Author(s)

Bincheng Mao

Liberal Studies, New York University, New York, USA.

This paper demonstrates the process of transformation between the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. It examines whether Augustus, the traditionally considered first emperor of Rome, indeed marked the beginning of the Roman Empire. This paper analyzed the specific political performances of Roman leaders before Augustus, including the Gracchus brothers, Sulla, and Caesar, and compared them to Plato’s and Cicero’s definitions of an ideal republican governing system. In the end, it is proved that Rome had become an empire even before it had an emperor. During the course of research, the author employed the method of source criticism, in which he collected primary and secondary sources and evaluated their relevance to either a republican government or an empire.

Roman Empire, Transformation of Governing Systems, Greek and Roman Political Philosophy, Transformation of Political Cultures

Mao, B. (2019) The Afterglow of the Roman Republic: Becoming an Empire without an Emperor. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 7, 273-282. doi: 10.4236/jss.2019.79021.