Download Roman Government: Romulus to Republic

• 12/3 Focus:
– The Romans established a new form of
government known as a republic
– The Romans influenced many of the values
and institutions of western civilization.
• Do Now:
– Identify the type of government found in
the United States
Ancient Rome
The Roman Republic
Review
• What were
some of the
geographic
characteristics
associated with
the Italian
Peninsula?
Review
• What were some of
the geographic
advantages of
Rome’s location in
Italy?
Early History of Rome
• The Legend of
Romulus and Remus
– Legend states that the
city of Rome was
founded by two twins,
Romulus and Remus.
– Twins were abandoned
near the Tiber River
and raised by a shewolf
– Romulus kills Remus
and starts Rome
Early History of Rome
• 3 groups that influenced
early Rome
– Greeks
• Established colonies in Italy
and Sicily
• Shared their gods with the
Romans
• Art, literature, and
architecture influenced
Romans
– Etruscans
• Shared augury, arches, blood
sports
– Latins
• First to settle in Rome
The Roman Monarchy
• Kings ruled Rome from 753 B.C. to 509
BC
– Romulus was the first king
– 3 more Latin kings
– Last three kings were Etruscan
Seven Kings
Tarquin the Proud
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7th and last king of Rome
Etruscan
Hated by the Romans
His son Sextus was accused of
raping a Roman noblewoman
named Lucretia, who then
committed suicide out of
shame
• Tarquin and his son were
driven out of Rome in 509 BC
• Republic followed!
SPQR
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New logo
Senate &
People
Of Rome
The Roman Republic
• Republic
– A form of government in which elected
officials govern the state
– power rests with citizens who have the
right to vote for their leaders
– Indirect democracy or representative
democracy
• Rome allowed free-born male citizens to
participate in elections
– Women could not vote
The Roman Republic
• Patricians
– Aristocratic landowners
who held most power in
Rome
• Made up 10% of the
population
• Said to be decended from
the original 100 families of
Romulus’ city
– Ran the government and
made the laws
Patricians and Plebeians
• Plebeians
– Farmers, artisans, and
merchants
– Majority in Rome
– Were barred from
holding most
government positions
Secession of the Plebeians
494 BC
• A plebian revolt in which the plebeians left the
city of Rome, essentially going on strike, until
the Patricians granted them more rights
Secession of the Plebeians
494 BC
• Plebeians demanded more rights in Rome
from the patricians
– Lex Hortensia: a law that said that any law
passed by the Plebians would apply to all
Roman citizens
– Plebeian Council
• Allowed to elect their own assembly
– Tribunes
• Officials elected to protect the rights of
plebeians
• Could veto laws that were unjust to plebeians
The Twelve Tables of Rome
• First written code of law
in Rome
• Plebeians demanded laws
of Rome be written down
– Laws were carved on
twelve bronze tablets and
displayed in the Roman
Forum
• Established the principle
that all free citizens had
the right to protection
of the law
Roman Government
• Consuls
– 2 consuls
nominated by the
Senate and elected
by the assembly
for 1 year
– Chief executives
and commanded
the army
Roman Government
• Senate
– 300 patrician men
– Served for life
– Controlled
finances and
foreign relations
– Advised consuls
Roman Government
• Assemblies
– Tribal
Assembly
and
Centuriate
Assembly
– Made laws
and elected
officials
Gaius Gracchus, tribune of the people, presiding over the
Plebeian Council
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Roman Government
• In times of crisis,
the republic could
appoint a dictator to
rule Rome.
– Dictator
• a leader who has
absolute power
Cincinnatus
– Could only rule for
six months
– Were chosen by the
consul and elected by
the Senate
• Considered
the ideal
dictator
• Worked as a
farmer until an
invasion
prompted his
fellow citizens
to elect him
dictator
• Performed the
job and
immediately
went back to
his farm
Cincinnatus
The Roman Forum
• The center of life
in Rome
• Marketplace and
civic center
– Senate met in the
forum
– Public speeches
were given here
– Site of many
businesses
Closure
• What is the difference between a
republic and a direct democracy?
• What was the difference between
patricians and plebeians?
• How are the Twelve Tables of Rome and
Hammurabi’s Code similar?