Rule Of Kings No More

The Rule of Kings in Rome was replaced by the rule of two consuls. The consuls are elected officials elected by aristocrats. They had a term of one year in office and the leaders were always aristocrats. Patricians traced their descents from a famous ancestor. Their duties in office were dealing with justice, making laws, and commanding the army. One consul had the power to veto the other. In 5th century BCE, patrician dominance was challenged by the plebs because the plebs had to serve in the army but couldn't hold office, were threatened with debt slavery, and they also didn't have legal rights. Plebs were 98% of the population so they stood up because they were victims of discriminatory decisions in judicial trials. Rome didn't have actual laws written down so the patricians took advantage of this. The plebs refused to serve in the military until the laws were posted publicly which they were in The Law Of Twelve Tables. These laws were posted in 450 BC. SPQR means Senatus Populusque Romanum and designates any decree or decision made by the Roman Senate and people.Their new governments were democracy aristocracy and monarchy and the USA even modeled their government after ancient Rome. That's all we learned for today.