Cornell Notes TOPIC: ANCIENT ROME DAY I

Roman Origins First settled around 1000 B.C. by the Latins, Greeks, and Etruscans who competed for control of the area. The Latins built the first settlement at Rome. 5-10 minutes: Cultural blending of language, traditions, beliefs, etc…Romance Language for Roman later Western lit and novels for tense and mood

According to legend, Romulus and Remus were twin brothers raised by a she-wolf and built the first city by the Tiber River. 5-10min Why make up such a legend?-resilient, strong, tamed, beastly…kills brother…loyalty to state and nation before family; Brutus to Caesar.

The Romans were heavily influenced by the Etruscans who had a system of writing (alphabet) and architecture (arches). Aqueducts extended for over a 1,000 miles, “From distant springs fourteen aqueducts, totaling 1300 miles, brought through tunnels and over majestic arches into Rome some 300,000,000 gallons of water daily-…” (Durant, p. 327)

The Early Republic Etruscan kings ruled for nearly a century under such harsh conditions that Romans swore to never again be ruled by kings. Rome then formed a republic, a form of government in which power rests with citizens who vote for their leaders.

Two main groups struggled for power and voted in Rome, the patricians who were wealthy landowners and plebeians who were the common farmers, artisans and merchants. An important victory for the plebeians came when they forced Rome to adopt a written law. The Twelve Tables became that law and protected all citizens under the law.

The government consisted of a senate, whose members were initially elected by the upper class, when things got tough they elected a dictator to rule for six months.