Ruins of the Forum in Rome, Italy

Rise RomeThe

of

451 B.C.Romans adopt theTwelve Tables

267 B.C. Rome controlsmost of Italy

27 B.C.Octavian

becomes Rome’sfirst emperor

A.D. 96Rule of theGood Emperorsbegins

500 B.C. 300 B.C. 100 B.C. A.D. 100 500 B.C. 300 B.C. 100 B.C. A.D. 100

258–

259

Roy

Rai

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Rome’s BeginningsPhysical geography plays a role in how civilizations develop and

decline. The civilization of Rome began on a river in Italy.Surrounded by hills, its location in central Italy helped it becomean economic and military power.

The Roman RepublicSystems of order, such as law and government, contribute to stable

societies. Rome was a republic that developed written laws and astrong government. This helped Rome survive wars and expandinto the Mediterranean.

The Fall of the RepublicAll civilizations depend upon leadership for survival. As Rome’s

territory grew, generals in the army gained political power.Eventually, they seized power and turned the republic into theRoman Empire.

The Early EmpireCivilizations with strong economies prosper and grow. Augustus and

many of his successors helped improve Rome’s economy. As Romeprospered, its empire grew larger and wealthier.

View the Chapter 9 video in the Glencoe Video Program.

Chapter Overview Visitca.hss.glencoe.com for a preview of Chapter 9.

Know-Want-Learn Make this foldable to help you organize what you know, whatyou want to know, and what you learn about the rise of Rome.

Reading and WritingBefore reading thechapter, write under thetabs of your foldablewhat you already knowabout the beginning ofRome, the rise and fall ofits republic, and theearly Roman Empire.Also write one questionyou have on each tab. Asyou read, summarizewhat you learn undereach tab.

Step 1 Fold four sheets of paperin half from top to bottom.

Step 2 On each folded paper, make acut 1 inch from the side on the top flap.

Step 3 Place the folded papers oneon top of the other. Staple the foursections together and label the topfour tabs: Rome’s Beginnings, TheRoman Republic, The Fall of theRepublic, and The Early Empire.

Cut 1 inch fromthe edge through the

top flap only.

Rome’s Beginnings

Staple here.

417

416-419 Ch9 CO-868874 1/4/05 10:42 PM Page 417

Sometimes you make

inferences by using

other reading skills,

such as questioning and

predicting.

418

When you make inferences, you draw conclusions that are notdirectly stated in the text. This means you “read between thelines.” You interpret clues and details in the text and draw uponyour prior knowledge and experience. Authors rely on a reader'sability to infer because all the details are not always given. Readthis paragraph about Roman law from Section 2.

Use this Think-Through chart to help you make inferences.

Making Inferences

Text Question Inferences

people at the Who were they? Rich landowners,top of society nobility, aristocracy?

special What kind of Right to own privileges privileges? land?

Right to vote?

people at the Who were they? Poor farmers,bottom of artisans, enslaved society peoples, non-

military people,women?

In many lands, people at the top of societyoften had special privileges and did not haveto obey the same laws or use the same courtsas people lower down. In some places, peo-ple at the bottom of society did not have anylegal rights at all.

— from page 431

416-419 Ch9 CO-868874 1/4/05 10:44 PM Page 418

Read the excerpt below about the five “good emperors” and payattention to highlighted words as you make inferences.

Read the firstparagraph of Section 4under the label TheEmperor Augustus.Write down inferencesabout what kind ofperson you thinkAugustus was. Thenread the biography ofAugustus on page 447to see if yourinferences werecorrect.

Read to Write

Create your own Think-Through chart to help you make furtherinferences about the “good emperors.” You might want to use a chartsimilar to the one on the previous page, with the same labels: Text,Questions, and Inferences. Read the rest of page 448 to see if yourinferences were correct.

Inferring can help you understand anauthor’s point of view. With a partner,read the excerpt from Cicero’s speechon page 440. Discuss what inferencesyou both made.

419

Roman coins

They presided over nearlya century of prosperity,from A.D. 96 to A.D. 180.Agriculture flourished,trade increased, and thestandard of living rose.

During this time, theemperor came to over-shadow the Senate morethan ever before. The five“good emperors” did notabuse their power, how-ever. They were amongthe most devoted andcapable rulers in Rome’shistory.

—from page448

416-419 Ch9 CO-868874 1/4/05 10:49 PM Page 419

Rome’s Beginnings

Looking Back, Looking AheadIn previous chapters, you learned

about the civilization of ancientGreece. Greek ways did not die withthe end of Greece’s freedom. Theywere adopted and spread widely byanother civilization, Rome.

