The last king of Rome was overthrown due to the aristocratic class's discontent, particularly after he committed a crime against a senator's daughter, leading to the establishment of the Roman Republic.

The Roman Republic was characterized by a system of job rotation and assemblies, allowing citizens to participate in governance for about 500 years after the kings were expelled.

The Roman Republic lasted for 500 years, enduring significant upheaval, but eventually transformed into an authoritarian military dictatorship after internal conflicts.

Roman history is conventionally divided into three periods: the monarchy (753-509 BC), the Republic (509-27 BC), and the Empire (27 BC-5th century AD).

The question of when the Roman Empire fell is complex, with various dates proposed, including 476 AD when Romulus Augustulus was deposed, but the Eastern Empire continued to exist long after.

The Romans would often take the sons of conquered tribal leaders, raise them as Romans, and incorporate them into their society, turning enemies into allies. As early as the second century AD, Roman emperors and senators began to come from provinces like Spain and North Africa, rather than just Italy.

The Roman Empire's succession problem was a significant failure of Augustus, who relied on heredity for leadership, leading to a series of incompetent rulers until a shift towards selecting qualified successors emerged.

The Roman populace often did not encounter the government directly; their lives were primarily influenced by local elites who managed tax collection and community affairs.

By around 100 BC, despite Rome's success, nearly every group within society felt they had not shared in the benefits, leading to intense unhappiness and internal strife.