![]() ![]() Lucretia compelled her family to take action by gathering the men, telling them what happened, and killing herself. Livy's version of the establishment of the Republic states that the last of the Kings of Rome, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus ( superbus, "the proud") had a thoroughly unpleasant son, Sextus Tarquinius, who raped a Roman noblewoman named Lucretia. ![]() It was then, tradition had it, ruled by kings for several centuries. Rome has often been said to have been started by Romulus and Remus. The Romans were very much convinced that their city was founded in the year 753 BC. The legion formed the backbone of Roman military power. On a regular but not annual basis two censors were elected: every five years for a term of 18 months. ![]() In times of emergency (always military) a single dictator was elected for a term of 6 months to have sole command of the state. The dictators were an exception to annuality and collegiality, and the censors to annuality. Most other offices were held by more than two men - in the late Republic there were 8 praetors a year and 20 quaestors. If the Roman army took the field under the command of the two consuls they alternated days of command. The supreme office of consul, for instance, was always held by two men together, each of whom exercised a power of mutual veto over any actions by the other consul. The Romans observed two principles for their officials: annuality or the observation of a one-year term and collegiality or the holding of the same office by at least two men at the same time. ![]()
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