Foundations of Rome

Draw This Down the Middle of your Paper BTW… don’t draw me. Why, that looks like Italy.

Aeneas Leaving Troy… Painted by Raphael Virgil’s Aeneid tells the story of Aeneas, a soldier of Troy who fled the city with a small group of people as it was being burned to the ground by the Greeks during the Trojan War. Aeneas was the leader of the group and had to find them a new home. They stopped temporarily in Carthage where a brief love affair blossomed between Aeneas and the Carthaginian Queen Dido. Feeling the call to leave so he could find a new home for his people, Aeneas left his love and sailed north toward Italy. Dido, upon losing her love, cursed his descendants to be eternal enemies of her people, and then committed suicide. Aeneas’s people settled in central Italy and founded along line of rulers. Somewhere along this line appear the other legendary founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus. The purpose of this story is to give the Romans an ancient heritage that is worthy of their lofty position in the world in the 1st century BCE. It also explains why the Carthaginians and the Romans dueled over the western Mediterranean during the Punic Wars. As always in the world of explaining one’s cultural history – never let the truth get in the way of a good story. (that’s sarcasm if you didn’t pick up on it)

Capitoline Wolf Romulus and Remus Romulus and Remus were the legendary founders of Rome. This statue depicts a portion of their story where the young boys were cast into the Tiber River by an evil uncle. They were rescued and suckled by a she-wolf and eventually raised by some nearby farmers. When the boys grew up, they supposedly constructed Rome near the spot where the she-wolf rescued them. Romulus and Remus

Ariel map of the seven hills where Rome was founded Ariel map of the seven hills where Rome was founded. Keep in mind, in early Rome, its all just a bunch of mud huts… not a big city.

You got to know these dates… maaan! Who lived in Italy? 509 BC – Tarquin the Proud is ousted (last Etruscan king) Republic Founded Res + Publica (Thing of the People) Etruscans dominated Latins Greeks Rome founded in 753 BC Just imagine all of the people of Rome stepping outside and chanting in unison… NEVER NEVER NEVER WILL WE EVER EVER EVER HAVE A KING AGAIN…. If it helps you to think they were actually speaking English, go ahead and think it. You got to know these dates… maaan!

2 major classes in Rome Patricians Wealthy aristocratic landowners who had most of the power Plebeians Commoners who made up the vast majority of the population

Major Bodies in the Republic Senate – usually 300 members, served life terms Centuriate Assembly – made up of citizen soldiers Tribal Assembly – made up of plebs, they elected the tribunes Senate was originally comprised of only patricians… later plebeians too could join

Major Offices Dictator – 1 – absolute power for 6 months Consuls – 2 men in charge of army, served one year terms Censors – 2 – conducted census for taxes and revised lists of senators Praetors – 8 – served primarily as judges Aediles – 4 – supervised public works, 2 were required to be plebeians Tribunes – 10 – protected rights of plebs Quaestors – 20 – administered finances

I bet the political career ladder in America will be like this one day…

Senatus PopulusQue Romanus

5 maniples (600) Triarii 10 maniples principes 120 men 120 men 120 men 120 men 120 men 120 men 120 men 120 men 120 men 120 men 120 men 120 men 10 maniples hastati 10 maniples velites

Early Roman Legion 5 maniples (600) Triarii 10 maniples principes 10 maniples hastati Early Roman Legion 10 maniples velites

Pyrrhic Wars In 280 BC, the Greek city of Tarentum hired King Pyrrhus of Epirus to attack Rome. Led to the term “Pyrrhic victory” Ultimately Pyrrhus’ army was defeated and Rome expanded its power even more

Processing In a short paragraph, briefly explain what aspects of Roman govt allowed them to believe they had the “good” aspects of a Monarchy without the problems associated with a king. This might help you but this is not an assignment for a grade.