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Laws and Government of Ancient
Rome
By Madi Di Vico and Andrew Baffuto
Government in Rome
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In 494 B.C. the Plebeians rebelled against the patricians
Rome’s republic lasted nearly 500 years
a representative is a person that ran for the government
the Senate’s role/job was to make the laws for the government
The Citizen Assembly’s role was to elect the tribunes and the
Rome's army commander and the most powerful judges. Tribunes
made sure that plebeians got fair trials.
• Consuls were the third branch of the government. They served for 1
year as Rome’s army commanders and the most powerful judges.
They were elected by the citizen’s assembly role.
Laws of Rome
• Governor’s enforced Rome’s laws and were the judges if something
went wrong.
• The people who enforced the laws were treated as upper class.
• The Twelve Tables were the foundation of the Roman law, the
earliest written collection of Roman laws they were written in 450
B.C.
• the Twelve Tables were posted in the Forum, part of the market,
part town square, and the place where citizen’s presented their
cases before the judges.
Twelve Tables of Rome
• Even though the twelve tables were smashed in an invasion, we
know that they existed because of the written recollections of
Romans, who as children had memorized the twelve tables wordfor-word in school.
• The Twelve Tables were established in 450-451 B.C. because the
plebeians successfully protested against unfair application of
unwritten “laws” by the patricians. The Twelve Tables were not new
laws created, but they were a recording of the unwritten laws that
already had been in existence for many years before.
• Civil law is the body of laws in a government that regulate ordinary
matters.
• The eldest male had the most power over his descendants because
Rome was patriarchal.
• There were laws protecting slave ownership because without the
slaves no one would be able to work the fields.
Summary
Without the Twelve Tables of Rome there would be
no way for the plebeians to have their laws
enforced. Also that there would be no laws and
Rome would be a brawl all day. Without the Twelve
Tables Rome’s government wouldn't be strong and
would only have protesting plebeians. Thus, the
Twelve Tables made Rome not insane and kept
people alive. In conclusion, Rome's government and
laws wouldn't be what they are today without the
Twelve Tables.
Questions
• When did the plebeians rebel against the
patricians?
• What were the Twelve Tables a foundation of
and when were they written?
• Why were the twelve tables written?
Answers to Questions
• The Plebeians rebelled against the patricians in
494 B.C.
• The Twelve Tables were the foundation of the
Roman law, the earliest written collection of
Roman laws they were written in 450 B.C.
• The Twelve Tables were established in 450-451
B.C. because the plebeians successfully protested
against unfair application of unwritten “laws” by
the patricians. The Twelve Tables were not new
laws created, but they were a recording of the
unwritten laws that already had been in existence
for many years before.