Ancient Rome

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Ancient Rome
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Origins of Rome

• Italy is in the middle of the Mediterranean
  region.
• Rome is 15 miles up the Tiber River from the
  Mediterranean Sea.
• The Tiber River was a source of water to the
  Romans.

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Locate Sicily Apennines Latium Etruria Tiber
River
Rome
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Location of Rome
List examples of how geography determined Romes
location.
The Location of Rome
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How did Rome Begin?

• 2 Legends on how Rome actually began.
• 1- Twin brothers founded the city. They were
  abandoned near the Tiber River when young. They
  decided to build a city around 735 B.C. The
  twins had a fight. Finally the city was named
  after the first king, Romulus.

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How Did Rome Begin?

• 2. The Trojan hero Aeneas and his followers
  sailed the Mediterranean Sea after the Greeks
  captured Troy. He landed at the mouth of the
  Tiber ad married the local kings daughter.
• Aeneas united the Trojans and some Latins he
  then became the father of the Romans.

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Early Influences

• Around 800 B.C. the Greeks and the Etruscans
  joined the Romans in Italy.
• They adopted the Greek Alphabet, and modeled
  architecture, sculpture and literature after the
  Greeks.

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Etruscans

• After 350 BC the Etruscans moved south and took
  control of Rome and most of Latium.
• They changed Rome from a village of straw-roofed
  huts into a city of wood and brick buildings.
• The Etruscan army served as a model for the
  mighty army of the Romans.

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The Republic of Rome

• Although the Etruscans created a government that
  was wealthy and powerful the Tarquins- the
  ruling family- grew very cruel.
• The Romans rebelled and created a Republic.
• A republic is a form of government in which the
  leader is not a king or queen but someone put in
  office by citizens with the right to vote.

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The Republic Today

• How does the Roman Republic compare to our
  Government today?

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Mighty Rome?

• In the early Republic, every male citizen who
  owned land had to serve in the army.
• Disciple was harsh and the deserters were
  punished with death.
• The soldiers were molded so they would not give
  up easily.

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Roman Armies

• The Roman armies fought like the Greeks at
  first.
• But they soon found that it was better to march
  in legions.
• Legions are smaller groups of 6,000 men. Then
  each legion was divided into 60 groups of 120
  soldiers.

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Roman Weapons
Gladius- a short sword
Pilum- a spear
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Questions Section 1

• Where is Rome located?
• What is one of the legions of how Rome began?
• Which group had the most influence on Romans?
• What type of government did Rome have?
• Who was in the Roman army?