The Rise and Fall of the Roman Republic

The Roman Republic is one of the greatest examples of political and military achievement in human history. The story of how the ancient Romans rose from a small village in Italy to dominate the Mediterranean world highlights the virtues necessary to preserve a republic, while an examination of why Rome collapsed into tyranny reveals the perils of unprecedented success and the challenges common to free government.

In this free, twelve-lecture course, students will explore the fascinating history of the Roman Republic from its founding through the assassination of Julius Caesar. Topics covered in this course include:

• the geography and origins of ancient Rome;
• the genius of the Roman constitution;
• the Punic Wars and the rapid expansion of Rome throughout the Mediterranean;
• the political turmoil and domestic unrest caused by Rome’s success;
• the civil war between Marius and Sulla;
• Cicero’s attempts to defend the Republic; and
• the assassination of Julius Caesar and the collapse of the Republic.

This course especially examines the choices of Rome’s greatest figures—Romulus, Cincinnatus, Cato the Elder, Fabius Maximus, Scipio Africanus, the Gracchi brothers, Marius, Sulla, Cicero, Julius Caesar, and more—in order to learn from their great successes and failures. The result is one of the best moral and political educations available—a history that was well-known to America’s founding generation.

Join Professors Kenneth Calvert and Carl Young today and discover the timeless lessons of the Roman Republic today.