1. Development of Roman Government
Chapters 33 & 34

2. Less than 5% of the population
Under Etruscan Rule
BCE: Etruscans ruled Rome
Divided into 2 classes
Class
Size
Responsibilities
Plebeians
95% of the population
Common people (shopkeepers, craftspeople, laborers, peasants), forced to serve in military
Patricians
Less than 5% of the population
wealthy landowners, advised the Etruscan king, held military and religious offices

3. Romans Create a Republic
509 BCE: Patricians rebelled and drove out the last Etruscan king
Patricians created a republic
Disregarded the plebeians
Power in the hands of the senate (group of 300 patricians elected by patricians, senators served for life and chose judges)
Consuls ruled army
What is a republic?
It is a form of government in which leaders are elected to represent the citizens/people

4. Why were the Plebeians Unhappy?
Only patricians could hold government positions
Plebeians had to obey decisions regardless
Laws were not written down, so patricians often changed or interpreted the laws to benefit themselves
Plebeians had to fight for what they wanted
Plebeians had to enter into wars that the patricians chose

5. What did the Plebeians do?
494 BCE: Rome had 40,000 people
Plebeians marched out of city and camped on a nearby hill
Refused to return until patricians met their demands
Work in the city came to an end (no food!)
Helpless without their army
Ended in compromise
THEY REBELLED

6. The Result of the Plebeian rebellion
Tribune of the Plebs
Council of the Plebs
Spoke for the rights of the plebeians in the Senate and consuls
Later, gained power to veto (overrule) the actions of the Senate and government officials
Number of tribunes grew from 2 to 10
Lawmaking body for the plebians

7. Gaining Political Equality
367 BCE: 1 of the 2 Consuls had to be plebeian
Plebeians could become senators
287 BCE: Plebeians gained right to pass laws for all Roman citizens
More and more plebeians served alongside patricians in the assembly
Had a set of written laws (constitution)

8. Rome Becomes an Empire!

9. Development of the Roman Empire
Expansion 1: Rome’s Conquest of the Italian Peninsula (509 BCE-264 BCE)
After last Etruscan King was overthrown, Romans began to expand territory
Partnered with Latin neighbors
Attacked by Gaules, but recovered
Took over Etruscans and neighboring tribes
Finally conquered the Italian Peninsula (took 2 centuries!)
Rome forced people to be in the army
Many people lost rights and privileges

10. Development of the Roman Empire
Expansion 2: Expansion During the Punic Wars (264BCE- 146 BCE)
Rome vs Carthage (city-state in North Africa)
3 Battles:
264 BCE: Mostly war at sea, Romans won in 241 BCE
218 BCE: Hannibal attacked Italy (marched armies over the Alps into Italy. In 202 BCE, Hannibal had to leave to protect an attack by Romans on the home front. Rome won, received money, and Sparta)
146 BCE-143 BCE: Romans burned Carthage to the ground, killed and sold people into slavery

11. Development of the Roman Empire
Expansion 3: Expansion During the Final Years of the Republic(145 BCE-44BCE)
Republic collapsed during 3rd period of expansion
Many allies rebelled because they disliked paying taxes with little rights- so Rome allowed free Italians to be citizens
Many slave revolts
Many great military leaders
Caesar (Gaul) vs Pompey (Eastern lands): Caesar won and became dictator for life.
Caesar created jobs, built roads and cities, developed the gladiator games… all led to the growth of the empire

12. Development of the Roman Empire
Expansion 4: Rome Becomes an Empire (44 BCE-14 CE)
Octavian became ruler and conquered rivals
“Caesar Augustus”: promised to restore republic, but was really an emperor
Rebuilt/construction projects for Rome
Expanded borders, improved economy by making trade better, and created a system of currency
Pax Romana- Roman Peace