Rome-
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 three groups inhabited the region and fought for control of it
They were the Latins, Greeks, and Etruscans
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 BC and 600 BC, the Greeks established colonies along the southern part of Italy and Sicily
The cities became very prosperous and commercially alive
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 they adopted some of their architecture, especially the arch.
Republic- a form of government in which the power rests with citizens who have the right to vote for their leaders
In Rom, 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
Patricians- the wealthy landowners who held most of the power
Plebeians- the common person, but could still vote. Usually farmers and merchants
The Patricians inherited their power and social status and claimed that they had the right to rule due to their ancestry.
the barred the Plebeians from holding high offices in the government
In time, the leaders of Rome allowed the Plebeians to form their own assembly and elect their own representative to protect their rights from the Patrician officials, they called this their Tribunes.
Comments