Download A City Is Born

Rome: A Great City Is
Founded
The Etruscans
The First Romans
The Punic Wars
The Etruscans
Etruscans ruled around 900500 B.C.
Like the Greeks they lived in
independent fortified cities
but shared the same
language and religion
Etruscans were influenced
by Greek religion, art and
mythology
Writing was based on the
Greek alphabet
Involved in extensive sea
trade like Minoans
The Etruscans
Were polytheistic
Gods controlled their
destinies and explained
phenomena
Believed in prophecies
and predestination
Elaborate funeral
festivities and buried
dead in elaborate tombs
Sacrificial deaths used at
funeral processions
The Etruscans
Unlike Greeks the
Etruscans focused more
on enjoying life
Used murals to decorate
tombs and homes
Murals depicted dancing,
games and entertainment
Pottery was influenced by
Greeks but moved towards
creating own bronze
utensils
The First Romans
Who were the Romans?
They adopted and improved
on cultures ideas that they
conquered (cultural
pragmatism)
They introduced architecture,
a legal system, government,
military organization and
concepts of life.
But they also introduced
slavery, class inequality, civil
violence, moral decadence
and political corruption
The First Romans:
Legend says that Romans
established a village near the
Tiber River on one of seven
hills overlooking Tiber River
Founded by brothers Romulus
and Remus who legends says
were raised by a she-wolf
Romulus kills own brother and
eventually becomes first
Roman monarch (753-715
B.C. ?)
Rome becomes a republic
were power rest in the citizens
who vote for their office
holders
The First Romans: Patricians
and Plebeians
Defined social roles and controlled social order
Patricians (4%) were the privileged citizens of Romans
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Aristocratic class (large land holders)
Only they could be consuls, magistrates and Senators
Claimed position by birthright
Could hold political offices
Plebeians (96%) were citizens who could vote but no hold
office
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Were artisans, merchants and small farmers
Less that wealthy land owners
Non-patrician large landowners
Could not marry a Plebeian
Both could do the following though
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Vote
Make contracts and serve in the military
The First Romans: Patricians
and Plebeians
In response to Patricians rule
Plebeians created a
government assembly called
The Council of Plebs in 471
B.C.
A new position called the
Tribune, whose duty was to
protect the rights of
Plebeians was introduced
The Council passed laws
that allowed intermarriage
and protected the interests of
Plebeians
The First Romans: Patricians
and Plebeians
Another gain by Plebeians was
the Twelve Tables 451 B.C.
The Twelve Tables were a
written legal code that
addressed an individual’s private
rights (civil and criminal issues)
The Twelve Tables addressed
issues such as property rights,
marriage, inheritance, crime,
civil procedure and personal
debts
Introduced trial by jury for all
The Twelve Tables
Table IV.
1. A deformed child shall
be quickly killed
2. To a father ...shall be
given over a son the
power of life and death.
3. A child born within ten
months of the father's
death shall enter into
the inheritance
Table X.
1. A dead person shall not
be buried or burned in
the city.
2. Expenses of a funeral
shall be limited to three
mourners wearing veils
and one mourner
wearing an inexpensive
purple tunic and ten
flutists
The 1st Punic War 264-241 B.C.
The Wars resulted over
Roman interfere in
Carthage held by Sicily
and over trade in the
Mediterranean Sea
Roman had sent an army
to excrete it’s influence in
the region
Carthage had actually
started out as a
Phoenician colony
The 1st Punic War 264-241 B.C.
The 1st Punic War 264-241 B.C. was primarily one
fought in the seas (naval warfare)
Carthage had the upper hand because of naval
experience learned from sea trade
Romans adopted warfare on sea to that of land
warfare on ships
Romans used hooks and ladders to board
Carthaginian ships and fight like on land
Carthaginians are no match for Romans in hand to
hand combat
Roman wins but the question over the Mediterranean
Sea is still not addressed
The 1st Punic War
The 2nd Punic War 218-201 B.C.
2nd Punic War begins
when Rome seeks to
influence Spain against
Carthage
Hannibal Barca,
Carthaginian general
invades Rome by
crossing the Alps
He crosses the Alps with
30,000 men, 6,000
cavalry and 12 war
elephants
Enter Hannibal
The 2nd Punic War 218-201 B.C.
Hannibal’s army defeats every legion sent to
stop them and sets about destroying Rome’s
economy
Hannibal destroys an entire Roman legion,
30,000 men at the Battle of Cannae (216 B.C.)
Rome attacks Carthage to lure Hannibal to fight
them
At Zama (201 B.C.) Hannibal is defeated by
Scipio Africanus
Spain now belongs to Rome and Carthage must
ask Rome’s permission to go to war
2nd Punic War
Battle of Cannae
Battle Of Zama
The 3rd Punic War 150-146 B.C.
Seeking to eliminate Carthage once and for all
Senators like Cato the Elder (234-149 B.C.) produce
speeches that “Carthage must be destroyed”
146 B.C. Carthage is destroyed and Hannibal is forced
to commit suicide
Rome now lays claims to Africa and gains over 200,000
slaves from the Punic Wars
War is now seen as a way to make a fortune for the
connected and allows generals to move into politics