1. Rome:
From Republic to Empire

2. Geography
Location of Rome
Italian Peninsula (Italy today)

3. The Alps and Mediterranean Sea protected Rome from invasion

4. Rome prospered due to trade on the Mediterranean Sea

5. Roman Gods Based on Greek Gods Jupiter (Zeus): Chief god
Juno (Hera): Goddess of marriage; wife of Jupiter
Apollo: God of light, the sun and music
Diana (Artemis): Goddess of hunting and wild things
Venus (Aphrodite): Goddess of love
Minerva (Athena): Goddess of wisdom and war

6. Republic: rule by the people (re=by, public=people)
Roman Republic
Republic: rule by the people (re=by, public=people)
Representative democracy: legislators (representatives) are elected by the citizens to represent their interests

7. Roman Citizens Paid taxes Men had the right to vote
Men had to serve in the military

8. Patricians: Land-owners of noble Latin birth “Patricia is a rich snob”
The Patricians
The patricians were great land-owners and of a noble Latin birth. Once the Etruscans were driven out the patricians declared Rome a republic (a community by which people elect their leaders). They served in the Senate and were very privileged. They controlled the offices within the army, and they governed the important events that happened within society such as the public religious ceremonies.
Patricians were people who belonged to one of the original 35 gens, or tribes. The people who were not of the Patrician class were the Plebeians. The important aspect of class was familial relation to the original tribes, and secondarily, property ownership.
“Patricia is a rich snob”

9. Plebeians: Majority of Romans-common people
Artisans, shopkeepers, and small farmers
The Plebeians
There were also the Plebeians who made up the majority of Rome's inhabitants. Plebeians were a class of citizens who were usually non aristocratic farmers, artisans and shopkeepers, and some were wealthy. They did have rights, such as the right to serve in the Assembly and the right to vote, trade, hold property, and administer judicial self defense. They were not as privileged as the patricians and could never marry one. They could not hold a public office and could never receive entry into the Senate and there was no recorded bill of rights.

10. Slaves The property of their owners Were taken by conquest
Had no freedom or rights
Lastly were the Slaves, who had no freedom or rights whatsoever unless it was bestowed upon them by their master.
The Clients were peasant farmers who rented land. They would follow a certain patron and perform political duties, including assassinations, and lying in court, if it would help further his patron's political career. In return, the client often received money, a job, or an invitation to dinner at the patron's house. A dinner invitation may not seem like much to us today, but in Roman times it could mean a great place in society if he appeared at the right dinner parties. His prestige in society would be much more enhanced if he were seen by the rich and famous at only one dinner party hosted by a powerful patron.
This patron-client relationship led to many interesting situations in ancient Rome. Sometimes candidates for various government magistracies would travel around Rome with several hundred or even a few thousand of their clients.

11. The Assemblies
Patricians and plebeians met in the assemblies to vote for tribunes, magistrates (judges), and consuls.
The assemblies were more democratic but less powerful than the senate.
The Assembly
There was also a body of patricians within the legislative branch known as the Assembly of Centuries (named for a military formation of 100 men "centum") and these were elected into office. They could declare war.
The Assembly of Tribes
A legislative assembly of elected officials called tribunes and questors who passed laws and conducted minor trials.
The middle class and poor were represented in 2 assemblies: The Assembly of Centuries, and The Assembly of Tribes. The Assembly consisted of all male citizens of military age. They would agree and approve on certain decisions and they could veto any important decision made concerning war, peace and justice.
The Assembly consisted of all male citizens of military age. They would agree and approve on certain decisions and they could veto any important decision made concerning war, peace and justice.

12. The Senate The most powerful lawmaking body in Rome.
300 members were chosen (for life) from the Patrician class
Later plebeians were allowed to join
he Senate
The Senate was a council of elders who were chosen as members because of how important their family was. They were mainly very conservative, very privileged, very wealthy, and owned lots of land. They would choose who should be the next king, and they would protect the Law of Custom, in case of any danger from a king or a decision made by the assembly.
This was the method of checks and balances that made up the Roman government when Rome first became free in 509 BC when the Etruscan kings were finally cast out for good.

13. Tribunes
Were elected by the plebeians to protect the rights of ordinary people.

14. Consuls
Two officials elected to command the army and direct the government
Served for a one-year term.
One consul could always veto (overrule) the other’s decisions.
Since 509 BC the Roman government was under the control of two consuls. By the middle of the 4th century BC one of those consuls had to be a plebeian (see The Republican Government). By the third century the consuls had similar authority as the early kings except for the fact that they could only serve in office for one year. This would put a limit on the possibility of a dictatorship. In fact if one consul thought the other was getting too powerful he could veto the other consul's actions. We get our word "veto" from the Latin word which means "I forbid."

15. Dictator One whose word was law
In a times of crisis, a dictator would be given absolute power to command the army and make laws
A dictator’s power lasted for only six months

16. Twelve Tables Laws carved on tablets and hung in the forum
The laws of Rome.
Established ideas seen in modern laws such as the principle of innocent until proven guilty.
Another thing the Romans were really good at was making and enforcing laws. At times, Roman laws were all that held the vast empire together. The Roman legal tradition continues to influence laws passed today.

17. 3 wars fought between Rome and Carthage
Punic Wars
264 to 146 BC
3 wars fought between Rome and Carthage

18. Cause of Punic Wars
Carthage was a Trading empire located in North Africa (present-day Tunisia) that competed with Rome for control of trade on the Mediterranean Sea

19. First Punic War (no notes)
Rome defeats Carthage and conquers the islands of Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica
But afterwards, Carthage gains control of Spain under control of a general named Hamilcar

20. Hannibal (Hamilcar’s son) became the general of Carthage (no notes)

21. Second Punic War
Hannibal’s army crossed the Alps and invaded the Italian Peninsula

22. Effects of the Punic War
Hannibal was defeated when Rome attacked Carthage
Rome destroyed Carthage (Third Punic War)
Increased trade brought great wealth to Rome

23. Growth of Rome
Following the Punic wars, Rome grew rapidly, taking control of the Mediterranean basin (including Greece and the Hellenistic world of the Eastern Mediterranean, North Africa, and Spain).