The Roman Republic in History

[Gaivs]

@ OP, thats a simplistic view. I study Republican Roman history at a second year university level (so im still only basically a newbie) but i can say this. Rome is not being given the Imperial treatment in the ancient texts at all, the very most basic fact was the Republic failed. It was corrupt, the Senate was a bunch of greedy haughty petty old men, and the system simply couldnt support the empire. The sole reason for the empires arrival can be pinned on the failing of the senate to address the man power issue. They didnt wanna give up their land, in fact i am in the middle of writing an essay on whether or not the manpower shortage contributed to the fall of the republic. I've only done around 500 words, but basically (This is my opinion on what happened, i know of several historians who disagree), the Romans did not face a manpower shortage, but a senate-engineered manpower crisis. The senates refusal of change was so characteristic, they were so steadfast in not changing anything, and always keeping things how they were in the old days was in fact what ended the republic. By allowing the army to degrade and letting Marius create a client army (which lead on to Sulla and Caesar having loyalty over the state etc), they effectively ended the republic they were so desperate to keep.