Three political systems define the evolution of the Roman HIstory

A) Monarchy (756 - 509 BC): The tradition has fixed that Rome was ruled by seven kings or Mythological kings from Romulus the first king to Tarquinius the Proud the last one. Servio Tulio underlines because of his work with the city . He built the wall and the sewerage system. An uprising of the Roman noblemen expelled the monarchs from Rome

B) Republic (509-27 BC). A new political system was stablished based on the Senate, an Assembly formed by 300 members of the Roman Patrician, the comittia or citizens assemblies and the different magistrates . The most important magistrates were:

1. Consuls: They were the most important magistrates in Rome. They were only two and they presided over the Senate and ruled the army

2. Pretors. They had to judge crimes

3. Censors. They made the census and controlled the moral of the citizens.

4. Quaestors, they were in charge of administering public money.

5. Aediles, they take care of the facilities and services of the city: water, fire. security..

6. Plebeian tribunes .they had to defend the interests of the plebs

During the Republic, Rome expanded and created an empire: Italian peninsula, Gaul, Hispanic, Greece, Asia Minor , Northern Africa,

The Roman Republic fought against the city of Carthage for the control of the Mediterranean Sea-There were three war between Rome and Carthage called Punic Wars

1. First Punic War ( 264 -241 BC) Rome defeated the Carthaginian army and achieved the dominion of the island of Sicily

2. Second Punic War (218 - 201 BC) Rome and Carthage fought for the control of the Iberian peninsula. The Carthaginian general Anibal Barca invaded the Italian peninsula and defeated the Roman armies using the elephant as weapons. Finally Anibal was defeated by the Roman general Publius Cornelius Escipion and Rome controlled the Iberian peninsula

3. Third Punic War. (149 - 146 BC) Rome defeated the Carthaginian army and destroyed the city finally.

The Republic suffered a great crisis during the first century and several generals fought in order to take the power. Two alliances were signed among the most powerful generals

1. First triumvirate composed by Pompey, Crassus, Julius Caesar.

1. Second triumvirate formed by Lépidus, Octavian and Mark Anthony . Octavian took the power and changed the Republican system into an Empire.

C) The Empire ( 27 BC- 476 AD). The power was in an only person : the Emperor. The first Emperor was Octavian Augustus he established the Pax Romana (Roman peace), which lasted for more than 100 years. After several dynasties the Empire became in crisis during the 3nd century and the German invasions destroyed the Roman Empire in the 476 AD