The Road to Caesar: Establishing the Beginning of the End of the Roman Republic

This essay will focus on the primary reasons for Rome’s transition from a Republic to an Empire. Much has been said about this period, most of which emphasizes Caesar as the primary focal point. However, only by analyzing the events and people that led to Caesar’s rule can we gain a more comprehensive understanding of the collapse of the Roman Republic. The later stages of the Republic culminated centuries of turmoil between the people of Rome and their government. Rome’s citizens now demanded more control of their lives through independence. Meanwhile, in the political sphere, the same idea of individualism sparked rivalries between men like Marius, Sulla, Pompey, Crassus, and Caesar—with Caesar ultimately gaining control over the Republic. Consequently, these men all attributed to the destruction of western democracy, and the creation one of the most powerful empires the world has known.