1. The Roman World
Chapter 7

2. Importance of Geography
Located on the Italian peninsula
Alps (mountains) in the North
Mediterranean Sea in the South
Apennine Mountains that run throughout Italy are not very rugged – made trade and travel fairly easy.
Rome was purposely built on seven hills along the Tiber River.
Protection from invasion
Center for trade routes

3. Founding the Roman Republic
Latins move into west-central Italy around 750 B.C.
Built villages along the Tiber River.
In the late 600’s B.C. Rome came under control of the Etruscans.
Had a written language
Made jewelry, clothing, pottery, and worked with metal
Paved roads and built sewers
Help make Rome a large and prosperous city

4. The Early Roman Republic
509 B.C. – wealthy land owners overthrow Etruscan king.
Replace the monarchy with a republic – a form of government in which voters elect officials to run the state.
In the Roman Republic only male citizens could vote and participate in government.
Three important groups ran the government:
Senate
The magistrates
Popular assemblies

5. The Senate Most influential & powerful of the three governing groups.
Controlled public funds and foreign policy.
Also acted as a court.
Could appoint a dictator in times of emergency who could rule for 6 months & control the army and courts.
The size of the Senate will change over time.

6. Magistrates Elected officials Included consuls, praetors, and censors
Ran government
Controlled army
Checks & balances to keep each consul from gaining too much power
Praetors
Helped the consuls-commanded army in times of war, headed legal system in times of peace
Censors
Registered citizens according to wealth, appointed people to the Senate, oversaw moral conduct of citizens.

7. Assemblies
Citizens in assemblies voted on laws and elected officials, including consuls.
Voted to make war or peace.
Served as courts.
Elected 10 officials called tribunes
Held power over the Senate
Could refuse to approve actions that were not in the public interest.

8. Conflict of the Orders
The attempt of common people to win more rights.
Romans divided in to 2 classes:
Patricians-powerful landowners who controlled the government
Plebeians-made up most of the population, mainly farmers and workers