{"id":4022,"date":"2023-03-30T14:05:56","date_gmt":"2023-03-30T13:05:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.learnancientrome.com\/?p=4022"},"modified":"2023-03-30T14:05:56","modified_gmt":"2023-03-30T13:05:56","slug":"was-ancient-rome-an-oligarchy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.learnancientrome.com\/was-ancient-rome-an-oligarchy\/","title":{"rendered":"Was ancient rome an oligarchy?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ancient Rome was not an oligarchy, though it was often ruled by a small group of wealthy elites. The Roman Republic was founded on the principle of representational government, and though it was often hijacked by the rich, the average Roman citizen had a say in how their government was run. In addition, Rome was not a static society; over time, the government became more inclusive, culminating in the rule of the Roman Emperor Constantine, who overturned many of the oligarchic tendencies of his predecessors.<\/p>\n

There is some debate over whether or not Ancient Rome can be classified as an oligarchy, as there were elements of both oligarchy and democracy in the government. However, most historians agree that the government was dominated by a small group of wealthy elites, making it more accurate to say that Ancient Rome was an oligarchy.<\/p>\n

What type of government was ancient Rome? <\/h2>\n

A republic is a form of government in which the people elect leaders to represent them. The Roman Republic was established in 509 BC, and it was a model for many other countries for centuries. The United States government is based partly on Rome’s model. The ladder to political power in the Roman Senate was different for the wealthy patricians than for the lower-class plebeians.<\/p>\n

The Roman Republic was a democracy. Its government consisted of the Senate and four assemblies: the Comitia Curiata, the Comitia Centuriata, the Concilium Plebis, and the Comitia Tributa. The Comitia Curiata was the oldest assembly, and it consisted of the patricians, or the noble class. The Comitia Centuriata was the second oldest assembly, and it consisted of the citizens, who were divided into centuriae, or voting units. The Concilium Plebis was the assembly of the plebeians, or the common people. The Comitia Tributa was the assembly of the tribes, which were divisions of the citizens.<\/p>\n

What two types of government did Rome have <\/h3>\n