Download The Roman Republic

The Roman Republic
Who the h#&!! Are the Romans?
Rome was a small
region in Italy
The main powers were
the: Etruscans,
Oscans, and Greeks.
Who were the Etruscans?
Well…
They were independent
city-states over Northern
Italy.
“Twelve cities” League,
(guess what that was.)
474 B.C.
Rome began to take over
cities!
Etruscan Artwork
Government
Etruscans were ruled by Theocracy.
This means that the priest ruled the city.
Rome on the other hand,
was ruled by a king
And more importantly, later
by a Senate.
Back to Rome
Now Rome was busy…
making alliances with the other cities
Remus and Romulus
-Mythical founders of Rome
-Both were raised by a shewolf in the wild.
-Romulus killed Remus
Military
Originally…the Romans fought using the
Greek Phalanx.
Then…one day someone
thought of something better…
the Triple Acies.
Roman becomes a Republic!
In 509 B.C. Rome sent their king packing!
Replaced him with
a republican senate
300 member council of patricians that made
laws and served Rome
Patricians- aristocracy
Plebeians- normal folk
Twelve Tables
Formed the basis of the Roman constitution
The patricians judged the plebeians
harshly
In 462 B.C.
the Plebeians had the Twelve Tables made
so that law was regulated and all knew it
Posted in the Roman Forum for all to see
The Results of the Wars
More turmoil…
• Romans originally stayed united due
to their fear of Carthage
– No Carthage– nothing to fear
• Senate unable to provide effective
leadership.
– Patricians become more concerned w/
keeping their power and wealth.
• Slave revolts !
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Spartacus
• 73 BCE
• Proclaims war on Rome in attempt to
free the slaves.
• 2 years of successful revolts
• Eventually killed along with 6000
followers.
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First triumvirate
• 60 BCE- Three army generals unite to rule Rome.
– Pompey
– Crassus
– Julius Caesar
• Caesar becomes consul and commands the Roman
legions in Gaul.
– Conquers Gaul (France) and England.
• Pompey gets support from Senate.
– Orders Caesar to return home w/out the army.
• Caesar invades Rome w/ army and defeats
Pompey.
– Becomes a “hero of the empire.”
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Julius Caesar
• Reforms Rome
1.
2.
3.
4.
Reorganized government with him as dictator.
Lowered taxes.
Makes governors responsible to him.
Grants citizenship to conquered peoples.
• March 15, 44 BCE- Caesar assassinated
–
Stabbed in the Senate “Beware the Ides of March.”
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Second triumvirate
•
•
•
•
Mark Antony
Lepidus
Octavian
Created by Mark Antony.
– Falls in love w/ Cleopatra,
queen of Egypt.
• Octavian crushes the
combined fleet of Antony and
Cleopatra.
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Octavian
• 31 BCE- creates the Roman Empire
• Allows Senate to keep some power,
but he would retain sole rulership.
• Changes name to Augustus
– “honored and majestic”
• Takes title of “Caesar”
– “first citizen”
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The Roman Empire
• Augustus gains control of the
following:
– Military
• Takes complete control of
• Gives veterans bonuses of land.
– Provinces
• Supervised all the governors.
• Created 28 provinces
– Loyalty to Rome
• Granted citizenship to more conquered
peoples of Europe.
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