Download The Roman Republic and Empire

The Roman Republic and
Empire
Republic

A Republic is a system of government
in which a group of representatives
are elected by the people and make
decisions on their behalf.
Geography
Low mountains: Italian boot- low
mountainous region in Northeastern
region.
 Offers protection from Europa.
 Mediterranean Sea offers protection
around the peninsula and created fishing
trade.
 In central Italy, open plain with fertile soil
grew farms, orchards.
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Rome

Began as a small city-state in Italy called
the Etruscans in 800 B.C.

Twelve separate city-states modeled after
the Greek city-states ruled by a king and
the nobles.
The Roman Republic

Romans took control of the Italian
peninsula in 509 BC with a revolution.

Established a new form of government
called a republic
– Republic means “thing of the people”
– Believed it would keep any one person from
gaining too much power
The Roman Republic

Officials were chosen to rule on the
peoples behalf.

A 300 member senate was created. It
could grow up to 600 people over time.
– All members of the senate were Patricians
(members of the landholding upper class
nobles).
– Senators served for life.
The Roman Republic

Senators elected two consuls each year.
– Consuls supervised the business of
government and commanded Roman armies.
– They were limited to a one year term.

During times of war the senate often
elected a dictator.
– Dictators had complete control over the
government.
– They were limited to a term of 6 months.
Republican leadership structure
Monarchy/executive
20 Quaestors: financial officers
controlled by the treasury and
funded the military
2 Aediles: officials
who oversaw the
city of Rome and
took care of public
buildings, structures
and festivals
Consul
Consul
10 Tribunes elected by the citizens to represent
them and protect them from the patricians.
Could propose legislation and veto the senate
or officers, including the consuls.
2 Censors: collect
taxes, manage public
contracts, and kept
track of citizens (the
census) for public voting
8 Praetors: chief law
enforcement officers
governed the provinces
and filled in for consuls
when they were absent
from Rome.
Assemblies: made up of plebeians
(all common citizens)
Senate: 300-600 Patricians
(noble land owners)
Consul
Consul
Senators served for life: proposed
and made legislation and advised
the Consuls
Could veto laws and suggest legislation.
Voted for representatives. Technically
served for life too.
Common People Demand Equality

Common people were called Plebeians

450 BC: Plebeians demanded Roman laws be written
down so they could know the laws.

The Twelve Tablets created and displayed in the
marketplace.

The tablets allowed the plebeians to demand
justice based on the written law that could not
be manipulated or changed.

Plebeians gained the right to elect officials, and later the
right to serve on the senate.
Carthage: General Hannibal and the
Punic Wars and the beginning of the
Roman Empire

Rome engaged in three wars against Carthage. Carthage
is in North Africa.

The Romans won the Punic Wars, but the Carthaginians
did a lot of damage to Italy with stampeding elephants.
They were no match for advanced Roman iron weapons.

Rome also developed alliances with Spain and Egypt
spreading the Empire throughout the entire
Mediterranean region.
The Roman Empire: By 133 BC the Roman Empire occupied almost all of
the Mediterranean region (including land once conquered by Alexander
the Great, and the Greek city-states).
A Growing Empire

As Rome grew a new class of wealthy
landowners emerged.
– They forced captured people to work on their
estates as slaves.
– Small farmers were hurt as they could not
produce food as cheaply as slave labor.
– Grain brought in from conquered lands further
reduced the price of crops hurting farmers
even more.
Plebeians Revolt



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Plebeians suffered as Rome grew.
Rome had to maintain a large citizen army in
order to defend its borders and continue
expansion. Soldiers were paid very little, if at all
and usually provided their own weapons.
Plebeians began to demand reforms.
Senators and Consuls hired thugs to quiet
protesters and protect their power
This sets off a series of civil wars within the
empire.
All Hail Caesar!
Soldiers began to turn
against Rome, showing
loyalty only to their
commanders.
 This allowed the military
commander Julius Caesar
to seize power in 51 BC.


After winning a war against
Gaul (France) he defied the
Senate and suppressed the
rebellions throughout Rome
under his leadership.

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He demanded to be made “dictator” and introduced reforms that
included public aid and provided jobs for the poor so they could have
citizenship rights.
In March 44 BC the Senate betrayed him and he was assassinated
(stabbed to death) Et tu Brute
They argued that they were afraid Caesar was too powerful and
wanted to be king.
The Exalted One and the Empire

Caesar’s grand-nephew Augustus was chosen as
the next leader.

Augustus ruled from 31-14 BC.
– He brought the 500 year old Republic to an end
because he ruled with absolute authority (like a king
but he never called himself that).
– The Senate had accepted that the Empire was too
large to govern without a central authority.
– Augustus left the Senate in place as an advisory body,
but he set up new reforms calle Pax Romana
Pax Romana (Roman Peace)
Created efficient, professional, well trained
civil servants to enforce the law.
 These men were chosen based on merit:
performance and talent (not class)
 Allowed conquered territories to develop
“self-government” as long as they
followed Roman law and paid their taxes.
 Peaceful Roman Empire lasted 200 years
as one of the largest ancient empires
based on strong trade and fair justice.

Roman Law
The principles of Roman law are the foundation of many
modern legal systems.
 Romans were the first to develop written law or
“codified law” that only applied to citizens
 They also created Civil Law known as the Justinian Code
that was to be applied fairly throughout the empire by
collecting all of the laws together into a “book”
 Developed the “law of nations” that would apply to all
citizens and foreign subjects in conquered land:

– These laws were based on reason and would later influence the
Enlightenment (more on this later)
– These rights included:
 innocent until proven guilty and could face their accuser.
 The accused had the right to a fair trial based on an honest
interpretation of the law.

.
Summary: legacy of Rome

First organized Republic with no king.

Assembly and the structure of clear checks
and balances with a cabinet and three
branches of government

Codified and consistent law across the
Empire.