Foundation of RomeMost of what we know about Roma… we don’t know… why?

Roma was founded on the River Tiber in central Italy… in a region called Latium.The city is based on 7 hills… always planned to grow into a larger city/town

Founder of Rome is named Romulus… along with his brother Remus Later versions of the story have the brothers as Trojan… descended from either Hector or Priam through Aeneas

R&R were hated by their great uncle…. Supposedly their mother was a priestess that was impregnated by Mars. Their uncle had been told that his descendents not born of a man would be his death… so he threw the babies into the river (to drown them)… but they were rescued by a she-wolf and raised to be young boys… R&R rescued by grandfather and the three of them overthrow and kill the King of Latium (their uncle).

The new King urges them to start a new city near the coast and they pick the spot on the Tiber were the she-wolf had rescued them… They fight over which hill (Palatine or Aventine) and Romulus kills Remus… and starts his new city… about 753 BC

As Rome grows it is often attacked and harassed since it is an important trading village (rich)It grows very quickly as Romulus offers all outlaws, wanted criminals, and warriors looking for work to stay in Rome without worrying about arrest… unless they break Roman law

Nearby there is a city-state called Sabine… Romulus asks its king if he can start sending guys over to find wives… so he invites the entire city to Rome for a festival… so that he can show the Sabines how nice Rome really is.

Romulus takes the women hostage and forces them to become the wives of the Romans… “Rape of the Sabine Women”

Rome has grown into a respected and powerful city-state. Due to its rich farmland and trade routes it is the second largest city in Italy… known for tough discipline and dedication to the city… 520BC

Women are able to own property… pick spouses… run temples… everything but: be in government or military.

Current king (named Tarquin) rules Rome. Descendent of Romulus… and he has three sons… Titus, Arruns, and Sextus.

All of whom think they will be the next king… so they head to the local oracle to find out who will become king.

Two of the three brothers and a cousin (representing the third) go to the oracle and she says “whomever kisses the mother first will be king”… Junius Brutus, the cousin trips on way home and goes face first into the earth…

Tarquin becomes a tough ruler and becomes unpopular with the people… while he is gone fighting a neighboring city his son Sextus, rapes Tarquin’s nephew’s wife… who makes her husband and father (Tarquin’s brother) and her friend Junius Brutus promise to avenge her… and then commits suicide… Romans value women, this is a big deal (obviously)

Junius Brutus eventually rises to power but tries to establish what he calls a Republic… His sons help return Tarquin to power…. Junius Brutus pretends to be mad for years… waiting for his chance… he captures Tarquin & his sons and kills them all… and then establishes the Roman Republic as he unites his people with the all the people of Latium and after several wars with the Etruscans (A Greek People in Italy)

HOW A FAMILY WORKS ****PaterClanTribeHigh Born Tribes = PatriciansLow Born Tribes = PlebeiansKings Carried fasces and were followed by LictorsKings elected among Senators to rule… were all Patricians

HOW THE REPUBLIC WORKS ****

Patricians = wealthy land owners… able to vote and have a say in the government

Consuls = military leaders for one year (cannot repeat term)Elected by the senate

Veto = if both consuls dislike a law they can void or cancel it

The Senate = 300 member group of Patricians that passes all laws and picks government officials

Plebeians = Common people of Rome… still considered citizens. Cannot hold high ranking jobs, cannot be commanders in the military, cannot marry a patrician, cannot be part of the Senate

Tribunes = elected representative of the people that made every day laws (misdemeanors)

Twelve Tables = written laws of the Roman Republic… apply to all people equally

Expanded Plebeian rights = later in the Republic they are allowed to vote in some electionsTo marry a patrician familyHave some seats in the Senate

Citizen army = people were required to provide own weaponsHad to pay for their own trainingHad to pay for supplies and provisionsHad to serve from teens until about 40Only could be officer after 40 years of age

Ranked according to what you could buyVelites (1500) = needed leather helmet, shield, small dagger, 7-10 javelins

Usually the poor and less experienced fighters

Hastati (1500)= metal helmet, simple leather and metal plate armor,SS3S, shield…. always were young inexperienced fighters

Principes (1000)= metal helmet, chain mail, SS3S, shield… more experienced or Richer Romans

Triarii (500)= metal helmet, metal plate mail, Long spear, SS, shield… most experienced .Usually needed to have served at least 20 years in Legion

