The document provides background information on the origins and early history of Rome. It discusses: - The location of the Roman civilization in the Italian peninsula in the 8th century BC. - The three main tribes that inhabited the Italian peninsula at that time: the Etruscans, Latins, and Greeks. - According to historical facts, Rome was founded in the mid-8th century BC by Latin tribes on seven hills near the Tiber River. - According to legend, Rome was founded in 753 BC by the twin brothers Romulus and Remus, who were found by a she-wolf. Romulus later killed Remus and became Rome's first king.

2. 753 BC
(8th Century BC)

3. LOCATION:
 The
Roman civilisation was originated in the
centre of the Italian Peninsula.
GREECE
EGYPT

4. WHO INHABITED THE ITALIAN
PENINSULA BEFORE THE ROMANS?
In the 8th Century BC it was inhabited by
different tribes:

Etruscans  north

Latins  centre

Greeks  south
THE ITALIAN
PENINSULA
IN THE 8TH
CENTURY BC

5. Activity 1:
ORIGINS OF ROME
a) In which Peninsula did
the Roman Civilization
originated?
b) Which were the 3 main
tribes that inhabited it
in the 8th Century BC?
Draw a map locating
them in it.
THE ITALIAN
PENINSULA
IN THE 8TH
CENTURY BC

6. FOUNDING OF ROME:
The origins of Rome are not clear. It’s a mix of...

Facts  archaeological remains and ancient texts.

Legend  twins Romulus & Remus.

7. 
ACCORDING TO FACTS: Rome was founded in
the mid-8th century BC by Latin tribes that
settled in 7 hills near the river Tiber.
THE ITALIAN
PENINSULA
IN THE 8TH
CENTURY BC

8. 
ACCORDING TO THE LEGEND: Rome was
founded in 753 BC by the twin brothers
Romulus & Remus, in the place where they
were found by the she-wolf. Its name comes
from Romulus, who killed his brother and
became the first king of Rome.

9. Let’s role-play
this story!!!

18. Activity 2: copy & answer in your notebook:
FOUNDING OF ROME:
1)According to historical facts, what’s
the origin of Rome?
2)According to the legend, what’s the
origin of Rome?

20. CHRONOLOGY:
The Roman Civilisation went through 3 periods:
Monarchy
753 BC – 509 BC
Republic
509 BC – 27 BC
Empire
27 BC – 476 AD

21. Activity 3: Copy and fill in the following chart
in your notebook.
HISTORICAL PERIODS OF ANCIENT
ROMAN CIVILISATION
Period
Chronology

22. 753 – 509 BC

23.  Chronology:
753 – 509 BC.
 Form
of government: Absolute monarchy.
 There were 7 kings in total:
• 4 Latin kings
• 3 Etruscan kings
 End: in
509 BC the Patricians organised a revolt
against the king Tarquin the Proud:
 Tarquin the Proud was expelled.
 A new form of government was established: the
REPUBLIC.

24. 1. Romulus
2. Numa Pompilius
3. Tullus Hostilius
4
LATIN
KINGS
4. Ancus Marcius
5. Tarquin Priscus
6. Servius Tullius
7. Tarquin the Proud
3
ETRUSCAN
KINGS

25.  Tarquin used violence, murder
& intimidation to maintain
control over Rome. People
hated him!!
 Tensions came to a head when
his son (Sextus Tarquinius)
raped Lucretia, a woman of a
patrician family. As a
consequence, the patricians
organized a revolt and in
509 BC they expelled the
last king of Rome: Tarquin
the Proud.

26. Activity 4: copy & answer in your notebook:
1st PERIOD OF THE HISTORY OF ROME
1)What was the first form of government
of Rome?
2)How many kings were there during the
Roman Monarchy? Name the first & the
last one.
3)What happened in 509 BC?

27. 509 – 27 BC

28. The main characteristics of this period are:
a) Political changes: the form of government of
Rome changed. It became a REPUBLIC.
b) Territorial expansion:

509 BC
19 BC

29. a) POLITICAL CHANGES:
the Republican form of government:
 Now
power
was divided
among three
institutions:

COMITIA

SENATE

MAGISTRATES

30. The motto of the Roman Republic was
“Senātus Populus Que Rōmānus ”,
in English “The Senate and People of Rome”.
It meant that the power was held by the Senate
and the People of Rome (not by a king anymore!).

