Violence exploding in public spaces, corruption by political figures and economic elites, the will of the people thwarted in both elections and votes in the senate, military misadventures abroad, and rampant economic inequality at home diminishing a shared sense of the common good – in sum, a republic in disarray. These descriptions are not only familiar from ancient Roman political and social life but are also recognizable to any United States citizen who follows the news and American civic life. On the Republic proceeds chronologically through the fall of the Roman Republic beginning in 133 BCE and continuing down to around 14 CE, providing a continuous narrative of the fall of the Roman Republic juxtaposed with the contemporary political landscape of the United States. In 20 short chapters, On the Republic explores how the United States now faces many of the same challenges that toppled the Roman Republic - political divisions, economic inequality, and creeping authoritarianism. How we respond to these challenges today will determine the future of American democracy. “What’s more, even aside from the lessons for contemporary America that Strunk wants to develop, On the Fall of the Roman Republic serves as a concise overview of most of the key political events taking place in Rome during the transition into the Empire. While it will not replace more thorough surveys, the historical aspects of this book will serve as a useful introduction for those who want an accessible and short book on a complex time period.” Thomas E. Strunk is Associate Professor of Classics at Xavier University. He is the author of History after Liberty: Tacitus on Tyrants, Sycophants, and Republicans .