The Roman Republic and Empire

I. Establishing a Republic – A. The geography of Italy made it easier to unify 1. Less rugged mountains 2. Broad plains 3. Farms fed the population B. Etruscan Rule 1. Settled around 800 B.C. 2. Along Tiber River and low-lying hills. 3. Villages grew into Rome 4. Etruscans lived to the North of Rome 5. Etruscans ruled much of Italy - including Rome

C. A New Government – 1. Romans drove out Etruscans in 509 B.C. – 2. Set up a republic “thing of the people”. – 3. Senate – most powerful government body a. 300 members- from Patrician class b. Senators served for life c. Senate made laws d. Two consuls from senate elected to run government and command armies. e. Consuls served for one year.

4. Dictator – 1. selected in times of war-6 month term – 2. Had to give up power after 6 months. D. Common People Demand Equality 1. Plebeians (common people) 2. Were most of society-wanted more power

E. First Breakthrough tablets set up in marketplace a. first time laws written down

– F. More rights for Plebeians 1. Tribunes elected to represent plebeians 2. Could veto laws harmful to plebeians 3. Eventually Tribunes allowed to be consuls 4. senate opened to Tribunes

II. From Republic to Empire – A. Rome expanded with its armies. 1. By 270 B.C. conquered most of Italian peninsula 2. Began to build an empire around Mediterranean Sea.

– B. Carthage 1. Empire of North Africa 2. Rome fought three wars against Carthage 3. Punic Wars-Rome won all three. 4. Hannibal was the leader 5. used war elephants in second war 6. Carthage destroyed in third war.

C. Conquering Mediterranean world – 1. Conquered Macedonia and Greece and parts of Asia Minor. – 2. Egypt became an ally. – 3. By 133 B.C. power extended from Spain to Egypt.

D. Economic and Social Effects – 1. Many Romans became rich from conquests – 2. New wealth – 3. Captives became slaves – 4. Small farmers hurt economically