Download Rome`s Beginnings

Rome’s Beginnings
Chapter 8
Section 1
Where was Rome located?
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In Italy
On Tiber River
On seven hills
Legend of Romulus
and Remus
• Founded between
800B.C. and 700B.C.
Birth of a Republic
• Etruscans ruled
Rome for over 100
years (from north)
• Romans rebelled
against a cruel
Etruscan family of
rulers called the
Tarquins
• Started republic in
509 B.C.
Why was Rome so strong?
• Excellent soldiers
• Every male citizen
who owned land had
to serve in military
• Groups called legions
(6,000)
• Carried short sword
and spear
• Tough discipline
Good rulers
• Built permanent military
settlements in Italy
• Built roads
• Treated conquered
people well
• Not afraid to use force to
put down rebellions
• By 267 B.C. conquered
most of Italy
The Roman Republic
Chapter 8
Section 2
Rome’s government
• 2 social classespatricians (wealthy
landowners) and
plebeians (artisans,
shopkeepers, farmers)
• Consuls-top government
officials (two)
• Consuls could veto each
other’s suggestions
• Senate-300 men who
proposed laws
Roman Government (cont)
• 471 B.C. gave plebeians
more power in gov’t (went
on strike)
• Cincinnatus-best known
early dictator
• Twelve Tables-first code
of Roman law
• Rule of law-law applies to
everyone equally
First Punic War
• Fought Carthage
(state in N. Africa) for
control of island of
Sicily
• Rome won
Second Punic War
• Rome helped people of
Spain rebel against
Carthage
• Carthage sent Hannibal
to attack Rome
• Rome lost battle of
Cannae
• Scipio (Roman General)
defeated Carthage at
battle of Zama
• Conquered Macedonia,
Greece, and part of Asia