Rome City of the World
Italian Peninsula: 100 Miles Wide 700 Miles Long
Early Rome Small City-States Less rugged, fertile plains Helped Rome expand Family: Basic Unit Men had absolute power Women ran the house Roman Values Discipline, sacrifice, honor, courage
Landscape
Romulus and Remus
Early Influences Greeks, Latins, Etruscans Adopted ideas Etruscans Establish Control Rule by Kings Alphabet, engineering, religion 509 BC Roman drive out Etruscans Establish a Republic: power to the people
Republic Senate Most powerful governing body! 300 senators who were Patricians Patricians Landholding elite Served for life Consuls Yearly elected by senators Supervised government and armies
Senate
Republic Plebeians (95% of pop) Farmers, merchants, artisans, traders Bulk of population Tribunes Elected by Plebeians to protect their interests Law of Twelve Tables: 450 BC Set up in market place Romans knew laws for the first time
REPUBLIC SENATE Patricians: land holding elite Elected Consuls maintain city PLEBEIANS Common people Did not hold office Elect Tribunes DICTATOR 6 Months
Republic Dictator Complete control Emergency power for six months Cincinnatus: Sixteen Days Left plow and organized army Victory for Rome Returned to his field