Transcript WHCH_51 - Teacherpage

World History
Chapter Five
The Roman World Takes Shape
Geography
• Rome is located on the Western side of Italy in
the Mediterranean Sea
• Italy is not broken up with mountains like
Greece is…it lends itself to a growing
population with a good climate and good soil
Early Rome
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Latin's – settled in Italy along the Tiber river
Ancestors of the Romans
They were herders and farmers
Romulus and Remus – Twin brothers –
founded Rome on seven hills
• Brothers said to of divine origins – from a
Latin woman and the god Mars – giving the
Romans the idea they were divine
Etruscans
• Lived in Italy along with the Latin's
• Lived north of Rome
• Not sure where they came from (Asia Minor,
the Alps) but they controlled most of central
Italy
• Romans learned a lot from the Etruscans
• Merged their gods and goddesses
Republic
• Romans defeated the Etruscans and drove
them away in 509 B.C.
• Republic – “res publica” that which belongs to
the people
• People chose some of the officials
• Romans believed this would stop an individual
from gaining to much power
Senate
• Senate – most powerful body of government
in Rome
• 300 members made up of Patricians –
landholding upper class
• Senators served for life
• Senators nominated two consuls every year
to supervise the government and the military
• Consul – could only serve one term
Senate
• Consuls had to approve each others decisions
• Rome had checks and balances. How?
• If war broke out then a dictator would be
named by the senate
• Dictator would have complete control over the
government for six months
• Cincinnatus
Plebians
• Plebians – farmers, merchants, artisans,
traders, bulk of the population, little influence
• Pushed for more representation and won the
right to elect their own officials called tribunes
• Tribunes could veto – block – laws that could
hurt the plebians
• Senate eventually was opened to the Plebians
• Laws of the Twelve Tables – Plebians could
appeal judgments of patrician judges
Women
• Could own property, run businesses
• Most women worked at home, raising
families, spinning, weaving
• Patrician women went to public baths, dined
out, attended theater with husbands
Children
• Boys and girls from upper and lower classes
learned to read and write
• Greeks were hired to tutor wealthy families
• Rhetoric was an important skill taught to boys
seeking a career in politics
Religious
• Polytheistic – adapted from the Greeks
• Mars – god of war
• Had feasts and celebrations for the gods all
throughout the year
• Most joined in, creating a sense of unity and
community
• Temples all throughout Rome with statues of
gods
Roman Army
• Success of Rome was due to its great army
• Legion – basic unit of the Roman army – 5,000
men
• Citizen-soldiers – fought unpaid, supply own
weapons – like Greece had done
• Started receiving a stipend but largest reward
was their share in the spoils after a victory
Army
• Roman citizens were raised with the values of
loyalty, courage, and respect for authority
• This helped to make them good soldiers
• Commanders mixed rewards and punishments
• If they performed well they were praised and
given gifts
• If they fled – one of every ten men was put to
death
Conquered People
• Treated its enemies fairly
• Enemies had to acknowledge Rome, pay taxes
and supply soldiers
• Could continue to rule themselves
• Some became full citizens or partial citizens –
let them marry Romans and trade in Rome
• Rome posted soldiers all throughout the
conquered lands – built roads to connect
territory