Final answer:
The adoption of a republican form of government under the Roman Republic had the greatest impact on the democratic tradition. This form of government influenced concepts such as citizen representation and the separation of powers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The characteristic of the government under the Roman Republic that had the greatest impact on the democratic tradition was the adoption of a republican form of government. The Roman Republic was a system in which Roman citizens elected leaders to represent them. This concept of representative democracy influenced the development of democratic governments in later societies, including the United States.
One example of how the Roman Republic influenced the democratic tradition is the idea of citizens electing leaders to make decisions on their behalf. In the Roman government, citizens participated in the governing process by voting in public assemblies for committees or consuls. This concept of citizen participation and representation is foundational to modern democratic systems.
Additionally, the Roman Republic's separation of powers had a significant impact on the democratic tradition. The Roman constitution mixed elements of democracy, aristocracy, and monarchy, with legislative assemblies representing the democratic element, the Senate representing the aristocratic element, and term-limited consuls representing the monarchical element.