31. COMITIA
• All Roman citizens.
• Functions:
• Passed laws.
• Elected the magistrates.
MAGISTRATES
• Elected annually:
• Aedile (police)
• Consul (army)
• Quaestor (taxes)
• Praetor (justice)
• Censor (list of citizens) • Plebeian tribune (defense
of plebeians rights).
• Functions:
• Governed Rome.
SENATE
• 300 former magistrates.
• Functions:
• Approved laws that had been previously passed by the Comitia.
• Controlled the magistrates
• Decided on foreign policy.

32. The Roman Senate

33. The fight over political rights!!


At the beginning only the
patricians had political rights.
The plebeians fought during 200 years to have the
same political rights. Examples:
494 BC: They achieved the right to have a magistrate
that defended their interests, the Plebeian Tribune.
 449 BC: They achieved a written law code, the Twelve
Tables.


In the 3rd Century BC they finally achieved the same
political rights as the patricians.

34. PLEBEIAN TRIBUNE
(magistrate that defended
the interests of the
Plebeians).
Plebeians achieved to
have this representative
in 494 AC, after a kind
of strike (“secessio
plebis”) in which they
abandoned Rome and
threaten with founding
their own city. They
emptied & paralyzed
Rome!!

35. The Twelve
Tables of
Rome
(449 BC)
By publishing the
laws in the Forum
all Romans could
read and know
them, so plebeians
were freed from
injustice during
trials.

36. Activity 5: copy & answer in your notebook:
2nd PERIOD OF THE HISTORY OF ROME
1) What form of government was established in 509 BC
after the Absolute Monarchy?
2) In this form of government, who had the power?
3) Who elected the magistrates of Rome? Say which
magistrate…
• Administered justice?
• Controlled the army?
• Was in charge of the police?
• Made the list of citizens of Rome?
• Defended the plebeians interests?
• Collected the taxes?
4) Did patricians and plebeians had the same political
rights during all the Republic? Explain it.

37. b) TERRITORIAL EXPANSION:



During the Republic Rome began to expand territorially.
This expansion was possible thanks to a very disciplined &
organized army.
PHASES OF THE EXPANSION:



1º) Italian Peninsula.
2º) Western Mediterranean. This was achieved by defeating
Carthage in the Punic wars.
3º) Eastern Mediterranean. This was achieved by defeating the
Hellenistic Monarchies.
With the final conquests of Egypt (30 BC) and Hispania (19 BC) the
Romans controlled all the Mediterranean area which they called
“Mare Nostrum” (our sea).

38. 1st ) Domination over all the
Italian Peninsula
270 BC

39. 2nd ) Control of the
Western Mediterranean
These
conquests
involved 3
wars against
Carthage:
the PUNIC
WARS.
140 BC

40. 1st Punic War (264 – 241 BC)
2nd Punic War (218 – 201 BC)
Video about the
Punic Wars
3rd Punic War (149 – 146 BC)

41. 3rd ) Control of the
Eastern Mediterranean
After defeating the
Hellenistic
Monarchies and
conquering Egypt (30
BC) and Hispania (19
BC) the Romans
controlled all the
Mediterranean area
which they called
“MARE NOSTRUM”.
19 BC

42. Evolution of
the
territories
under
Roman
control
(.gif image)

44. 
CONSEQUENCES OF THE EXPANSION:
POSITIVES
It provided:



Raw materials
Land
People
NEGATIVES
It caused:

Social conflicts: due to the unequal distribution of
wealth. Peasants who left their lands to serve in
the army couldn’t compete with large landowners
who’s lands were worked by slaves, so they were
ruined.

A political crisis: to solve the social conflicts, the
Senate gave the power to military chiefs, who
fought for absolute power in Civil Wars. In 48 BC
Julius Caesar was made dictator for life, but he
was murdered in the Senate (44 BC). A new civil
war started that led to the end of the Republic in
27 BC.

45. Activity 6: copy & answer in your notebook:
2nd PERIOD OF THE HISTORY OF ROME
5) Explain the phases of the territorial expansion of
Rome during the Republic.
6) Who fought in the Punic Wars? Who won? What
territorial changes did they brought?
7) What were the consequences of the territorial
expansion?
8) Who was Julius Caesar? What happened after his
death?

