ANCIENT ROME

AND
THE ROMAN REPUBLIC

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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
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 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?
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EARLY CIVILIZATION
-Italy was originally occupied by many
different groups of people

-Two main groups were Greek colonists and

the Etruscans

-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.

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LEGEND OF THE FOUNDING OF ROME
-Legend has it that twin
brothers, Romulus and
Remus founded the city

-According to the tale,

the twins’ mother was a
Latin woman and their
father was the war god
Mars

-This led Romans to

believe that they had a
divine origin
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ECONOMY
-Conquests brought much wealth to Rome
-Wealthy families bought huge estates called
latifundia.
-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
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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

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 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
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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

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 RELIGION
-Romans were polytheistic-they
believed in many gods and goddesses
-Many of the gods were adapted from
the Greek gods
Greek God Roman God
Zeus-ruler of all gods Jupiter-ruler of all gods
Hera-wife of Zeus, Juno-wife of Jupiter,
protected marriage protected marriage
Poseidon-god of the sea 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 10
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

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 SOCIAL STRUCTURE

-Patricians= landholding
upper class
Patricians
-Plebeians= farmers,
merchants, artisans,
traders
-Senate= governing body
-Consuls= two patricians Plebeians
-Dictator= assigned to
be in charge in the
event of a war for six
months 12
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
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