Dear Editor,
Roman democracy lasted 700 years, and during that time, it dealt with a number of fabled tyrants and learned some things.
Romans sat on their hands while Tarquin the Proud overthrew a duly elected magistrate by end-running the electoral process. They greatly rued their inaction, and had to change the entire political system.
Appius Claudius initiated a reign of terror, committing sexual assault and election fraud in the process. His friends preached a general pardon for his actions. They “forgot their honorable records and took the violent Appius as their model.”
The populist Spurius Maelius, Livy says, “attempted to buy a throne.” His actions “set a very bad precedent.” The legislature’s failure to impeach him led to a deep dive toward monarchy in Roman politics.
Those who threw in their lot with the tyrants were “dead to shame,” “told agreeable lies,” and “failed to prevent miscarriage of justice.”
The historian speaks of “Roman wolves” of both political parties. Blinded by hate for each other, they felt that “personal immunity in crime was more agreeable than national liberty.”
The citizenry fell into the pattern as well, since “Every man raised himself by depressing his neighbor.” Citizens accepted injustice “as if there were no other choice to do it or to suffer it.”
Kimball Shinkoskey
