Rome
Geography
- 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
- Latins, Greeks, and Etruscans
- The Latins, built the original settlement of Rome. It was a cluster of wooden huts on top of one of the seven hills
Greek Influence
- Between 7500 BC 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 influenctial in the development of Roman civilization.
- Romans adopted their alphabet
- Also they adopted some of their architecture, especially the arch.
Republic
- Republic-a 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.
- Patricians- The wealthy landowners who held most of the power
- Inherited their power and social status and claimed that they had the right to rule due to their ancestry
- Barred the Plebeians from holding high offices in the gov’t
- Plebeians- the common person, but could still vote. Usually farmers and merchants
- 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 Patricians
Code of Laws
- US gov- Constitution, supreme law,
- Rome- Supreme law, 12 tables, everyone saw it
Legislative
- US-Made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate (100), make laws
- Rome- Senate: 300 males, the most powerful, tribal assembly (ordinary citizens, made laws), Centuriate assembly (soldiers, pick councils), all serve for life
Executive
- Commands the Army, elected to serve
- US has one leader (serves 4 years), Rome has two leaders(councils, two years, advised by the Senate)
Judicial
- Right to a jury, legal representation
- Appointed by President
- Rome had 8 judges who served for 1 year (assigned by Centuriate assembly)
Romulous and Remus
- Twin brothers
- Founded ancient Rome
- Were abandoned by mother and were raised by a she-wolf
- Romulous killed Remus while fighting over what to call the city
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