Comparison Essay of Rome and Egypt Political System

COMPARING THE POLITICAL SYSTEM IN ROME AND EGYPT
Name:
Instructor:
Institution:
Date:
Introduction
Ancient Egypt and Rome are among the oldest kingdoms known in human history. The political system in ancient Rome and Egypt was very hands-on when it came to their structure and functions. Their structures were not only made for efficient governing, but also cemented their rulers’ interests across the kingdom. Many similarities and differences existed between these two kingdoms. Geographical differences meant that each kingdom was exposed to different factors compared with the other. The main differences and similarities are explained in their structure of government and Function of government. Furthermore, each kingdom had its unique culture on the court system, army structure, and role of women in the government. This essay seeks to analyze the cultural similarities and differences in the political system of Egypt and Rome.
Nature of leadership
The two kingdoms thrived because of their strong leadership. In Egypt, the leader was known as the “King” until later on when the name “Pharaoh,” meaning great house, came into use. Pharaoh was the ultimate ruler. A central government was evident by 3150BCE when King Narmer unified the country. The government in Egypt was theocratic monarch as the king ruled by a mandate from the gods. The Pharaoh was seen as god who represented the will of higher gods by passing and approving laws . His decisions were final and unquestionable.[Frankfort, Henri. Ancient Egyptian religion: an interpretation. Courier Corporation, 2012.]
In case of Rome, the first Roman Republic was set up, about 500BC and two men, called consuls, were the leaders . This government structure was similar to the one used by Carthaginians. They were in charge of the army, decided whether to go to war or not and also decided the amount of tax to be collected. In addition, the consuls made laws but if one of them would veto, the proposed law would fail. The consuls got advice from the senate and did what the senate advised. However, once Rome started conquering other kingdoms, Julius Caesar, a provincial governor decided to take the government. He ignored the senate and consuls because he had the backing of the army. General Augustus later became the emperor but retained the senate. Although the system was decentralized, the emperor had much power because he controlled the army.[Luttwak, Edward N. The Grand Strategy of the Roman Empire: From the First Century CE to the Third. JHU Press, 2016.] [de Blois, Lukas. The Changing Position of the Military Middle Cadre in Roman Politics at the End of the Republic. na, 2011]
Composition of the government
The composition of the government in both Egypt and Rome was similar. In Egypt, there were many government officials who were chosen directly by the Pharaoh. The Vizier was the most powerful government official and was second only to Pharaoh. The Vizier was the government administrator and the supreme judge of the Kingdom. Nonetheless, he was appointed by the Pharaoh hence directly answerable to him. The chief treasurer was responsible for assessing and collecting taxes. The generals trained the army while the overseer watched over g...