Focusing on the • Geography played an important role

in the rise of Roman civilization.(page 421)

• The Romans created a republic andconquered Italy. By treating peoplefairly, they built Rome from a smallcity into a great power.(page 423)

Locating PlacesSicily (SIH•suh• lee)Apennines (A•puh•NYNZ)Latium (LAY•shee•uhm)Tiber River (TY•buhr)Etruria (ih•TRUR•ee•uh)

Meeting PeopleRomulus (RAHM•yuh• luhs)Remus (REE•muhs)Aeneas (ih•NEE•uhs)Latins (LA•tuhnz)Etruscans (ih•TRUHS•kuhnz)Tarquins (TAHR•kwihnz)

Content Vocabularyrepublic (rih•PUH•blihk) legion (LEE• juhn)

Academic Vocabularyisolate (EYE•suh•LAYT)capacity (kuh•PA•suh•tee)chapter (CHAP•tuhr)status (STA•tuhs)

Reading StrategySummarizing Information Use adiagram to show how the Etruscansaffected the development of Rome.

c. 650 B.C.Etruscans ruleRome

509 B.C.Rome becomesa republic

267 B.C.Rome controlsmost of Italy

ITALY

AFRICASicily

Rome

650 B.C. 450 B.C. 250 B.C.650 B.C. 450 B.C. 250 B.C.

HistorySocial ScienceStandardsWH6.7 Studentsanalyze the geographic,political, economic,religious, and socialstructures during thedevelopment of Rome.

Etruscans

420 CHAPTER 9 • The Rise of Rome

420-425 CH 9 S1-868874 1/4/05 11:11 PM Page 420

WH6.7.1 Identify the location and describe the rise of the Roman Republic, including the importance of such mythical and historicalfigures as Aeneas, Romulus and Remus, Cincinnatus, Julius Caesar, and Cicero.

CHAPTER 9 • The Rise of Rome 421

The Origins of RomeGeography played an important role in

the rise of Roman civilization.

Reading Connection If you were founding a new

city, what natural features would influence your choice

of a building site? As you read this section, think about

the choices that the early Romans made.

Italy is in an important location in themiddle of the Mediterranean region. It is along, narrow peninsula with a distinctiveshape: it looks like a high-heeled bootextending into the sea. The heel pointstoward Greece and the toe toward theisland of Sicily (SIH • suh • lee). Across the topof the boot are the Alps, high mountainsthat separate Italy from European lands tothe north. Another mountain range, theApennines (A •puh • NYNZ), runs all the waydown the boot from north to south.

The landscape of Italy is similar to thatof Greece, but the Apennines are not asrugged as Greece’s mountains. They can becrossed much more easily. As a result, thepeople who settled in Italy were not split upinto small, isolated communities as theGreeks were. In addition, Italy had betterfarmland than Greece. Its mountain slopeslevel off to large flat plains that are ideal forgrowing crops. With more capacity to pro-duce food, Italy could support more peoplethan Greece could.

Historians know little about the first peo-ple to live in Italy. There is evidence, how-ever, that groups from the north slippedthrough Italy’s mountain passes betweenabout 1500 B.C. and 1000 B.C. Attracted by themild climate and rich soil, a small but steadystream of newcomers settled in the hills andon the plains. One group of Latin-speakingpeople built the city of Rome on the plain ofLatium (LAY•shee•uhm) in central Italy. Theybecame known as Romans.

Where Was Rome Located? Geographyplayed a major part in the location ofRome. The site chosen for Rome wasabout 15 miles (24 km) up the Tiber River(TY •buhr) from the Mediterranean Sea. TheTiber River gave the Romans a source ofwater and a way to get to the rest of theMediterranean world. At the same time,Rome was far enough from the sea toescape raids by pirates.

N

S

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100 km0

100 mi.0

Azimuthal Equidistant projection

10°E 15°E

40°N

45°N

A L P S

AP

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Corsica

Sardinia

Sicily

CAM

PAN

IA

TyrrhenianSea

Strait ofMessina

Mediterranean Sea

IonianSea

Adriatic

Sea

TiberR

.

Po R.

ETRURIA

LATIUM

AFRICA

Rome

Carthage

Italy 500 B.C.

1. Place Which civilization do you thinkmost influenced the Latins who settledRome? Explain your answer.

2. Location How was Rome’s locationadvantageous for the Latins’ conquest ofItaly?

Find NGS online map resources @ www.nationalgeographic.com/maps

CarthaginiansKEY

EtruscansGreeksLatins

420-425 CH 9 S1-868874 1/13/05 2:39 PM Page 421

In addition, Rome was built on a series ofseven hills. The Romans did this on purpose.The hills were very steep, making it easy todefend the city against enemy attack. Romewas also located at a place where peoplecould easily cross the Tiber River. As a result,Rome became a stopping place for peopletraveling north and south in western Italyand for merchant ships sailing in theMediterranean.

