Romans Create a Republic Legend has it that in 753 BCE Rome was founded by twins named Romulus & Remus. They had been abandoned as young kids and raise by a female wolf

 Its all about location  Sits on Italy’s biggest river, the Tiber  Close to the Med Sea  Rich volcanic soil  Excellent weather for agriculture  Romans are from the group called Latins

 About the time of the founding of Rome the Greeks arrived and settled colonies in the south  Romans would learn how to grow grapes and olives from them, as well as their Gods (whom they would also use, just changed their names  Etruscans influenced the Romans in engineering and in writing (the Romans adapted their alphabet)  Also religious rituals

Legend has it that Rome was lacking women, and although it was growing Rome was doomed unless it could make more Romans, so Romulus invited the neighboring Sabines to come to a religious party and then they drove the men away in what was called the “Rape of the Sabine Women”

Φ Rome was ruled by Etruscan kings for about 100 years Φ The king, Tarquin the Proud’s son raped a Roman woman named Lucretia, who after advising her father & husband killed herself Φ Led by Lucius Brutus, the Romans revolted and drove the Etruscans out in 509 BCE Φ They formed a new government called a republic, power rests with citizens who vote to select their leaders.

Etruscan Jewelry

Fresco - Double Flute Player from the Tomb of the Leopards, Tarquinia

A large water vessel of the Archaic period (c. 750-c. 480 BCE) and the Classical period (c. 480-c. 330 BCE).

Etruscan Temple

Patricians & Plebeians Φ The word Patrician comes from the Latin word Pater, which means father. Φ Patricians were the wealthy landowners who claimed ancestry back to the times of Romulus Φ Plebeians were everybody else and had the right to vote but not hold office.

Government Ω Tribunes The citizens of Rome voted for tribunes. It was the tribunes job to make sure that the people were treated fairly. Twelve Tables Laws had never been written down and were left to the patricians to interpret. Now everyone was protected the same under the law Consuls 2 elected each year. Like a president. Could not run again for 10 years. Each had veto power

The senate of Rome was an aristocratic branch made of 300 members of the upper class (later plebeians were allowed). It was a position for life

Cincinnatus – he was made dictator twice to help put down revolts. After all was settled he returned the dictator’s symbol and returned to his plow In Rome, a dictator was a leader who had absolute power to make laws and command the army. His power lasted 6 months

A Roman Legion consisted of about 5,000 men. Within a legion were centuries which had between men

Rome slowly added territory – an assortment of Gauls/Celts had been putting pressure on Italy and finally moved on Rome and sacked it in 390 BCE

I.The Romans traded goods throughout their Empire. By importing goods from other countries they raised their standard of living and were able to have many luxuries. II.The Romans used their network of roads and also waterways to transport goods from one country to another. III.The Romans traded with Britain for silver, which they used to make jewelry and coins, and wool which they used to make clothes. IV.They imported dyes to color their clothes from the south-eastern part of their Empire and also spices to flavor their food.

I.If Rome wanted to continue its growth it would have to deal with the largest & most powerful trading city in the Mediterranean, Carthage

I.The Romans traded goods throughout their Empire. By importing goods from other countries they raised their standard of living and were able to have many luxuries. As it looked 2 nd century CE

There were 3 wars between Rome & Carthage between BCE The 1 st lasted 20+ years – Rome would win the island of Sicily

The 2 nd war was all about Hannibal, the Carthaginian general

Hannibal’s army was in Spain and Rome felt secure that his army could not attack by land – Hannibal proved them wrong by crossing the Alps with his elephants! Only 2 survived along with about 50,000 soldiers

Hannibal terrorized the Italian countryside for almost 15 years defeating everything the Romans threw up at him, but he couldn’t get through the walls of Rome. One battle, Cannae [above] the Romans had twice the numbers, but Hannibal’s skill compared to the Romans led to 50-70,000 men slaughtered when Hannibal’s smaller army surrounded them

Leading Rome’s armies was Scipio – the name Africanus was added after the Battle of Zuma

To relieve the pressure, Rome sent their General, Scipio, who landed at Carthage. Hannibal had to return and at the battle of Zama was defeated.

Cato the Elder A foe of Scipio’s, he famously incorporated the words 'Carthage must be destroyed !' (Delenda Carthago !) into every speech he held in the senate, no matter what the subject of the matter debated was.

In the 3 rd Punic War, Rome had punished Carthage to the point of despair. Spoiling for a fight, Rome sent another army to Carthage, sacked the town, and sold all the inhabitants into slavery. As a symbol, they poured salt on the city so it would never grow again

Rome was founded by twins Romulus & Remus Romans are from the group called Latins Power rests with citizens who vote to select their leaders. Republic