Book 3, The Patricians at Bay: Chapter 1, Rome and the Patricians, Part 1 Summary and Analysis

This next book covers the time beginning in 467BC. Rome is continuing to use the two consul system. They a Senate which has elected officials. The people who actually hold the political positions are typically oligarchs- in part because they can afford to put the amount of time and energy into being the governing officials that is really needed. Most working people don't have the time to really 'do it right'. They have the arrangement to enable them to use a Dictator; this provision is made predominantly for war time but is not always needed. This role is set aside rather efficiently. There has been an issue concerning socioeconomic class struggle that has recurred since the time of Tarquin, the despot...