How Did Rome Begin? Two different leg-ends describe how Rome began. The tradi-tional story is that twin brothers namedRomulus (RAHM • yuh • luhs) and Remus(REE •muhs) founded the city. As babies, the

boys were abandoned near the Tiber River.Rescued by a wolf and raised by a shep-herd, they decided to build a city in 753 B.C.The twins quarreled, however, and Remusmade fun of the wall his brother was build-ing. In a fury, Romulus attacked Remus andkilled him. Romulus went on to become thefirst king of Rome, the new city he namedafter himself.

The seeds of Rome are traced even far-ther back in the Aeneid, a famous epic bythe Roman poet Virgil. The Aeneid is thestory of the Trojan hero Aeneas (ih • NEE •uhs). He and a band of followers are saidto have sailed the Mediterranean Sea afterthe Greeks captured Troy. After manyadventures, the Trojans landed at themouth of the Tiber. Through warfare andthen marriage to the local king’s daughter,Aeneas united the Trojans and some of theLatins (LA • tuhnz), the local people. Hethus became the “father” of the Romans.

Historians are not sure how Romebegan. They think that Latins lived in thearea of Rome as early as 1000 B.C. They builthuts on Rome’s hills, tended herds, andgrew crops. Sometime between 800 B.C. and700 B.C., they decided to band together forprotection. It was this community thatbecame known as Rome.

Early Influences After about 800 B.C., othergroups came to Italy. Two of these groups,the Greeks and the Etruscans (ih • TRUHS •kuhnz), played a major role in shaping theframework of the Roman civilization.

Many Greeks came to southern Italyand Sicily between 750 B.C. and 550 B.C.,when Greece was busily building overseascolonies. From the Greeks, Romans learnedto grow olives and grapes. They alsoadopted the Greek alphabet, and theywould eventually model their architecture,sculpture, and literature after the Greeks.

422 CHAPTER 9 • The Rise of Rome

The AeneidTwo legends describe the beginning of Rome.One says that after Troy was destroyed,Aeneas and the other Trojans went in search of another place to live.

“Weeping, I drew awayfrom our old country. . . .I took to the open sea,borne outward into exilewith my people, my son,my hearth gods, and thegreater gods. . . . Nowmaking landfall underthe southwind there, Iplotted out on thatcurved shore the wallsof a colony—thoughfate opposed it—and Idevised the nameAeneadae for the peo-ple, from my own.”

—adapted from Virgil, Aeneid

What type of person do you think Aeneaswas to build a new city after having thefirst one destroyed?

Virgil

Francis Schroeder/SuperStock

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WH6.7.1 Identify the location and describe the rise of the Roman Republic, including the importance of such mythical and historicalfigures as Aeneas, Romulus and Remus, Cincinnatus, Julius Caesar, and Cicero.

CHAPTER 9 • The Rise of Rome 423

Rome’s early growth was influenced most,however, by the Etruscans. The Etruscans livednorth of Rome in Etruria (ih•TRUR•ee•uh).After 650 B.C., they moved south and took con-trol of Rome and most of Latium.

The Etruscans were skilled metalwork-ers who became rich from mining andtrade. They forced enslaved people to dothe heaviest work and made their own livescomfortable. Their tomb paintings showmen and women feasting, dancing, andplaying music and sports. Some murals alsoshow bloody battle scenes, revealing theEtruscans’ military achievements.

The Etruscans changed Rome from a vil-lage of straw-roofed huts into a city ofwood and brick buildings. They laid outstreets, temples, and public buildingsaround a central square. Etruscans alsoexposed the Romans to a new style of dress,featuring short cloaks and togas—loosegarments draped over one shoulder. Moreimportantly, the Etruscan army wouldserve as a model for the mighty army theRomans eventually assembled.

Explain How did geographyhelp the Romans prosper?

The Birth of a RepublicThe Romans created a republic and

conquered Italy. By treating people fairly, they builtRome from a small city into a great power.

Reading Connection Have you heard the phrase “win-

ning hearts and minds”? It means convincing people to

support you rather than just forcing them to obey. Read on

to learn how the Romans not only conquered other people

in Italy but also won their hearts and minds.

The Etruscans ruled Rome for more than100 years. Under the Etruscans, Romebecame wealthy and powerful. However,the ruling family, called the Tarquins(TAHR •kwihnz), grew more and more cruel.

Finally, in 509 B.C., the Romans rebelled.They overthrew the Tarquins and set up arepublic (rih•PUH•blihk). A republic is a formof government in which the leader is not aking or queen but someone put in office bycitizens with the right to vote. In a republic,the citizens have the power. The rise of theRoman Republic marked the beginning of anew chapter in Rome’s history.

Etruscan murals often showed lively scenes of daily life, such as religious ceremonies orpeople enjoying music and feasts. How did the Etruscans become wealthy?

