31. Rome Used Dictators During Emergencies for Centuries, Before Serious Abuses Brought the Office of Dictator Into Disrepute
The Roman Republic’s existence spanned five centuries, from 509 BC to 27 BC. During that time, dozens of dictators were appointed to deal with extraordinary emergencies. The appointments were most frequent during the 5th and 4th centuries BC, then began tapering off in the 3rd century BC.
Abuses of the office were few and far in between, and many dictators behaved in an exemplary manner that transformed them into Roman icons and national heroes. After 202 BC, no dictators were appointed for 120 years, until 82 BC, when a Roman general, Sulla, got himself appointed dictator. As will be seen, he was no benign dictator, and his abuse of the office caused many Romans to consider abolishing the position of dictator for good.