ANCIENT ROME AND THE ROMAN REPUBLIC 1
GEOGRAPHY -Located on the Italian peninsula, in the center of the Mediterranean Sea -The Alps are in the North -The Apennine Mts. are on the eastern coast -Broad, fertile plains in the north and west 2
ROME GEOGRAPHY Rome is located: -On the banks of the Tiber River -On and around seven hills Why would this geographic location be an advantage? 3
EARLY CIVILIZATION -Italy was originally occupied by many different groups of people -Two main groups were Greek colonists and the Etruscans (pronounced - ea-trus-tians) -The Etruscans ruled much of central Italy and Rome itself -Ancestors of the Romans, the Latins, settled in the area that is now Rome around 800 B.C. 4
EARLY CIVILIZATION CONTINUED After Romulus, a series of Roman kings ruled the city. Sometime in the 600s B.C., however, the Etruscans conquered Rome. The Etruscans were a people from northern Italy. But the Romans wanted self-rule. In 509 B.C., they overthrew the Etruscan king and formed a republic. A republic is a government in which people elect their leaders. After the overthrow of the Etruscans, Rome grew from a city into a country and then into a vast empire. Its location helped make this growth possible. Hills and River In reality, people founded Rome, not figures from legend. The first settlers of Rome were the Latins. They came from a region surrounding Rome. They chose the spot for its mild climate, good farmland, and strategic location. The Latins and later settlers built Rome on seven steep hills. (See the map below.) During the day, settlers farmed the fertile plain at the base of the hills. At night, they returned to their hilltop homes, from which they could defend themselves against an enemy attack. 5
ECONOMY -Conquests brought much wealth to Rome -Wealthy families bought huge estates called latifundia. (prounced - la-ti-fun-dia) -Romans forced the people they conquered to work as slaves on the latifundia -Slave labor hurt the small farmers because it cost them more to produce food, and the price was driven down by the immense quantities coming into Rome -Farmers fell into debt, sold their land, and moved to the city looking for work -gap between rich and poor widens=riots and chaos 7
GOVERNMENT - 509 B.C. Rome is Founded -Romans drove out their Etruscan ruler and established a republic - They did not want one person to have all the power 8
POLITICS -Rome grows strong and begins conquering the rest of Italy -By 270 B.C., Rome controls most of the Italian peninsula Military is made up of citizens -Rome conquered justly- allowing those conquered to keep their culture, customs, and government- as long as they supplied soldiers, paid taxes, and acknowledge Roman leadership 9
REPUBLIC TO EMPIRE -Civil wars break out to decide who should hold power. The senate wanted to keep the status quo; political leaders wanted to weaken the senate and enact reforms -Slave uprisings throughout the republic -Armies became loyal to their commanders because they gave them benefits such as captured land 10
RELIGION -Romans were polytheistic-they believed in many gods and goddesses -Many of the gods were adapted from the Greek gods Greek God Zeus-ruler of all gods Hera-wife of Zeus, protected marriage Poseidon-god of the sea Roman God Jupiter-ruler of all gods Juno-wife of Jupiter, protected marriage Neptune-god of the sea -Roman calendar is full of feasts and celebrations to honor the gods and goddesses -Temples for worship to ask for divine assistance 11
DAILY LIFE -A man was the head of the household and his wife and children did not question his authority -Over centuries, women received more rights. These included: -Owning property -Running businesses -All children were taught to learn to read and write -Wealthy had private tutors for their children 12
SOCIAL STRUCTURE -Patricians= landholding upper class -Plebeians= farmers, merchants, artisans, (craftsmen/hand) traders -Senate= governing body -Consuls= two patricians -Dictator= assigned to be in charge in the event of a war for six months Patricians Plebeians 13
PATRICIANS VS. PLEBEIANS -Plebeians have no say in the government - Eventually get to elect their own officials called tribunes in 494 B.C. - For 84 years, (421-337 B.C.) plebeians fought to have a role in each part of the government 14
PUNIC WARS http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/punic-wars Another video https://youtu.be/ebbhk_zltmy 15
PUNIC WARS 2 HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/LF0-YKI5P40 16
PUNIC WARS https://youtu.be/wt_rev5vaqc 17
PUNIC WARS https://youtu.be/mct1h-nvcmq 18
JULIUS CAESAR HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/4S9JPKB2SFG 19
DEATH OF CAESAR TTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=VZDWDORVGLK Copy and paste link above in Google to view video Show next two slides Day 1 of Cold Case Files 20
WALKS OF ITALY HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/1U7HU6G83NE 21
DEATH OF JULIUS CEASAR HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/7OJMUUK0W5Q Death of Julius Caesar - Mort de Jules César Show next 2 slides of Day 2 of Cold Case Files 22
THE SPEECH AFTERWARDS 23