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Chapter 8: The Rise of Ancient Rome
Chapter 8.1: The Roman Republic
The Roman Colesseum, in Rome, Italy.
Objectives
Learn about the geography and
early settlement of ancient Rome.
Understand how Romans formed a
republic.
Identify the reasons that the
Roman Republic went into decline.
Key Terms
Republic-a type of government in which citizens select their leaders
Patrician-a member of a wealthy family in the ancient Roman
Republic
Plebian-an ordinary citizen in the ancient Roman Republic
Consul-an elected official who led the Roman Republic
Veto-the power of one branch of the government to reject bills
passed by another branch of government
Dictator-a person in the ancient Roman Republic appointed to rule
for 6 months in times of emergency, with all the powers of the king
Romulus & Remus
Romulus and Remus are the mythological twin brothers who founded the city of Rome. Here is
their story.
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Romulus and Remus were twin boys born to a princess named Rhea Silvia. Their father was the
fierce Roman god of war, Mars. The king where the boys lived was scared that someday
Romulus and Remus would overthrow him and take his throne. So he had the boys left in a
basket on the Tiber River. He figured they would soon die.
The boys were found by a she-wolf. The wolf cared for them and protected them from other
wild animals. Eventually some shepherds happened across the twins. One shepherd took the
boys home and raised them as his own children.
The twins eventually came to the place where Rome is located today. They both liked the
general area, but each wanted to place the city on a different hill. Romulus wanted the city to
be on top of Palatine Hill while Remus preferred Aventine Hill. They agreed to wait for a sign
from the gods to determine which hill to use. Remus saw the sign of six vultures first, but
Romulus saw twelve. Each claimed to have won.
Romulus went ahead and started building a wall around Palatine Hill. However, Remus was
jealous and began to make fun of Romulus' wall. At one point Remus jumped over the wall to
show how easy it was to cross. Romulus became angry and killed Remus.
With Remus dead, Romulus continued to work on his city. He officially founded the city on April
21, 753 BC, making himself king, and naming it Rome after himself.
I. Rome’s Geography and Early Settlement
 Romans valued loyalty and justice.
 Romans highly valued the favor of the gods.
I. Rome’s Geography and Early Settlement
A. Geographical Advantages
 The first settlers on Rome’s 7 hills weren’t
thinking about building an empire.
 The site was chosen because it was a good place to
live.
a. Hills made the area easy to defend
b. The soil was fertile
c. The site had a river
 Rome had another advantage: it was at the center
of a long narrow peninsula
I. Rome’s Geography and Early Settlement
 Italy juts out into the Mediterranean Sea, the center of
the western world.
I. Rome’s Geography and Early Settlement
B. Etruscans
 We know very little about the
people who founded Rome.
 About 600 B.C. a mysterious
people, the Etruscans took power
in Rome.
 Where did they come from? No
one is sure, even today.
 Etruscans ruled as kings of
Rome, but many people did not
like being ruled by an all powerful
king and having no say in how
they were governed.
I. Rome’s Geography and Early Settlement
B. Etruscans
 In 509 B.C. the Romans revolted
against the harsh reign of
Tarquinius Superbus and drove
the Etruscans from power.
 The victors adapted Etruscan
ideas.
a. Many of the Roman gods were
Etruscan gods.
b. They also borrowed the
Greek alphabet the Etruscans
used.
c. The Roman garment, the toga
came from the Etruscans.
II. Romans Form a Republic
A. The Roman Senate
 The most powerful part is the senate.
 The senate is the same as our legislative branch of
our government-the branch that makes and votes
on new laws.
 The senate is made up of 300 upper-class men
called patricians.
Patrician-a member of a wealthy family in the ancient Roman
Republic
 Plebians could not hold public office or be
senators.
Plebian-an ordinary citizen in the ancient Roman Republic
II. Romans Form a Republic
 After removing the last Etruscan king, the Romans
vowed never again to put so much trust in kings.
 They wanted a government that did not rely on one
ruler.
 By 264 B.C., the Romans gained control of the
entire Italian peninsula and had established a new
form of government, a republic.
