The Roman Republic was proclaimed in 1798 following the swift invasion by General Louis-Alexandre Berthier, part of Napoleon Bonaparte's growing influence across Europe. Berthier's troops entered Rome on February 10, 1798, seizing control from the Papal States, which had governed the city and surrounding territories for centuries. The military takeover came amid the larger context of the French Revolutionary Wars, where revolutionary ideals began to penetrate other nations. Local republican factions quickly seized the opportunity presented by the military coup, declaring the establishment of the Roman Republic just five days later.

Initially, the locals welcomed the shift towards a republic, influenced by the broader revolutionary movements. They sought to create a government that reflected republican ideas inspired by the French Revolution, such as liberty, equality, and fraternity. The new republic, however, faced challenges, including opposition from the papacy and the need to stabilize governance. The Roman Republic would endure a precarious existence, as the papal influence attempted to reclaim its power, leading to further military confrontations.

The success of general Berthier and the subsequent establishment of a republic in Rome was part of a broader trend of discontent with monarchical and clerical governance in Europe at the time. The new government implemented significant reforms, aligning with the revolutionary aspirations sweeping through Europe, including the secularization of governance and society. While the Roman Republic was brief, it marked a pivotal moment in the struggle for republicanism over autocratic and theocratic rule.