A Brief History of the Roman State

    " Between the 700s BC and the AD 100s, Rome grew from a tiny village to a huge city"(Beers 44). As Rome grew and conquered new lands, its government changed. In its early years, Rome was ruled by kings, and later became a republic. The republic brought Rome great wealth and success, conquering many lands around the Mediterranean. However, over time the senate became corrupt, and no longer ruled effectively. When Julius Caesar won a civil war and declared himself dictator in 47 BC, the power of the Senate had collapsed, and when Caesar was murdered a huge power vacuum was created.

Augustus Caesar, first emperor of Rome

    The Roman Empire was established to prevent Rome from plunging into chaos. The republic was corrupt and unstable, so the senate restored peace by naming Octavian the first emperor of Rome. Octavian was renamed Augustus Caesar, and was given power over the government. Augustus undertook projects to beautify the city, restore the roads, and to improve the empire as a whole. Roman emperors were given great power, and many early rulers used this power for the good of the people, much like Augustus did.
   However, as time went on, emperors failed to effectively govern the vast empire. Some threw lavish parties and had no concern for the people, while others were simply weak and inadequate. As the government once again weakened, several problems developed within the empire. As the leadership and military grew weaker, invaders from outside the empire took advantage of Rome's vulnerability. The many issues of the empire contributed to its ultimate collapse in 476 CE.