Early Rome was located on a fertile plain in central Italy. The geography of Italy, surrounded by seas and mountains, protected it from most invaders. Rome was originally ruled by the Etruscans, but the Romans overthrew their Etruscan king in 509 BC and established a republic with two main social classes - the patricians and plebeians. Over time, the plebeians gained more political rights, including the right to elect tribunes to represent them and veto laws.

1. Early Rome
In this lesson, students will identify
characteristics of early Rome.
Students will be able to identify and/or define
the following terms:
Italy’s Geography
Latins
Patricians
Plebeians
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2. Italy is a country in western Europe.
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3. The Geography of Italy
• Italy is a boot-shaped peninsula in western
Europe.
• Italy is a long, narrow, boot-shaped peninsula
extending into the Mediterranean Sea.
• The seas and the Alps mountains in the north
protected Italy from most invaders.
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4. Rome was a city-state located on a fertile
plain in the middle of Italy.
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5. The Latins and the Etruscans
• The Latins were a group of people who lived
on a plain called Latium in Italy.
• They learned many ideas from their Greek
neighbors.
• The Etruscans lived in the north. The
Etruscans conquered Rome and the plain of
Latium.
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6. The Etruscans conquered Rome and
the plain of Latium.
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7. The Roman Republic
• The early Roman city-state contained two
main social classes: patricians (wealthy
landowning families) and plebeians ( small
farmers, craftsmen, and merchants).
• Eventually, the Romans overthrew their
Etruscan king and made Rome into a republic.
• A republic is a form of government where
citizens have political power.
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8. A republic is a type of government in
which a few people represent many
people. Rome was a republic and the
United States is a republic.
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9. The Republic
• In 509 B.C., the patricians rebelled against
their cruel Etruscan king and established a
republic.
• In a republic, citizens vote to elect
representatives.
• The Roman Republic lasted from 509 B.C. to
27 B.C. – almost 500 years.
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10. Only patricians
were allowed to
vote. They were
from the oldest
and richest families
in Rome. They
made up only 10%
of Rome’s
population.
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11. The Plebeians were citizen-soldiers. The
Patricians needed them to defend Rome.
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12. The Plebeians Gain Political Rights
• In 494 B.C., the Roman Republic gave the
plebeians the right to elect two tribunes.
• These two representatives protected the
rights of the plebeian class.
• The tribunes could veto any law they did not
like. The senate could only pass laws to
which the tribunes said yes.
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13. The Roman Senate was a governing
body.
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14. Questions for Reflection:
• List two geographic features of Italy and state
an effect for each.
• Who were the Latins?
• Describe Rome’s Republic.
• How did Patricians differ from Plebeians?
• Why did Plebeians gain greater political
rights?
• What were tribunes?
• Define veto.
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