From JoanK:
The second thing I wanted to understand was the government. It's really complicated: I don't understand it all, but here's what we probably need to know.
Pompey lived at the time of the Roman Republic. This republican form of government is considered one of Rome's great contributions to civilization: our government is based on it.
There were two governing bodies: the Senate, picked by the Patricians, and the Tribunal, voted on by the plebes. If I understand it, the Senate passed the laws, but the Tribunal had veto power. Although the tribunal was voted on by plebes, and plebes could be members, most of the members were Patricians who had bribed the plebes to vote for them. At this time, according to Durant, the plebes did not really exercise power, but were bribed by patricians, so it was a means of gaining money, relief from debts, or other concessions in the law.
Instead of one "president", there were two consuls, one chosen by the Senate, and one by the tribunes. The term of a consul was short (1 to two years) but after the end of his term, he became a Senator. Senators served for life. The consul's power was limited by the short term, and by the fact that there were two. BUT in times of danger, the senate could elect a consul to be DICTATOR. A dictator had absolute power: most of those who came to power as consuls had themselves elected dictator. But a dictators term was very short, 6 months to a year. When the term was up, the dictator stepped down.
A little later, Julius Ceasar will get himself elected Dictator, and refuse to step down. That, in one step, was the end of the Republic! This reading is making me realize to a new level what a wonder our government (with all its flaws, and they are many) is!
