Some of the similarities between ancient Rome at its height and the United States are obvious — from the sheer size of both countries to their forms of government, and the rise of their major historical figures. However, some are surprisingly subtle and require a closer look to discover just how much history sometimes rhymes.
1. Similarities in Government
Any student who paid attention in high school could tell you at least some similarities between the Roman style of government and the U.S. Constitution. Our system, a representative republic, is directly based on the Roman system. This name, in turn, was based on the Roman phrase res publica, meaning “something of the people” or the public interest or affairs.
The Roman Republican system, which lasted from the 5th to 1st century BCE, was perhaps best summed up by the Roman acronym SPQR, or Senatus Populus Que Romanus.
The phrase, translated as “the Senate and People of Rome,” shows the unique system of government developed by the Romans. The Roman Senate derived its name from a root word related to “senior,” denoting the expected age and wisdom of its members, who were appointed for life. Our Senate is based on the Roman one, and carries a similar function as the “upper” house in the legislative branch, compared to the House of Representatives or the people’s assemblies in Rome.
Of course, Rome’s government would change over the years, even within its respective Republican and Imperial periods. However, the influence of the Roman Republic on the United States’ founders cannot be understated.
2. A Distaste for Monarchy
It is ironic that the Roman system of government was originally set up out of hatred of monarchy, and later became ruled by emperors. However, the original Roman Republic was created from a painful history and sought to keep too much power out of one person’s hands.
The Roman Republic was largely built out of the negative experiences of a century of monarchy. The Romans were ruled by the nearby Etruscans, whose kings were remembered as great tyrants. When the Romans chased the Etruscans out of their city-state, they established a system of government where power was shared. A complex system of elections and appointments kept too much power from concentrating at any given time. This included the system of having two consuls holding executive power at the same time, during a term of one year. Consuls were also expected to wait ten years before seeking the office again.
Ironically, the Romans also created the office of dictator, which was to be used during times of great emergency. The power of the dictator was nearly absolute but could only be held for up to six months. An example of the responsible use of such great power filtered through Roman history through the story of Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus. Details of his time as dictator are still debated by modern historians, but Roman writers described him as twice leading Roman armies to save the country in a time of trouble.
Cincinnatus was supposedly offered to keep his power longer but said that he would rather retire to his farm than take power unjustly. It was not until centuries later that this office was abused.
3. Rome Fought in Its Own “World Wars”
While the United States was forged by its experiences in the First and Second World Wars, Rome fought its own versions of the battle of civilizations during its long history. The Roman Republic was faced with several major struggles over control of much of the known world, which centered around the Mediterranean Sea.
The first were three conflicts against the North African merchant power of Carthage. The city, originally founded by Phoenician traders, soon rivaled Roman power in the Mediterranean. The two countries fought three bitter wars with each other to gain supremacy. The most famous is the battle between Carthage and Rome in the Second Punic War (218-201 BCE), during which Carthage attempted to avenge its loss in the First Punic War under the leadership of the great general Hannibal, who marched over the Alps on elephants. The Romans ultimately won the conflicts, and Carthage was destroyed as a civilization in the process. The victory allowed Rome to become the preeminent power in the ancient Mediterranean.
However, that wasn’t the only “world” war between Rome and its opponents. It fought a number of conflicts against the Greek successor countries of Alexander the Great, often called the Hellenistic states. Rome faced a particular challenge from Pyrrhus of Epirus, who ruled over northwestern Greece. He defended the Greek city-states in southern Italy and led one of the greatest challenges against Rome in the 3rd century BCE.
Pyrrhus also used elephants during his campaigns and had Rome on the ropes. The defeat of the Hellenistic states took several centuries and cemented Rome’s position as a global superpower.
4. Rome Faced Its Own Inflationary Crisis
The inflation of recent years in the United States pales in comparison to several periods of great inflationary growth in ancient Rome. Perhaps the best-known example is that which occurred during the Crisis of the Third Century. The period of political and economic instability led to one of the worst periods of inflation in ancient history.
Rome was a mess during the 3rd century CE. The empire faced numerous power struggles for the throne, civil war, outside pressure, and even a major plague. As a result, it very nearly fell during one of its most trying times. The crisis brought the decisive end of the last prosperity of the Roman Peace, or Pax Romana, and the complex trade and economic system of Rome. The shift away from interconnected trade toward local production presaged the later coming of the Middle Ages. It also caused a massive increase in inflation. The reduction of precious metals in Roman coinage, such as gold and silver, helped to reduce the value of the country’s money.
The pressure of Roman expenditures, including the military, played a major role in the debasement of coinage. The crisis ended with the rise of the Emperor Diocletian. Among other significant reforms, Diocletian switched collection so that some taxes could be sent in as goods, rather than coinage. He also attempted to artificially cap prices, which ultimately failed. By the end of the crisis, the average good cost 100 times what it had roughly a century prior.
5. Rome Had Its Own Populist Leaders
Rome’s unique political system allowed for significant factions to grow, especially during the later Republic. This was often highlighted by the emergence of populist leaders who called for significant changes to the country’s political, social, and economic order. While there are many to consider, the ones that still capture most of the attention even more than two millennia later are two brothers and, of course, Julius Caesar.
For many Romans, the system of the Late Republic following the end of the Punic Wars was one of inequality. The nation had seen a sharp increase in reliance on slavery and the rapidly expanding wealth of large landowners. This especially affected the families of young soldiers, who were being asked to do more and more as their country expanded. Tribunes Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus (plural of their names in Latin is Gracchi) attempted to shift the Roman system from within and ultimately started a path of precedents that would lead to Julius Caesar.
Tiberius Gracchus came from a military and well-connected family, with his father having been a former consul. Tiberius was a war hero and returned to Rome seeking significant changes. Perhaps his most extensive legacy was an agrarian reform law hoping to restrain the power of large landowners. Instead, Tiberius and his brothers were murdered by their opponents, starting the precedent of political murder that would end the Republic. His brother Gaius attempted even further-reaching reforms before being outlawed by the Senate and killed.
6. A Major Political Shift?
The United States Constitution has lasted for more than 200 years and is one of the oldest continually-used forms of government in modern history. However, it was a significant departure from the original Articles of Confederation (1781-1787). The last century of the Roman Republic also saw significant, and much bloodier changes.
The death of the Gracchi brothers led to major changes that would ultimately end the Roman Republic. The last century of the Republic’s history saw several civil wars. The populist faction remained a major force, including under seven-time consul Marius. However, Marius’s own abuses of power led to a civil war against the general Sulla, which Sulla would ultimately win. Sulla targeted his enemies and established the precedent of becoming a dictator for more than six months.
One of those who escaped Sulla’s wrath was Marius’s nephew Gaius Julius Caesar. Caesar’s extensive military career in Gaul (now modern-day France) and Britain made him a household name. He was able to use his experiences to become the nation’s political and religious leader. He also divided Roman power between himself and the wealthy general Crassus and lauded military leader Pompey the Great in the First Triumvirate. Following a struggle with the traditionalists in the Senate and a civil war, he became dictator for life, leading to Caesar’s assassination in 44 BCE. However, his death didn’t restore the Roman Republic but instead ushered in the start of the Roman Empire under his adoptive son Octavian, later Augustus.
