The Roman Empire differed from the Roman Republic in the following ways:
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Centralized absolute power in one ruler - The Roman Empire was characterized by an emperor who held central authority, whereas the Republic was more of a system of checks and balances among elected officials.
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Eliminated the senate - While the Senate continued to exist in the Empire, its power and influence were greatly reduced compared to its role in the Republic. However, it's worth noting that the Senate did not get completely eliminated in the Empire.
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Provided for direct election of emperors by citizens - The process for selecting emperors was not a direct election by citizens; rather, emperors were typically chosen by inheritance or through political maneuvering and military support, which is different from the way officials were elected in the Republic.
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Pulled back from expansion and reduced trade - The Empire generally had periods of expansion, but it did experience challenges that impacted trade and territories at various points. However, significant differences in policy exist regarding expansion between the two periods.
The most distinct differences are the centralized absolute power in one ruler and the extent to which the Senate's powers were diminished. As a side note, the aspects regarding census and trade may carry over, but are not as definitive in contrasting the systems.
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