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Early Beginnings
The Geography of Rome
What were thegeographicconditions ofAncient Rome?
How would thisaffectunity andpolitical rule?
Geographic Factors Link between Europe and Africa: Italian Peninsula is central
in Mediterranean world (halfway between east and west)
Seclusion: rugged mountains separate northern
Italy from the rest of Europe which provide good protection but made communication difficult
Agricultural Climate: mild climate, fertile land,
river beds, volcanic soil, mountain deposits
Rivers: Po and Tiger allowed for transport and
created borders from other peoples
Earliest city of RomeRome was founded at a small
settlement in Tiber River Valley =Seven Hills of Palatine.
Some confusion as to the origins of Romans.
Archaeology History Myth
1000BCE the area was populated by Latins.
We know the Etruscans from the north took over the area around 650 BCE.
Romans claim they established Rome on April 21st, 753 BCE.
Romulus & Remus or Aeneas Romulus & Remus were twin
brothers of a Vestal Virgin and the God Mars. Eventually abandoned on the river in a basket, they were adopted by a she-wolf and survived.
The famous Roman poet Virgil wrote the Aeneid – what Romans believed then.
Aenas, a Trojan hero who escaped Troy and a son of Venus, lands in Latium.
He marries a king’s daughter which puts him at war with another king. With help of the Etruscan king he wins the war and founds Rome.
The Etruscans inhabitants of Northern Italy c.
750 BCE Conquered Rome around 600
BCE Skilled artisans, farmers and
accomplished traders In Rome, the Etruscans dug an
enormous ditch (Great Sewer) to create a drained area named that became the Forum
contributed to the rise of Rome and culture
Mysterious people we know little about; don’t understand their writing
Etruscan Contribution
First Etruscan King was Romulus Etruscans expanded power and took
control over Romans Last Etruscan King was Tarquin the
Proud; expelled by a popular rebellion in 509 BCE due to a scandal and his terrorizing reign
Romans did not want to be ruled by kings anymore
Paved way for Rome to create a democratic republic
Etruscan influence on Romans: rectangular urban planning, road and bridge building, alphabet, arch, numerals, gladiators, politics (purple robes) and symbol of fasces
The Roman Forum Then and NowThe Roman Forum was the political and economic centre ofRome during the Republic.
It became the heart of Rome where people met to talk, do trade, govern and worship.
Roman Republic : 509 BC – 31 BC The Romans had managed to shake off the
Etruscan rule thanks to them being embroiled in a war with Greeks from the south (Sicily) and their divisive nature.
Although free from Etruscans they remained a powerful force.
Rome decided to build a democracy rather than face the same type of power abuse.
The Republican form of government and constitution evolved slowly.
Republican Gov’t
Res Publica (public Matter)
SPQR (Senatus Populusque Romanus or the Senate and People of Rome)
A combination of aristocracy, oligarchy, and democracy.
Patricians: aristocratic, powerful and wealthy landowners from word ‘Patres’ meaning father.
Plebeians: common people and landless. From Latin Plebe meaning common people.
Roles in Roman Republic Magistrates: most powerful magistrates were the two consuls or Chief
Magistrates of State; both had the power to ‘veto’ (forbid) each other in important decisions and were elected by the patricians.
Assemblies (Comitia) : four assemblies (organized by wealth/class) of male citizens who elected officials as magistrates annually to pass and enforce laws.
Senate: council of men who controlled Rome (state budget and foreign affairs); ended up controlling most of the land and elected for life
Plebian Tribal Councils & Tribunes: member were non-senatorial males; 2 plebian tribunes elected for 1 year and could veto decisions made by consuls; eventually increased to 10 tribunes; became the interpreters of the people’s wishes
In times of emergencies, a consul could be made ‘dictator’ and absolute power though this was rarely done; often their was an automatic time limit of about 6 months though the shortest dictatorship lasted 1 day.
Roman Laws
Rome became one of the few societies to codify laws (write them down) and fully analyzed by jurists
Result of pressure by public against monopolization of the laws by the patricians
Twelve Tables written in 450 BCE in Latin Most laws related to civil matters Formed basic legal procedure and appropriate
punishments Still different laws for rich, poor and slaves
The Roman Army From the period of 400 to 265 BC Rome
experienced a string of victories over its neighboring city states.
Rome came to dominate the Italian Peninsula in a ‘catch-22’ cycle of conquer, enslave, liberate and conquer some more.
To keep the citizens of Rome safe, Rome needed a strong army. To have a strong army Rome needed citizen soldiers who could buy armour and weapons. For this Rome needed land to give them so they took them from their neighbours. To keep their neighbours in control they needed a bigger army so they needed more land to have more soldiers and so on.
The Roman Army would become the greatest army the world had ever seen.
