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The Roman Republic began with the migration of the Latins into Italy around 800 BC, leading to the foundation of Rome by Romulus and Remus. In 509 BC, Romans expelled the Etruscan King and established a republic to prevent tyranny. The Roman Senate, comprising 300 patricians, organized governance while plebeians and women had limited rights. Military strength allowed Rome to control most of the Italian Peninsula. The Punic Wars, marked by conflict with Carthage, expanded Rome's territories, leading to internal strife and the dominance of figures like Julius Caesar.
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Roman Republic 5.1
Early Peoples of Italy • 800 BC Latins migrated into Italy • Herded and farmed • Romulus and Remus founded the city of Rome • Sons of a Latin woman and the war god Mars • Etruscans lived north of Rome • Ruled much of central Italy including Rome at one point • Romans learned quite a bit from the Etruscans • Adapted the Greek alphabet • Arch in construction • Engineering to drain marshy lands along the Tiber River • Gods and goddesses
Roman Republic • Romans drove out the Etruscan King in 509 BC • Formed a respublica • That which belongs to the people • Thought this would prevent anyone from gaining too much power • Roman Senate • 300 Patricians • Consuls nominated to supervise the business of government and command the armies • Dictator could be chosen in the event of a war
Organizing Society • Patricians • Landholding upper class • Held most of the political rights • Plebeians • Farmers, Merchants, Artisans • Legal citizens, with little political rights • Women • Could own property • Ran businesses • Most worked at home • Children • Both boys and girls were taught to read and write
Military • Controlled most of the Italian Peninsula by 270 BC • Well trained army • Legion-basic military unit • 5,000 citizen soldier • Made good solider because they were taught to value loyalty, courage and respect for authority • Conquered people had to acknowledge Roman leadership, pay taxes and supply soldiers • Some were given citizenship, others partial citizenship • Posted soldiers throughout the land and built a network of roads
Building an Empire • Punic Wars • 1st Rome defeats Carthage winning Sicily, Corsica, and Sardinia • 2nd Carthage seeks revenge • Hannibal surprises the Romans and ransacked the Italian Peninsula for 15 years • Rome finally defeats Hannibal in Carthage • Carthage gives up all land outside Africa • 3rd “Carthage must be destroyed” • Romans completely destroyed Carthage • Killed or enslaved survivors • While fighting Carthage in the west the empire was also expanding to the Hellenistic east
Life in Rome • Conquests brought newfound trade and wealth • Latifundia • Slave labor hurts small farmers • New wealth leads to corruption and problems within Rome • Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus • Attempted reforms • State to distribute land to poor farmers in 133 BC • Use of public funds to buy grain to feed the poor 143 BC • Senate saw them as a threat
The Declining Republic • Unable to solve problems civil war erupted • Who should hold power? • Soldiers were professionals who were loyal to their commander first • Julius Caesar • Dominated Roman politics with Pompey • 58 BC Conquered Gaul • Pompey ordered Caesar to disband his army and return to Rome; Caesar disobeyed and when he did return he destroyed Pompey and his supporters
