Transcript Roman Republic

The Roman Republic
509 BCE – 133 BCE
The Early Republic
• 509 BCE – overthrow Etruscan king; 1st
Roman rulers
• Never want to be ruled by a king again
• Create a REPUBLIC
– Rulers chosen by the people
– Latin word meaning “thing of the people”
– Not necessarily a democracy
Classes in Roman Society
Roman Society
Patricians
Plebians
Large, wealthy landowners
Merchants, small farmers,
artisans
Had helped pay to defend Rome
from invaders
Majority of the population
Controlled Roman society
Very little poltiical power
at first
Classes in Roman Society
Roman Society
Patricians
Plebians
Large, wealthy landowners
Merchants, small farmers,
artisans
Had helped pay to defend Rome
from invaders
Majority of the population
Controlled Roman society
Very little poltiical power
at first
Classes in Roman Society
Roman Society
Patricians
Plebians
Large, wealthy landowners
Merchants, small farmers,
artisans
Had helped pay to defend Rome
from invaders
Majority of the population
Controlled Roman society
Very little poltiical power
at first
Structure of Roman Government
Senate
•300 members
•All Patricians
•Serve for life
•Make laws
•Judge laws
Chosen by Senate
Consuls
•2 Patricians chosen by Senate
•Day to day business of Gov’t
•Only serve 1 term (term limits)
Ideal Example:
EMERGENCY DICTATOR
Cincinnatus
Structure of Roman Government
Chosen by Plebeians
Tribunes
Could veto laws
Senate
•300 members
•All Patricians
•Serve for life
•Make laws
•Judge laws
Chosen by Senate
Consuls
•2 Patricians chosen by Senate
•Day to day business of Gov’t
•Only serve 1 term (term limits)
EMERGENCY DICTATOR
The Changing Republic
• Plebeians begin to protest for more say in
government
• 450 BCE – convince Senate to write down laws &
post them in public place
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LAWS OF THE TWELVE TABLES
Somewhat harsh
Allows plebeians to appeal rules of judges
Plebeians eventually get right to elect Tribunes
• Tribunes get the right to veto laws that hurt plebeians
– Later, even get right to be Consuls, Senators
Lasting Legacies
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Common people get rights & safeguards
Peaceful acquisition of rights
Checks & on people in power
Veto
Republican form of gov’t
Roman Republic’s legacy especially important
to United States
Expansion in Italy
• Early growth
– Early overthrown of Etruscan rulers
– Began to go after neighboring tribes
– By 270 BCE, occupied Italy from Rubicon River in
north to “tip of boot” in southern Italy
• The Roman Army
Treatment of Conquered Lands
•Generally treated conquered people with justice
•Conquered people had to:
–acknowledge Roman leadership
–pay taxes
–supply soldiers to Roman army
•Rome let them
–keep local customs, local money, & local gov’t
•Some (very few) get full citizenship
•Some (more) get partial citizenship:
–allowed to marry Roman citizens, carry on trade in Rome
•Conquered people become very loyal to Rome, even in rough times
How to Protect Newly Conquered Lands
• Posted soldiers around empire
• Network on all-weather roads (quick
movement of army, trade)
• People began to adopt Latin language and
Roman culture
Rivalry with Carthage
Originally a Phoenician colony
Acts independently
City in northern Africa
(present day Tunisia)
Extends empire around coasts of western
Med.
Roman expansion throughout Italy increases
contact with Carthaginian empire
Punic Wars (264-146 BCE)
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Punic War
In Latin,
Phoenician = Punicus
• Fairly short
• Rome defeats Carthage
– Takes control of Sicily, Sardinia, and
Corsica
• Carthage infuriated by losses
– Going to want revenge
Punic Wars (264-146 BCE)
nd
2
Punic War
• Hannibal (Carthaginian)
– Brilliant military leader
– Wants revenge for loss in 1st Punic War
• Decides to attack from north
– Takes army into Spain, over mountains
– Losses half of army, all but one war elephant
• Surprises Roman Army
– Does very well, many successful battles
Punic Wars (264-146 BCE)
nd
2
Punic War (cont.)
• Rome counter-attacks
– Attacks city of Carthage
• Hannibal has to take army back to
Carthage
• Battle of Zama – Rome Wins
– Carthage loses all land except land
around city in North Africa
– Must pay huge tribute
Punic Wars (264-146 BCE)
Aftermath
• Carthage recovers quickly
– Leadership of Hannibal
• Cato (famous Roman citizen) says
– “Carthage must be destroyed”
• Rome attacks again
– Burns city to ground
– Plows salt into earth
– People killed or made slaves
– Rome gets a province in Northern Africa
Collapse of the Republic
• Video: Roman Empire and Civilization
– Part 2  From Republic to Empire (20 min.)
• Complete worksheet as you go
• What kinds of problems weakened the
Republic and made it possible for
individuals to seize power?