Rome: From Kingdom to Republic

1
Rome From Kingdom to Republic
HST 397 Ancient History Prof. Marc Cooper
2
Gaul
Alps
Apennine Mountains
Adriatic Sea
Pyrenees
Rome
Spain
Italy
Mediterranean Sea
Sicily
Africa
3
Geography

• Widest in the north.
• Most of the peninsula is less than 125 miles
  wide.
• Italy enjoys a mild Mediterranean climate.
• The Alps mountains in the north block cold winds.
  
• Apennine mountains run diagonally across northern
  Italy and then turn southward to bisect the
  peninsula
• Most people lived on the west side of the
  Apennines
• South - poorer soil and less water.
• Hills of Italy are gentle enough for pasturing
  and wood was plentiful.
• Hills did not act as barriers to isolate cities
  as was the case in Greece.

4
The Etruscans and the Origins of Rome
5
Romulus and Remus Roman Foundation Legend

• Legendary twins rescued by a she-wolf founded
  Rome in 753 BCE.
• No evidence for their existence
• Roman tradition makes Romulus the founder of the
  state
• Responsible for the state cult
• Responsible for setting up the major civil and
  religious institutions

6
Etruscan lands ca. 650 - 550 BCE
7
Etruscans

• Cities developed under Greek influence in the 8th
  century
• Dominated northern Italy including Rome
• Borrowed much of their culture from the Greek
  colonists in the south including alphabet
• Formed a confederacy of 12 cities to defend
  themselves against
• Gauls to the north
• Greek piracy at sea
• Hill tribes to the east and south
• Probably founded Roman monarchy

8
The kingdom of Rome was on the Tiber River

• City founded at lowest ford
• Villages formed town in the 8th century BCE
• Etruscan kings ruled Rome from ca. 600 500 BCE

9
The Roman republic and its constitution

• Social classes
• Patricians - aristocrats
• Plebians commoners
• Class important in early law
• Status equally important
• Patron Client relationship
• Patrons became nobile in later Republic
• Patrons control government

10
Establishment of the republic

• Rome nobility deposed the last Etruscan king in
  509 BCE
• Republican constitution included two consuls
• Consuls were elected by an assembly dominated by
  the patricians
• Senate advised the consuls and ratified major
  decisions
• Senate and consuls represented the interests of
  the patricians

11
Conflicts between patricians and plebeians

• Patricians granted plebeians the tribunes
• Plebiscites became law by 400 BCE
• Tribunes' power to intervene and veto decisions
• Plebeians' tribunes dominated Roman politics,
  early third century BCE

12
The expansion of the republic 338 BCE
13
Rome Unifies Italy

• Controls Latin League by 338 BCE
• Unifies Italy by 270 BCE
• Reduces Etruscans to federati
• Hill tribesmen defeated Roman settlers bring
  urban life to central/southern Italy
• Greek colonists in south submit
• Gauls in Po valley defeated Roman settlers
  establish cities

14
Roman expansion 279 BCE