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Classical Rome
Classical Rome
Romulus &
Remus
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753 BC
Legendary
founders of Rome
“Rome” comes
from “Romulus”
Origins
Overlaps with and is interrelated with Greece,
geographically, chronologically, culturally,
and politically
 Rome was built on 7 hills
 Rome is built around the Tiber River
 Early Roman society was a monarchy
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Classical Rome
There were 7 Kings, mostly good
 Last King, Tarquin the Proud, was cruel
 King’s abused power and in 509 BCE the
people overthrew the monarchy and formed
the Republic
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Classical Rome
Rome’s early road system
The Roman Republic
(509 BC)

Included
Patricians
(Aristocrats) &
Plebeians
(Commoners)
The Roman Republic
New Government favoured the Plebeians
 Consul - Rulers of Rome
 There were Two, elected by the people.
 Senate - Representative body for patricians
 Senators chosen by Consuls
 Society and Laws protected the rights of the
Patricians
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The Plebeians
The majority of Romans
 They also made up the army
 494 BCE refused to fight until granted
political rights
 Plebeians allowed to elect representatives Council of the Plebs
 Ultimately any law passed by Plebeians
would be equal to all laws.
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Roman society
Roman society was based on an
agrarian lifestyle which consisted
mostly of Latifundia (large
plantations) owned & farmed by
coloni (free farmers).
 The coloni exemplified the
Roman traits that made Rome
great.
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The Law of the Twelve Tables (450
BC)
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450 BCE - The Twelve
Tables are created
They were created to address
Plebeian Concerns
Both in terms of equality
before the law and property
rights
First recorded Roman Law
Code