The Roman Republic

• Rome located on peninsula• Legend is that twins Romulus

and Remus were children of a princess and Mars, god of war

• The king ordered them drowned• They were rescued by a wolf• Raised by a shepherd• Killed the king and ruled in his

place• Founded city near 7 hills above

Tiber River

The Roman Republic

• Early Rome was ruled by Etruscans

• We know little about them – ruled from about 600 BCE – 509 BCE

• Romans borrowed many of their gods, their use of Greek alphabet, and the common garment, the toga

The Roman Republic

• By 264 BCE Rome ruled most of Italian Peninsula

• Romans did not want a king• Formed a REPUBLIC where

citizens voted to choose leaders• Most powerful part of their

government was the SENATE – it made laws

• Made up of 300 PATRICIANS (wealthy upper-class Romans)

The Roman Republic

• Ordinary citizens, PLEBEIANS, could not hold office

• Head of government were two CONSULS who were like an American president

• Elected by people; could only serve for one year

• Both had to agree on government actions

• Each could say no “veto” to the other

The Roman Republic

• In emergencies Romans could appoint a DICTATOR to serve like a king

• Could only serve for 6 months

• Praetors were government officials who served in lesser jobs like judges

The Roman Republic

• Patricians and Plebeians had conflicts

• Patricians thought they were better and were leaders & government officials

• Plebeians believed they had the right to be respected and treated fairly; felt Senate was unfair

The Roman Republic

• Patricians grew rich from conquests; owned land; used slaves to work land

• Plebeians were often jobless and poor in cities; refused to fight in Roman Army until changes were made

• Were given the Twelve Tablets, a series of laws that applied to all citizens

The Roman Republic

• Conflict between Patricians and Plebeians continued for many years

• Rome was on brink of breaking up when Julius Caesar took power

• Caesar was a powerful general who conquered Gaul (France)

The Roman Republic

• Caesar returned to Rome and fought with senate

• Became dictator for life in 44 BCE – a king

• March 15, 44 BCE, Senators attacked and assassinated Caesar on Senate floor

The Roman Republic• Civil war followed for 13

years after Caesar’s death• Caesar’s adopted son,

Octavian kept power• Ruled Rome as “Augustus”

(highly respected) and became first emperor of Rome, 27 BCE

• Marks beginning of 500 years of Roman Empire