NOTES:
ROME
Geography
- Rome was built on 7 rolling hills around the Tiber River, near the center of the Italian peninsula
- it is the midway point between the Alps and Italy's southern tip
First Romans
- From 1000 to 500 BC, 3 groups inhabited the region and fought for control of it
- they were the Latins, Greeks, and Etrucans
- The Latins built the original settlement at Rome, It was a cluster of wooden huts on top of one of the seven hills.
Greek Influence
- Between 750 and 600 BC, the Greeks established colonies along the southern part of Italy and Sicily
- The cities became very prosperous and commercially active
- they brought all of Italy , including Rome, into closer contact with Greek civilization.
Etruscans
- They were native to northern Italy
- they were skilled metal workers and engineers
- they were very influential in the development of Roman civilization
- Romans adopted their alphabet
- also adopted some of their architecture, especially the arch
Republic
- Republic- form of government in which the power rests with citizens who have the right to vote for their leaders
- In Rome, citizenship with voting rights was granted only to free-born adult male landowners
Patricians and Plebeians
- In the early republic, different groups of Romans struggled for power
- Particians- the wealthy landowners who held most of the power
- Plebians- the common person, but could still cote. Usually farmers and merchants
- The Patricians inherited their power and social status, and claimed they had the right to rule due to their ancestry
- they barred the Plebians from holding high offices in the government
- In time, the leaders of Rome allowed the Plebians to form their own assembly and elect their own representative to protected their rights from the Patrician officials, they called this their TRIBUNES.
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