I. Rome’s Beginnings

A) How did Rome begin?

1) Legend of Romulus & Remus

2) The Aeneid by Virgil

B) Birth of a Republic

-Republic= ruler is put in power by citizens w/ right to vote

-Romans were angry w/ their rulers

-they defeated them & set up a republic

C) Roman Soldiers

-fought in legions (Greeks fought in Phalynx)

-small units that divided enemy units quickly

-very strong fighting force

-allowed them to conquer all of Italy

II. Roman Republic

A) Government=

-2 classes of people

1. Patricians= wealthy landowners

-ruling class

2. Plebians= artisans, shopkeepers, & farmers

-could vote but not hold office

-They could not inter-marry

B) Roman Law

-U.S. borrowed much from Roman legal system

-created the rule of law

-the idea that the law applies to everyone

C) Rome Expands

-Rome v. Carthage to see who would be most powerful

1) 1st Punic War

-fought over Sicily

-lasted 20 years

-Rome defeated Carthage

2) 2nd Punic War= -Carthage took over Spain -Rome helped Spain overthrow them -Hannibal then attacked Italy -Romans win again3) 3rd Punic War -Rome destroys Carthage -burned the city & enslaved 50,000

III. End of the Republic -Rome entered into a period of civil wars

b/c poor people were being mistreated

A) Julius Caesar= -became dictator of the Roman Empire -created many reforms to help the poor -created calendar w/ 12 mos. 365 days &

a leap year -killed on March 15 by Brutus & Cassius -”Ides of March”

B) Rome becomes an Empire -Octavian v. Mark Antony -divided the Roman empire -Antony falls in love w/ Cleopatra -Octavian defeats Antony in war

IV. Early Empire -Pax Romana= Roman Peace -200 yrs of Roman peace &

prosperity -Augustus began this period-Aqueducts- Roman invention -carried water great distances throughout

empire -1st man made water system-Roads- 50,000 miles of roads -”All roads lead to Rome”-Money- common currency helped trade in

Rome