Republic-a type of government in which citizens select their leaders
II. Romans Form a Republic
B. The Roman Consuls
 Two chief officials led the government called
consuls.
Consul-an elected official who led the Roman Republic
 The consuls were like our president, today, chief
executives, who enforced the Republic’s laws and
policies.
 Plebians could not be consuls.
Roman Plebians
Roman Senator
II. Romans Form a Republic
B. The Roman Consuls
 Ruled for one year only
 Both consuls had to agree before the government
could take action.
 If one consul vetoed, the matter was dropped.
Veto-the power of one branch of the government to reject bills
passed by another branch of government
II. Romans Form a Republic
C. Other Important Officials
 Romans knew that their govt. might not work if the
two consuls disagreed.
 So, Roman law held a dictator could be appointed
handled an emergency.
Dictator-a person in the ancient Roman Republic appointed to
rule for 6 months in times of emergency, with all the powers of
the king
 Praetors were other important officials-junior
consuls, later served as judges in civil-law trials,
trials that settled disputes about money, business,
contracts, etc.
II. Romans Form a Republic
D. Patricians vs. Plebians
 The expansion of Rome’s influence throughout
Italy caused growing troubles between the
Patricians and the Plebians.
 Patricians were leaders who fought hard to keep
control of the govt.
 Plebians believed they had a right to be respected
and treated fairly.
 Plebians didn’t trust the patrician senate and
believed that they were unfair.
 Patricians grew wealthy due to Rome’s conquests.
II. Romans Form a Republic
D. Patricians vs. Plebians
 The farms the patricians bought were worked by
slaves.
 Plebian farmers found themselves without work.
 Angry plebians refused to fight in the Roman
army.
 One main demand of the plebians was for a
written code of laws which was called the Laws of
the Twelve Tables.
 They were hung in marketplaces so that all
citizens could know what the laws were.
II. Romans Form a Republic
E. Master of the Mediterranean
 While plebians and patricians fought for power,
Rome’s armies were conquering new territories.
 Invaded territories controlled by Carthage, a
North African city, present-day Tunisia.
 By 146 B.C., Rome had completely destroyed
Carthage and its empire.
 Other Roman armies finished the job of
conquering Macedonia (Philip & Alexander the
Great).
 Then they turned to the land of Gaul, present-day
France.
III. The Decline of the Republic
A. The Rise of Julius Caesar
 Caesar was a smart leader, eager for power.
 His strong leadership won him the loyalty of his
troops.
 War broke out between Caesar and Italy’s senate.
 Caesar won the war and became dictator of the
Roman world.
 Caesar ruled with great power, taking much of the
power that had once belonged to the senate.
III. The Decline of the Republic
B. The Death of a Dictator
 For 4 years Caesar took over important public
offices.
 He became the only consul.
 He became dictator for life.
 Caesar took many useful steps to reorganize the
government.
 But, it seemed to many senators that Rome once
again had a king, and they hated this idea.
III. The Decline of the Republic
B. The Death of a Dictator
 On March 15, 44 B.C., Caesar had plans to attend a
meeting of the senate.
 His wife, Cleopatra, sensed danger and urged him
not to go, but Caesar insisted.
 At the meeting, a group of senators gathered
around Caesar.
 Suddenly, they pulled out knives and stabbed him.
 Caesar fell to the ground, dead.
 Although Caesar had been a strong ruler, many
Romans felt he had gone too far and too fast in
gathering power.
III. The Decline of the Republic
C. From Republic to Empire
 Civil war followed Caesar’s
death.
 When the war ended after 13
years, Caesar’s adopted son,
Octavian, held power.
 The senate awarded Octavian
the title of Augustus, meaning
“highly respected”.
 He was the first emperor of
Rome.
III. The Decline of the Republic
C. From Republic to Empire
 The rule of Augustus marked the beginning of the
Roman Empire and the end of the Roman Republic.
 The Roman Republic lasted for 500 years, but civil
war and powerful political figures destroyed
Rome’s republic forms of rule.
 For the next 500 years, the great Roman
civilization would be ruled not by people, but by an
all-powerful emperor.