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Rome
The beginning and the republic…
Rome--- Where is it?
 Rome, Italy
 Capital city
 Europe
 Peninsula
 Vatican & Pope
 Geography-Surrounded by water on three sides (Tyrrhenian Sea,
Mediterranean Sea, Adriatic Sea), had rolling land with good soil for farming,
was mountainous which provided protection from enemies, had few harbors
making overseas travel and trade difficult, Alps lie to the north
Rome: From the Beginning
 Romulus and Remus
 Twin sons of the God Mars
 Abandoned and raised by a she-wolf
 Decided to build a great city
 Argument
 Romulus kills Remus
 Names city after himself, Rome
 Invites all to live in city --- slaves, women, men, etc..
 Romulus becomes the first King of Rome
Monarchy
 Romulus & the war he caused
 Provides his men with wives by inviting neighboring tribe to festival
and abducting young women
 Sabines go to war with Rome
 Following the war, Romulus shares kingship with Sabine king
 King Titus Tatius
From Monarchy to Republic
In about 600 BC neighboring people
called the Etruscans took control of
Rome
 The Etruscan King-King Tarquin the Proud
was cruel and harsh.
 The Romans rebelled, ending the
monarchy and starting a new government
that they called a Republic
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Roman Republic
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Roman citizens do not make all of the
decisions like in Athens. Instead, they elect
representatives to make decisions. This
council of representatives was called the
Senate. The senate was made up of 300
Roman aristocrats (Rome’s elite) called the
Patricians.
From the senate two members, called
Consuls were elected to run the daily
affairs of Rome. To keep anyone from staying
in power too long they elected new consuls
every year.
Patricians VS Plebeians
Patrician-noblemen that held almost all of
the power, they had the best education,
and only they could become members of
the Senate
 Plebeian-Common people that had few
rights and almost no say in how they
were governed.
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Patricians VS Plebeians
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Rome was divided into two unequal groups: Patricians and
Plebeians
A struggle was taking place between the two groups.
Plebeians wanted rights and the patricians wanted to keep
their power.
The plebeians worked to obtain and secure their rights. They
organized themselves and when they disagreed with the
patricians, they would leave the city and refuse to listen.
Eventually, the plebeians elected their own leaders, called
Tribunes.
Soon the plebeians were able to force the patricians to treat
them better and allowing them a voice. The partricians
realized that Rome’s economy would suffer without the
plebians
The patricians allowed the plebeian to elect 10 tribunes.
These tribunes could attend senate meetings and could Veto
(Refuse) laws that they did not agree with.
Democracy v. Republic
Democracy
Republic
Constraints on
the government:
No; the majority can
impose its will on the
minority
Yes; the majority cannot
take away certain
inalienable rights
Sovereignty is held by:
the whole population (as a the people (individuals)
group)
Definition:
is ruled by the omnipotent Representatives are
majority. In a Democracy, selected to make decisions
individuals have the power
From a Republic to a Dictatorship
Tax money made the patricians rich while
slaves made the plebeians poor (slaves
took their jobs).
 In 82 BC a civil war broke out. At the
end, Lucius Sulla took power, turning
Rome into a dictatorship.
 In BC Julius Ceaser became Rome’s
dicatator. He envisioned many things for
Rome
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