46. 27 BC – 476 BC

47. The main characteristics of this period are:
a) Political changes  Rome became an EMPIRE.
b) Historical evolution:
Pax Romana (1st – 2nd Cent)
 Decline of the Roman Empire (3 – 5th Cent.)




Crisis of the 3rd century
Division of the Empire (395)
Fall of the Western Roman Empire (476)

395 AD


48. a) Political Changes:


After Julius Caesar’s death (44 BC), a civil war started
(Octavian Augustus VS Marc Antony).
27 BC: Octavian Augustus won, and he
was granted complete power establishing
a new form of government: the Empire.


The emperor hold all the power: he
summoned the Senate, passed the laws,
appointed the magistrates...
The Republic’s institutions continued to
exist, but under control of the emperor.

49. b) Historical evolution:
 1–
2nd Centuries: period known as PAX ROMANA:

Maximum expansion of Rome

Peace inside Roman frontiers


Division into provinces ruled by governors to
make it easier to control such a huge territory.
Romanisation: process through which the
conquered people (Barbarians) assimilated the
Roman culture (Latin language, art, towns...)

50. Roman Empire at its maximum extension
under emperor TRAJANUS

51. Division of the Roman
Empire into provinces.
They were ruled by
governors (proconsul)

52. Romanisation of the
conquered people:
they adopted Roman
language (Latin), art,
urbanism…

53. Activity 7: copy & answer in your notebook:
3rd PERIOD OF THE HISTORY OF ROME
1) What happened after Julius Caesar’s death? What
form of government was established?
2) What is the Pax Romana?
3) What name did the Romans gave to the
conquered people?
4) How was the huge territory organized and
governed during the empire?
5) What was Romanisation?

54. b) Historical evolution:

3rd Century AD: the end of the territorial expansion
caused a deep CRISIS!!!!!

Political crisis: first defeats by the barbarians. Frontiers
no longer safe, so military chiefs took control in some areas.

Economic crisis: as conquests ended, there were fewer
slaves to work, so:
• Prices increased
• Production & trade decreased
• The Empire became poorer!!!

Social crisis: to solve the economic crisis, the empire
increased the taxes, so many people migrated to the
countryside. The empire became ruralised (self-sufficient
economy; no trade; no prosperity...)

55. In the 3rd century the Roman Empire suffered some
defeats against the barbarians.

56. The governor of the province of Germania “Postumus” took
control over the western provinces (Gaul, Germania,
Britannia & Hispania) and created the “Gallic Empire”
(260-274).

57. 
395: to try to solve the crisis, emperor Theodosius
divided the empire in two parts:
 Western Roman Empire
 Eastern Roman Empire

58. Western Roman Empire
•
•
Capital: Rome
Evolution: in 476 it fell due to
the invasion of the
Germanic tribes. Odoacre
deposed the last Roman
Emperor, Romulus Augustus.
Eastern Roman Empire
• Capital: Constantinople
• Evolution: after 476 AD it
continued existing as the
Byzantine Empire until
1453, when it fell to the
Turks.

59. Invasions of the Germanic tribes (also
known as barbarians!!)

60. Germanic Kingdoms established after the
fall of the Western Roman Empire

61. Map of Europe after the fall
of the Western Roman Empire

62. Activity 7: copy & answer in your notebook:
3rd PERIOD OF THE HISTORY OF ROME
6) Explain the reasons that caused the crisis of the
3rd Century AD.
7) What did the Roman Empire do to try to solve the
crisis? (say who and when!)
8) What caused the fall of the Western Roman
Empire? Who was the last Roman emperor? who
deposed him? When?
9) What happened to the Eastern Roman Empire
after 476 AD?

63. Activity 7: copy & answer in your notebook:
3rd PERIOD OF THE HISTORY OF ROME
10) Fill in the map representing the situation of the
Roman Empire in 395 AD:
• Locate the area occupied by the Western Roman
Empire
• Locate the area occupied by the Eastern Roman
Empire.
• Locate the capital of each of the parts of the
empire.
• Next to the name of each capital, write:
• Which civilization put an end to that part of the empire.
• The year in which it happened.

