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SETTING THE SCENE

Romans loved stories of heroes Horatius

Single handedly held off Etruscan army while his fellow Romans tore down the bridge behind him

He then dove into the river with the bridge and swam to safety on the other side

This story tells us the virtues that Romans admired Courage Loyalty Devotion to duty

Geography

Rome began as a small city-state on the Italian peninsula which is centrally located on the Mediterranean Sea.

Rome is the center of Italy Italy was much easier to unify than

Greece Apennine Mountains are less rugged. Broad fertile plains in the north & in the

west supported a growing population

People

800BC- Latins migrated into Italy Settled along the Tiber River in small villages over

seven low-lying hills These Latins were the ancestors to the Romans Their villages grew into Rome, the city on 7 hills

Etruscans- Greek colonists shared Italian peninsula with

Romans Etruscans even ruled over Rome for a time Romans adapted the alphabet, the use of the arch

in building, and gods & goddesses from the Etruscans

The Roman Republic

509BC Founding of the Roman state by driving out their

Etruscan ruler Set up a republic to keep one person from too much

power Senate was most powerful governing body

300 members were patricians, landholding upper class Made the laws & served for life

2 consuls Elected by the senators Supervised the business of the government Commanded the armies

Rome had system of checks on the power of government During war senate could choose a dictator, but they

could only rule for 6 months and then had to give up their power

Plebeians

Farmers, Merchants, Artisans, & Traders Made up most of population, but had no influence

450BC Government had laws of Rome inscribed on 12

tablets 1st breakthrough for Plebeians because they had

protested that no one knew all of the laws because they were not written down

Plebeians eventually gained right to elect their own officials called tribunes

Tribunes could veto laws they felt were harmful to Plebeians

Plebeians eventually were elected to consuls & other high offices, & then the Senate.

2,000 years later U.S. adapted a Senate, the Veto, & political checks on power

Roman Society

Family was the basic unit of Roman society

Roman law stated the male was the head of household, & had absolute power

His wife was subject to his authority, & was not allowed to take care of her own affairs

Roman Women

Played a larger role in society than Greek women

Most worked at home raising their family, spinning, & weaving

Women gained more freedom as the centuries passed on.

They were eventually allowed to: Go to public baths Dine out Attend theater Have political influence

Roman Education & Religion

Girls & boys learned to read & write

Children began learning about history later in the republic

Roman gods & Greek gods shared similarities Jupiter is Zeus Juno is Hera Neptune is Poseidon

Expansion

Rome succeeded because of a loyal & well-trained army

5,000 men made up a legion Fought without pay & supplied their own weapons Rewards & harsh punishment

Showing courage in battle would get you gifts, but if your unit fled from a battle….1 out of 10 men in the unit were put to death

Defeated enemies had to acknowledge Roman leadership, pay taxes, & supply soldiers, & in return they got to keep their own customs & local government.

Rome placed soldiers throughout the empire & built all-weather military roads

This began the unification of Italy under the Roman Empire