The Rise of Rome Chapter 5.1
The Land and the Peoples of Italy Italy is a peninsula about 750 miles long north to south. The run down the middle. Three important fertile plains ideal for farming are along the Po River; the plain of Latium, where Rome is located; and the plain of Campania, south of Latium. Italy s extensive farmland allowed it to support a large population.
Italy
The land and peoples of Italy Rome was favorably located 18 miles inland on the It had easy access to the sea but was safe from pirates. It was easily defended because it was. Rome also was located on a north-south traffic route in Italy.
The land and peoples of Italy Because the Italian peninsula juts out into the Mediterranean, it naturally was a stopping point for east-west Mediterranean trade and travel. This position helped Rome win and maintain its Mediterranean empire.
The land and peoples of Italy Indo-European peoples moved into Italy from about 1500 to 1000 B.C. One group was the in the region of Latium. Herders and farmers who lived on Rome s hills, they spoke Latin, an Indo- European language. After 800 B.C., and moved into Italy.
The land and peoples of Italy
The land and peoples of Italy The Greeks settled in southern Italy, giving the Romans their alphabet and artistic models for, and. The Greeks also occupied parts of Sicily. The had more impact on early Rome s development. After 650 B.C. they controlled most of Rome and Latium.
The Etruscans
The land and peoples of Italy The Etruscans turned Rome from a village into a city and gave the Romans their mode of dress and. The organization of the was modeled on the Etruscan army.
Etruscan Contributions Brick buildings Drain lowlands Forum, religious rituals Servius Tullius Senate Census Tarquin kings of Rome Harsh ruler Rape of Lucretia 600s BC
The She-Wolf
Rape of the Sabines
The Roman Republic Early Rome was ruled by, some of whom were Etruscan. In B.C., the Romans overthrew the last Etruscan king and established a. In a republic the leader is not a king, and certain citizens have the right to vote. Enemies surrounded Rome, and so the young republic began a long period of continuous warfare.
By B.C. Rome had defeated the other states of Latium, the people of the central Apennines, the Greeks in the south, and the last Etruscan settlements in the north. Rome now controlled almost all of.
The Roman Republic To rule, the Romans devised the Roman Confederation. Some people especially the had full Roman citizenship. Other groups were allies who controlled their local affairs but gave soldiers to Rome. Such people could become Roman.
Successful Strategies Cincinnatus leaves the plow for the Roman dictatorship - Juan Antonio Ribera, c. 1806 Romans believed that their success was due to three virtues:,, and. Examples like that of, found in the writings of the Roman historian, provided models of these virtues for the Romans. The Romans were successful as well because they were good diplomats who were shrewd in extending Roman citizenship and allowing states to run their internal affairs.
Roman Political Structure The Romans distrusted kingship because of their experience of Etruscan kings. Early Rome was divided into two groups, the and the. The patricians were the who formed Rome s ruling class. The plebeians were smaller landowning farmers, craftspeople, and merchants. Members of both groups were citizens and. Only could be elected to political office.
Roman Political Structure The chief executive officers of the Roman Republic were the and. Two consuls ran the government and led the army into battle. The praetor directed the, or law applied to citizens. Later another praetor was added to handle the law as it applied to noncitizens.
Roman Political Structure The Roman was especially important. About who served for life made up the original Senate. At first only an advisory body, by the third century B.C., it had the force of law.
Roman Political Structure The most important people s assembly was the assembly. It elected the consuls and praetors and passed laws. It was organized by classes based on, so the wealthiest citizens always were the. Often there was conflict between the plebeians and patricians. The plebeians wanted and equality, especially because they fought in the army to protect Rome.
The Struggle of the Orders Finally, in 471 B.C. a popular assembly called the council of the was created. Officials called the of the plebs were empowered to protect the plebeians. By the fourth century B.C., plebeians could be. In 287 B.C., the council of the plebs received the right to pass laws for all Rome. Despite these gains, a wealthy ruling class dominated political life.
Roman Government
Roman Law One of Rome s most important contributions was its system of law. Rome s first code of law, the, was adopted in 450 B.C. Later Romans adopted a more sophisticated system of civil law, which applied to Roman citizens only ( ).
Roman Law As Rome expanded, legal questions arose that involved Romans and non-romans. A body of law known as the arose to handle some of these cases. Romans identified the Law of Nations with natural, or universal, law. Its standards of justice applied to all people equally and used principles recognized today:
Roman Expansion Rome faced a strong power in the Mediterranean. Founded by the Phoenicians around 800 B.C. on the coast of North Africa, Carthage had a large trading empire in the western Mediterranean. The presence of Carthaginians in worried the Romans. The two groups began a long struggle in 264 B.C. for control of the Mediterranean area.
Rome and Carthage
The First Punic War The Romans developed a to use their soldiers effectively at sea. The First Punic War, between Rome and Carthage, began when Rome sent troops to Sicily. Romans realized that to win the war they needed a large, which they built. Rome defeated Carthage s navy, and in 241 B.C. Carthage gave up its rights to and paid money (indemnity) to Rome. Sicily became Rome s first province.
The First Punic War (264-241 BC). Roman advantages; (A) Strong army; (B) Easily defensible lands; (C) Loyalty of its subjects; (D) Generals who adapted as the war progressed. Carthaginian advantages; (A) Controlled the seas; (B) Controlled large land area; (C) Had a large population from which to recruit an army; (D) Generals were innovative and dynamic. Rome finally captured a Carthaginian ship and copied its design. Rome built a fleet of warships within three months and adapted land tactics to them including; (A) Landing bridges; (B) Catapults (C) Grappling hooks. Rome finally defeated Carthage's navy and Carthage sued for peace in 241.
The Second Punic War (218-201 BC). the greatest Carthaginian general, began the Second Punic War, which lasted from 218 to 201 B.C. To take the war to Rome, Hannibal entered Spain, moved east, and then crossed the with a large army, including a large number of horses and 37. Many soldiers and animals died during the crossing, but Rome was still under a real threat.
6Hannibal's attack surprised the Roman army and he easily defeated them in several battles. Rome, led by the general Fabian, made a decision to hide behind its walled cities (Fabian tactic) and leave the countryside to Hannibal. Rome finally decided to confront Hannibal head-on and met him at the in 216 BC.
Cannae
This battle was the most lop-sided in military history with Rome losing over 40,000 troops in a single morning.
The Second Punic War Meanwhile, Hannibal roamed throughout Italy but could not successfully attack the major cities. In a brilliant move, Rome attacked Carthage, under the leadership of, forcing the recall of Hannibal. At the Battle of, Rome crushed Hannibal s forces. Spain became a Roman province, and Rome controlled the western Mediterranean.