Alex Petkus

Yeah. So there's two definitions of republic that I think we should talk about. First is what the Romans thought of it and then what the U.S. founders thought of it. But let's start with the Romans. So the Romans had this word, res publica, which as you talk about in your Augustus series, I mean, it really means common property. Commonwealth is another way to translate it.

Yeah. So there's two definitions of republic that I think we should talk about. First is what the Romans thought of it and then what the U.S. founders thought of it. But let's start with the Romans. So the Romans had this word, res publica, which as you talk about in your Augustus series, I mean, it really means common property. Commonwealth is another way to translate it.

Literally, race is this term that can mean a million things. It means thing, or it means your family farm, the public affair. So the race publica is essentially the Roman constitution. They call it the race publica. So race publica can also mean the constitution, the way things are in our state. But what is that?

Literally, race is this term that can mean a million things. It means thing, or it means your family farm, the public affair. So the race publica is essentially the Roman constitution. They call it the race publica. So race publica can also mean the constitution, the way things are in our state. But what is that?

So basically, you have this from Greek political theory divides constitutions into three categories. You got monarchy, oligarchy, democracy, rule of the one rule of a minority oligarchy, a few guys rule of monarchy. the masses, the demos. Aristocracy is kind of a version of oligarchy.

So basically, you have this from Greek political theory divides constitutions into three categories. You got monarchy, oligarchy, democracy, rule of the one rule of a minority oligarchy, a few guys rule of monarchy. the masses, the demos. Aristocracy is kind of a version of oligarchy.

But from the Greek political theorists perspective, like Polybius, this Greek writing in the heyday of the Republic, just got conquered and makes friends with some Romans. And his analysis of Rome is, well, it's a mixed constitution. It's all of the above and none of the above. Rome has this strong monarchic element in that consuls are supreme kind of monarchic powers out on the battlefield.

But from the Greek political theorists perspective, like Polybius, this Greek writing in the heyday of the Republic, just got conquered and makes friends with some Romans. And his analysis of Rome is, well, it's a mixed constitution. It's all of the above and none of the above. Rome has this strong monarchic element in that consuls are supreme kind of monarchic powers out on the battlefield.

They have power of life and death. There's usually only one consul in charge in any given campaign out in the field. But it's oligarchic in a lot of ways. For one thing, there's two consuls that balance out each other every year. There's term limits on high officials, one-year term limits.

They have power of life and death. There's usually only one consul in charge in any given campaign out in the field. But it's oligarchic in a lot of ways. For one thing, there's two consuls that balance out each other every year. There's term limits on high officials, one-year term limits.

And they have the Senate that has a lot of auctoritas, informal power, a lot of clout, not a whole lot of formal power, but they are the ruling men of the city. But you also have this democratic element in the Roman Constitution, which is... The citizen assemblies have the power to make laws, especially with the Tribune of the Plebs behind them. The candidates for high office have to get votes.

And they have the Senate that has a lot of auctoritas, informal power, a lot of clout, not a whole lot of formal power, but they are the ruling men of the city. But you also have this democratic element in the Roman Constitution, which is... The citizen assemblies have the power to make laws, especially with the Tribune of the Plebs behind them. The candidates for high office have to get votes.

I mean, the highest offices, the consul and the praetor, those are these very uh stacked votes that incredibly are weighted toward the the richer classes uh but for the lower offices they're not they're just kind of you know one vote one point sort of scenarios um so so rome kind of combines all of these elements into their to the republic

I mean, the highest offices, the consul and the praetor, those are these very uh stacked votes that incredibly are weighted toward the the richer classes uh but for the lower offices they're not they're just kind of you know one vote one point sort of scenarios um so so rome kind of combines all of these elements into their to the republic

And I think that this is one of the things the founders really admired about Rome is that they, you probably know as much about this as I do, but they looked at this mixed constitution that seems to ideally have the best of all elements and have a really robust structure. set of checks and balances between the various tendencies of the state.

And I think that this is one of the things the founders really admired about Rome is that they, you probably know as much about this as I do, but they looked at this mixed constitution that seems to ideally have the best of all elements and have a really robust structure. set of checks and balances between the various tendencies of the state.

My sense is that in the 18th century, republicanism kind of means anything that isn't a monarchy. And so to that extent, we seem to still have a republic. But do we really have a mixed constitution where the power of the people and the power of the few and then the power of the executive all balance each other out? That's kind of a longer discussion.

My sense is that in the 18th century, republicanism kind of means anything that isn't a monarchy. And so to that extent, we seem to still have a republic. But do we really have a mixed constitution where the power of the people and the power of the few and then the power of the executive all balance each other out? That's kind of a longer discussion.

Yeah, and this is also a theme in Gladiator 1. I haven't yet subjected myself to Gladiator 2, though I intend to at some point. It's not a sense of duty, but yeah. Well, yeah, and this idea of bringing back the Republic in the reign of Marcus Aurelius is very unhistorical. Let's brush that aside. The principle you outline is really interesting because it relates to Augustus.

Yeah, and this is also a theme in Gladiator 1. I haven't yet subjected myself to Gladiator 2, though I intend to at some point. It's not a sense of duty, but yeah. Well, yeah, and this idea of bringing back the Republic in the reign of Marcus Aurelius is very unhistorical. Let's brush that aside. The principle you outline is really interesting because it relates to Augustus.