Rome
-Rome was built on 7 hills around the Tiber river, near the center of the Italian peninsula-midway point between Alps and Italy's southern tip
-From 1000-500 BC, 3 groups inhabited this region and fought for control: Latins, Greeks, and Etruscans
-Latins built original settlement of Rome--cluster of wooden huts on top of one of the hills
-Between 750-600 BC, Greeks established colonies along the southern part of Italy/Sicily
-the cities prospered and became commercially active-brought all of Italy into closer contact with Greek civilization
Etruscans
-native to Northern Italy
-skilled metal workers and engineers
-very influential in dev of Roman civilization
-also adopted some of their architecture, including the arch
-republic= gov't where power rests with people who vote for leaders
-In Rome, citizenship and voting rights were granted only to free-born adult male landowners
Patricians- wealthy landowners who held most of the power
Plebeians- common man, could still vote--usually farmers and merchants
-Patricians inherited power and social status, claimed they had the right to rule because of ancestry
-didn't allow Plebeians to hold power in gov't offices
-In time, Plebeians were allowed to have an assembly and elect their own representative to protect their rights from the Patricians officials--called tribunes
Executive Branch
-two consuls served a 1 year term
Legislative Branch
Senate:
-High social/economic status
-served for life
-advised consuls
Centuriate Assembly
-soldiers only
-chose consuls
-served for life
Tribal Assembly
-ordinary citizens
-made laws
-served for life
Judicial Branch
-8 judges
-1 year by the Centuriate Assembly
-two oversee civil and criminal courts (others governed provinces)
Twelve Tables- list of rules that was the supreme law of the land--equivalent of Constitution
-Romans took pride in their military
-all men who owned land were required to serve in the army
-some of the high public office positions required 10 years of military service
-soldiers were organized into legions--about 5000 soldiers
-cavalry supported each legion
-military organization and fighting skill of the Roman army were key factors in Rome's rise to greatness
-By 400 BC, Romans were dominating central Italy
-defeated the Etruscans in the North and the Greek city-states to the south
-Latins on the Tiber became full citizens
-in the territories farther from Rome, conquered people were citizens but didn't have voting power
-remaining people became "allies" of Rome
Punic Wars
-Rome vs. Carthage
-Rome was victorius
-Carthage was destroyed in the end, and the territory was annexed into the Roman Empire
Key Players:
Scipion Africanus the Elder- Roman general who presided over the beginning battles of the Punic Wars
Scipio Africanus the Younger- Roman general who led the charge on pushing back Hannibal's forces and eventually helped destroy Carthage
Mark Antony- right hand man of Caesar, joined forces with...
Octavian- Caesar's adopted son, commanded some of the Roman legions
Hamilcar Barca- Carthaginian general and father of...
Hannibal- son of Hamilcar, took his armies into Italy--considered a military genius because of his incorporation of elephants into warfare
Because Hannibal was able to get his armies into Italy, he destroyed a lot of Roman land. But, Carthage was also destroyed during the conflicts. So there was a lot of destroyed land after these wars. This war is also seen as a turning point for the Romans, politically. They transitioned from a republic to an empire with the conquering of the Carthaginian lands.
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