This seminar is presented by Christopher Dart, University of Melbourne, as part of the Ancient World Seminar Series.

Beyond being one of the most momentous inflexion points of Roman history, the “fall” of the Roman Republic is undeniably important for our understanding of much of the history of the Mediterranean world which followed it, the evolution of European political thought and the wider history of what might be considered ‘Western’ civilization. The Roman Republic was, arguably, the most enduring and powerful electoral republic the world has seen. Intriguingly, its conversion into an absolutist military monarchy was an incremental process, frequently carried out through the manipulation of the traditional legal and political processes of the Republic. It was driven from within the Republic, not due to external pressures or foreign attack. In a modern world in which democratic societies around the globe seem to face serious challenges from within, the lessons of the Republic deserve renewed attention. Can the fall of the Republic rightfully be understood through the use of modern scholarship on democratic decay and authoritarian takeovers?

About the speaker: Christopher completed his PhD at Melbourne in 2007. He is currently an ARC-funded Postdoctoral Research Associate in SHAPS. His research focuses on the socio-political history of the Roman Republic and early empire. He is the author of The Social War, 91 to 88 BCE: A History of the Italian Insurgency against the Roman Republic (Routledge, 2014/2016) and co-editor of the book How Republics Die: Creeping Authoritarianism from the Ancient to the Modern World (De Gruyter, 2025).

When: 1-2pm, Monday 19 May 2025

Where (in person): Chisholm Theatrette (Level 3, Babel Building), The University of Melbourne, Grattan Street, Parkville VIC

Where (online): Please contact Ed Jeremiah at edwardj@unimelb.edu.au for the Zoom link

For more information: Please email Ed Jeremiah at edwardj@unimelb.edu.au or Andrew Turner at ajturner@unimelb.edu.au