"The Breakdown of Roman Unity" Sallust

Author Bio: Roman historian and politician influenced by Thucydides, author of "Funeral Oration of Pericles" and against the old Roman aristocracy. He was a loyal friend and follower of Julius Caesar. Sallust was an active member in politics.

Date/Context: The document was written at a time when the Roman Empire was on the verge of collapse after so many years of adversity, but also prosperity, therefore perfectly fitting the era and its issues. The author, Sallust, is a credible and reliable author as he was very active and involved in politics, and therefore can be trusted to illustrate at least one opinion of politics of the time.

Summary: The main idea that Sallust discusses is that of how emerging political parties and factions contributed to the fall of the Roman empire after years of internal peace within the government. Before the destruction of the Carthage, there was no political strife because the people and the senate governed together in peace due to a common fear: “fear of the enemy preserved the good morals of the state.” Unfortunately when that shared fear evaporated “wantonness and arrogance naturally arose” and internal peace vanished. The nobles began to abuse their power and the disparity between classes became evident, and a two-party system emerged along with the destruction of the state. Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus defied the corruption and were slain, therefore illustrating the terrible means which parties took in order to remain in power. In the end, Sallust concludes that the fall of the Roman Empire, and of peaceful society, comes when one party wishes to overpower and overthrow another without compromise or restraint. The fall of the Roman Empire serves as warning for modern-day societies.

Key Quotation: "It is the spirit which has commonly ruined great nations, when one party desires to triumph over another by any and every means and to avenge itself on the vanquished with excessive cruelty" (161).