Talk:Optimates and Populares

Opening shot

The optimates and populares were the two main opposing factions in the late Roman republic. If these articles are kept separate, if they increase in size to include descriptions of the struggles between the two factions, there is bound to be duplication. To avoid this, most of the text should be taken out of the Optimates and Populares articles and put in the "Optimates and Populares" article. The two individual Optimates and Populares articles should just contain definitions of the terms and lists of prominent members, etc. There should be good links between articles.

AWhiteC 10:25, 29 April 2007 (UTC)

I think the unnecessary article here is this one, Optimates and Populares. We have an article on the Democratic Party (United States) and the Republican Party (United States), but we have no article Democrats and Republicans (United States), nor should we. The individual articles should discuss the parties in depth, and coverage of the struggles between the two factions should be discussed where it's appropriate, e.g. Roman Republic#History. —Angr 13:47, 13 July 2007 (UTC)

I disagree. I created this article as part of WikiProject Missing encyclopedic articles; it was listed because Encyclopedia Britannica has an article by this title. I realize that doesn't mean we need to have an article by the same title, so I did some research and discovered that the two factions are discussed together in every scholarly work I found. Therefore, I deduce that readers may search or browse the phrase "Optimates and Populares" and it is at least useful as a stub. Spike Wilbury ♫ talk 14:46, 13 July 2007 (UTC)

Then how about a redirect to Roman Republic#Evolution of Republican government? —Angr 15:20, 13 July 2007 (UTC)

Sounds good! --Spike Wilbury ♫ talk 15:24, 13 July 2007 (UTC)

I also disagree. The idealogical/political struggle betweeen Optimates and Populares was the big issue of the late Roman republic. If it is not documented here, where is it to be documented? Roman Republic#Evolution of Republican government is not specific enough, in my opinion. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by AWhiteC (talk • contribs) 21:42, 14 July 2007 (UTC)

It can be documented at Roman Republic#History, and if that section gets too long, a new article History of the Roman Republic (currently a redirect) can be started. It's better to keep these things in context. —Angr 06:42, 15 July 2007 (UTC)