How to a Legionary! You had to be a Roman citizen;
later this was open to allies, provincials and even mercenaries You had to be physically fit and 1.6m tall You were expected to stay in the army for 25 years After your service you received a plot of land, a pension, and in the
later period you could earn citizenship When the fighting was done you would check the prisoners/bodies for
valuables, go into the local town and search the houses for riches, rape the women and enslave the population: SPOILS OF WAR
You got a salary but were allowed to keep the ‘booty’ you collected. There was a pecking order so commanders/generals got the most
wealth, then officers and last soldiers. This wealth was kept in the ‘baggage train’ which followed the army
where ever it went. Slaves were a very good prize because you could use them or sell
them for good money. Prostitutes, merchants, beggars and others often followed behind the
army.
Training
Most soldiers joined between 18-20 years old There were three 30km marches each month On each march the legionary would carry 25 kilos of
equipment Motto: “Strength and Honour” The 3 D’s: DRILL, DISCIPLINE and DECIMATION. First over the enemy wall got a crown of gold. If you
retreated your unit was decimated. Roman soldiers were not just fighters but were
engineers; could build bridges, forts, catapults and were expected to do so.
Legionaries would also learn drill, or marching
This was important for learning maneuvers in battle.
New recruits were given shields and swords twice as heavy as the real thing!
To move armies around so quickly, Romans built roads and bridges.
Built war machines (catapult which could hurl a 27 kg boulder 500m and battering ram which took 1000 men to mobilize it for action)
How the Roman Army was organised The legion was made up of around 6000
men who were divided into ten cohorts Each cohort was made up of six
centuries (of 80 men) The centuries were commanded by a
centurion
Key Roles: Centurion
The centurions were very important men They were responsible for training the
soldiers under their command and making sure everyone obeyed orders.
Failure to perform duties or cowardice were corrected by stoning or even execution of every 10th man.
This was known as “Decimation”
Standard Bearers Legion standard, silver eagle was
considered sacred and was always kept near the commanding general
Each century had its own emblem or standard.
This was carried by the standard bearer, a very experienced and trusted soldier
To lose your standard was a great disgrace
Roman Wars Rome would see war after war in its drive to empire. From 366 – 265 BCE Rome embarked on its Italian Wars starting first in the
north, then taking the center and finally the south of Italy by 265. It then began the Punic Wars in an effort to take control of the Mediterranean
and Sicily. 1st Punic War (264-241 BCE) over Sicily was a long war but ended in wiping
Carthage out as a naval power. 2nd Punic War (218 – 201 BCE) for almost 20 years Hannibal terrorizes Rome
(Cannae) but is defeated in the end in Carthage at the battle of Zama by Scipio Africanus.
3rd Punic War (149-146 BCE) Rome treacherously attacks Carthage and destroys it making sure it can never be a threat again.
The 3 Macedonian Wars are fought off and on from 200 – 133 BCE when all of the Greek city states are finally brought under Roman control.
Iberian Wars are fought from 197 to 133 BCE to gain full control of Spain and Portugal.
Gallic Wars fought be Julius Caesar to take control of Gaul or today’s France. These are some but not all the wars fought while the Republic was in place.
After the Republic Rome continued to fight for more empire.
Rome continued to expand even after it split into two.The difference was that the barbarians began to increase in numbers and increasingly Rome depended on them to guard the frontiers.
Sacking Rome Battle of the Allia (390 BC), by the
Gauls Sack of Rome (410), by the Visigoths
under Alaric Sack of Rome (455), by the Vandals
under Geiseric Sack of Rome (546), by the
Ostrogoths under Totila Sack of Rome (846), by Muslim Arabs Sack of Rome (1084), by the Normans
under Robert Guiscard Sack of Rome (1527), by the mutinous
troops of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V
Daily life in Rome Romans were very superstitious and religious. Every house had shrines where offerings and prayers to the Gods could
be made. Most of the Roman Gods were Latin versions of the Greek gods
although they had some of their own and occasionally adopted foreign gods like Mithrias.
Inheritance of property was important to keep up lifestyle and usually went to males.
Adoption was frequent such as Julius adopting Octavian, his niece’s son, as his own.
This was Patriarchal society. Girls were usually married off with arranged marriages by 15; often for
political or monetary reasons. Both girls and boys were educated if they were middle to upper class. Boys were taught Greek and Latin, the art of ‘rhetoric’ and girls were
taught dancing, singing, spinning and weaving.
Daily Life Romans could not drive
wagons in Rome until after dark to stop traffic jams.
Romans went to public baths and had public toilets for people.
Public fountains were everywhere guaranteeing fresh water.
As the empire grew and slaves took over, unemployment and poverty grew. Games were essential to controlling the “mob” and were often free. Bread was also given out at games.
Plays were also available for entertainment as were gladiator games and chariot races.
Latin
Romans spoke both Greek and Latin if educated.
Latin ended up replacing Greek as the main language of Mediterranean.
Over the next 1000 years, Latin was used in business, law, politics, even in religion.
It still has a strong presence in law and medicine today.
Examples of Latin in today's English. Vene, Vidi, Vici I came, I saw, I conquered. Alter Ego Another I Veto I forbid Et cetera “and other” Exit or Exenut “He/she/they go out” Habeus Corpus Criminal must be brought before a judge. Via By way of Vice Versa “the other way around” Verbatim in those exact words Status quo the way things are presently Per se “in themselves” Post-mortem “after death” examination of body
