1. What is History?

2. What is History?
History attempts to describe and explain the past. Historians are generally concerned with the causes, consequences and significance of events. History is distinct from myths and narratives about the past in that History is exclusively concerned with what can be demonstrated through the reasoned use of evidence.

3. What is History?
Everything has a history so anything can be the studied by History. Once, History tended to focus exclusively on war, politics and 'great men'. Now, the discipline of History is much more diverse. Areas of study include, for example; - The history of everyday life - The history of ideas - The history of technology - Gender history - Cultural history - Art history

4. What is History?
In the Western world at least, History is regarded as falling into the following major periods: - Pre-History (before writing) - approx BC - Ancient History - > 470 AD - Medieval History AD - Modern History 1500 > present

5. The Romulus & Remus Myth
Rhea, a Latin princess, escaped from the control of her uncle and gave birth to Romulus & Remus, her children by Mars, the God of War.
Rhea's wicked uncle was so jealous he killed Rhea and Mars and ordered the death of Romulus & Remus
The servant could not kill the baby twins and sent them in a basket down the Tiber.
The twins were found by a she-wolf and then a shepherd
Romulus & Remus grew into strong men and founded their own village.
In a fight over what to kill the city, Romulus killed Remus

6. The geography of Rome Easily defended hills
Access to the sea by the Tiber
Island in the Tiber made it easier to cross, major north-south trade route
Volcanic activity had created fertile soil (but also malaria-infected marshes)
Later on - well-positioned in the Mediterranean (militarily and commercially)

7. The Etruscans and their influence
Conflicting accounts of their origins
Last three kings believed to have been Etruscan
Building: drains, sewer, paved streets, the forum, planned streets, the arch, houses
Religion - divination, necropolises

8. Two classes of citizens
Patricians (Patres - fathers)
Large landowners of noble birth who had a privileged position within the state; they could trace their ancestry back to the original clans who occupied the seven hills
Plebeans (Plebs - the multitude)
The body of Roman citizens apart from the privileged participants - small farmers, traders, craftsmen and labourers; excluded from political, legal, economic and religious rights
Large landowners, leased public land
Didn't own land, might 'rent' it. Harsh debt laws, taxed in time of war, could make money through trade
Monopoly of powerful political positions
Ruled by the patricians, excluded from senate, assembly dominated by patricians
Controlled religion, became Pontiffs and Augurs
Excluded from religious office
Laws unwritten and only patricians could interpret and administer it
No right of appeal against decisions of patricians
Dominated army, could afford to keep their property running while absent
Served in army, had to leave land unattended. Military service gave political leverage.

9. Familia Familia Familia
The gentes (clans)
A gens was a clan: gentes (clans) were composed of families descended from a common ancestor and had religious rites in common
GENS
Familia Familia Familia

10. Patronage (patrocinium)
The Roman Family...
PATERFAMILIAS
Paternal authority (patria potestas), Complete disciplinary control (manus)
Lordship (dominium)
Patronage (patrocinium)
Family
The Roman family included many generations: the oldest couple, their married sons with their wives and children, and their unmarried sons and daughters.
Slaves
Generally prisoners of war taken by the Romans in their conflicts with the Italian tribes around them. A slave could be freed by the paterfamilias. Freedmen (liberti) became clients.
Clients
Clients, although dependants, enjoyed some of the privileges of the family. They were granted land and protection by their patron in return for economic and political services.

11. What was involved in being a 'client'?
Duties (officia)
Benefits (beneficia)
To follow patron to war
Received land to farm
To vote for patron in elections and support his view in the assembly
Received legal help and protection in the courts
To give respectful attention to patron
Received food rations (occasionally payment in cash)
To support the patron in certain economic matters, such as helping to provide a dowry for the patron's daughter
Patrons and clients could not give evidence against one another

12. Praenomen (personal name) Cognomen (family name)
Roman names
Praenomen (personal name)
Nomen (clan name)
Cognomen (family name)
Agnomen
(special name)
Adoptive names
Gaius
Julius
Caesar
Octavianus
Aulus
Quintus
Decimus
Titus
Publius Gnaeus
Lucius Marcus Gaius Sextus Manius Tiberius
Cornelias
Claudius
Julius Aemilius
Licinius
Scipio Sulla Gallus Lentulus Balbus Celsus Dolabella Naso (nasus - nose) Capito (caput - head) Caesar (curly-haired)
Africanus Macedonicus Creticus Magnus (great) Felix (fortunate)

13. Political Organisation
Consuls - two patrician magistrates
Supreme executive authority - military, civil and judicial
Symbol of imperium - the fasces (double-headed axe enclosed in a bundle of rods)
Toga praetexta - with a purple band
Auspicium - right to take the auspices
Each consul had the right of veto
Only one year in office, ten years before eligible for re-election
The senate - council of nobles
Originally 100 members (late 300), patricians only
Seat for life, unless guilty of serious misconduct
Advisory body to consuls
Power to veto resolutions
The comitia curiata - people's assembly
Originated in the time of the kings
Rome was divided into 'parishes' (curiae)
The assembly elected the consuls
Voted for or against resolutions consuls put before it but could not raise or discuss any issues

14. Expansion through the Italian peninsula
B.C. Wars against the Sabines, Aequi, Volsci. In 493 Latin League created
B.C. Rome sacked by the Gauls. Gradually recovers - Servian wall built. In 343 defended Capua from the Samnites.
B.C. Latin League dissolved. Wars with Samnites, Etruscans, Umbrians and Gauls. Wars against Samnites led to the development of Maniples. Roman colonies.
B.C. Wars against Magna Graecia. Pyrrhus of Epirus