The Roman Republic was transformed into a dictatorship in about 80 years, a similar timeframe to the last 80 years of World War II and our current era. Initially founded on rejecting kingship, Rome had a representative government with freedom of speech and rule of law. The republic lasted nearly 500 years, but its system of self-government is hard to imagine breaking.
Augustus, Rome’s first emperor, dismantled the republic and established a monarchy that endured for over a millennium. In ancient Rome, aristocratic men often held senatorial positions for life. However, some notable figures like Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus accumulated vast wealth and power, ignoring Senate constraints and laws.
Decades of aristocratic overreach and violent authoritarianism pushed Rome to the brink of collapse under previous leaders Sulla and Caesar. Augustus ultimately succeeded in overthrowing the republic, marking a significant turning point in Roman history.
Source: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/04/rome-senators-republic-augustus/682469