Transcript Roman
The Roman Republic Around 900 BC the Greeks came into contact with the Italian peoples. This proved to be both good and bad. Good Italy Bad Italy 1. in the middle of 1. silting rivers the Mediterranean created mosquito infested swamps 2. rich soil 2. mountains cover 3. mild climate 3/4 of Italy 4. protected by 3. rocky coast mountains When the Greeks arrived, the Etruscans ruled northern Italy. (We still haven’t translated their writings.) After several attempts, the Etruscan underclasses freed themselves of the wealthy overlords and priests that had been controlling their society. Most notable among these rebels were the Latins from Latium. Their center was the city of Rome. This was created by seven villages on seven hills surrounding a valley who agreed to form a single community. Around 620 BC, an Etruscan family called the Tarquins gained control of Rome, teaching them how to build with brick, roof their houses, drain marshland, lay out streets, and draw cartoons. Roman! New, wealthy aristocrats declared Rome a republic. These wealthy aristocrats were called patricians. Most of Rome’s inhabitants were plebeians, who had all rights of citizenship but were poor. In 534 BC, Tarquin the Proud was such a cruel king that the Romans drove him out. Patricians could hold public office, plebeians could not. Patricians organized the Roman gov’t into two branches: executive and legislative. Plebeians refused to join army unless the Patricians met their demands: 1. Allowed Plebian representatives tribunes - who had veto power. 2. Improved Plebeian social status. 3. No more enslavement for debt. 4. Allowed marriage between Plebeians and Patricians. 5.Written laws instead of common law. Roman religion borrowed Greek gods and gave them Roman names. Greek Roman • Aphrodite • Venus • Ares • Mars • Zeus • The Etruscan god Jupiter Roman Family Life • father in charge • extended families • educated sons • could sell kids or • harsh discipline wife • trained to be • valued the soldiers & farmers “state” • trained in morality Rome set up a constitution that gave power to the citizens (male land owners) much like the Greeks, but more complex.