The Great Dictator a ruthless fascist dictator and a persecuted Jewish barber. "The Great Dictator" was popular with audiences, becoming Chaplin's most commercially successful film. Modern critics have also praised it as a historically significant film and an important work of satire, and in 1997, it was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant". "The Great Dictator" was nominated for five Academy Awards – Outstanding Production, Best Actor, Best Writing (Original Screenplay), Best Supporting Actor for Jack Oakie, and Best Music (Original Score). In his 1964 autobiography, Chaplin
Roman dictator doubt the authenticity of these "dictator years". Initially a dictator's power was not subject to either "provocatio", the right to appeal from the decision of a magistrate, or "intercessio", the veto of the tribunes of the plebs. However, the "lex Valeria", establishing the right of appeal, was not abrogated by the appointment of a dictator, and by 300 BC even the dictator was subject to "provocatio", at least within the city of Rome. There is also evidence that the power of the plebeian tribunes was not vitiated by the dictator's commands, and 210 BC, the tribunes threatened to prevent elections