Transcript Ancient Rome

• 12/2 Focus:
– The Romans established a new form of
government known as a republic
– The Romans influenced many of the values
and institutions of western civilization.
• Important Terms:
– Republic, Patricians, Plebeians
• Do Now:
– Identify the type of government found in
the United States
Ancient Rome
The Roman Republic
Review
• What were
some of the
geographic
characteristics
associated with
the Italian
Peninsula?
Review
• What were some of
the geographic
advantages of
Rome’s location in
Italy?
Review
• What were the
three groups that
had the most
influence on early
Rome?
The Roman Republic
• Etruscan kings ruled
Rome from 600 B.C. to
509 BC
– Roman aristocrats
overthrew the last
Etruscan king in 509 BC
– Establish a republic
The Roman Republic
• Republic
– A form of government in which elected
officials govern the state
– power rests with citizens who have the
right to vote for their leaders
– Indirect democracy or representative
democracy
• Rome allowed free-born male citizens to
participate in elections
– Women could not vote
Aristocratic
landowners
Patricians
Controlled
Senate
10% of
pop.
majority
Roman
Citizens
Made the
laws of
Rome
Farmers,
Artists,
merchants
Plebeians
Wanted
more
influence on
gov’t
Patricians and Plebeians
• Plebeians demanded more rights in Rome
from the patricians
– Assembly
• Gained more power over time
– Tribunes
• Officials elected to protect the rights of
plebeians
• Could veto laws that were unjust to plebeians
Roman Government
• Senate
– 300 patrician men
– Served for life
– Controlled finances
and foreign
relations
– Advised consuls
Roman Government
• Assemblies
– Tribal
Assembly
and
Centuriate
Assembly
– Made laws
and
appointeed
officials
Gaius Gracchus, tribune of the people, presiding over the
Plebeian Council
Roman Government
• Consuls
– 2 consuls elected
by the assembly
for 1 year
– Chief executives
and commanded
the army
•
Roman Government
• In times of crisis,
the republic could
appoint a dictator to
rule Rome.
– Dictator
• a leader who has
absolute power
Cincinnatus
– Could only rule for
six months
– Were chosen by the
consul and elected by
the Senate
• 12/3 Focus:
– The location of Rome helped the Romans to
carry on trade and build an empire around
the Mediterranean Sea
• Do Now:
– Identify two codes of law that we have
discussed in class this year?
The Twelve Tables of Rome
• First written code of law
in Rome
• Plebeians demanded laws
of Rome be written down
– Laws were carved on
twelve bronze tablets
and displayed in the
Roman Forum
• Established the principle
that all free citizens had
the right to protection
of the law
•
The Roman Forum
• The center of life
in Rome
• Marketplace and
civic center
– Senate met in the
forum
– Public speeches
were given here
– Site of many
businesses
Points for Discussion
• What is the difference between a
republic and a direct democracy?
• How are the Twelve Tables of Rome and
Hammurabi’s Code similar?
• What was the difference between
patricians and plebeians?