The end of the Roman Republic, a political entity known for its longevity in world history, took place around 2,000 years ago. Founded in 509 BC after their last tyrannical king was overthrown, the Roman people believed they had built into their government a series of safeguards, checks and balances so strong that neither one man nor one faction could ever usurp the will of the people.

So fearful of unchecked political power, they elected two consuls annually to oversee government affairs, each ensuring oversight of the other. The Senate, comprised of aristocrats, mirrored elements of our own government and worked alongside a body akin to our own House, which represented the common citizens. This layered structure encouraged negotiation and compromise for centuries – until eventually the Romans grew complacent, leading to dire consequences.

Over time, economic inequality began to cause friction amongst politicians, who obstructed their opponents while pursuing their own individual gain. Violent mobs took to the streets (on one occasion, a rabble trapped the senators in their building and threatened to burn them alive), and civil wars broke out, with each side claiming they wanted to restore the ideals of the republic.

The general and statesman Sulla was the first dictator to seize power by force, marching on Rome with his army after a bloody battle in 82 BC. He soon terrified the convened Senate by delivering a long speech to them while, at the same time, just outside the building, his soldiers were murdering thousands of captives, their screams easily heard inside. However, after a mere three years in power, Sulla stunned everyone by voluntarily stepping down, citing that he had accomplished the successful implementation of his numerous governmental and legal reforms.

Then came Julius Caesar, who, after declaring himself “dictator for life,” was brutally murdered in 44 BC. His attackers were some 60 senators who were eager to restore the representative form of governance that had served the Roman people well for nearly five centuries. Alas, the act was in vain. After a series of ferocious civil wars, the Roman republic spiraled into a dictatorship, with the populace opting to barter their liberty for the promise of peace and stability delivered by one man alone.

This led to a succession of emperors varying from responsible leaders like Augustus to unhinged and vengeful figures such as Caligula, Nero and Caracalla.

Edward Watts writes in his book “Mortal Republic” that “the Roman Republic died because it was allowed to, from thousands of small wounds inflicted by Romans who assumed that it would last forever. … In ancient Rome and in the modern world, a republic is a thing to be cherished, protected, and respected. If it falls, an uncertain, dangerous and destructive future lies on the other side.”

Reflecting on the motivations of ambitious political figures like Caesar, Crassus, Cicero and Cato, Watts concludes his book thus:

“Each of these men’s selfish, individualized pursuits of glory ensured that Romans quickly returned to a form of elite political competition in which no limits were placed on the tools one would use to vanquish his opponents. And the fact that ordinary Romans did not immediately oppose all of these selfish acts and punish all of these actors by withholding their votes simply encouraged more and more extreme behavior.”

Can our nation effectively draw lessons from 2,000 years ago to prevent a recurrence of what happened to Rome? Two recent articles published in The Economist examined the question of whether or not America is “dictator-proof.” They pointed out that historically democracies have been sustained not by existing laws, but rather by “the values of citizens, judges and public servants.”

One of the article’s ominous conclusions – that “America is not dictator-proof” – should serve as a stark warning to us all.

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