Roman Senate
Topic Summary
Governing the Roman Republic in the 1st century BCE was a daunting task for the Senate. Grappling with a rapidly expanding overseas empire in addition to growing domestic troubles proved difficult for a magistracy designed to govern the city of Rome and its immediate surroundings. These administrative issues would continue to compound over the course of the century, and one serious flashpoint was the Catilinian Conspiracy - a defining moment for the Roman Senate. On November 9th, 63 BCE the Senate are set to meet in the Temple of Jupiter Stator with Cicero presenting his case against Catiline and his co-conspirators. The debate will rage on for several months, all while Catiline is amassing forces in Etruria.
While the primary concern of the Senate at this time is corruption and conspiracy within its ranks, a variety of other issues have contributed to the situation, and these call for discussion and reform within the Senate. Issues of Senatorial oversight, applications of the justice system, capital punishment, and class conflict mar the Republic in the 1st century BCE, and 63 BCE is certainly no different. The Senate, therefore, must create a stable, legitimate magistracy and determine the outcome of Catiline’s conspiracy while setting a precedent for the future, while still governing the daily activities of Rome.
Esteemed delegates,
I am honored and excited to welcome you to Harvard Model United Nations Online!
My name is Adam Brown, and I’m originally from Saratoga Springs, New York. I’m currently a sophomore at Harvard College concentrating in Social Studies. My high school didn’t have a Model UN team, so I was first exposed to MUN when I got to Harvard. I immediately fell down the rabbit hole, and I haven’t looked back since! I’m an active competitor on Harvard’s Intercollegiate Model UN team, and I’ve been given the opportunity to participate in conferences around the country while also directing committees for Harvard’s conferences here in Boston and around the world. Outside of MUN, I’m a proud member of Mariachi Véritas de Harvard, where I play the violin. When I’m not in class or participating in club activities, you can find me playing and listening to music, going on scenic walks (Cambridge and Boston are great for that!), playing video games, and–above all–going on adventures and side quests with my friends.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a huge history nerd, which is why I’m so excited to explore this committee topic with you! I cannot wait to see the intense debate and productive collaboration that you will all engage in throughout the course of this crisis committee. I anticipate some great creativity in shaping the course of history–both as a group, and by your own secret meddling.
Best of luck, and see you soon!
Adam Brown
Dearest Darling Delegates,
Welcome to the 1st iteration of Harvard Model United Nations Online and to the Roman Senate committee where I am so very thrilled to serve as your director!
By way of introduction, my name is Malak Sannoun and I am a sophomore pursuing a joint concentration in Government & Philosophy. I am from Anderson, South Carolina but my family is from Morocco, where I spend almost every summer! With MUN, I compete on Harvard's Intercollegiate Model UN Team (where I may have met some of you). Outside of the MUN world, I am the student manager for the D1 Harvard Women's Lacrosse team and am the Vice President of the Harvard Society of Arab Students. In my free time, I love exploring new places, shopping, trying new food, sipping on an ice-cold Ginger Ale, or hopping on the Peloton!
I am so excited to meet you all and have you engage with the chaos and thrill of this committee. I encourage you to lean into the absurdity, build compelling character arcs, and most importantly, ground your actions in the real cultural and political complexities of 63 BCE Rome.
So intrigued to see your creativity and innovation shine through as you tackle the topics of this committee and ones that facilitate meaningful debate that drives solutions and partnerships. If you have any questions (or just want to share your eagerness) please don't hesitate to reach out!
Wishing you all the best,
Malak Sannoun