Ancient RomeAncient Rome

Terms to DefineTerms to Define

• Patrician: wealthy aristocrat class that had come Patrician: wealthy aristocrat class that had come into being in Rome—Latin nobles.into being in Rome—Latin nobles.

• Republic: a community in which the people Republic: a community in which the people elected the leaders.elected the leaders.

• Plebian: Most of Rome’s inhabitants, some Plebian: Most of Rome’s inhabitants, some wealthy, some not, non-aristocratic townspeople wealthy, some not, non-aristocratic townspeople and landowners as well as merchants, and landowners as well as merchants, shopkeepers, small farmers, and laborers.shopkeepers, small farmers, and laborers.

• Consul: Two patrician officials elected for one Consul: Two patrician officials elected for one year terms. They had to consult each other year terms. They had to consult each other before acting.before acting.

Terms (con’t)Terms (con’t)

• Dictator: a leader whose word was Dictator: a leader whose word was law—occurred mostly during times of law—occurred mostly during times of crisiscrisis

• Tribunes: representatives chosen by Tribunes: representatives chosen by Plebians, granting them legal Plebians, granting them legal protections and the right to veto protections and the right to veto government decisionsgovernment decisions

• Greeks settled as Greeks settled as colonies 900 B.C.colonies 900 B.C.

• Set up farming Set up farming communitiescommunities

• Planted olive trees Planted olive trees and other cropsand other crops

• Introduced Greek Introduced Greek alphabetalphabet

The Italian PeninsulaThe Italian Peninsula

• The Greeks were The Greeks were interested in interested in colonizing Italy for colonizing Italy for several reasonsseveral reasons

-Central location in -Central location in the Mediterraneanthe Mediterranean

-Rich soil-Rich soil

Early InhabitantsEarly Inhabitants

• Generally traded Generally traded among themselvesamong themselves-Mountains-Mountains-Rocky coastline-Rocky coastline-Covered 75% of -Covered 75% of the countrythe country

The EtruscansThe Etruscans

• Ruled northern Italy Ruled northern Italy from 900 B.C. to 500 from 900 B.C. to 500 B.C.B.C.

• Did not speak Indo-Did not speak Indo-European languagesEuropean languages

• Their alphabet came Their alphabet came from the Greeks—but from the Greeks—but only a few Etruscan only a few Etruscan words have been words have been deciphereddeciphered

The Etruscans (con’t)The Etruscans (con’t)• Wealthy overlordsWealthy overlords

• Aristocratic priestsAristocratic priests

• Slave laborSlave labor

• Slaves forced to dual to the death to Slaves forced to dual to the death to appease angry godsappease angry gods

• Lower classes finally freed Lower classes finally freed themselves—chief among them were themselves—chief among them were the Latins who settled in Rome the Latins who settled in Rome

The Rise of Rome--LegendThe Rise of Rome--Legend• LegendLegend

-753 B.C. Romulus -753 B.C. Romulus was building a wall was building a wall for his city on the for his city on the side of a hill side of a hill overlooking the Tiber overlooking the Tiber RiverRiver-Twin brother Remus -Twin brother Remus building on the other building on the other side of the hillside of the hill

The Rise of RomeThe Rise of Rome

• According to Roman According to Roman historian Livy, historian Livy, Remus leaped over Remus leaped over the wall built by the wall built by Romulus and Romulus and mocked him.mocked him.

• Romulus killed Romulus killed Remus warning, “so Remus warning, “so perish whoever else perish whoever else shall overleap my shall overleap my battlements” battlements”

Romulus--mythRomulus--myth

• Continued to build Rome—named Continued to build Rome—named after himafter him– Romulus—myth—great military Romulus—myth—great military

commandercommander– Rome continues to expandRome continues to expand

• Rome became the greatest city in Rome became the greatest city in that part of the peninsulathat part of the peninsula

Rome OriginsRome Origins

• LatinsLatins

-Huddled in huts on -Huddled in huts on seven hills seven hills

-At some point, 800 -At some point, 800 B.C.-700 B.C., they B.C.-700 B.C., they joined to become joined to become one community--one community--RomeRome

Etruscan Etruscan RuleRule• About 620 B.C., the About 620 B.C., the

Etruscan gained Etruscan gained control of Romecontrol of Rome

• The Tarquins, name The Tarquins, name of Etruscan familyof Etruscan family

-Taught the Latins to -Taught the Latins to use brick to builduse brick to build

-Drained the lowlands -Drained the lowlands and laid out streetsand laid out streets

Etruscan RuleEtruscan Rule

• Created the Forum Created the Forum in the middle of the in the middle of the city—which city—which became the became the government government buildingbuilding

-Served as kings -Served as kings for Romefor Rome

The TarquinsThe Tarquins

• Wealthy Etruscan Wealthy Etruscan familyfamily

• Provided kings for Provided kings for rulerule

• Taught Romans to Taught Romans to built with brick and built with brick and tile their roofstile their roofs

• Drained marsh lands Drained marsh lands and designed streetsand designed streets

Social GroupsSocial Groups

• Latin nobles called Latin nobles called “patricians”“patricians”– Patricians declared Patricians declared

Rome a Rome a republicrepublic– Wealthy aristocratsWealthy aristocrats

Social GroupsSocial Groups

• Most of Rome’s Most of Rome’s inhabitants were inhabitants were plebians, plebians,

-Both patricians -Both patricians and plebians could and plebians could vote vote

-Both responsible -Both responsible for serving in for serving in militarymilitary

Social GroupsSocial Groups

PatriciansPatricians

• VoteVote

• Pay taxesPay taxes

• Serve in the militaryServe in the military

• Could hold public Could hold public officeoffice

PlebiansPlebians

• VoteVote

• Pay taxesPay taxes

• Serve in the militaryServe in the military

Plebians Against PatriciansPlebians Against Patricians

• Plebeians resented power of PatriciansPlebeians resented power of Patricians

• Knew they could not rule without them.Knew they could not rule without them.