65.  The
Roman economy was based on
slaves.
• Worked in both agriculture and urban activities
• Slaves were acquired by Roman conquests of
territories

66.  The
main economic activity was agriculture.
Mediterranean triad: olives, cereals & vines.
 Small
properties  worked by their owners
 Large properties  worked by slaves.

67. 


Very important activity for Rome.
Due to its huge size, in Rome there were many
different valuable minerals: gold, silver, iron,
coal and tin.
Workforce was completely slaves.
Las Médulas
gold mines for
Roman Empire
(Castilla-León)

68.  Production
took place in large workshops
with slaves.
 Food
processing was also important:
• Olives into oil
• Grapes into wine

70.  Trade
was a huge part of Rome’s economic
activity.
 They
imported raw materials and exported
manufactured materials (look at p.132 for
products)

71.  Commerce
increased
with the following
developments:
• A common currency
• A road network
• Standardized weights
• Control over the
Mediterranean
(security against
pirates)

72. The use of the
same currency &
units of measure
across the whole
empire made
trading easier.

73. Network of Roman roads
(“calzadas romanas”)

74. Activity 8: copy & answer in your notebook:
ROMAN ECONOMY
 P. 132: exercises 1 & 2.
 What factors helped
commerce grow in Rome?

76. During the Monarchy
& early years of the
Republic
(until 3rd Century BC)
Since the late years
of the Republic
(from 3rd Century BC
onwards)
Social division was based
on political rights
Social division was based on
wealth
We distinguish:
- Patricians
- Plebeians
- Slaves
We distinguish:
- Citizens:
· Honestiores
· Humiliores
- Non-citizens:
· Conquered population
· Foreigners
· Freedmen
· Slaves

77. Monarchy & early years of the Republic
PATRICIANS:
• Were the aristocracy of Rome.
• Richest & most powerful families.
• Had huge plots of land.
• Had political rights, and controlled the government.
PLEBEIANS:
• Artisans, small farmers…
• Paid taxes.
• Had some civil rights, but no political rights.
SLAVES:
• Worked for their owner.
• Had no rights at all.

78. Late years of the Republic & the Empire
THE CITIZENS: had all political and civil rights. Divided into:
 Honestiores: the wealthiest
 Humiliores: lower social status
Female citizens: less rights than a man of the same status.
THE NON-CITIZENS: all the people who had no right to citizenship:
 Conquered populations: non-citizens until 212 AD, when, thanks to the
Edict of Caracalla, they became citizens.
 Foreigners: came from beyond the Empire's borders. Usually traders or
artisans.
 Freedmen: slaves freed by their owners (manumission) or who had
bought their freedom
 Slaves: no rights; property of their master. People could become slaves if:
• Conquered in war
• Not paying debts
• Born from slave parents

79. Activity 9: copy & answer in your notebook:
ROMAN SOCIETY
1) Define “patrician” & “plebeian”.
2) Design 2 social pyramids:
• One for the Roman society until the 3rd Century BC.
• One for the Roman society after the 3rd Century BC.
3) Explain the Edict of Caracalla: When and by who
was it issued? What was its consequence?
4) What is manumission?
5) Why could a person become a slave?

81. At first, Romans were polytheistic:

Domestic/private religion:



Worship of household gods (lares & penates) and the
spirits of ancestors (manes).
The pater familias (head of the house) made offerings
in the lararium (altar).
State/official religion:


Worship of different gods, many taken from Greek
mythology (Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Neptune...).
From the 1st Century AD onwards: worship of the
emperor.

82. LARARIUMS
Place where domestic offerings & rituals took place

84. The apotheosis (transformation into gods) of Antoninus
Pius and his wife Faustina. 161 AD.
Sculpted relief.

85. 
BIRTH OF CHRISTIANITY:



1st Century AD.
Preached by Jesus of Nazareth, who was
crucified by Pontius Pilatus.
EXPANSION OF CHRISTIANITY:



EARLY DAYS: Christians were persecuted by the
Romans (refusal to worship the emperors, to enrol in
the army...). However, Christianity expanded rapidly
since it promised life after death in heaven, equality...
313 AD: emperor Constantine announced the Edict of
Milan  Christians were authorized to practice their
religion.
380 AD: emperor Theodosius announced the Edict of
Thessalonica  made Christianity the official religion
of the empire.

