Post on 16-Apr-2017
The Roman The Roman RepublicRepublic
Geography:– Peninsula –on the Mediterranean
Sea– Rome is located halfway between
Alps and Sicily– Tiber River –the legend of Romulus
and Remus– Fewer mountains & less rugged
than Greece– Fertile land
The RepublicPart I: Early Rome
First Settlers1.Etruscans - Native to northern
Italy 2.Greeks - Colonized southern Italy
and Sicily 3.Latins - Built the original
settlement at Rome
The RepublicPart I: Early Rome
The RepublicPart I: Early Rome
republic: officials chosen by the people (citizens)
Patricians: wealthy landowners who held most power
Plebeians: most people– farmers, merchants, traders, artisans
– had little influence
senate: 300 patricians (landholding upper class)
consuls: two patrician executives elected by senate, must consult them
dictator: elected during a crisis to rule for six months
The RepublicPart I: Early Rome
Plebeians RisingAssembly: representative group
of plebianstribunes: elected to protect
plebeian interests, had veto powerLaws of the Twelve Tables
– written laws– plebeians appeal decisions by patrician judges
Legacy Plebeians gain access to high offices and senate
Did not have to use war or revolution to gain power
U.S. adopts senate, veto, checks on power
Roman LegionsRoman Legions all male citizens who owned land required to serve in army
legion: group of 6000 men well-trained, disciplined treated conquered people pretty well
11stst Punic War Punic War Carthage – competing with Rome for trade, control
Carthage has strong navy, Rome builds one to fight it
Rome wins,gains Sicily
22ndnd Punic War Punic War Hannibal
– General from Carthage– attacked Rome by land (with elephants!)
– defeated by Scipio
33rdrd Punic War Punic War Romans still not satisfied after 50 years of peace
“Carthago delenda est”Cathage must be destroyed!Romans attack AND burn Carthage, enslave people
Rome now Controlsthe Mediterranean
Problems in the Problems in the RepublicRepublic Provinces complain of corrupt officials
Wealthy Romans take land from small farmers
Slaves are used on big farms (latifundia). This pushes small farmers and workers into cities
Problems in the Problems in the RepublicRepublic The Gap between rich and poor widens (_),
The poor revolt Slaves revolt too
– Spartacus led 70,000 slaves
Reform Reform AttemptsAttempts2 Brothers try to help
Tiberius Gracchus– Wanted to redistribute (give back) land to the poor
– BUT, he was killed by senate Gaius Gracchus
– Same reforms, same fate
The Army Changes– paid, equipped soldiers (mercenaries)
– gave land to veterans This is the beginning of a professional fighting force
soldiers become more loyal to generals than republic!!!!
Think about it…The soldiers are now more loyal to the generals than the government…
What do you think could happen next?