Roman Empire and Greeks

Roman Empire and Greeks

Introduction

The Ancient Romans and Greeks are two of the most influential societies and civilizations of history. The contributions made by the great civilizations in the areas of government system, warfare, philosophy, art and architecture still influence today's modern societies in great many ways. The unique forms and structure of government those civilizations adopted and promoted are, perhaps, the most significant part of their legacy.

The structure of the governments in both societies has some similarities and difference. One of the major similarities between those societies was the civil rights their citizens enjoyed. However, the two civilizations had demonstrated significant differences in the ways their leaders exercised power and authority.

For most of the time, the system of government in ancient Greece was a direct democracy where almost all the citizens of the state were entitled to take part in the process of electing their leaders, whereas the structure of government in Roman Empire was characterized by the absolute power of the emperor who also consolidated the powers of several political offices that had been functioning under the Republic.

The government systems of these two prominent states enjoy so much popularity even in today's governments, which owe many of their characteristics to those ancient civilizations. The paper discusses the dominant features and actors of government in Roman Empire and explores the ways in which the government system of the empire differed from Greek government model especially the one which was practice in the city state of Athens to which the modern democracy traces its root.

Discussion

Background

The major figure in the governmental structure of the Roman Empire was the emperor who held the absolute authority in all the matters concerning the internal as well as the external affairs of the empire. Prior to the empire the Rome was rule by republican system of government. But the transition from the republican system of government to forming of an empire was not as simple as installing an emperor and vesting all the powers in him; rather it was a steady and gradual process through which the autocratic system replaced republican government. The last century of republican rule in Rome had left the country in political disarray, civil conflict and the lawlessness and the led to the commencement of an autocratic rule.

Consequently, the first emperor of Rome, Augustus started a substantial reorganization of the state and society in Rome aiming at restoring peace, law and order in the country where chaos prevailed throughout the later period of republican government. The Augustus's overhauling of the state resulted in what has later called Pax Romana which means Roman peace - a period comprising of two hundred years with relative peace. The kind of peace, law and order Augustus succeeded to achieve was almost unthinkable in some decades earlier to his rule. Augustus consolidated all the political powers in himself which later provided the foundation for his rule and for those who succeeded him. He, however, maintained the face of old republican government ...