Rome: The Republic

Romulus and Remus

• Twin brothers are the sons of a princess and a god (Mars, god of war)

• Floated down the Tiber River, she-wolf finds them, cares for them

• When older they both decide to create their own cities

• They disagree on the location and Romulus killed Remus

• Therefore he is the first king of Rome (named after himself)

The Etruscans

• Learned their language from the Greeks, passed it on the Romans

• Very similar to the Greeks• Evidence of some equality between men and

women• City-states• Traded frequently, Rome developed as the

center of trade

Republic• Overthrow last king in 509BC• Republic: People choose some officials to

represent them• Consists of 3 main groups:• The Senate– 300 men, originally only patricians (landowners)

• Magistrates– 2 consuls (highest position)control army, 1 yr term

• The Assembly– Made of common people called plebeians

Republic continued…

• How did they all get chosen?– Consuls (2) chosen by the Assembly (plebeians),

Consuls were always members of the Senate– Senators chosen by Consuls (whenever a seat was

available

Conflict of the Orders

• This is the struggle for power between the two classes of people (patricians and plebeians)

• Plebeians often protested by secession (withdrawal from the Roman state during times of crisis)

• 494BC Plebeians secede, create their own assembly

More Conflict of Orders

• 450BC Twelve Tables created• Over the next 200 years laws were passed

that allowed plebeians and patricians to marry • Also, laws made it mandatory that many of

the most important positions have a plebeian-ex: 1 of the consuls MUST be a plebeian

Punic Wars

First Punic War 264-241BC

• Carthage controlled three islands off the coast of Italy. That was too close for comfort.

• No one wins after 20 years • Rome will leave Carthage alone in exchange for

Sicily (1 of the 3 islands)• Rome says ok, also takes Corsica and Sardinia • Carthage is upset, they try to attack Spain• Hannibal is the son of that Carthaginian general

Map of the Second Punic Wars

Second Punic Wars 218-202BC

• Hannibal uses surprise attack, marches through the Pyrenees and Alps (90,000 men, 12,000 cavalry and 37 Elephants)

• Cost him 1/3 of army, but he wins battles all through Italy (never captures Rome!)

• Rome attacks Carthage without Hannibal there to defend it

• Carthage signs a peace treaty, then breaks it• Rome is furious and destroys Carthage in 3rd war

(pours salt in the Earth)

The Gracchi and Reform

• After fighting Carthage Rome is the master of the Mediterranean, they call it “Mare Nostrum”

• They believed in the idea of imperialism, which is controlling foreign lands and people

• This created huge homes called latifundias• As the poor farmers lose their land two brothers

stand up for them:• Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus (The Gracchi)

Gaius Gracchus, Tribune of the People

Gracchi Reform

• Around 133BC Tiberius calls for government to give more land to the plebeians

• This angered the Senate and violence erupts in the streets

• The Gracchi brothers were killed during this violence

Cicero

• Served as a consul, “Father of his Country”• Traveled around Greece, North Africa and Asia• “Words cannot express…how bitterly we are

hated among foreign nations because of the… outrageous conduct of the men whom we have sent to govern them.”

• Determined to save the Republic, so became an ally with Pompey, a powerful general

Julius Caesar

Caesar

• He was a powerful general in the army• His first big accomplishment was the conquest of

Gaul (modern day France) 58-50BC• Another important general, Pompey is upset• Caesar does not disband his army when Senate

asks, he attacks Rome instead• Caesar defeats Pompey (Veni, vidi, vici!)• After this victory the Senate must make him a

dictator (48-44BC)

Caesar’s Reforms

• Caesar decided to change the government by:• Employing the jobless• Giving land to the poor• Making provinces• Granting citizenship to more people• Creating the Roman/Julian calendar

Caesar is Dead!!

• People were afraid that he would become a “king” and rule forever

• On the Ides of March (March 15) 44BC Caesar was stabbed by multiple senators

Rome is in Chaos

• Marc Antony (general) and Octavian (grandnephew) fight over control of Rome

• 31BC Octavian wins and takes the name of Augustus (the Exalted One)

• This marks the end of the Republic and is the beginning of the Roman Empire.

Journal 10/17/08

• What are the 12 Tables?• What were the Gracchi concerned with?• How was Julius Caesar killed?• What date is considered the end of the Roman

Republic?• Explain the significance of “Veni, Vidi, Vici”

Augustus’ Rule

• Absolute power• Kept the Senate intact• High level jobs open to all classes of citizens• Created a census• Pax Romana (more than 200 years)• Dies in 14 AD

Expanding the Empire

• Romans ruled their citizens with Civil Law• Law of Nations used for both citizens and non-

citizens• “Innocent until proven guilty”• Rome continues to fight other people, expand

empire

Jews and Romans

• Jews attack Jerusalem, Romans then destroy Galilee, take slaves

• 4 years later Romans destroy the Temple• Many Jews leaving Judea• This is the beginning of an almost 2000 year

assault against Jews

-Was a Jew -Called himself the Son of God-Was betrayed and arrested-Then crucified and rose from the dead

Christianity Grows

• The religion appeals to the sick, the poor and oppressed

• “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.”

• In 313 AD emperor Constantine issued Edict of Milan– Can to be Christian or pagan, not religious freedom

• He also creates a new capital in Constantinople

Church Hierarchy

Decline of Rome

-Diocletian divides the Empire in 2-Western Roman Empire – emperor: Maximian, capital: Rome-Eastern Roman Empire- emperor: Diocletian, capital: Constantinople-And it falls down…

Huns

Visigoths

Vandals

Attila and Odoacer

• 476 AD Fall of Roman Empire (Western Rome)