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Chapter 4: The Roman
Republic
I. Beginning of Roman
Civilization
Geographic
Features
• Italian Peninsula
– Farming
• Apennine Mountains
• Mare Nostrum
Early Inhabitants
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Latins
Phoenicians
Greeks
Etruscans
Founding of Rome
• On the Tiber River
– Palatine Hill
• “League of the Seven Hills”
– Beginning of the city of Rome
• Romulus and Remus
Early Society and
Government
• Family
– Basic unit of early Roman
society
– Small, self-sufficient
community
– Father was sole authority
Early Society and
Government
• Clan
• Tribe
• Two social classes
– Patricians: aristocracy
– Plebeians: common people
Early Society and
Government
• Monarchy
– King was chief priest,
commander of army, and
administrator of justice
– Imperium
– Fasces
– Senate
Chapter 4: The Roman
Republic
II. The Early Roman
Republic
Establishment
• Republic established in
509 BC
• Consuls
• Senate
– Most important and
powerful
• Assembly of Centuries
– Senate had veto power
Struggle Within the
Republic
• Patricians dominated
– Plebeians had few
privileges and little voice
in government
• Concessions gained:
– Plebiscites
– Tribune
• Veto
Struggle Within the
Republic
• Laws
– Tablets hung in the
Roman Forum
– Law of Twelve Tables
– Tribal Assembly
• New class distinction
– Rich vs. poor
Chapter 4: The Roman
Republic
III. The Mediterranean—A
Roman Sea
Rome—The Master of Italy
• Defeated the Latin cities
• Southern Italy
– Pyrrhus
• Controlled all of Italian
peninsula by 265 BC
– Latins, Etruscans, Greeks
– Treated with mercy, fairness
Rome—The Master of the
Western Mediterranean
• Conflict with Carthage
• Three wars
– Between 264 and 146 BC
– Territory
– Trade
– Punic wars
Rome—The Master of the
Western Mediterranean
• The First Punic War (264241 BC)
– Island of Sicily
– Roman navy
– Rome eventually prevailed
• Terms of settlement
Rome—The Master of the
Western Mediterranean
• The Second Punic War (218201 BC)
– Hannibal
• Very successful in Italy
– Battle of Cannae
• Romans nearly wiped out
Rome—The Master of the
Western Mediterranean
• The Second Punic War (218201 BC)
– Scipio
• Attacked in North Africa
• Hannibal ordered back home
• Battle of Zama
– Results
Rome—The Master of the
Western Mediterranean
• The Third Punic War (149146 BC)
– Cato
– Three-year siege
– Destruction of Carthage
Rome—The Master of the
Eastern Mediterranean
• Defeated Macedonia and
Syria
• Alliance with Egypt
• Rome allowed some selfgovernment and local
freedom
– Payment of tribute
Chapter 4: The Roman
Republic
IV. Decline into a
Dictatorship
Problems
• Small farmers
• Senate increased its
power
– Unwilling to address
social and economic
problems
• Corruption
– Publicans
Failure of Reform
• Tiberius and Gaius
Gracchus
– Strove for reforms
– Changes in land policy
– Tiberius sought
reelection as tribune
and was killed
– Gaius lost his life
The First Civil War
• Marius becomes
champion of the
common people
– Military hero
– Created a professional
army
• Served for financial gain
• Loyal to its commander
The First Civil War
• Senate appointed
Sulla as general
– Tribal assembly
appointed Marius
• Sulla victorious
– Became dictator
– Reorganized
government
The Second Civil War
• Crassus
– Had wealth
• Pompey
– Had support of Senate
• Julius Caesar
– Had support of people
• Triumvirate
The Second Civil War
• Caesar became
governor of Gaul
– Commentaries on the
Gallic War
• Crassus had died
• Pompey got support
of the Senate
The Second Civil War
• Caesar crossed the
Rubicon
– Defeated Pompey’s
army
• Caesar becomes
dictator for life
– Reforms
– Death—“Ides” of March
The Third Civil War
• Mark Antony
• Octavian
• Agreed to each rule
half the territory
– Ambition led to war
– 31 BC: Battle of Actium
– Octavian victorious
The Third Civil War
• Beginning of period of
Roman Empire
– Imperators ruled with
supreme power