What was bad things about ancient Rome's government?

Answer 1

The Roman Republic did not have a centralised form of government, like a cabinet or an administration. There were five types of elected officers of state who operated independently within the remit of their offices. Moreover, their term of office was only one year (apart from the censor, 18 months). Because of this it was the (unelected) senate that made deliberations about policy matters. These deliberations were meant to be just advisory, but the consuls (the two heads of the Republic) usually follow it to the letter. Thus, it was the senate which ensured policy continuity. This made the (unelected) senate, which represented the aristocracy, great power. It also supervised the treasury, co-ordinated the deployment of several armies at the same time and the setting up of Roman colonies (settlements) around the empire. It also appointed the provincial governors from among its members.

A reform of the military turned the soldiers into volunteers drawn from among the poor. This made the soldiers loyal to the military commanders who recruited them and were their paymasters. As a result, these commanders could use the threat of military violence to get when they wanted, as Crassus and Pompey did when they camped their troops outside Rome to force their election as consuls. Large amounts of troops could also be recruited by rival factions to fight civil wars. In the last 58 years of the Republic three were ten civil wars.

The government of the Republic lost control over rival factions and over the provinces (conquered territories). The governors of the provinces acted as if the provinces were their personal fiefs. Tax collection was sold to private individuals who practiced "tax farming", the lining of their pocket's through extortion. Corruption was rampant.

The people had the right to vote. However, the Assembly of the Soldiers, which voted on peace and war and elected the higher officers of state, had a voting system heavily stacked in favour of the rich. The resolutions of the Plebeian Council often reflected the wish of the people, but the senate had the power to thwart them.

Answer 2

What we would consider a bad thing today, was okay by the Romans, as they were used to it and realized that they would have to live with it. A couple of things we can think of as negative from today's perspective are the block voting system and the short terms of office.

What we would consider a bad thing today, was okay by the Romans, as they were used to it and realized that they would have to live with it. A couple of things we can think of as negative from today's perspective are the block voting system and the short terms of office.

What we would consider a bad thing today, was okay by the Romans, as they were used to it and realized that they would have to live with it. A couple of things we can think of as negative from today's perspective are the block voting system and the short terms of office.

What we would consider a bad thing today, was okay by the Romans, as they were used to it and realized that they would have to live with it. A couple of things we can think of as negative from today's perspective are the block voting system and the short terms of office.

What we would consider a bad thing today, was okay by the Romans, as they were used to it and realized that they would have to live with it. A couple of things we can think of as negative from today's perspective are the block voting system and the short terms of office.

What we would consider a bad thing today, was okay by the Romans, as they were used to it and realized that they would have to live with it. A couple of things we can think of as negative from today's perspective are the block voting system and the short terms of office.

What we would consider a bad thing today, was okay by the Romans, as they were used to it and realized that they would have to live with it. A couple of things we can think of as negative from today's perspective are the block voting system and the short terms of office.

What we would consider a bad thing today, was okay by the Romans, as they were used to it and realized that they would have to live with it. A couple of things we can think of as negative from today's perspective are the block voting system and the short terms of office.

What we would consider a bad thing today, was okay by the Romans, as they were used to it and realized that they would have to live with it. A couple of things we can think of as negative from today's perspective are the block voting system and the short terms of office.

Answer 3

What we would consider a bad thing today, was okay by the Romans, as they were used to it and realized that they would have to live with it. A couple of things we can think of as negative from today's perspective are the block voting system and the short terms of office.

Answer 4

Money and power was a big issue in the Roman government. It had a lot of struggles with the two different politicians.

Answer 5

It depends. ancient Rome had three form of government over the 1,200 years of her history. It had a monarchy for 244 years, a republic for 482 years and rule by emperors for 503 years.