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We think we know what a "republic" is, but what did the Romans mean with their phrase "res publica"? What about the Italian humanists? And how did they distinguish a republic from a tyranny? We take a look at two more chapters from James Hankins's book, Virtue Politics, a groundbreaking examination of Renaissance political theory. These chapters focus on the question of legitimacy: What makes a government legitimate? What makes it illegitimate?

James Hankins's Virtue Politics: https://amzn.to/3UiQpp3

Francesco Petrarch's Invectives: https://bookshop.org/a/25626/9780674011540

New Humanists episode on Nietzsche and slavery: https://newhumanists.buzzsprout.com/1791279/14044549-compassion-versus-classical-antiquity-episode-lvii

Cicero's De Officiis: https://bookshop.org/a/25626/9780199540716

Robert Harris's Imperium: A Novel of Ancient Rome: https://bookshop.org/a/25626/9780743498661

Adrian Goldsworthy's Caesar: Life of a Colossus: https://bookshop.org/a/25626/9780300126891

New Humanists is brought to you by the Ancient Language Institute: https://ancientlanguage.com/

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Music: Save Us Now by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com