every once in a while i remember how the institutions of the roman republic basically continued into that of the roman empire until one point the emperor no longer felt the need to keep up the theatrics of the republic
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AIUI the transition from Republic to Empire was less of a hard change and more of one where Octavian took on increasing powers without overtly sidelining the Senate, giving the illusion of maintaining the institutions while consolidating power.
The former Australian PM John Howard liked to keep a small group of centrist MPs in his party even as he drove it determinedly to the hard right.
He called them his "pot plants" (as in ornamental plants in pots!), because he kept them on the party's front porch to keep it looking nice...
One can hear in Pliny the limits of Emperor.
P: I will take 4 days of speaking to present my case
E: please, consider your health, don't do it
P: but I must.
E: sigh.
Later: I see a g'norship in the crimea is available....
I feel like y'all are giving the GOP, and especially Trump, too much credit here. Julius Caesar and Augustus Caesar were both pretty competent individuals who rose to their relative positions of power in their early 30s. Trump's a self-destructive lunatic who's currently pushing 80.
I don't think the OP's intention was to comment on just one man or one election result. It's about how a Republic can transform into an Empire far before the trappings of democracy are finally removed.
People didn't even notice that Tarkin's entry consists of him discussing how the Imperial Senate has been dissolved and the final remnants of the old Republic have been "swept away."
"The Imperial Senate will no longer be of any concern to us. I've just received word that the Emperor has dissolved the council permanently. The last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept away." — Grand Moff Tarkin
And not terribly long after that, the Empire began spinning out into territories, until it was a confederation in all but name — held together briefly by the threat of the Huns, and then scattered to the winds by its well-armed and long-suffering neighbors
Similar to @starwarsunofficial.bsky.social 🤩 - I always think the theatrics of 'Star Wars' is a sci-fi version of the history of the Roman Republic and its descent into Imperial Rome. ✨
Sometimes rather too closely.
The Emperor was still just “first citizen” (Princeps) until Diocletian finally said “This is beyond silly. You will call me “Lord” (Dominus) now or else.”
There's also the other way around - by the way we understand "empire" (a nation existing as super-sovereign to other nations, controlling them and extracting resources, etc) the Romans were an empire for a long time while still in the "Republic" stage, which I find fascinating
In “The Swerve”, Stephen Greenblatt describes how the devolution of the Roman Republic to a dictatorship was preceded by home libraries no longer being perceived as a symbol of prestige, because Romans preferred being entertained to being informed.
I don’t think most people, especially elected democrats understand what’s coming. He’s going to be a dictator from day 1. He won’t care about Congress or the Senate. Mass arrests day 1 I’m guessing.
Thugs with "qualified immunity". When carrying out acts of tyranny increase their power, profit, and prestige? There's no lack of dickhead loser bullies who can only get hired for this exact kind of work.
Not the same. Ancient Rome would laughed Trump out of the Mediterranean. This whole farce we are living is incredibly stupid. Historians, if we make it through, are going to wonder WTF.
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He called them his "pot plants" (as in ornamental plants in pots!), because he kept them on the party's front porch to keep it looking nice...
P: I will take 4 days of speaking to present my case
E: please, consider your health, don't do it
P: but I must.
E: sigh.
Later: I see a g'norship in the crimea is available....
Sometimes rather too closely.
1st, the kings period,
2nd, republic,
3rd, imperial rome.
We are 9/10 of the way through the 2nd, entering 3rd.
That’s just way too familiar.
I don’t think most people, especially elected democrats understand what’s coming. He’s going to be a dictator from day 1. He won’t care about Congress or the Senate. Mass arrests day 1 I’m guessing.