PRESENTATION OUTLINE
A dictatorship was first created by the Roman senate in 510 bc, for mainly emergency purposes, such as rebellions.
A dictatorship was first created by the Roman senate
The first dictatorship was ruled by two people who were consuls and from time to time only one made the decisions.
Dictators hold authority over all other politicians, can not be held responsible for their actions, could not be in office for more than 6 months, (but there were 2 exceptions to this) and were allowed to change laws and the constitution yet could not use public money for this.
Dictators were appointed until 202 bc more than 100 years later. Lucius Cornelius Sulla was the first person to be a dictator without time limits in the office and restrictions of previous dictators. He ruled for two years and executed thousands of Romans, many of them political opponents.
Lucius was overthrown by Julius Caesar who was named dictator for life but was assassinated in 44 bc. After that the dictator office was abolished due to its corruption.
Modern dictators come to power during times of emergency. Napoleon Bonaparte was the first modern dictator that ruled during the French Revolution.
He had control over every facet of government and had networks of spies. He also controlled the press to make sure his propaganda machine continued. But his region began to falter when his attack on Russia failed. Great Britain, Prussia, Spain, and Portugal surrounded France.
