Transcript The Roman Republic

Res Publica
Romanorum
(The Roman Republic)
Pre-Roman Italy
• The Latini settled along
the Tiber River around
800 BC
• Seven villages atop seven
hills grew together into
the city of Rome
• North of Rome were the
Etruscans, whom the
Romans selected their
kings from
• South of Rome were
Greek colonists
The Roman Republic
– Romans ousted king and
established a new
government
– Became a republic – “a
thing of the people” –
where all officials were
elected
– Kept any one person from
gaining too much power
– SPQR = Senatus Populus
que Romanus (The Senate
and People of Rome)
The Senate
• Ruling body of
the Republic was
the senate, a law
making body
(legislature) of
300 patricians
(upper class
citizens)
Consuls
– Senate elected two
senators as consuls to
supervise the
government and
command the armies
(duties similar to those
of the US President)
– Could only served 1 year
and could only serve 1
term every 10 years
– Consuls still had to
answer to the senate
Dictators
– During war or time of
crisis, the senate
could appoint a
dictator
– Dictator had absolute
power, BUT could only
hold that power for 6
months
– Senate had to choose
dictators carefully!
Tribunes
– Position created to
satisfy the demands of
the plebeians (lower
class) and to watch
after their interests
– Could veto any law
passed by the senate
– Eventually, plebeians
also gained the right to
serve in the senate
and to be consuls
Laws of the Twelve Tables
• In order to ensure that
their rights were
protected, the
plebeians demanded
that the laws be posted
in a public place; this
led to the laws being
inscribed on 10 tablets
(with 2 more added
later) and posted in the
Roman Forum
Punic Wars with Carthage
– By 270 BC, Rome
controlled all of Italy
– between 264 and 146
BC, Rome fought three
wars with Carthage for
control of
Mediterranean trade
– After crushing Carthage,
Rome controlled an area
from Spain to Egypt and
dominated the
Mediterranean world
Expansion During the Republic
Consequences of Growth
– Increased use of slaves from
conquered areas bankrupted
many farmers; they moved to
Rome and other cities and
were cared for by the state
– Great wealth of Rome led to
high rate of corruption among
officials
– Rome needed a strong leader,
but the senate feared
allowing anyone to gain too
much power; this led to
street violence and civil wars
as charismatic leaders tried to
rally support among the
people against the senate
The First Triumvirate
• Political alliance intent on
taking control of Rome
• Crassus: brought wealth
• Pompey: brought military
reputation
• Julius Caesar: brought
youth and popularity with
the people
• Crassus killed in battle
against Parthians in 53 BC
Julius Caesar Takes Over
– Caesar and Pompey
began to fight each
other for control of
Rome
– Eventually, Julius Caesar
marched his army into
Rome and seized control
in 50 BC; Caesar forced
the senate to name him
dictator for life
– Pompey fled to Egypt
but was assassinated
Julius Caesar’s Reign
• Caesar was very popular
with the people, but not the
senate
• Started a program of public
works to employ the jobless
• Reorganized the
government and expanded
the number of people who
qualified for Roman
citizenship
• 44 BC, Caesar was stabbed
to death in the senate
Octavian vs. Antony
• After Caesar’s death, his
nephew Octavian and his
top general Marc Antony
eliminated the senators
involved
• Octavian and Antony then
fought for control of
Rome; Octavian won in 31
BC by defeating Antony
and his lover/ally, Queen
Cleopatra of Egypt
• Antony & Cleopatra both
committed suicide
Octavian Augustus
• A weakened senate
gave Octavian the title
Augustus (“exalted
one”), and declared him
princeps (“first citizen”);
he was in effect the first
emperor of Rome and
ruled from 31 BC to 14
AD (45 years)
The Pax Romana
• “The Roman Peace”: 200
year period from rule of
Octavian Augustus to that
of Marcus Aurelius
– Little fighting, no civil wars
– Laws were enforced, people
were protected from bandits
and pirates
– Rome grew wealthy from
conquest and trade
– The poor were pacified with
entertainments such as
gladiatorial contests, and with
free bread and housing
Roman Society
• Family based; father had
absolute rule over his
family (paterfamilias)
• All citizens given a basic
education, including
learning how to read and
write
• Roman religion and gods
were almost identical to
those of the Greeks
Roman Literature
• Epic poetry: Virgil’s
Aeneid tells how Aeneas
escaped the sack of Troy
to found Rome
• Satire: many authors
made fun of Roman
society
• History: famous historians
Livy and Tacitus
• Philosophy: Greek and
later, Christian influenced
Art & Architecture
• Realistic sculptures
• Mosaics and frescoes
• Huge buildings and
arenas
• Improved on columns
and the arch, invented
concrete, domed roofs
• Most famous buildings:
the Pantheon, The
Coliseum
Technology & Science
• Excellent engineers, built
roads, bridges, harbors
• Built huge aqueducts to
bring water into the cities
• Ptolemy, an astronomer,
theorized that the earth
was the center of the
universe (he was wrong),
but his idea survived for
1500 years!
• Writings on medicine,
zoology, botany, etc.
Law
• Accused were innocent
until proven guilty
• Guilt had to be proven
with evidence
• Accused was allowed to
face and question their
accuser
– All of these remain
important cornerstones
of modern law!