The Fall of Republics: A History from Ancient Carthage to the American Constitution

What caused the world’s great republics to fall—and what their fate reveals about the dangers facing modern democracies today

In this timely book, distinguished historian Thomas Madden explores the people, events, and factors that led to the collapse of some of the world’s most enduring republics—from Carthage to Rome to Venice and beyond—and examines the worrying lessons these failures hold for the United States and other democracies today.

The Fall of Republics not only tells the story of f...