Download The Beginning of Rome

The Beginning of Rome
7 Hills of Rome
• The Latins settled in the area of the 7 Hills
between 1000 BC and 850BC
The Palatine
• Rome was built on the Palatine Hill
between 800BC and 700 BC
• The Palatine Hill became a center for
trade
The Etruscans
• Settled near the Latins around 900 BC
• Took control of Rome between 700BC and 600
BC
• Romans adopted Etruscan gods, the Greek
alphabet, and the toga.
• Etruscan kings ruled Rome and the Latins for
over 100 years
The Romans and Etruscans
The Romans adopted many ideas, beliefs
and customs from the Etruscans including
• Architecture- the arch for building bridges
• Sewers
• Language – the Etruscan alphabet
• Gladiator games- Etruscan funeral custom
• Triumph- A parade for a returning hero
• Religion- Polytheism and oracles
The Beginning of the Republic
• Around 616BC, Lucius Tarquinius was the Etruscan king
who took control on Rome and the Latins
• Around 509 BC, the Romans defeated the Etruscans
and took control of their city
• They created a form of government called a republic
where citizens had the right to vote for their leaders
• By 264 BC, the Roman Republic controlled all of the
Italian peninsula
The Republic
• Patricians- The rich: 20% of the population
• Plebeians- Farmers, Artisans, Merchants
and the Poor: 80% of the population
• Patrician & Plebeian men were the citizens
of Rome
• Citizens had to pay taxes, serve in the
military, could make legal contracts (for
things like business), and could marry
Government of the Republic
• The Senate was the most powerful part of the
government.
• It made laws
• There were 300 Senators who were all Patrician men
• Two Consuls were elected each year by the citizens of
Rome to lead the government. Their main power was to
veto a law made by the Senate.
• In an emergency, a Dictator was elected to rule for 6
months.
• Praetors were elected officials who worked as judges.
The Twelve Tables
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Patricians were the wealthy upper class
Plebeians were the working lower class
Plebeians greatly outnumbered the Patricians
Plebeians were the ones who served in the army
Plebeians felt the Senate was unfair to them and
refused to continue to serve in the army until
changes were made
• Senate created the the Twelve Tables, a list of
laws that applied to all citizens, Patrician or
Plebeian
• Copies were posted all over Rome
One of the 12 Tables