Equites (300)= cavalry, command ranks and elite nobles only

Roughly 5,000 in a Legion

Legion = 5000… up to 20,000… Usually one Allied Legion with one Roman

Praetorian Guard = Special legion (begins as just 5,000… eventually 10,000) thatis given the duty to guard and protect Rome. Police force for the consuls ONLY forces allowed inside Rome

Sidebar: Carthage, its origins, religion, government, military and the Barcas

****AFTER THE PUNIC WARS

The senate quickly realizes that after years of combat troops are most loyal to their generalsHappens after a series of general/consuls serve as repeat consuls

Rome starts conquering too much… men are gone, land is running out, the city is growing… slaves start revolting… something needs to be changed

Scipio when he gets old… starts to require that a certain # of men are hired by the Senate to be full time fighters (like the Praetorian)

By 100BC the Romans control most of the Mediterranean… Spain, Greece, Italy and North Africa.

PROBLEMS BACK HOME

With all the crops and goods brought in by foreign lands… Farmers no longer are needed, as are many craftsmen… those lucky enough to buy all the slaves acquired by wars can run farmers out of business and buy their land

Unemployed farmers and craftsmen flock to the city and start causing problems

Man by the named of Gracchus… he’s a tribune (wealthy plebian), and he calls for a limit to farm size and give extra land to the poor. Hated by the patricians but loved by the plebes.

Gracchus is killed by a mob of patricians when he tries to get re-elected to the Senate

Gracchus the Younger… becomes a tribune too… gets his brother’s reforms taken care of… but is killed by the Senate

A huge slave revolt takes place in the North in 73 BC: led by Spartacus*… put down by the consul Pompey

POLITICS IN ROME

Sulla, a repeat consul… has military success in Greece and brings 3 legions back to Rome… takes over the city and sets himself up as a dictator

Marius, a repeat consul… had created 2-4 legions of poor but skilled warriors who were given excellent armor, training, and were dedicated to Marius, who had paid for every thing

Brief civil war in which Marius is able to free the Senate but both of them remain consuls.

Sulla leaves to return to put down another rebellion in Greece… but leaves assassins and spies to get rid of his enemies

Eventually he returns with a stronger… larger army and takes over Rome again… this time he kills all rivals who will not swear allegiance to him.

Marius and all of his supporters are killed… his nephew is brought before Sulla and told to swear allegiance or die. Sulla is single… this nephew is married to a daughter of the richest family in Rome… and Sulla wants him to divorce his wife…. This nephew is Gaius Julius Caesar*

Marius’s legions (about 2-3) had also fled and many of them swear allegiance to Caesar… plus Caesar inherits Marius’ vast fortune.

CAESAR’S RISE TO POWER

Gaius leaves Rome to fight in North Africa and Greece… most of the Marius Legion goes to Spain… elite guard goes with Caesar

Eventually the consul Pompey and the powerful Patrician Crassus force Sulla from power (he retires to Greece)… they form a new government… but both wanted a third member as a check… they choose Gaius… who was a good friend of Crassus’ and whose young daughter Pompey was in love with. Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus form the First Triumvirate.

Caesar = military leadership, wealthy, Pompey likes his daughter, fame, Marius legions (Caesar’s legions)… tribune support

Pompey = put down Spartacus, military leadership, good friends with about 1/3 of the Senate, people see him as the person who defeated Sulla

Crassus = wealthiest man in Rome, controls about 1/3 of the Senate, brilliant lawyer

Marian Reforms

Military reforms

Legion of 5,000 ubiquitous soldiers (Imperial Legions)Almost all soldiers now the “Legionnaire”… still used auxiliary unitsSome specialized legions have Cavalry… command staff usually has horses tooEveryone else walks

Government hires citizens to be soldiers. Full time, all needs paid for by Rome or Allied city-state. Have better equipment than before. Anyone can become a general, but almost always a patrician had a better chance.

Standardized units: uniform military. First large scale, uniform professional military in the world

ROMAN CULTURE

Have slaves… conquered people (Greeks, Phoenicians, Iberians, Gauls, Rebellious Latins)Get paid, children are born free, buy your freedom, can also sell yourself into slavery (or your kids)

Copy the best they can from everyone they conquer… (Buildings from Greece, Art from Latins, boats from Carthage, military tactics from Iberians, camps from Gauls, etc) … and then make it better