Chapter 9 Section 2The Roman RepublicPages 426 - 434

Section Goals

• discuss the factors that helped shaped the development of the Roman republic & a system of laws

• Describe how Rome destroyed Carthage & took control of the Mediterranean region

The Roman Republic• 1) What is a

patrician?• Wealthy landowners• Made of most of Rome’s

ruling class

The Roman Republic• 2) What is a

plebeian?• artisans, shopkeepers

& owners of small farms

• Plebeians were the majority of Rome’s population

The Roman Republic• 3) How was Rome’s

gov’t a tripartite?• A 3 part gov’t

– 1 group ran the gov’t– 1 group made the laws– 1 group acted as judges

• Checks & balances kept one group from getting too strong

The Roman Republic• 4) Who were the

consuls?• the top gov’t officials• 2 consuls were chosen

every year – always were patricians

• Had really short terms so they didn’t abuse their power

The Roman Republic• 5) What was a

praetor?• Important Roman

officials• Their core task was to

interpret the law & act as judges in court cases

The Roman Republic• 6) What was Rome’s

most important legislative body?

• the Senate• A select group of 300

patricians who served for life

• Senate proposed laws, held debates & approved building programs

The Roman Republic• 7) What happened to

the plebeians in 494 B.C.?

• Plebeians felt that patricians had too much power

• They went on strike – refused to serve in army & left the city to set up their own republic

• The patricians were concerned & allowed plebeians representation in the gov’t

The Roman Republic• 8) What was the

most far-reaching political reform in Rome?

• In 287 B.C. the Council of Plebs was finally allowed to pass laws for all Romans

• This was important because it gave all male citizens equal standing

The Roman Republic• 9) What is a

dictator? • A Roman dictator had

complete control over the gov’t but they only ruled for a temporary time during emergencies

• As soon as the danger had past, Roman dictator would give up their post

The Roman Republic• 10 ) Who was

Cincinnatus?• Best known early Roman

dictator• Became dictator in 460

B.C. when Rome was facing a powerful enemy.

• Cincinnatus left his farm, gathered an army & quickly defeated the enemy

• Then he gave up his dictatorship & returned to his farm

• Many people admired Cincinnatus for his actions

The Roman Republic• 11) What are the

Twelve Tables?• Rome’s first code of laws• The 12 Tables became

the basis for all future Roman laws

• The 12 Tables said that all free citizens had the right to be treated equally by the legal system

• The rule of law is the key ideas that we get from the Romans & remains the basis of our legal system

The Roman Republic• 12) Where was

Carthage?• Carthage was the largest

& riches city in Northern Africa on the coast

• It had been founded by the Phoenicians in 800 B.C.

• Carthage ruled a huge trading empire & controlled the spread of goods in Southern Europe & Northern Africa

The Roman Republic• 13) What was the

First Punic War?

• Both Rome & Carthage waned to control the island of Sicily & war broke out in 264 B.C.

• Rome sent an army to protect Sicily which made Carthage very mad

• Rome had to build a navy to confront Carthage at sea

• The war lasted 20 years before Rome finally won & forced Carthage to leave Sicily & pay a huge fine

The Roman Republic• 14) What was the

Second Punic War?

• To make up for losing Sicily, Carthage expanded into southern Spain

• Rome was NOT happy about this

• Rome helped the people living in Southern Spain rebel against Carthage

• To punish Rome, Carthage sent its greatest general to attack Rome

• This started the 2nd Punic War

The Roman Republic• 15) Who was

Hannibal?

• The general sent by Carthage to attack Rome

• His strategy was to take fighting into Italy itself

• Hannibal’s army had 46,000 soldiers, horses & 37 elephants

• He landed in Spain & marched east to Italy

• Hannibal’s forces suffered many losses while crossing the Alps mountains

The Roman Republic• 16) What is the

Battle of Cannae?

• A battle in 212 B.C. between the Romans & Hannibal in southern Italy

• The Romans suffered heavy losses

• Hannibal’s army began raiding most of Italy after they won

The Roman Republic• 17) What did the

Romans do after they lost the Battle of Cannae?

• The Romans worked to gather another army

• In 202 B.C. the Roman forces were led by a general named Scipio

• Scipio took the Roman forces to invade Carthage

• This forced Hannibal to leave Italy & head home to help defend Carthage

The Roman Republic• 18) What was the

Battle of Zama?• In the Battle of Zama,

Scipio defeated Hannibal’s army in Carthage

• Carthage gave up control of Spain to Rome

• As punishment, Rome forced Carthage to give up their navy & pay a heavy fine

• Rome finally became the ruling power in the Mediterranean

The Roman Republic• 19) What was the

3rd Punic War?• In 146 B.C. Carthage once

again tried to attack Rome• Roman soldiers burned

Carthage & enslaved more than 50,000 men, women & children

• Legend said that the Romans even covered the land with salt so that no crops could grow in Carthage

• Carthage became a Roman province

The Roman Republic• 20) What does

mare nostrum mean?

• Mare nostrum means “our sea”

• Rome began calling the Mediterranean Sea “mare nostrum”

• During the Punic Wars, Rome also battled for control of the eastern Mediterranean

• By 129 B.C. Rome gained its first province in Asia giving them complete control of the Mediterranean area

Review Info!!!

• 19) What other ideas did Rome “borrow” from Greece?

• Roman Stoic philosophers urged people to participate in public affairs, civic duty & to treat enslaved people with respect