craftsmen, laborers, and soldiers of Rome.

The distinction between patricians and plebeians in Ancient Rome was based purely on birth. Although
modern writers often portray patricians as rich and powerful families who managed to secure power
over the less-fortunate plebeian families, plebeians and patricians among the senatorial class were
equally wealthy
The rich and powerful people of ancient Rome were the patricians, who governed the city from the
Senate. The Senate was Rome's governing body during the republic voted into office once a year by an
Assembly of citizens ), and the equites, or men of property. All the social and most political power was in
the hands of a few ancient families, such as Cornelii, the Julii ( the family of the Caesars) and the Aemilii.
The Senate lost most of its power under the emperors, but the patrician families still led public opinion.

Most patricians had, beside their house at Rome, a family farm in the country and a number of villas in
pleasant spots of Latium in central Italy or in the south. Town and country houses alike were beautifully
built and designed for their owner's comfort.

The Romans believed in making their sons fine soldiers so after he became a Roman citizen he was
enlisted on his first military campaign. On his return from military service the son of a patrician almost
always entered into politics, and the sons of equites sometimes did the same. A young man first stood
for election as an aedile, or city councilor. The aediles looked after the corn supply and public
amusements. The next office was that of the quaestor, or a secretary of the treasury. The next step was
to be elected praetor, or judge. After that, if he where lucky, a man might be offered a province to
govern ( in the days of the Empire ) or stand for consulship. Under the republic the consuls were
magistrates who had the greatest power in Rome.

At any time a patrician could stand for election as a tribune, or political leader, generally one who
championed the rights of the common people against the Senate. A tribuneship was a dangerous post
because its holder was often in conflict with powerful nobles, but for an ambitious man it was the
quickest way to success.

In Rome a successful patrician spent his days somewhat as follows. He rose at daybreak and spent an
hour or two in the atrium, interviewing people who had come to him for help. In the late Republic and in
the Empire these people where mostly his freed slaves and their children. The patrician felt it his duty to
help out in any way he could and to plea for them in the law courts if necessary.

After a light breakfast the patrician went down to the Forum, accompanied by all the friends and clients
he could assemble. The day was spent pleading in the law courts or sitting in the Senate. In the evening
he ate the chief meal of the day and invited guests to it. The men reclined around the tables on couches
as they ate, but the patricians wife only took her meals with him if he was alone.