86. Christians’
persecution
Christian catacombs:
burial & cult places

87. Activity 10: copy & answer in
your notebook:
ROMAN RELIGION
P.134: Exercises: 1 / 2 / 3 / 5 / 6/

89. CHARACTERISTICS:
 It
was practical.
 Influenced by Greek art.
 Materials: stone, brick, concrete.
 Flat ceilings supported by columns:
o Greek
architectural orders: Doric, Ionic &
Corinthian.
o A new order: Tuscan.
o They also combined different orders.
 Arches
& domes

90. Bricks & concrete
Stone
(Temple of Jupiter,
Baalbek, Lebanon)

91. Greek orders
New
order
(Tuscan)
Sometimes
they combined
different
orders!!!

92. Arch
Dome
(The Pantheon of Rome, temple
consecrated to all the Roman gods)

93. Activity 11: copy & answer in your notebook:
ROMAN ARCHITECTURE
1) Complete:
• Roman architecture was ... and functional.
• The ceilings were ... and supported by ... .
However, they also used ... and ... to cover
large surfaces.
2) Which civilisation mostly influenced Roman
architecture?
3) What materials did Romans use to construct
their buildings?
4) What architectural orders did Romans used?

94.  MAIN

Religious buildings:
o
o

BUILDINGS:
Temples: Greek influence.
Tombs: catacombs (subterranean collective
burials)
Public buildings:
o
o
Entertainment: circuses, amphitheatres,
theatres, thermal baths.
Administrative: basilicas
Commemorative: columns, triumphal arches.
o
o
o
o
Roads
Bridges
Sewer systems
Aqueducts
o

Engineering constructions:

95. Temple of Hercules
Pantheon of Rome
(Temple of all the Roman gods)

96. Catacombs of Saint Callixtus (Rome)

98. Gladiators & naumachia shows

99. Roman theatre
in Merida
(Extremadura)

100. Water & air was
heated using the
hypocaust system

101. Basilica of Maxentius &
Constantine
(Roman Forum, Rome, Italy)

102. Trajan column
(Rome, Italy)
It commemorates emperor Trajan's victory in the Dacian Wars
(Rome VS Dacia, an area north of Macedon and Greece)

103. Arch of
Constantine
(Rome, Italy)
It was erected to
commemorate
Constantine I's
victory over
Maxentius at the
Battle of Milvian
Bridge on October
28, 312.

104. Ruins of a Roman road that
belonged to the Silver Route
(Vía de la Plata.
Caceres, Extremadura)

105. Roman bridge in
Cordoba
Roman bridge in
Merida

106. Roman aqueduct
in Segovia
(Spain)

108. Activity 12: ROMAN ARCHITECTURE POSTER!!
• In groups of 2, you need to prepare a poster about ROMAN
ARCHITECTURE. You’ll be given a topic:
• Religious buildings
• Entertainment buildings
• Administrative buildings
• Commemorative buildings
• Engineering constructions
• AT HOME: you need to look for (internet, books, magazines...):
• Pictures of buildings of your topic.
• Information of each building (function, when was it build,
by who...)
• IN CLASS: you’ll be given time in class to prepare your
poster (organize information, stick pictures, write information,
colour things in...)
YOU HAVE TO PRESENT TO THE CLASS YOUR
FINISHED POSTER

109. 
Sculptures:
o
o
o

Painting:
o
o

Copied Greek models.
Very realistic.
Romans developed 2 new genres:
 Portrait
 Historical relief
Frescoe technique
Used to decorate walls of Roman villas.
Mosaics:
o
o
Made with small pieces of coloured stone
(tessellas).
Used to decorate floors.

110. Portrait of a
emperor
Caracalla
Sculpture of Neptune
Portrait of a Roman priest
Detail of the column of
emperor Trajan

111. Frescoe: technique in which colour
pigments are dissolved in water and
applied to a wet plaster wall. When it
dries the paint becomes an integral
part of the wall.
Frescos in “Villa dei Misteri”
(Villa of the Mysteries).
Pompey (Italy)
Frescos in a Roman Villa in
Herculaneum (Italy)
In both cases, they survived quite
undamaged to the eruption of the
Vesuvius volcano of 79 AD