The Fall of the Roman Republic
A structural analysis of how republican institutions fail. We bypass the great-man narrative to examine the socio-economic pressures, agrarian crises, and military shifts that made Augustus inevitable.
Course Overview
The Roman Republic did not fall in a day, nor did it fall solely because of Julius Caesar. This course traces the century-long unraveling of Rome's political consensus, beginning with the Gracchian land reforms in 133 BCE.
Core Question
Was the Republic's constitution inherently flawed, or was it destroyed by the sheer scale of empire it had acquired?
Syllabus
Module I: The Agrarian Crisis (133-121 BCE)
Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus challenge the senatorial monopoly on public land.
Primary Sources
- Plutarch, Life of Tiberius Gracchus
- Appian, The Civil Wars, Book 1
Module II: The Marian Military Reforms (107 BCE)
The shift from a citizen militia to a professional, general-loyal army.
Primary Sources
- Sallust, The Jugurthine War
Module III: Sulla and the Dictatorship (88-78 BCE)
The first march on Rome and the fatal precedent of the proscriptions.