The Etruscans used a variety of metals,including copper, lead, iron, and tin to makebeautiful jewelry like the piece shown above.

(t)file photo, (b)Scala/Art Resource, NY

420-425 CH 9 S1-868874 1/4/05 11:21 PM Page 423

At the time Rome became a republic, itwas still a small city, surrounded by ene-mies. Over the next 200 years, the Romansfought war after war against their neigh-bors. In 338 B.C. they finally defeated theother Latins living nearby. Next theyattacked the Etruscans and defeated themin 284 B.C. By 267 B.C., the Romans had alsoconquered the Greeks in southern Italy.With this victory, the Romans became themasters of almost all of Italy.

Why Was Rome So Strong? Rome wasable to conquer Italy because the Romanswere excellent soldiers. In the republic’searly days, every male citizen who ownedland had to serve in the army. Disciplinewas harsh, and deserters were punished bydeath. The tough discipline helped moldRoman soldiers into fighters who did notgive up easily. In addition, they were prac-tical problem solvers.

For example, Roman armies at firstfought like Greek armies. Row upon row ofsoldiers marched shoulder to shoulder,keeping their shields together and holdinglong spears. Roman generals accuratelyassessed that this way of fighting was slowand hard to control. They reorganized theirsoldiers into smaller groups called legions(LEE • juhnz). Each legion had about 6,000men and was further divided into groups of60 to 120 soldiers. These small groups couldquickly cut through enemy lines.

Roman soldiers, or legionaries, werearmed with a short sword called a gladiusand a spear called a pilum. Each unit alsocarried its own standard—a tall poletopped with a symbol. In battle, standardshelped keep units together because the sol-diers could see them above the conflict.

Shrewd Rulers The Romans were not onlygood fighters but also smart planners. Asthey expanded throughout Italy, they builtpermanent military settlements in the areasthey conquered. Then they built roadsbetween these towns. These roads allowedtroops to travel swiftly to any place in theirgrowing territory.

To rule their new conquests, theRomans created the Roman Confederation.Under this system, Romans granted fullcitizenship to some peoples, especiallyother Latins. They could vote and partici-pate in the government, and they were

424 CHAPTER 9 • The Rise of Rome

At first, the Roman army was made up of ordi-nary citizens. Later the army contained well-trained professional soldiers and was one of thebest fighting forces in the world. What was astandard, and why did the army carry them?

The long iron point on the

spear was made to bend after the spear was

thrown, preventing an enemy from

using it.

Shields were made from

sheets of wood glued together

and covered with leather or

cloth.

A soldier's armor was made of iron strips joined by leather ties.

Roman LegionaryRoman Legionary

Stock Montage

420-425 CH 9 S1-868874 1/4/05 11:23 PM Page 424

treated the same as other citizens under thelaw. The Romans granted other peoples thestatus of allies.

Allies were free to run their own localaffairs, but they had to pay taxes to therepublic and provide soldiers for the army.The Romans made it clear that loyal alliescould improve their position and evenbecome Roman citizens.

With these policies, the Romans provedthemselves clever rulers. They were awarethat conquered peoples were more loyal tothe government if they were well treated.Rome’s generosity paid off. As a result, therepublic grew stronger and more unified.

All the same, Rome was not afraid touse force if necessary. If conquered peoplesrevolted against Roman rule, their resist-ance was swiftly put down.

Describe How did Romerule its new conquests?

This mosaic, or picture made from bits of stone,shows a group of Roman legionaries. Howmany soldiers made up a legion?

CHAPTER 9 • The Rise of Rome 425

Rome’s Location

Study Central Need help understandingRome’s beginnings? Visit ca.hss.glencoe.com andclick on Study Central.

Reading SummaryReview the • The Romans, a Latin-speaking

people, settled the region ofRome on the west side of Italy.The region’s geography, as well asEtruscan and Greek ideas, helpedRome grow.

• In 509 B.C. the Romans overthrewEtruscan rule and established arepublic. By about 275 B.C.,Roman legions had conqueredmost of Italy.

1. Where did the Greeks live inItaly, and how did they influ-ence Roman civilization?

2. Describe the two legends thattell of the founding of Rome.Then describe how and whenRome was actually founded.

Critical Thinking3. Geography Skills Draw a

diagram like the one below. Listexamples of how geographydetermined Rome’s location.

4. How did geogra-phy affect the development ofcivilization in Greece and Italy?

5. Expository Writing Write ashort essay discussing the rea-sons Rome was so successful inits conquest of Italy.

6. MakingInferences After reading thissection, what can you inferabout the reasons for Rome’ssuccess? CA 6RC2.0

CA 6WA2.2

CA CS3.

CA CS3.CA 6RC2.4

What Did You Learn?

Prenestino Museum, Rome/E.T. Archives, London/SuperStock

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