How long could the Roman Republic Last As A State

We've had many threads on how to keep Rome as a republic or at least from becoming a monarchy in all but name. My question is to this thread, even if the republic was saved, how long could the Roman state last as a Republic given its size and some constant factors before it disintegrated or was conquered like the west and east empire's were respectively?
 

GdwnsnHo

Banned
I'll take the plunge into pedantry here

Forever.

Now, I'd qualify this as it would need good men at the tiller and luck in those aspects they cannot control.

Could the form and function of the republic change? Sure. It could become 'federal', with lesser Senates providing representation to Rome. A very slow legislative body that acts underneath the military leadership. It could become a republic in that the senate elects the Emperor, but controls funding, and has oaths sworn to uphold the Senate over the Emperor.

Hell, it is at least republican, but you could have a series of 'Brother Republics united by the Emperor' deal going on. The Roman, Gallic, Hispanic, etc, etc - all self-funded republics in their own right, with a common Emperor, sort of like a united Roman Commonwealth.

But I'm being a pedant on the word 'could' there. ;)
 

TinyTartar

Banned
I think the population pressures of the centuries after the founding of the Principate are going to bring down whatever entities in Europe exist by that point, no matter what form of government that exists.

The fact that the Roman Empire in the West lasted as long as it did was very odd, yet it could have lasted longer had Italy's population dynamism continued, in addition to the WRE keeping Africa.

But the Roman Republic was politically, but more importantly, socially, untenable.
 
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