What did Rome ever do for us? List as many things as you can think of, which are part of our culture today because of Rome.

ROME Rome is the last of the four ancient Empires – Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece and Rome. Rome was built almost entirely upon Greek ideas and advances, with some thrown in from everywhere else in the ancient world. Rome is important to us for two reasons… 1 – Since it was the most recent, it has the most direct influence on us. Our Language, Government, Laws, and more were created by Rome. 2 – Rome was the largest of the Ancient Empires. Unlike the other three, who mostly stayed in their local area, The Roman Empire covered most of Europe, North Africa, and parts of then Middle East and Asia. Thus, many different people owe their heritage to Rome.

Rome’s Timeline Rome’s Timeline is easy. It has three stages, each one related to the type of Government at that time. You can also easily round off the dates to remember them, though I have given the specific dates in parentheses. Roman Kingdom, BC ( ) Roman Republic, BC (509-27) Roman Empire, 25 BC – 500 AD (27-476)

Italy’s Geography Just like the other Empires, we must learn about Rome’s geography before we can learn about its history, since geography makes history. Rome is a city in the middle of Italy. Italy’s geography can be described like this… 1 – Isolated. Italy is a peninsula. There is only one way in, from the north. Along this route lies the large Po River, which is difficult to cross, and the Alps, which are the highest and most rugged mountains in Europe. Thus Italy, like Egypt, was protected from invaders. 2 – Mountainous. The Apennine Mountains run right down the middle of the Peninsula, and are called the Spine of Italy. They are very difficult to cross, but have large deposits of minerals in them, in particular Iron. 3 – Fertile. The land on each side of the peninsula, near the oceans, is excellent for growing food, and this land was used to feed the Empire.

The Latins The Latins were a very small tribe of people who lived in the Tiber River Valley in central Italy. The Latins were not large, advanced or rich. To the North of the Latins lived the Etruscans – a large and advanced group of people who controlled Northern Italy. To the South of the Latins were several Greek Poleis – colonies that had taken over Southern Italy during the time of Greek colonization. Thus, the Latins were a small nation, with only one city (Rome) wedged between two larger powers.

The Etruscans At this time (around 750 BC) the Latins were not the only people living in Italy – in fact, they were the smallest and least advanced. To the south lived Greeks who had colonized southern Italy. To the North lived an advanced race of people known as the Etruscans.

Etruscan Civilization The Northern part of Italy was home to the Etruscans, a mysterious and advanced people. Because their writing has never been deciphered, we do not know much about them, apart from this… 1 – They were rich, and very advanced, especially in the fields of metalwork and city building. 2 – They were excellent artists, some of the best who ever lived. Etruscan art if still highly prized today. Most Etruscan art shows the subjects smiling – the “Etruscan Smile.” 3 – They had very advanced women’s rights, which was very unusual for the time. The genders would eat, sit, and party together, which was unheard of, even among people who treated women equally. 4 – They enjoyed music, and were excellent musicians.

Rome is Created No one is sure how the City of Rome got its start, and there are many myths, but the most common goes like this… After Troy was defeated, one of its princes, named Aenies, fled the city with a few survivors. Eventually, he settled in a small valley in central Italy, along the banks of the River Tiber. In time, the survivors multiplied and started to establish small towns on the seven hills that surround the Tiber River Valley. These people were known as the Latins. Two Latin twin brothers, the princes Romulus and Remus, were left to die in the woods when their uncle seized power. The uncle did not want to kill them outright because their father was Mars, the God of War. The babies were found and raised by a wolf. Eventually, they grew up, killed their uncle, and founded a new city in the Tiber Valley. In a dispute over who would get to rule it (or perhaps name it), Romulus killed Remus, and named the city after himself.

So, what’s going on in Rome? Rome was in a strange and unusual position – literally. It was wedged between the advanced Etruscans to the North, and the advanced Greeks to the South. Over time, they learned everything there was to know about civilization from these people. From each they took: Etruscia: Art, ironwork, urban planning, blood sport, superstition, numerals, perhaps music. Greece: Art, architecture, religion, math, literacy, science, philosophy, most forms of culture.

The Rise and Fall of the Roman Kingdom By 616 BC, Etruscia had conquered the tiny city of the Latins, Rome. Etruscan Kings ruled it for about 100 years. At first, these Kings ruled well, and used the technology and wealth of Estruscia to help the Latins. They taught them many things, and built a complicated water and sewer system in Rome – meaning that with fresh water and no disease, Rome could become much larger. They also built massive temples, as they, the Latins, and the Greeks all shared the same religion. video.htm video.htm By 509 BC the city of Rome was quite large. It filled most of the Tiber valley, and even had its own villages nearby. By this point, the Etruscan Kings had started to mistreat Rome. In 509 BC the citizens of Rome rose up against Tarquin the Proud, over the fate of a woman named Lucretia - and won. Rome became an independent city.

What Happens Now? Rome had been free when it was only a village, but now that it was a modest city with its own hinterland, it found itself free again, and with no idea what to do. Freedom raised several questions, such as… What type of Government to use? How to deal with other nations, in particular the Greeks and Etruscans who lived nearby. How should the economy be set up? What sort of culture should they pursue – the Greek, Etruscan, or a mix? What is the future of the city – to stay in its own territory, or to expand? If it does expand, how? Through force, trade, or politics?

QUIZ TIME!

Roman Kingdom Questions 1 – Which three words did we use to describe Italy's Geography? 2 – What two brothers founded Rome in myth? 3 – Almost all Etruscan art shows the subjects doing what? 4 – What small group of people founded the city of Rome (the name of the tribe). 5 – Name two things the Romans learned from the Etruscans. 6 – Name two things the Romans learned from the Greeks. 7 – Name one of the things the Etruscans built for the Romans while they ruled that city. 8 – Which Etruscan King was the last to rule Rome, the one whom the Romans rebelled against? 9 – They did this to protest the fate of a woman – what was her name? 10 – Myth says that the first people in the Tiber valley descended from Aeneis – from what city did he come, originally?

1- Mountainous, Fertile, Isolated 2 – Romulus and Remus 3 – Smiling 4 – the Latins 5 - Art, ironwork, urban planning, blood sport, superstition, numerals, perhaps music 6 - Art, architecture, religion, math, literacy, science, philosophy, most forms of culture 7- sewers (plumbing) and temples 8 – Tarquin the Proud 9 – Lucretia 10 - Troy