Transcript Slide 1
The
Rise of
Rome
Geography
• Rome is located on the
Italian Peninsula which
juts into the
Mediterranean Sea>eastwest travel and trade
• About 18 miles inland on
the Tiber River>easy
access to the sea but far
enough in to protect from
pirates
• Built on seven hills>easy
to defend
• Located on a north-south
traffic route
Peoples of Italy
• Indo-Europeans
move into ItalyLatins, Greeks, and
Etruscans
• Etruscans have the
most influence on
Rome’s
development-turn
Rome from a village
to a city, mode of
dress, and
organization of the
army
Romulus and Remus-Myth of the birth
of Rome
Click on the picture below to learn who
Romulus and Remus where and the role
they played in the rise of Rome.
The Roman Republic
• Republic-the leader is not a king
and certain citizens have the right
to vote
• Rome gains control of most of
Italy through a series of wars
• Gave citizenship to some
conquered people-allowed them
to control local affairs in return
for soldiers and citizenship
• Believed success was due to
three virtues: duty, courage, and
discipline
Livy-Roman
Historian,
wrote of the
three virtues
Why was Rome so Successful?
• The Romans were good diplomats
• They were skilled, persistent soldiers
and brilliant strategists
• In law and justice, the Romans were
practical
The Roman State
Early Rome was divided into two groups, the
patricians and the plebeians. Click here to read
about the two groups. Fill in the chart below.
Group
Patricians
Plebeians
Who were
they?
Role in the
Government
The Roman Senate
• Select group of patricians who served for
life
• Began as an advisory group, by the third
century, had the force of law
Click on picture
for complete,
interactive
outline of the
Roman Senate
Twelve Tables
Rome’s first code of law. Click here to view the
Twelve Tables.
1. Choose three laws
that are similar to
our laws today.
2. Choose three laws
you find excessive
(too harsh).
3. Choose three laws
you find just plain
silly.
The Punic Wars
The Romans faced a
strong power in the
Mediterranean, Carthage.
Carthage was founded by
the Phoenicians. The
Carthaginians occupied
Sicily, an island close to
the Italian coast. The two
powers will begin a long
struggle for dominance in
the Mediterranean.
Hannibal
The greatest of
Carthaginian generals.
Click here for more
information about
Hannibal.
Victory at Cannae-click
here for more
information about the
battle at Cannae.
Using information from the
links and textbook reading,
answer the following
questions.
1. Why was control of
the Mediterranean so
important to the
Romans and the
Carthaginians?
2. Hannibal’s route
took him far from
home. How did this
help the Romans
defeat Carthage in
the end?
3. Hannibal was able
to raise a diverse
army. Do you think
Hannibal was a great
leader or a tyrant?
Why?
Master of the Mediterranean
Rome will destroy Carthage in the Third
Punic War. With the conquest of
Macedonia and Greece, the Romans will
become master of the Mediterranean.