Rome, Sparta and the formulation of law

Abstract

Machiavelli makes a comparison between some ancient cities in the Discourses on the first decade of Livy. Rome and Sparta play central roles in his political analysis. In this work, Machiavelli sheds light on the discussion of the political problems of his time and his city, the Florence of the sixteenth century. Following his analysis of the two cities, we hope to understand some aspects of his argument better, especially the importance attached to conflict, from which both good laws and the ruin of free life in a republic can arise.