The document provides background on the early history and founding of Rome. It describes how the early inhabitants of the Italian peninsula included Latins who migrated southward, and portions that were later colonized by Phoenicians, Greeks, and Etruscans. Rome was founded around 753 BC as a collection of villages along the Tiber River that united into a league of cities. Over time Rome transitioned from a monarchy to a republic with power shared between consuls, the senate, and assemblies. There was ongoing struggle between the patrician and plebeian classes for representation and rights that eventually led to more equality and integration of the classes.

1. Roman
Republic
Chapter 4

2. Beginnings
 Geography
 Not a hindrance as in Greece
 Land good for farming
 No rugged mountains to separate people

3. Beginnings
 Early Inhabitants
 Came from across Alps
 Settled in N. Italy
 Called “Latins”
 Eventually moved southward
 Settled western coast of Italy
 Portions of Italy colonized by:
 Phoenicians
 Greeks
 Etruscans

5. Beginnings
 Etruscans
 Came to Italy 900-
800 BC
 Probably from Asia
Minor by sea
 Became competitors
with Greece in trade
 Probably introduced
Greek culture to
Romans

6. Etruscans

7. Beginnings
 Founding of Rome

8. Beginnings
 Founding of Rome
 Villages established near Tibet River and West Coast
of Italy
 7 villages allied (League of 7 Hills)
 Beginning of city of Rome
 Developed myths about beginnings
 Twins, Romulus and Remus
founded Rome 753 B.C.
 Thrown out by evil
uncle, found by wolve
and raised them

9. - Digging for the city wall
of Rome
- Peasants
exchanging
produce at border
separating their
lands

10. Early Society & Government
 Basic Unit of society = FAMILY
 Self sufficient and self ruled
 Father authority figure
 Religion, discipline, power of life and death
 Pride in family heritage
Loyalty Submit to Authority
Hard
Working
Patriotism Self Control

11. Early Society & Government
Tribe
Clan Clan
Family Family Family Family

12. Early Society & Government
Patricians Plebeians
• Wealthy landowners • Majority of people
• Nobility based on birth • Common people
• Held high positions in society • Inferior class
• Tradesmen, craftsmen, farmers

13. Early Society & Government
 Early government = Monarchy
 Monarch chosen by people
 Imperium – absolute authority to govern
 Monarch would advise with senate

14. View of Early Roman Senate

15. Early Roman Republic
 509 B.C. overthrew monarchy and established
republic
Consuls
Senate
Assemblies

16. Consul
 ONLY Patricians
 Elected for 1 year terms
 Took care of:
 Every day government affairs
 Commanded army
 Supreme judges

17. Senate
 Most powerful body in government
 Served the interest of ALL people
 300 elite people appointed for life by consuls
 Took care of:
 Finances
 Pass laws
 Foreign affairs

18. See
any
similarities?

19. Assemblies
 People could express their views
 Voted legislation submitted by consul
 Took care of:
 Declare war
 Elected high
ranking officials
 Power to Veto

20. Struggles within

Republic
Patricians controlled government
 Plebeians had no voice in government
 For 200 years struggled for representation
 Constant warfare with neighbors made Patricians dependent
upon plebeians for army force
 Plebeians demanded more say in gov’t or else no more army
participation
 Plebeians get their own assembly and gov’t. officials
 Voted resolutions  plebiscites (apply only to plebeians)
 Tribune – elected official who protected plebeian rights (rights of
common people)

21. Law of 12 Tables
 Plebeians demanded written law
 Laws written on 12 tablets and hung in Roman
Forum
 What other civilization wrote laws on tablet?
 What other civilization publicly displayed law
throughout land?
 Law applied equally to ALL
 Boys memorized law as school work

22. “The women
shall not tear
their faces nor
wail on account
of the funeral.”
“Marriages
should not take
place between
plebeians and
patricians.”
“Let them keep the road in order. If they
have not paved it, a man may drive his
“A dreadfully deformed child shall be team where he likes.”
quickly killed.”
“If one is slain while committing theft by
“A child born after ten months since night, he is rightly slain.”
the father's death will not be
admitted into a legal inheritance.”

23. Changes in Society
 Plebeians’ social status gradually improved
 Began to gain government positions
 Some became senators
 Intermarriage allowed
 Tribal Assembly created 287 B.C.
 Pass laws that apply to ALL people
 Division between patricians and plebeians
began to disappear and a new division
appeared:
 Rich vs. Poor
 Wealthy patricians and wealthy plebeians allied together and took
control over government

24. The Mediterranean – Roman Sea
 From 509 B.C. to 133 B.C. Rome grew from a small city to biggest
empire in ancient world
 How?
 First Rome became master of Italy
 War with neighbors
 Defeated Etruscans in North
 Turned towards south to fight Greeks
 Seek help from Pyrrhus and his war elephants
 Victory over romans but with GREAT losses
 Says another such victory will cause his ruin!
 By 265 BC- Rome controls all Italian Peninsula
 Treated all conquered people with dignity and respect
 Mercy and fair
 Some even granted Roman citizenship

25. Rome dominates Western
Mediterranean

26. Rome dominates Western
Mediterranean B.C. Carthage war
241
 First Punic War (264 B.C. – 241 B.C.) weary, signs peace treaty
Rome wins Sicily
 Fight over island of Sicily Carthage has to pay war
loss
 Only way to win is to beat Carthage navy supremacy
 Built their own boats
 New fighting tactics
 Instead of ramming
into boats
 Drop plank onto
enemy boat
 Soldiers run over and
take over

28. Rome dominates Western

Mediterranean
Second Punic War (218 B.C. – 201 B.C.)
 Carthage recovers from first war and spreads into Spain
 Attacks roman ally city, Sagantum
 Start war

29.  Hannibal
 Carthaginian Commander
 Strong character and leaders
 Military tactics were genius
 Once dropped barrels of snakes on enemy ship
 Wanted to invade Italy and capture Rome
 Crossed into Italy through Alps
 Never gave up fighting against Romans
 Lived to be 64 years old
 Died from poison in his ring

30. Hannibal
crossing
the Alps in
the
Second
Punic War

31.  Battle of Cannae
 Carthage losses- 6,000
 Rome losses – 60,000
 It took Rome a whole
generation to recover from
this loss.

32.  Scipio
 Young Roman commander
 Defeated Carthaginian forces in Spain
 Moved on to attack Carthage, N. Africa
 Hannibal called home to defend Carthage
 Scipio and Romans won victory before he got home
 Battle of Zama (202 B.C.)
 Carthage had to give up all territory outside of N. Africa
 Reduce fleet to 10 vessels
 Pay Rome war damages

33. 3rd Punic War
 149 B.C. – 146 B.C.
 Romans fearful and jealous of Carthage prosperity
 Carthage breaks one provision of peace treaty
 Rome demands they move city ten miles inland
 This would have hurt their trade and commerce
 Carthage refuses
 Fighting begins, 3 year siege
 Rome takes city and destroys it
 Sells inhabitants into slavery
 Land becomes new roman province = Africa

36. Rome Dominates Eastern
Mediterranean
 Power struggle in Eastern Mediterranean
 Macedonia
 Syria
 Egypt
Macedonia Conquers Syria Conquers Egypt Allies
 Rome provinces remain free as long as they did not rebel
 Pay tribute to Rome (money or grain)
 Rome offered them protection and order

37. Time for a parade!