Bell Ringer

• What does this image represent?

Rise of RomeWorld Studies

The land and peoples of Italy

• Italy is a peninsula in the Mediterranean Sea (east coast is the Adriatic Sea, west coast is the Tyrrhenian Sea)

• The shape of Italy is a boot kicking a ball

Geography• On average, Italy is only about 120 miles wide• The Apennine Mountains run north to south,

dividing Italy east from west• Po River Valley in the north• Latium Region is where Rome is located• South of Latium is Campania

Italy’s Geography comparison to Greece’s

• Both countries had mountains but Italy’s mountains weren’t as severe as Greece’s and they didn’t isolate communities

• Italy had more farming land than Greece, enabling it to support a larger population

• Both were peninsulas, therefore, the sea was very important for the economy (trade, food, and today, touraism)

Rome• Rome is the major city of

Italy• Located on the Tiber River –

because of this, Rome could be created a little inland from the coast (offers protection from pirates) on seven hills

• This high vantage point allowed for Rome to be easily defended

• The central location meant Rome could expand

Early Italians

• Indo-Europeans moved into the area about 1500b.c

• One group, the Latins, lived in Latium• They were herders and farmers who lived on

the seven hills of Rome• Greeks and Etruscans also Began to settle in Italy

Influence of the Greeks on the Italians• Greeks began to come to Italy

between 750 and 550b.c• They started in southern Italy and

slowly migrated north• They also occupied eastern Sicily

(the football being kicked by Italy’s boot)

• They cultivated olives (a major crop for Italy) and grapes (Italian wine is a major industry), passed on their alphabet, and ideas of art (architecture, sculpture, literature)

Sicily

Influence of the Etruscans• The Etruscans had the most

influence on early Rome• Located north of Rome in Etruria,

they controlled Latium after 650b.c.

• Rome was a village then and they developed it into a city

• Romans adopted Etruscan dress (toga) and the army was based on their organization

Bell Ringer - Monday

• What are two geographic similarities and one geographic difference between Italy (Rome) and Greece (Athens)?

• Due in 4 minutes

Italy’s Geography comparison to Greece’s

• Both countries had mountains but Italy’s mountains weren’t as severe as Greece’s and they didn’t isolate communities

• Italy had more farming land than Greece, enabling it to support a larger population

• Both were peninsulas, therefore, the sea was very important for the economy (trade, food, and today, touraism)

The Roman Republic

• 509 b.c. – the Romans overthrew the last Etruscan king and established a republic

• A republic is a form of government where the leader isn’t a monarch and some citizens have voting rights

The Roman Republic• For the first 200 years of the Roman Republic,

Rome was continuously at war with rival enemies

• Rome continues to conquer more and more land and begins to control most of Italy by 264 b.c.

The Roman Republic• To rule such a large amount of land, the

Romans created a confederation (separate groups that are a part of an alliance)

• This allowed some of the conquered people to become Roman citizens

• Other communities were made allies and were allowed to run their own government but they had to supply soldiers to the Roman army

• They did this so they could, maybe one day, gain citizenship

Why was Rome successful?• Romans believed their ancestors

were successful because they had a sense of duty, courage, and discipline

• Also, Romans were good diplomats (someone who uses skill and tact when dealing with others)

• Excelled in military and strategy• Created an infrastructure (connected

conquered towns to Rome by building roads – “All Roads Lead to Rome”)

• They were practical in law and politics

Roman Political StructurePatricians• Wealthy landowners• Rome’s ruling class• Citizens• Paid taxes• Could vote• Could be elected to political

office

Plebeians• Less wealthy landowners• Farmers, artisans, and

merchants• Larger group than Patricians• Citizens• Paid taxes• Could vote

• Consuls - Two men chosen every year to run the government and lead the army

• Praetors – responsible for deciding laws for citizens

Consuls and Praetors

Roman Senate• Select group of 300 patricians• Served for life• Initially, only advised gov’t

officials• Eventually became the law

creation body

Struggle between Patricians and Plebeians

• Children of different groups couldn’t marry each other

• Plebeians believed they deserved more equality – they protected the Republic by serving in the army

• A council of the plebs was created to give more power to the plebeians

• 4th century – plebeians could marry patricians and become counsels

• In 287b.c., the council of the plebs received the right to pass laws for all Romans

Roman Law

• The first code of law was the Twelve Tables, adopted in 450b.c.

• From these Twelve Tables, a more sophisticated system of civil law was created

• Natural law was used to established a justice that applied to all people, not just citizens

Roman Law evident today

• Innocent until proven guilty• Allowed to defend yourself before a judge• A judge weighs evidence carefully before

coming to a decision

War with Carthage• Rome was fearful of Carthage coming into their

territory• Carthage controlled Sicily and Rome wanted it

and wanted Carthage out of the region• War between Rome and Carthage was called the

Punic Wars

Punic Wars

• The first Punic War – War with Carthage (N. Africa) – both sides wanted to control Sicily – Rome realized they needed a Navy to win and built a large fleet – Rome wins and controls Sicily – Carthage vowed revenge

Second Punic War• Second Punic War – Hannibal – great Carthaginian

general decided to go after Rome• Hannibal had an army of 46,000 men, horses, and battle

elephants – they tried to cross the Alps Mountains – many elephants died

• Continued on to fight with Rome 40,000 Romans died but they didn’t give up

• Instead of going after Hannibal, the Romans attached Carthage in Africa and defeated them

• Rome conquered Spain and became the dominant power in the western Mediterranean

Third and final Punic War

• Third Punic War – last battle with Carthage – destroyed the city completely in three years

The end of the Republic

• By the second century b.c., the Roman Senate had become the major governing body of Rome

• Senators were wealthy landowners and held their position for life

• The Senate took control of both foreign and domestic policy, including financial issues

Problems in Rome

• Farmers had always been the backbone of Rome and the army

• Many couldn’t compete with the large, wealthy landowners and lost their land

• The wealthy landowners created large estates that used slave labor

• The former farmers moved to the city and this created a large, urban population of landless poor

Gracchus Brothers

• To combat the large poor class, Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus suggested the council of the pleb to pass land reform laws that would take land from the rich and give it to the poor

• Many of the senators were wealthy landowners and this upset them

• Tiberius and Gaius were killed by a group of angry senators

Changes in the Roman Army

• In 107b.c., a general was elected as a new consul, Marius

• Marius recruited landless poor people to serve in the military

• Marius promised them land if they swore an oath to Marius, not Rome

• This change in military recruitment gave greater power to the military generals