The Roman Senate: Power, Prestige, and the Decline of Republican Rule

In this episode of The Story of Italy, Lucas and Luna explore the Roman Senate's evolution from a council of elders under the kings to the dominant force in the Republic and its eventual decline under the emperors. They discuss the Senatus Consultum, the role of the Princeps Senatus, the censorship of Appius Claudius Caecus, and the dramatic reforms of Sulla and Augustus. The conversation covers key moments like the Senatus Consultum Ultimum against Catiline, the shifting membership from patricians to wealthy equestrians, and how the Senate became a ceremonial body under the empire. Specific terms like lectio senatus, ordo senatorius, and the distinction between patres and conscripti are explained. Lucas and Luna also consider the Senate's legacy in later republican thought, from Machiavelli to the American Founders. This episode ties together political history, social changes, and the long arc of Roman governance. #RomanSenate #SenatusConsultum #PrincepsSenatus #AppiusClaudiusCaecus #Sulla #Augustus #CatilinarianConspiracy #Cicero #RomanRepublic #RomanEmpire #CursusHonorum #OrdoSenatorius #PatresConscripti #Censorship #RomanHistory #AncientRome #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo