Achievements of the Republic

[The Augusta]

The republic was a system that brought profits to many thru healthy competition. The aristocrats kept each other in balance while poorer people used the oportunities brought by expansion.

Balance of power and division of profits were the key stones and this were deliberatly and purposly followed. For just an example- the leadership of the army by elected and unexperienced consuls when facing experienced generals was not a mistake but a deliberate policy. Similar policies toward generals were carried by Athens and Carthage.

 

Kosmo, I find this a fascinating viewpoint. Could you elaborate on it a little? Why, do you think, was it a 'deliberate policy'? What was the purpose of this?

[caldrail]

The 'deliberate policy' wasn't so much putting useless men in charge (thats ridiculous) but the result of patronage, where the senators put their protege's in positions of authority wherever the opportunity arises, in this case at the head of the army. Unfortunately most of these men didn't live up to expectation. Remember that by putting a man in charge and seeing him come home in triumph, you have gained from being the one who placed him in charge in the first place.

[The Augusta]

The 'deliberate policy' wasn't so much putting useless men in charge (thats ridiculous) but the result of patronage, where the senators put their protege's in positions of authority wherever the opportunity arises, in this case at the head of the army. Unfortunately most of these men didn't live up to expectation. Remember that by putting a man in charge and seeing him come home in triumph, you have gained from being the one who placed him in charge in the first place.

 

A good point, Caldrail, but this doesn't seem to be what Kosmo was saying. I understand that in the later Republic the proteges of certain factions in the senate were given imperium and put in charge of armies (Octavian, for instance, at the behest of Cicero, was given propraetorian rank in order to help Decimus Brutus at Mutina), but Kosmo seems to be implying that putting 'inexperienced' consuls in charge of the army was a deliberate policy - for what ends I am unclear. Surely, throughout the main years of the Republic, the annual consuls were the unquestioned commanders of the legions? The example of Octavian is a case in point. Hirtius and Pansa (the consuls for 43BC) were actually the commanders in chief of the Republican forces sent to Mutina against Antony. What I was trying to get Kosmo to explain - perhaps you can do it in his absence - was why he thought this policy of entrusting the army to the elected consuls - the highest officials in the state - was a deliberate policy to foster competition within the Republic. I don't see it that way. Rome was a state that had been built on military conquest and military defence - probably no different to any state in the ancient world. Is it not then the norm to entrust the safety and defence of that state to its highest elected officials?

[Kosmo]

I did not said that romans made stupid people generals. Being the commanding officer of the roman army was not seen as a position that required technical knowledge and experience (a professional officer), but as a political position in a system of checks and balances. So, two politicans became consuls, that means also leaders of the army, regardless of their military qualities and just for a year (actually a campaign season). This had two results: some nasty defeats occured because of bad leadership (while proven leaders were on hold) and the consul could not tranform his mandate in dictatorship because of loose connection with the soldiers.

The elected politicians of the city were the leaders of an army made from the citizens.

They changed this system because of the need to improve army leadership and because of the distant wars and this way created a new important caracter unknown to them but popular in the hellenistic world: the victorious general.

 

I have the feeling that I did not make myself any clearer, but if we compare Dentatus that fought against Pyrhhus and Scipio that defeated Hannibal the situation will became clearer.