ROMAN GOVERNMENT
The Roman Forum in Rome, Italy
For hundreds of years, the Roman Empire was governed by the Roman republic.This type of government allowed for citizens to vote officials into the government. It was a complicated government with a constitutions, detailed laws, and elected officials including senators. Lots of the ideas and structures of the Roman republic were the base for many democracies today. The elected officials were called magistrates, and there were different ranks and titles for magistrates. Consuls were at the top of the Roman government, they chose the laws, how many taxes to collect, and much more. The senators were a group of leaders who advised the consuls. As the Romans conquered new lands, they would need someone to be the local ruler. The senate would hire a governor to rule the land or province. The Roman government was ahead of their time, as the Roman republic is used as a base for the type of government we have in Canada, the United States, and so many more.
After the people of Ancient Rome had overthrown the Roman kingdom, and had become the Roman Republic, they established laws known as the Twelve Tables. The laws were titled the Twelve Tables because they were divided into twelve different sections. The laws involved matters such as crime, property, family things such as marriage and inheritance. The main laws would be displayed in the forum for as long as Rome was a republic. Some of the laws we know of from the Twelve Tables include: a dead man shall not be buried or burned within the city, no person shall hold meetings by night in the city, and putting to death an unconvicted man is forbidden, unless the man is harming you or your family. All the laws were applied equal to all Roman citizens, no matter your riches or your beliefs. The laws of the Romans were extremely precise, which was how they kept everything in order at all
times.
