2. The Origins of Rome
• Founded – 753 BC
by Romulus &
Remus,
• twin sons of the
god Mars and a
Latin Princess
• Abandoned on
Tiber River- raised
by a she-wolf
3. Rome’s Geography
• Built on seven rolling hills @ a curve of the Tiber
River
• Mid-way between the Alps and Italy’s southern
tip
• Near midpoint of Mediterranean Sea
• [Provides:]
▫ Commerce from abroad; but distance from
invasion
▫ Produce from inland regions
4. The 1st Romans
• Earliest settlers of Italian Penn. prehistoric
• 100-500 B.C., 3 Groups inhabitated:
▫ Latins – built original settlement of Rome
[Palatine Hill]
▫ Greeks [750-600BC] est. colonies along S. Italy &
Sicily
▫ Etruscans – native to N. Italy, skilled
metalworkers/engineers. Influenced Roman
architecture [arch] & alphabet
5. Republic= a form of government in which power rests
with citizens who have the right to vote for their leaders.
The Early Republic
Citizenship with voting rights, granted to free-born male
citizens
• 600 BC – Etruscan became King of Rome
• In decades grew from hilltop villages to 500 sq.
mi. city
• Various kings ordered first temples & public
centers
▫ Forum, of Roman Political life
• Last King of Rome- Tarquin the Proud
▫ Harsh tyrant, driven from power in 509 BC
▫ Afterwards est. a republic
6. Patricians &
Plebians
• Patricians [wealthy landowners] and plebians [farmers,
artisans, merchants, & maj. of pop.] struggled for
power
• Patricians- inherited power/social status
▫ Claimed ancestry gave them authority to make laws for
Rome
• Plebians citizens w/ right to vote
▫ Barred from law and holding most government positions
▫ In time, leaders allowed to form own assembly & elect
representatives called tribunes [protected plebians from
unfair acts of patrician officials.]
7. The Roman Republic (509 B.C. – 27 B.C.)
A “Balanced” Government
• Rome elects two consuls– one to lead army, one
to direct government
• Senate- chosen from patricians (Roman upper
class), make foreign and domestic policy
• Popular assemblies elect tribunes, make laws
for plebeians (commoners)
• Dictators- leaders appointed briefly in times of
crisis (appt. by consuls and senate)
8. Twelve Tables
• Plebeians forced officials to make written law
code so patricians code not interpret the law to
fit their own needs.
• Carved on tablets that hung in Forum
• Basis of Roman law- idea that all free citizens
had right to protection of the law
9. The Twelve Tables:
Primary Source Review
• What can we infer about Roman values based on
the laws cited in the Twelve Tables?
• How do the Twelve Tables compare to modern
laws in the United States?
10. Government under the Republic
• Took the best of the monarchy , arist., dem.
• Monarchy: 2 Consuls: commanded army and
directed gov. 1 years term. Could veto other consuls
decisions
• Aristoracy: Senate: 300 upperclass members
▫ Influence over domestic and foreign policies
▫ Had legislative and administrative functions
▫ Plebeians allowed in later
• Democracy: Tribal Assemblies
▫ Tribal Assembly- formed by pleb.- elected tribunes
▫ Made laws for people and later the republic itself
▫ In times of crisis, republic could appoint a dictator-
leader with absolute power to make laws and
command army
In power for 6 months
Chosen by consuls and elected by senate
11.
12. Comparing Republican Governments
• What similarities do you see in the governments
of the Roman Republic and the United States?
• What do you think is the most significant
difference between the Roman Republic and that
of the United States today?
14. The Roman Army
• All citizens were required to
serve
• Army was powerful:
▫ Organization & fighting skill
• Legion- military unit of
5,000 infantry (foot soldiers)
supported by cavalry
(horseback)
• Legions divided into smaller
groups of 80 men, called a
century
15. Roman Soldiers
Roman Legionary Roman Centurion
Centurions were mid-ranking officers
in charge of groups of 100 soldiers
within their legions
16. Rome Spreads its Power
• Romans defeat
Etruscans in north
and Greek city-
states in south
• Treatment of
Conquered:
▫ Forge alliances
▫ Offer citizenship
• By 265 B.C., Rome
controls Italian
peninsula
17. Rome’s Commercial Network
• Rome establishes a large trading network
• Access to Mediterranean Sea provides many trade
routes
• Carthage, powerful city-state in North Africa, soon
rivals Rome
19. Punic Wars (264-146 B.C.)
• Three Wars
between Rome
and Carthage
• 1st Punic War-
Rome gains control
of Sicily & western
Mediterranean
Sea.
The destruction of Carthage during the Punic Wars.
New York Public Library Picture Collection
20. Punic Wars (264-146 B.C.)
• 2nd Punic War-
Carthaginian General
Hannibal’s “surprise”
attack through Spain &
France
▫ 60,000 soldiers and 60
elephants
▫ Romans experience
severe losses, but
eventually ward off
attacks & invade North
Africa
21. 2nd War: Hannibal-
Carthaginian general
who led large army
and elephants on
long trek from Spain
across France
through Alps. To
surprise Rome and
inflicted enormous
losses on Rome.
Rome used help
from allies to
prevent H. from
overtaking them
23. Punic Wars (264-146 B.C.)
• 3rd Punic War-
Rome seizes
Carthage
▫ Scipio- Roman
Strategist
▫ Conquered people sold
into slavery
24. Scipio
• Scipio, Roman
military leader forced
H. back to Carthage
At Zama H. was
defeated. Carthage
was burnt, pop. was
enslaved, and
Carthage was made a
Roman province
25. Victories gave Rome dominance over
W. Med. Then conquered East:
Anatolia to Spain.
