Download Founding the Roman Republic

Rome Notes Jelani Taylor pg.1
Founding the Roman Republic
 The land its Geography and Importance:
 Italy looks like a giant boot
 The top is sheltered by the alps to the north
 The Mediterranean sea to the south
 The Adriatic sea to the east
 The Tyrrhenian sea to the west
 The Apennine mountains run down the full length of the boot
 The Po River is to the north
 Rome is located on the Tiber river
 Rome and the beginning of an empire:
 Latin = Ancestors
 The Latins moved in to west central Italy sometime before the mid 700’s of B.C
 The plains region was called Latium
 Villages were built along the Tiber river
 Eventually the villages united to become Rome
 Etruscan kings
 came in late 600 B.C from northern Italy
 Etruscans had a written language which the romans adapted
 The Etruscans had crafted jewelry, made fine clothing, skillful in metal, pottery, and wood
 Knew how to pave roads, drain marshes, and construct sewers
 Greeks =Culture
 The Greeks settled in southern Italy on Sicily which became city states
 Roman gods mirrored Greek gods different name same traits Zeus (Greek)=(Roman) Jupiter
 Rome was at the center of trade routes that spread out across the land in all directions
 Roman Republic
 Republic- A form of government in which voters elect officials to run the state.
 Only adult male citizens were entitled to vote and take part in government
 Senate
 Most influential and powerful of the three governing bodies because it controlled
public funds and decided foreign policy
 Sometimes acted as a court
 In times of emergency the senators could propose that a citizen could be named
dictator or absolute ruler
 He could rule for up to 6 Months
 During that period he had complete command over the army and courts
 Magistrates
 Made up of consuls, censors, and assemblies
 2 individuals were elected one year terms to serve as consuls or chief executives
 The consuls ran the government, commanded army, and could appoint dictators
Rome Notes
Jelani Taylor
pg.2
 Each consul could veto the act of another
Legionaries= citizens
 Praetors commanded armies in times of war
Auxilia= non-citizens
 Praetors oversaw legal system in times of peace
 Censors registered citizens according to wealth
 Assemblies
 Citizens in assemblies voted on laws and elected officials including the consuls
 Some assemblies voted to make war or to make peace
 The assemblies elected 10 tribunes who had some power over actions by the senate
and other public officials
 The Conflict of orders
 Patricians- powerful land owners who controlled the government. As nobles they inherited their
power
 Plebeians-made up most of the population were mainly farmers and workers
 Eventually the plebeians forced the government to write down laws on the twelve tables
 Every adult citizen who owned land was required by laws to serve in the Roman army