Niccolò Machiavelli's "Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius" is a seminal work of political theory that examines the rise and fall of the Roman Republic. Drawing on the first ten books of Livy's history of Rome, Machiavelli analyzes the political, military, and social factors that contributed to Rome's success. He argues that the survival and prosperity of a republic depend on the cultivation of civic virtue, the effective use of military force, and the maintenance of a strong and stable government. Machiavelli's insights into the nature of power, leadership, and statecraft have had a profound influence on political thought and continue to be studied and debated today.