Origins of Rome/ Geography

Founded in 8th century by Romulus and Remus- sons of Latin princess and Mars

Abandond on Tiber river and raised by she-wolf

Built city near Tiber river for strategic location and fertile soil

Built on seven rolling hills at a curve on T. R., near center of Italian Peninsula

First Romans

Latins, Etruscans, and Greeks settled on Italian peninsula in prehistoric times

Latins: 1st Romans built original Rome settlement, a wooden cluster of huts on 1/7 hills

called Palatine HillEtruscans:

skilled metalworkers + engineers – contributed arch natives of N. Italy Contributed alphabet

Greeks: established colonies along southern Italy + Sicily Cities were commercially active & prosperous Brought Italy + Rome into closer contact with Greek civil.

The Early Republic

Etruscan became king and Rome grew from hiltop villages to city which covered 500 squ. miles.

Temples and Public centers were builtForum: public center and heart of pol. LifeLast King of Rome: Tarquin the Proud- harsh

tyrant driven from powerCitizens created a republic: form of gov. in which

power rests with citizens who have right to voteCitizenship with voting rights only granted to

free-born males

2 Groups Struggle for Power

Patricians: wealthy landowners Inherited power and social status- claimed ancestry

gave right to make laws for RomePlebeians:

Common farmers and artisans -90 % of pop. Had right to vote Barred by law from holding most important gov. pos.

Tribunes Elected by Plebeians to represent them and protect

them from unfair acts of Patrician officials

Twelve Tables- Rome’s Laws

Plebeians forced officials to make written law code so patricians code not interpret the law to fit their own needs.

Carved on tablets that hung in ForumBasis of Roman law- idea that all free citizens

had right to protection of the law

Government under Republic

Took the best of the monarchy , arist., dem.Monarchy: 2 Consuls: commanded army and directed

gov. 1 years term. Could veto other consuls decisionsAristoracy: Senate: 300 upperclass members

Influence over domestic and foreign policies Had legislative and administrative functions Plebeians allowed in later

Democracy: Tribal Assemblies Tribal Assembly- formed by pleb.- elected tribunes Made laws for people and later the republic itself In times of crisis, republic could appoint a dictator- leader with

absolute power to make laws and command army In power for 6 months Chosen by consuls and elected by senate

Roman Army

Citizens who owned land were required to serve army

Seekers of public office had to serve 10 yearsLegion- large military unit made of 500

heavily foot soldiers called infantryCavalry- horseback soldiers who supported

legionCentury- Group within legion made of 80

menMilitary Org. and fighting skills were key

factors in Rome’s rise to greatness

Rome Spreads Its Power

Power grew slow and steadyDefeated Etruscans and conquered Italian

peninsulaLenient policy toward defeated enemies

helped Rome to expandLatins enjoyed full Roman citizenshipOthers enjoyed citizenship except voting

rightsFarther conquered territories were allies and

Rome did not interfere as long as they supplied troops and pledged loyalty only to Rome

Rome’s trading Network

Location gave it easy access to riches of Med.Carthage (N. African peninsula) interfered with this

access and thus the Punic Wars were started. 1st War: Over control of Sicily (23 yrs.)- Carthage defeated 2nd War: Hannibal- Carthaginian general who led large army

and elephants on long trek from Spain across France through Alps. To surprise Rome and inflicted enormous losses on Rome. Rome used help from allies to prevent H. from overtaking them

3rd War: Scipio, Roman military leader forced H. back to Carthage At Zama H. was defeated. Carthage was burnt, pop. Was enslaved, and Carthage was made a Roman province

Victories gave Rome dominance over W. Med. Then conquered East: Anatolia to Spain.

The Republic Collapses

Economic Turmoil: Poverty- enslaved people made 1/3 of pop. Farmers were unable to compete with wealthy landowners

with huge estates who had war-captured slaves to run them. They sold their land became jobless and homeless

Most worked as seasonal migrant laborers, went to cities for work, and joined ¼ of the urban poor.

Tiberius and Gaius: Tribunes who attempted to help poor by proposing reforms like limiting estate size and giving the land to poor.

Came to violent deaths due to being enemies of senate who were threatened by ideas.

A period of civil war followed these deaths.

Military Upheavel

Generals began to seize greater power for themselves by recruiting soldiers from the homeless and promising them land

Allegiance was payed only to commanders-not republic itself

Julius Caesar, one of these military leaders, partnered with Crassus, wealthy Roman, and Pompey, a popular general.

Through their help, Caesar was elected consul and the men dominated as a triumvirate.

Caesar Rises in Pol. And Social Pop.

Following his self-appointment as governor of Gaul, he led a grueling campaign to conquest Gaul and won his men’s loyalty because shared fully in the hardships of the war.

Pompey became Caesar’s political rival and urged senate to order Caesar to disband his legions and return home in fear of his growing pop.

Caesar defied these orders and defeated Pompey’s armies in Greece, Asia, Spain, and Egypt

He returned home will full support of the masses and his army and the senate appointed him dictator for life.

Caesars Contributions

Granted citizenship to people in many provinces

Expanded the senate-added friends, Italian and other region supporters

Helped poor by creating jobs through the construction of new public buildings

Started colonies where people without land could own properties

Increased pay for soldiers

Caesar- A Threat?

Many nobles and senators were concerns about C.’s growing power and feared losing their influence

Some considered him a tyrantMarcus Brutus and Gaius Cassius with a

number of important senators plotted and executed Caesar’s assassination.

The stabbed him

Beginning of the Empire

After Caesar’s death, civil war broke out again and destroyed what was left of the Roman republic.