Legend has it that Rome was founded by twin brothers ROMULUS and REMUS, the wolf-boys!

Between 600 and 509 B.C., Rome was ruled by 7 different kings. In 509 B.C. the people established a REPUBLIC

A republic is a government where the people have the right to choose their leaders. But only male citizens with money and property could vote (not a democracy!!!

The Senate (the lawmaking body in Rome), was made up of about 200 rich families called Patricians. Only patricians could become Senators.

All other people (farmers, artisans and merchants were plebians. The plebians demanded more rights and after threatening to leave Rome, were given representatives called Tribunes, and later laws called The Twelve Tables.

The Romans ruled all of the Italian Peninsula by 264 B.C.

But they were not the only center of power in the Mediterranean. The other powers were:

Alexandria in Egypt

And Carthage (on the north coast of Africa)

In 264 B.C. Rome and Carthage fought for control of Sicily. These wars were known as the Punic Wars.

Carthage vowed revenge.

Rome won the first battles.

In 218 B.C. Hannibal, with an army of 60,000 men and 60 elephants traveled from Spain across Gaul and over the Alps to surprise the Romans.

The long, hard journey cost Hannibal half of his men and most of his elephants. Rome defeated Carthage and began from then on to build its empire.

Rome expanded its territories to stretch across 3 continents.

Each territory was divided into separate states, and each state given a governor who would collect taxes and send them back to Rome.

One of Rome’s most powerful generals was Julius Caesar. He was so popular because of his victories in battle, that the Senate made him a dictator.

A dictator is a ruler who has absolute power and authority.

Caesar took power away from the Senate. They became angry, and believed that Caesar wanted to make himself king.

On March 15,(the Ides of March, 44 B.C. members of the Senate killed Caesar.

After the murder of Caesar, Rome broke out into civil war that lasted 17 years.

In 27 B.C. Caesar’s great nephew, Octavian won the civil war, and was named “Octavian Augustus, or the “honored one” and ruled as emperor for 41 years.

Rome then had a period of peace for the next 200 years. This is referred to as the Pax Romana, or “Roman Peace.”

In less than 400 years, Christianity developed from a small sect in Palestine into the official religion of Rome.

The Romans were not tolerant of the monotheistic Christians and would persecute them by sending them to the lions in the Colosseum.

General Constantine was said to have had a dream about being visited by Jesus and building a cross that would lead him to victory.

Because of his Christian beliefs, he decided to put a stop to the killing of Christians and allow for religious freedom for all people.

Because of the high cost of maintaining the Roman army, corruption in government, and Germanic barbarian invaders, Rome falls from power finally in 476 a.d.