Download Ancient Rome Notes

Ancient Rome Notes
Essential Questions:
1. Describe the social structure of Rome.
2. What is the difference between the Centuriate and Tribal Assemblies?
3. What were the Twelve Tables?
4. What was the major result of the Punic Wars?
Roman Republic
Social
Structure
Patricians  rich landowners who inherited their power and social status; held
most of the power in Rome
Plebeians commoners, artisans, and merchants who made up the majority of
the population; citizens who could vote, could not hold important government
positions
Slaves  captured peoples during the wars; made to work on the latifundia, huge
estates; were one-third of the population
Citizenship
-Patricians and plebeians were both considered citizens, however voting rights
were granted only to free-born male citizens
-Slaves in Rome were not considered citizens and had no rights in the
government
Features of
Democracy
Executive (Two Consuls) similar to kings, they commanded the army and
directed the government; power was limited because their term was only one year
long and the a consul could not be re-elected for ten years; one consul could
always override, or veto, the other’s decisions
Legislative
a. Senate 300 members, chosen from the upper class of Roman society, later
plebeians were allowed in the senate; membership was for life
b. Centuriate Assembly all citizen-soldiers were members; a patriciancontrolled assembly appointed the consuls and made laws; it had less power than
the Senate
c. Tribal Assembly  an assembly organized by the plebeians; elected the
tribunes and made laws for the common people; later it won the right to make
laws for the republic
Legal Code plebeians forced the creation of a written law code; the laws were
carved on twelve tablets, or table and hung in the Forum; the Twelve Tables
established the idea that all free citizens had a right to the protection of the law
-assembled an army of 50,000 infantry,
9,000 cavalry, and 60 elephants with the
intent of capturing Rome
-invaded northern Italy and lived off
the land
-killed huge numbers of Romans in the
First Punic War and won his greatest
victory at Cannae
-to surprise the Romans, Hannibal led
his Carthaginian army on a long trek
from Spain across France and through
the Alps
-were stopped from capturing Rome
Punic Wars
-killed during the Second Punic War
-left the Carthage warriors with no leader
and led to their loss at Zama
-Roman general, Scipio, led the attack
-during the Third Punic War, Carthage
was no longer a threat to Rome, but Rome
wanted to revenge all their deaths in Italy
during the First Punic War
-Romans set the city on fire and sold
50,000 citizens into slavery
Rome conquered lands along the Eastern Mediterranean
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Spread Greco-Roman culture (conquered Greece & Macedonia)
Expanded trade
Changed the character of the Roman army (guard large territory)
Created great wealth
Essential Questions:
1. Why did Rome experience a period of civil war?
2. How did Caesar reform Rome (three reforms)?
3. What happened to Caesar?
4. Who was the first emperor of Rome?
From Republic to Empire
Republic
Rome grew rapidly, and growth brought political, economic, and social changes.
Decline of Republic
-Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus attempted to
help Rome’s poor by proposing reforms
-Senators felt threatened and violently killed
both brothers
-generals recruited soldiers by promising
land, which divided loyalty among troops
-bloody civil war broke out
-
Julius Caesar Takes Control
Joined forces with Crassus and Pompey to become elected as consul
-
Led his troops to conquer Gaul and shared in the hardships of war with his men, which
won their loyalty and devotion
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He became very popular, but disobeyed the Senate’s order to return home
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This move led to civil war in Rome between Julius Caesar and Pompey
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Julius was then appointed dictator for life
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He expanded the senate, granted Roman citizenship to many people in the provinces,
helped the poor by creating jobs, especially through the construction of new public
buildings, and started colonies where the landless could own land and increased pay for
soldiers
-
Senators began to fear losing their influence, and a few plotted his assassination
-
On March 15, 44 B.C.E., they stabbed him to death in the senate chamber
Birth of an Empire
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After Caesar’s death, civil war broke out again and destroyed what was left of the
Roman Republic
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Three of Caesar’s supporters joined together to crush the assassins; Octavian, Mark
Antony, and Lepidus
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The Second Triumvirate ended in jealousy and violence; Lepidus retired and Octavian
and Antony became enemies
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Octavian defeated the combined forces of Antony and Cleopatra at Actium
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He then became the unchallenged ruler of Rome and accepted the title of Augustus or
“exalted one” and became the first emperor of Rome