Mob Rule in Ancient Rome
As the chaos unfolded on Capitol Hill last week, it quickly became apparent that we were watching history in the making. An enraged mob, encouraged by the president, storming the home of American democracy and attempting to vent their political frustrations, left many aghast at the scenes unfolding on their television screens. As the dust settles on Capitol Hill, the search for historical precedent is already underway — with the riots marking the first time that the Capitol has been breached since the War of 1812 . However, we can look even further into the past to see examples of violent mobs seizing control of political institutions. The Roman Republic was no stranger to violence and disorder, and the years before its collapse into civil war and autocracy offer a stark warning for modern day democracies. In the last years of the free republic, Rome saw an uptick in domestic conflict and civil strife — with violence often spilling out onto the streets. Just as last week saw r...