1. The Roman Republic “All roads lead to Rome.”
“Rome was not built in a day.”
“When in Rome . . .”
How did Rome win such a place in modern popular culture?

2. The History of
Rome in 2 Minutes!

3. The Founding of Rome
Let’s read about it!
Woof!

4. Fortresses & Government
The Site of Rome
Legend has it that Romulus built Rome on the Palentine Hill – one of the Seven Hills of Rome
Fortresses & Government
Romulus
Rome's Elite
Remus

5. Geography & Rome
People settled on seven hills along the Tiber River between BCE
Called Latins or Italics
Many geographical advantages:
Easy to defend
Fertile soil
Access to rivers allows for trade in the Mediterranean Sea
Other more powerful societies controlled the rest of the Italian peninsula
Example: Greeks and Etruscans

6. Ancient Roman History…
Can be broken into three “eras”
For over 200 years, Rome was a Kingdom
For about 500 years, Rome was a Republic
For about 500 years, Rome was an Empire

7. Really Etruscan Kingdom
“Roman” Kingdom
Really Etruscan Kingdom

8. Roman Republic

9. Roman Empire

10. The Etruscans Early kings of Rome
Not much is known as their written works did not survive
Who were they?
Most developed Latin/Italic people
Located in northern, central Italy
Most likely descendants of modern-day Turkey and native Italian population
By 6th century BCE they were the most powerful city state (modeled after the Greek system)

11. Super Romans Take Control
Romans resented the all-powerful Etruscan kings who gave them no say in their government
509 BCE the Romans revolted against Lucius Tarquinius Superbus
Result: End of the Etruscan kings
Super

12. Romans Take Control Romans keep many Etruscan ideas:
Hierarchy of Gods (Greek in origin)
Alphabet (also Greek in origin)
Toga
I told you they “borrowed” freely from other cultures!
Toga! Toga!
Toga!

13. Rome…The America of the Ancient World
Yum, Etruscan!
A spoonful of Persian
Just a smidgen of Phoenician
A dollop of Egyptian
A heaping portion of Greek
Goin’ back for Greek seconds!

14. Romans Form a Republic
Romans never wanted a king again or any government with a single ruler
Establish a Republic…what is it?
“Republic” literally comes from a Roman term Res Publica, or “the public concern” or “public affairs”
This essentially translates to sharing all power

15. Romans Form a Republic 1. The Consuls
By 264 BCE the Romans controlled the entire Italian peninsula
The Republican Government consisted of…
1. The Consuls
Two chief officials who led the government
Appointed to perform the duties that, prior to them, the king was responsible for, like military authority and ensuring civic welfare and acting as chief diplomat and religious authority.
Elected once a year; Each had equal power; could veto the other

16. Romans Form a Republic
By 264 BCE the Romans controlled the entire Italian peninsula
The Republican Government consisted of…
2. The Senate
Originally advisors to the king
Chosen by consuls
300 upper-class patricians
Members for life
Most powerful part of the government
Deliberated on and voted on laws (consuls proposed)
The model for the US government

17. CONS PROS Romans Form a Republic
What were the pros of this system compared to monarchy?
CONS
PROS
What possible problems could this lead to?

18. Romans Form a Republic Dictator Praetors
Roman official who had all the power of a king, but could only hold office for 6 months
Used only in dire emergencies
Praetors
Junior consuls who helped develop first rules for Roman judicial system (courts)

19. The People of Rome
Patricians – Members of wealthy families; only people eligible for the Senate
Plebeians – everyone else in ancient Rome (except the patricians) from well-to-do tradesmen all the way down to the very poor

20. Patricians & Plebs Similarities : Differences: Both pater familias
Both could own slaves
Citizens of Rome were adult freemen from both classes - plebs and patricians.
Women, children, and slaves were not citizens
Differences:
Did not mix socially
Illegal for plebs and patricians to marry
Lifestyles were very different
Patricians very wealthy and lived an opulent lifestyle, plebs did not

21. Problems With the System?
The Senate (power) was only open to patrician families
Plebeians resented the Senate who:
Took riches from war
Created prosperous farms run by slaves
Left many plebian famers unemployed
Reaction: Plebeians refuse to serve in the military in protest!

22. Concessions to the Plebeians
Twelve Tables – 450 BCE; a board of 10 men were entrusted to draw up a basic legal tradition and publish them on wood (later bronze) to be placed in the forum
Creation of the Assembly – an elected body that had 10 Tribunes to discuss and decide issues on behalf of Plebeians
Plebs could marry into Patrician families
Eventually Senators could be Plebs (but very uncommon)

23. The Assembly Evolves
Eventually the Assembly was given the power to elect the two consuls every year…
So…what would be the impact?!?

24. Consuls – executive branch
Praetors – looked after legal cases
Censors – guided public morals
Curulian Aediles – supervised markets, festivals and temples
Quaestors – public finance
Tribunes –represented the rights of the people (2-10)
Dictator in times of extreme need
(6 months)
Appoints
Appointed by Consul
Advises Consuls
Elected by Assembly
Senate
Assembly

25. The Roman Military Roman army had 30 Legions
Each Legion had about 5,500 men
Each Legion was divided into 10 units called Cohorts
The First Cohort consisted of approximately 800 men
Had “specialists” such as blacksmiths or engineers
The other 9 Cohorts consisted of approximately 480 men
Each Cohort was divided into 6 Centuries of about 80 men
Each Century was commanded by a Centurion
The First Cohort only had 5 centuries

27. The First Cohort
The centurion of the first cohort's first century was the primus pilus , or "first spear," and was the highest ranking centurion in the entire legion

28. Military Attire