Download Rise of the Roman Republic

Rise of the Roman
Republic
I. Geography of Italian Peninsula

Mountainous
 Alps
(north)
 Apennines (backbone)


East = poor
West = attractive
Proximity to Mediterranean
Sea
 Easy access
 MILITARY!!!
 Fertile land, great harbors!!!

II. Early History of Rome
Legend of Romulus & Remus
 1200 BCE: Indo-Euros. invaded peninsula
 1000 BCE: Latins founded settlements on
7 Hills (Palatine Hill)

 Overlooked
Tiber River
 Became Rome
Strategic location
 Farming-based society

A. The Etruscans


8th cent. BCE: from Anatolia
Lived north of Tiber River
 6th
cent. = moved south,
conquered Rome


Set up monarchy
Contributed to Roman civ.
 Arch
 Drained swamps
 Forum
 Phoenician
alphabet
Roman Forum
Public meeting place and the heart of Roman
political life
Examples of Etruscan art
Note the Greek alphabet
Romans borrowed
Etruscan building
techniques.
B. The Greek Influence
750-500 BCE:
Greek colonization
 Southern Italian
city-states

 Syracuse

& Naples
Spread Greek
culture into Italy!
 Art,
Mythology, & Religion
III. Establishing the Republic

509 BCE: overthrow of Etruscan monarchy
 Tarquin

the Proud (tyrant)
Est. a republic (lasted almost 500 yrs.)
 res
publica = “public affairs”
A. Roman Govt.

3 Groups:
 The
Senate (aristocratic)
 Popular Assemblies (democratic)
 The Magistrates/Consuls (monarchy)
1. The Senate (aristocratic)
Most important & powerful of 3 bodies
 300 members (upper class)
 Senate seats for life (continuity)
 Controlled foreign policy & public funds
 Elected dictator (for times of crisis)

 Absolute
power (make laws & command army)
2. Popular Assemblies (demo.)
Citizens voted on laws & elected officials
 Had 10 tribunes – protected interests of
plebeians—could veto Senate

3. The Magistrates (monarchy)
2 consuls – 1 yr. terms (no reelection for 10)
 Commanded army & directed govt.
 Each could veto the other

 Checks
& balances

Praetors—8 judges (1 year term)
B. Social Structure

Patricians
 consuls,
senators, assembly
 10% of pop.

Plebeians
 farmers,
merchants, laborers, artisans
 Roman laws were unwritten
C. Plebeian Struggle of Reform
Advantage of Plebeians?
 Will not fight w/out reforms!!
 494 BCE: Council of Plebeians (Tribal
Assembly)

 Elected

10 tribunes
Could veto Senate or consuls

451 BCE: Twelve Tables
 Advertised
Roman law
 Posted in Forum
 Est. that ALL free citizens had protection of
the law

Plebeians did not change govt. much
 Patricians
exercised most power
 Roman politics = undemocratic
 “the people were not to govern, but to be
governed”

Senate ruled w/great authority
IV. Extending the Republic

By 265 BCE: Romans controlled all of Italy
south of Rubicon River
A. The Army
Conscription for adult male citizens
 Legion (Legionaires)
 Auxilia (non-citizens)

B. Wise Policies
Romans shared citizenship w/conquered
peoples = ensured loyalty
 Made alliances w/distant cities

 Remained
independent
 Provided military assistance to Rome
C. Religion
Spirits inhabit everything
 Identified Roman gods w/Greek gods

 Zeus
= Jupiter
 Hera = Juno
 Poseidon = Neptune
 Aphrodite = Venus
 Hades = Pluto
V. Rome vs. Carthage

Carthage = powerful city on N. Af. coast
 Empire

spanned the western Med.
Both were expansionistic
 Carthage
feared Rome would take Sicily
 Rome feared Carthage would stand in way

Fought 3 wars (264-146 BCE)
 Punic
Wars
A. First Punic War (264 BCE)

Rome built up navy
 Used

land tactics at sea
241: Rome prevailed
 Indemnity
(war reparations)
B. Second Punic War (218 BCE)

Hannibal (Carthaginian General)




Won numerous victories (Romans retreated)
Had no siege equipment to sack cities
Rome’s allies remained loyal
Scipio
 Invaded
Carthage
 Hannibal went home

202 BCE: Battle of Zama – defeat of Hannibal
 Ensured
supremacy of Greco-Roman civ.
C. Third Punic War
Lasting hatred towards Carthage
 149 BCE: declare war on Carthage!!!
 146 BCE: Carthage fell, was burned,
inhabitants enslaved

Rome = dominates W. Med.
 197 BCE: Rome defeated Macedonia

 Took
control of Greek cities
 133 BCE: Roman supremacy over Med.
completed