The Roman Republic

The Republic Part I: Early Rome Geography: Peninsula –on the Mediterranean Sea Rome is located halfway between Alps and Sicily Tiber River –the legend of Romulus and Remus Fewer mountains & less rugged than Greece Fertile land

The Republic Part I: Early Rome First Settlers Etruscans - Native to northern Italy Greeks - Colonized southern Italy and Sicily Latins - Built the original settlement at Rome

The Republic Part I: Early Rome republic: officials chosen by the people (citizens) Patricians: wealthy landowners who held most power Plebeians: most people farmers, merchants, traders, artisans had little influence

The Republic Part I: Early Rome senate: 300 patricians (landholding upper class) consuls: two patrician executives elected by senate, must consult them dictator: elected during a crisis to rule for six months

Plebeians Rising Assembly: representative group of plebians tribunes: elected to protect plebeian interests, had veto power Laws of the Twelve Tables written laws plebeians appeal decisions by patrician judges

Legacy Plebeians gain access to high offices and senate Did not have to use war or revolution to gain power U.S. adopts senate, veto, checks on power

Roman Legions all male citizens who owned land required to serve in army legion: group of 6000 men well-trained, disciplined treated conquered people pretty well

1st Punic War Carthage – competing with Rome for trade, control Carthage has strong navy, Rome builds one to fight it Rome wins, gains Sicily

2nd Punic War Hannibal General from Carthage attacked Rome by land (with elephants!) defeated by Scipio

3rd Punic War Romans still not satisfied after 50 years of peace “Carthago delenda est” Cathage must be destroyed! Romans attack AND burn Carthage, enslave people Rome now Controls the Mediterranean

Problems in the Republic Provinces complain of corrupt officials Wealthy Romans take land from small farmers Slaves are used on big farms (latifundia). This pushes small farmers and workers into cities

Problems in the Republic The Gap between rich and poor widens (_), The poor revolt Slaves revolt too Spartacus led 70,000 slaves

Reform Attempts 2 Brothers try to help Tiberius Gracchus Wanted to redistribute (give back) land to the poor BUT, he was killed by senate Gaius Gracchus Same reforms, same fate

The Army Changes paid, equipped soldiers (mercenaries) gave land to veterans This is the beginning of a professional fighting force soldiers become more loyal to generals than republic!!!!

Think about it… The soldiers are now more loyal to the generals than the government… What do you think could happen next?