Download The Roman Republic

The Roman Republic
Rome’s Government
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Main Idea – Rome’s republic was shaped by a struggle between wealthy
landowners and regular citizen as it gradually expanded the right to vote
Early Romans were divided into two classes
– Patricians – wealthy land owners, the ruling class (nobility)
– Plebeians (“plebs”) – everyone else: farmers, well-to-do merchants,
artisans, soldiers etc.
 Most free Romans were “plebs”
– Slaves – made up the largest class, up to 1/3 of population
Structure of the Republic
-Patricians= landholding upper
class
-Plebeians= farmers, merchants,
artisans, traders
-Senate= governing body
Patricians
-Consuls= two patricians, had
power of veto over one another
(veto = “I forbid”)
-Praetor – Interpreted laws and
acted as judges
-Dictator= assigned to be in
charge in the event of a war for
six months
Plebeians
Patricians vs. Plebeians
- Plebeians have no say in the
government
- Go on strike in 494 BC.
- Eventually get their own
body of representative call the
Council of Plebs and elect
their own officials called
tribunes
- Plebeians fight to have more
power and a role in each part
of the government
- Get the right to marry
patricians, the right to veto
laws and the power to pass
laws for all Romans
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Dictator
– Today – an oppressive ruler that
has complete authority
– Ancient Rome – a person who
served the people and ruled
temporarily during times of
emergencies
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Who was Cincinnatus?
– In 460 BC, Rome was surrounded
by a powerful enemy army.
– Cincinnatus was working on his
farm when a officials from Rome
came and asked him to take
power and protect Rome.
– He did and a mere 15 or 16 days
later, he saved Rome and
returned power back to the
Senate
– The city in Ohio is named after
him.
"With one hand he returns the fasces, symbol
of power as appointed dictator of Rome. His
other hand holds the plow, as he resumes the
life of a citizen and farmer." — A statue of
Cincinnatus in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Roman Law
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One of the chief gifts Rome gave to the
world
Twelve Tables – Rome’s first code of
laws
– were carved on a bronze tablets and
placed in Rome’s central market, the
Forum.
– Became the basis for all future
Roman laws
– Said that all free citizens were to be
treated equally before the law
– Applied only applied to Roman citizen
 Examples: A person who admits
to owing money or has been
adjudged to owe money must be
given 30 days to pay.
 Burials must take place outside
the city walls
 A son sold three times into
slavery by his father is to become
free
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Rome needed a code to help solve disputes between citizens and noncitizens
Law of Nations
– Stated principles and addressed issues dealing with non-citizens and
conquered people
***“Rule of Law” – states that laws should apply to everyone equally
– One of the key ideas that Rome gave the world
Mosaic representing both the
judicial and legislative aspects
of law. Woman on throne
holds sword to chastise the
guilty and palm branch to
reward the meritorious.
Rome Expands
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Main Idea: Rome slowly destroyed the Carthaginian Empire and took control
of the entire Mediterranean region
Carthage – a state on the north coast of Africa, was a powerful enemy of
Rome. Was founded by the Phoenicians
First Punic War
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Punic – comes from the Latin word
Punicus (or Poenicus), meaning
Phoenician
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Rome & Carthage were fighting
over Sicily
Leader of the Carthaginian army
was General Hamilcar –
Carthage was DEFEATED once he
was killed in battle.
Sicily became the 1st Roman
territory outside of the Italian
peninsula
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Second Punic War
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Carthage wanted to expand their empire into Spain (which Rome
controlled), so Rome declared war
Leader of the Carthaginian army this time was Hannibal – he invaded Italy
by crossing the Alps and crushed the Romans for years. He terrified the
Romans by using elephants in battle
Finally, Scipio Africanus attacked Carthage and with a little help, Scipio
eventually won at the Battle of Zama (202 BC).
Third Punic “War”
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No so much a war, but a massacre
Rome won again
Sold all surviving Carthaginians into slavery and then leveled
Carthage City
– Roman soldiers supposedly salted the earth around
Carthage so nothing would grow again.
More Conquest
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Rome continued to expand, taking over Macedonia, Greece, and parts of
Turkey
Romans begin to call the Mediterranean Sea mare nostrum – “our sea”