The early Roman Republic established elected leaders and a system of law instead of a monarchy. When threatened by outside forces, dictators like Cincinnatus were chosen to lead the military with absolute power for temporary periods. Cincinnatus quickly defeated enemies and then immediately resigned and returned to farming, showing his lack of desire for ongoing power and prioritization of his citizen duties. Through constant warfare with neighbors, Rome expanded its territory across the Italian peninsula during this period, incorporating other peoples' lands and establishing itself as a major military power.

1. THE EARLY REPUBLIC
& CINCINNATUS
Social Studies for 9th EBG
Teacher: Mauricio Torres

2. A Republic
 In 509 BC, the Romans
created a new type of
government: the republic.
 In a republic, people elect
leaders to govern them and
also the law rules above
everyone else.
 This elections were done each
year, and these leaders had a
lot of power which could only
be held for no more than a
year.
 This was done in order to
avoid just one person from
holding too much power.
 Remember, the word REX
(“king” in latin) had a bad
connotation for the Romans.

3. Rome in the days of the
Republic

4. Republic vs. Democracy
 Even though officials were elected, they were
not chosen from a small group of people:
 Wealthy
 Powerful
 These wealthy Romans held all he
power, while poor and common romans had
no say at all.

5. Challenges from Outside
 After the republic was
created, Romans found
themselves fighting wars with
their neighbors.
 Most of the battles were won and
they incorporated their neighbor’s
land as their own (as well as its
inhabitants).
 But some battle were also
lost, and this was a costly matter.
 For these times of
trouble, Romans chose
dictators (rulers with absolute
power, over the army and
senate).

6. Cincinnatus
 One of Rome’s epic dictators was
Cincinnatus. He had been a consul but was
retired.
 He gained power in 458 BC.
 He was a farmer, but also a great military
leader.

7. Cincinnatus the dictator
 He quickly
defeated the
Aequians, a
neighboring
tribe, who had
surrounded a
Roman army.
 Cincinnatus came
back to Rome as a
triumphant
general, but
immediately
resigned his
dictatorship and
returned to his

8. Trouble continues
 Event though Rome achieved many victories on
the battlefield, they were costly, and they found
themselves in constant warfare.
 This is how it soon became a great military power
as they absorbed the tribes around them
(Etruscans, Latins, Sabines, etc) in order to
survive.

9. Early Wars
 Italian campaigns
(458-396 BC):
 Sabines, Etruscans,
Latins.
 Celtic invasions of
Italy(390-387 BC):
 The Gauls, led by
Brennus invade the
Italian peninsula and
sack Rome.
 Roman expansion
into Italy (343–282
BC):
 They fight several
wars against the
Samnites.
 Pyrrhic War (280–
275 BC):
 Rome was able to
defeat the
Greeks, and took
control of the Italian
peninsula.

10. Roman Expansion
 The map shows the
expansion of Roman
territory during the
days of the
Republic.

11. Ask Yourself
 Identify:
 What was the Roman office of Dictator?
 Explain:
 How was the republic different from a monarchy?
 Why did Romans hate the term Rex?
 Infer:
 What would push Cincinnatus to abandon power so
quickly?
 Describe:
 Describe Roman expansion during the early days of
the Republic

12. Bibliography
 Burstein, S. M., & Shek, R. (2012). World
History (Teacher´s Edition) (1st Edition
ed.). (H. McDougal, Ed.) Orlando, Florida,
US.: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing
Company.
 Images taken from www.google.com