• Plebeians made up most of military Plebeians made up most of military forcesforces

• Patricians concerned about the militaryPatricians concerned about the military

Plebeians Against PatriciansPlebeians Against Patricians

• Plebeians went on Plebeians went on strikestrike

• Left city create Left city create their own republictheir own republic

TribunesTribunes

• Patricians meet some demandsPatricians meet some demands– Recognized the Plebeians chosen Recognized the Plebeians chosen

representatives,“Tribunes” representatives,“Tribunes” – Granted them legal protections and the Granted them legal protections and the

right to veto government decisionsright to veto government decisions– Tribunes were members of the Tribunes were members of the

Magistrate of Plebeians and had some Magistrate of Plebeians and had some powerpower

TribunesTribunes

• Patricians Patricians recognized the recognized the Assembly of Tribes, Assembly of Tribes, the body of the body of plebeians that plebeians that elected tribuneselected tribunes

• Tribunes could veto Tribunes could veto any government any government decision decision

TribunesTribunes

• Could not be Could not be arrestedarrested

• Injuring a Tribune Injuring a Tribune was cause to be was cause to be put to deathput to death

Old and New LawsOld and New Laws

• Plebeians insisted Plebeians insisted laws put in writinglaws put in writing

• The The Twelve Tablets: Twelve Tablets: basis of Roman lawbasis of Roman law

• Plebeians gain right Plebeians gain right to serve in public to serve in public officeoffice

• Right to make laws in Right to make laws in Assembly of Tribes Assembly of Tribes

Changes for PlebeiansChanges for Plebeians

• Debt enslavement endedDebt enslavement ended

• Patrician/Plebeian marriage approvedPatrician/Plebeian marriage approved

• Plebeians moved Rome closer to Plebeians moved Rome closer to democracydemocracy

• The most significant victory—the The most significant victory—the Twelve Tables—a written law codeTwelve Tables—a written law code

The Twelve TablesThe Twelve Tables

• Roman law had Roman law had rested on unwritten rested on unwritten traditions traditions – patrician judges patrician judges

interpreted unfairlyinterpreted unfairly– Plebeians insisted Plebeians insisted

laws be written laws be written downdown

The Twelve TablesThe Twelve Tables

• 451 B.C. patricians 451 B.C. patricians engraved the laws engraved the laws on 12 bronze on 12 bronze tablets set in the tablets set in the Forum Forum

-standards for laws-standards for laws

-principle that -principle that citizens protected citizens protected by lawby law

Religion Religion

• Roman influenced by Greek cultureRoman influenced by Greek culture• 500 years as a republic500 years as a republic• Borrowed Greek deities giving them Borrowed Greek deities giving them

Roman namesRoman names-Aphrodite, Greek goddess of love, -Aphrodite, Greek goddess of love, became the Roman goddess, Venusbecame the Roman goddess, Venus-Ares, Greek god of war, became Mars-Ares, Greek god of war, became Mars

- Etc.- Etc.

Religion (con’t)Religion (con’t)

• Families privately Families privately worshipped their worshipped their ancestral spirits ancestral spirits and their and their storeroom storeroom guardians guardians

• Worshipped Vesta, Worshipped Vesta, goddess of the goddess of the hearth hearth

FamilyFamily

• The basic unit of roman societyThe basic unit of roman society

• Large and close knit Large and close knit

• Unmarried children, married sons and Unmarried children, married sons and their family, all independent relatives, their family, all independent relatives, and household slavesand household slaves

• The father was the absolute headThe father was the absolute head

Father as Absolute Family Father as Absolute Family Head Head

• Conducted religious ceremoniesConducted religious ceremonies

• Controlled propertyControlled property

• Supervised education of his sonsSupervised education of his sons

• Could sell his family members into Could sell his family members into slavery slavery

• Could kill family membersCould kill family members

• However, fathers felt deep sense of However, fathers felt deep sense of responsibility for familyresponsibility for family

Roman WomenRoman Women

• Few rights, but more than Greek Few rights, but more than Greek womenwomen

• Hosted parties, did marketing, ran Hosted parties, did marketing, ran householdshouseholds

• Occasionally, acquired property and Occasionally, acquired property and businessesbusinesses

• Could study art, Greek literature, etcCould study art, Greek literature, etc

• Wealthy could let slaves do workWealthy could let slaves do work

Roman ChildrenRoman Children

• Firm disciplineFirm discipline

• Complete family Complete family loyaltyloyalty

Parental TrainingParental Training

• Parents taught Parents taught children reading, children reading, writing, and moral writing, and moral standardsstandards

• Fathers trained Fathers trained boys: farmers and boys: farmers and soldierssoldiers

• Mothers taught Mothers taught daughters to run daughters to run householdshouseholds

ValuesValues

• ThriftThrift

• DisciplineDiscipline

• Self-sacrificeSelf-sacrifice

• Devotion to familyDevotion to family

• Devotion to the republicDevotion to the republic