| Establishment of the Roman Republic |
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 I. Geography of Romea. Protection for Rome and Italy i. Rome built on seven hills ii. Alps 1. Barrier to the north iii. Seas 1. Barriers on other three sides iv. Poor harbors in eastern Italy 1. Little interference from cultures to the east b. Unification of Italy under Rome i. Rome centrally located on peninsula 1. Good location for capital city ii. Apennine Mountains run north-south 1. Not a barrier to unification of the peninsula c. Farming and trade i. Fertile soil and mild climate 1. Good for farming 2. No need to import foodstuffs ii. Central location in Mediterranean 1. Good for trade 2. Launching point for expansion throughout Mediterranean region II. Others living in Italy a. Greek colonists i. Eastern portion of Sicily ii. “Heel” and “toe” of Italy b. Carthaginian colonists i. Western portion of Sicily c. Gauls i. Between Alps and Po River III. The Etruscans a. Mystery – their origins are lost to prehistory i. Numerous hypotheses 1. Indigenous (first humans to live in region) 2. Migrated from east, north, or south, circa 1000 BCE b. Lived north of Rome i. Region today called “Tuscany” after them (ancient Etruria) ii. Enemies of the Romans c. Taught the Romans: i. Arch in architecture, drainage and sewer-building, phalanx military formation IV. The Latins a. Indo-European tribe from the north b. Circa 1200 BCE – settled south of the Tiber River in an area that came to be called Latium c. Latin League formed for protection i. Rome was the leading city in this league d. Legend of the founding of Rome in 753 BCE i. Twin brothers Romulus and Remus 1. Ordered drowned by uncle who wanted the throne 2. Instead raised by a she-wolf 3. Grew up and killed their uncle 4. Romulus killed Remus in a fight over what to name the city V. Three major periods of Roman history a. Roman origins i. Circa 1000-509 BCE ii. Earliest settlements on Palatine Hill iii. 753 BCE – legendary founding of Rome by Romulus and Remus b. Roman republic i. 509-31 BCE ii. Estruscan kings overthrown under leadership of Lucius Junius Brutus iii. Republic = “thing of the people” iv. Ended with the Battle of Actium in 31 BCE c. Roman empire i. 31 BCE-476 CE ii. Began when Octavian’s forces defeated the forces of Antony and Cleopatra iii. End of Western Roman Empire traditionally dated to 476 CE, when last emperor, Romulus Augustus, deposed by barbarian invaders iv. Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire continued until conquered by the Turks in 1453 VI. Government – patricians and plebeians a. Patricians i. Nobles ii. Controlled the government of the Republic 1. Executive power a. Two consuls elected for a one-year term b. Elected by adult male patricians 2. Legislature a. Senate – upper house i. About 300 patricians ii. Served for life iii. Controlled by about 12 families b. Assembly – lower house i. All free adult males who could afford weaponry ii. All acts had to be approved by the Senate b. Plebeians i. Common people ii. Few rights and little power 1. Could not run for public office 2. Could not marry into the nobility (patrician class) 3. Little say in the creation of laws iii. Continuously threatened to secede from Rome and create their own city iv. Over the centuries, they were granted more and more rights VII. Other elected Roman officials a. Aediles – ran city (“local”) government b. Censors – kept track of citizen lists, and in later years took charge of public morality c. Dictators – absolute power; elected by the Senate in times of emergency to rule for six months d. Praetors – in charge of administering justice e. Quaesters – in charge of Roman finances VIII. Plebeians earn greater rights – growth of democracy in Rome a. Assembly – Senate could no longer veto laws made by the Assembly (the “Comitia”) b. Intermarriage – plebeians were given the right to marry patricians c. Public offices – opened to plebeians d. Tribunes – right to elect tribunes; these were officials with veto (“I forbid”) power over the Senate e. Twelve Tables – laws were written down; this protected plebeians from biased patrician judges; 450 BCE IX. From Rome to Italy a. 509-265 BCE i. Rome came to control all of Italy south of the Po River b. 386 BCE i. Gauls from the north plundered and burned Rome ii. Rome got rid of the Gauls by paying them a large amount of gold c. Rome turned its direction from the Gauls and conquered: i. Remaining Etruscans ii. Former allies in the Latin League iii. Tribes in central Italy (such as the Samnites in 290 BCE) iv. Greeks in the south X. Why was Rome so successful? a. Infrastructure i. Few geographical barriers on the Italian peninsula ii. Military roads radiated from Rome 1. Troops could be sent quickly to quell unrest in any area 2. Dual purpose – roads came to allow quick and easy travel by tax collectors, traders, travelers, and officials iii. Famous roads 1. Appian Way 2. Flaminian Way 3. Valerian Way iv. Public funds dedicated to building and maintaining the Republic’s infrastructure 1. Aqueducts – brought water to cities 2. Public toilets 3. Public baths 4. Bridges b. Military ability i. Great soldiers ii. Well-trained iii. All volunteers c. Strategy – divide and control i. Rome’s fear: 1. That allies and colonies would unite against Roman rule ii. Rome’s solution: 1. Keep groups under Roman control disunited iii. How it was done: 1. Forbade alliances between them 2. Separate privileges and treaties d. Treatment of conquered peoples i. Conquered peoples were treated well 1. Some received full Roman citizenship, including suffrage (right to vote) 2. Some controlled their own affairs but paid tribute and gave soldiers to the Roman army ii. Colonies 1. Rome established colonies in conquered areas, each protected by a garrison of Roman soldiers] 2. Republic encouraged intermarriage a. Led to the spread of Roman culture and language (Latin) XI. Review questions a. What are the geographical barriers of the Italian peninsula? b. Apart from the Latins, what other groups lived in Italy? c. According to tradition, who founded the Roman Republic in 509 BCE? d. Who were the patricians, and what rights did they have? e. Who were the plebeians, and what rights did they have? f. Why was Rome so successful? |
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