Recent political upheaval in the American Republic has sparked comparisons by some politicians and pundits with the fate of the Roman Republic, and those wishing to learn more about the latter could not do better than to have a look at this new book from noted classical scholar Natale Barca (Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, etc.).

Often inaccurately called a ‘democracy,’ the Roman Republic (509-30 B.C.) was actually an aristocratic republic, almost all power was held by a small number of very wealthy families, who ran things primarily for their benefit, with minimal input from the ordinary citizens. Despite that, this arrangement worked pretty well until the aftermath of the Second Punic War (218- 201 B.C.). After the defeat of Hannibal, the Republic’s power expanded rapidly, vast territories coming under Roman control, partly fueled by real threats to Roman security, but quite often due to competition among the great families for more and more wealth, power, and glory. While the wealthy grew wealthier, ordinary citizens became increasingly impoverished by long periods of military service, often losing their lands to the nobility, who operated vast agriculture plantations worked by slaves.

Barca opens with the story of the Gracchi brothers. Themselves wealthy aristos, they recognized that the loss of citizen small holdings posed a significant threat to the Republic’s security, and advocated reform, not always “constitutionally,” in part because helping the small holders might gain their family an edge in the competition among the great houses. The political crises that followed led to their murders, the rise of unrest among Rome’s Italian allies, who supplied half the army with little reward, successive murders of subsequent reformers, the revolt of the allies (the “Social War”), the rise of armies more loyal to their generals than to the state, and civil war between Marius and Sulla. This ended with Sula’s brutal dictatorship and the “restoration” of the Republic, which set the stage for further upheaval.

Barca’s treatment of the causes of the decline of the Roman Republic is of great value for readers unfamiliar with the period and with Roman institutions, as he provides clear explanations of the various political, religious, and military institutions, and a very detailed chronology.

Violence in the Forum is an excellent look at a complex period in Roman history.

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Note: Violence in the Forum is also available in e-editions.

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