Reply #84: Actually, Rome really *did* have a republican period, and it's very interesting

[bean fidhleir]

That's when the consul Publius Valerius Publicola pushed through laws stating, among other things: that anyone trying to make himself king could be executed by whoever got to him first; that the poor need pay no taxes; and that people were the ultimate rulers--consular decisions could be appealed to and overturned by the people without bloodshed. His reforms earned him the nickname "Poplicola" - "friend of the people".

The republican period lasted over 400 years and only ended when some slime (I can't remember who or, oddly, even find him) got the people to *give* him imperial/dictatorial powers. All downhill from there.

I thought Poplicola's reforms were very interesting and far-sighted. I especially like that first one, where an absolute defense against a charge of murder was to show that the victim had tried to make himself king._:evilgrin: