Download Early Influences on Rome

Early Influences of
Rome
It’s a Mystery!
Historians have tried over the years to discover the
truth about the founding of Rome
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No one really knows who Rome’s first king was.
We do know that the first Romans were Latins
The Latins were one of several groups who
invaded Italy
In 700 B.C.E. a Latin tribe built a village in
central Italy that later became Rome
The First Village in Rome
The first village is believed to have
been built on a hill in central Italy
called Paletine
 Paletine overlooks the Tiber River,
about 12 miles inland from the sea
 Overtime this village expanded and
covered seven hills
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Roman Influences
Roman culture was greatly influenced
by two of Rome’s neighbors, Etruscans
and the Greeks
 The Romans borrowed many ideas and
skills from these two groups
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Who were the Etruscans?
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The Etruscans had come from the north from
a place called Etruria and settled throughout
Italy.
No one knows exactly how/where these
people started their civilization but they built
city-states and conquered others
By 600 B.C.E. they ruled much of northern and
central Italy, including Rome
Etruscans
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On your map of Italy, draw an arrow from
Etruria to Rome. Label it “first influence.”
Etruscan Influence
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The Romans learned many skills and
techniques from the Etruscans
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One technique was engineering. More
specifically they learned to make arches and
cuniculus
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The Romans furthered advanced these
techniques by building bridges, stadiums
and aqueducts
Arches:
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Arches rested on two pillars.
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The pillars supported a half-circle of wedge-shaped
Cuniculus:
1. A long underground trench
2. Vertical shafts connected it to the ground above
3. They used this method to irrigate water to crops
4. They also used this method to drain swamps and carry
water to their cities
Etruscan Sporting Events
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Romans adopted two bloody Etruscan
sporting event:
Slave Fighting
Chariot Races
Video
Slave Fighting
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The Etruscan tradition was to hold slave fights
after a funeral
Two slaves of the dead master fought to the
death with swords and small shields
After being congratulated the winner was
executed
NOT ONE SURVIVOR!!
Chariot Racing
Etruscans also enjoyed watching chariot
races
 The drivers, or charioteers, were strapped
to their chariots
 If a chariot overturned, a driver could be
dragged under the chariot’s or trampled by
the horses
 Injuries often occurred and sometimes
death
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Etruscan Architecture
Concrete was used to make buildings stronger
and larger
 An example would be the Colosseum, where
gladiators fought
 Another famous stadium, called Circus
Maximus, was the home to multiple chariot
races. This stadium could hold more than
200,000 spectators.
 Video
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Architecture Continued..
Coliseum
The Pantheon
The Circus Maximus
The Greeks
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The Greeks also had an influence on early
Roman culture
The Romans learned about Greek culture when
they settled in southern parts of Italy and on the
island of Sicily
They often traded with the Greeks in Rome and
abroad
Greek Writing
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The Romans borrowed the Greek alphabet
First, the Etruscans borrowed the Greek alphabet and
modified it, then the Romans took the Etruscan alphabet and
changed it even more
Like the Greeks, Romans wrote in ALL CAPITAL
LETTERS
The Greeks carved important documents into bronze or
stone plaques and posted them for all to see. The Romans
took this idea and started to record documents in writing.
Mythology Again?
Roman
Jupiter (greatest god)
Venus (god of love)
Mars (god of war)
Greek
Zeus
Aphrodite
Aries
The Romans were more concerned about carrying out
rituals to please the gods, not telling myths about them