What are the pros and cons of dictators of ancient Rome?

Answer 1

During, especially the days of the ancient Roman, the office of dictator was created to handle a serious situation most expeditiously. A war was a perfect example of when decisions needed to be made quickly. The usual process of a program or project working its way through the Roman government was too slow in a time of war, when time can be so very important.

The term of office was a year at most and with any luck the crisis could be resolved

within a year. If not a dictator could be appointed or reappointed.

Anytime a mass of power is directed into one hand, there is always a danger of abuse. All of human history has shown that absolute power can be absolutely corrupting.

The dictator system seemed to work as best as it could, as mentioned in the early republican days. However in the time of Sulla, as example, his Dictatorship can be called to question regarding abuse of power.

By the time of Julius Caesar's dictatorship, the "dictator for life" term was clearly a step away from the original purpose of the republican dictator.