the roman republic chapter 8 section 1. key terms republic patrician plebian consul veto dictator
TRANSCRIPT
T H E R O M A N R E P U B L I C
CHAPTER 8 SECTION 1
KEY TERMS
• Republic• Patrician• Plebian • Consul• Veto• Dictator
INTRODUCTION
• Romulus and Remus• Children of a princess and
Mars (Roman god of War)• Jealous king feared they
would take power, he ordered them drowned
• Gods protected infants, had a wolf rescue them, raised by shepherd
• Twins grew up to rule the seven hills of Rome.
ROME’S GEOGRAPHY AND EARLY SETTLEMENT
• Fertile Soil• Large Hills easy for
defense• Tiber River – flows
through Rome and empties into the Tyrrhenian sea
• Center of a long, narrow peninsula
• Surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea
THE ETRUSCANS
• We know very little about founders of Rome• First settlements in
900 B.C. • 600 B.C. Etruscans
held power
THE ETRUSCANS (CONT..)
The Etruscans
• Ruled as Kings• Tarquinius Superbus• Overthrown by Romans in
509 B.C. • Harsh ruler• No more etruscan rulers• Some historians debate
this.
• Many roman gods originally etruscan gods
• Roman Toga, alphabet adopted from the Etruscans
PEOPLES OF ANCIENT ITALY
ROMANS FORM A REPUBLIC
• Romans don’t trust Kings • 264 B.C. Romans
gained control of entire Italian Peninsula • Created a Republic • Citizens have the right
to vote, select their own leaders
THE ROMAN SENATE
• Senate is most powerful form of government• Voted on laws • 300 upper-class
Patricians• Plebians could NOT
hold office or be senators
THE ROMAN CONSULS
• 2 Consuls led the Country similar to the President• Enforced the law• Elected by the people• Senate advised
Consuls on foreign affairs, laws, and finances. • Only ruled for 1 year
THE ROMANS CONSULS (CONT…)
• Plebians Could NOT be Consuls before 367 B.C. • Consuls did what the
Senate wanted. • Power divided equally• Veto = “I forbid”• IF one veto’ed THEN
nothing would be done.
OTHER IMPORTANT OFFICIALS
• Just in case Consuls didn’t act, Romans allowed for Dictators to handle emergency situations• Praetors: • Important officials• Served as judges• Trials for money,
business, contracts
PATRICIANS VS. PLEBEIANS
Patricians
• Leaders• Fight to control
government• Wealthy from
conquest• Had land/slaves
Plebeians
• Wanted respect and fair treatment• Didn’t trust gov.• Many were jobless• Refused to fight in
army
PATRICIANS VS PLEBEIANS (CONT…)
• Plebeians get their demand• Twelve Tables • Written code of Laws• Equality for all citizens • Hung in marketplace for
all to see• This is only a small
victory
MASTER OF THE MEDITERRANEAN
• Roman armies are expanding • Invaded Carthage (N.
Africa) • Drove Carthaginians
from Spain, destroyed Carthage in 146 B.C. • Conquered Greece
and Gaul (France).
MASTERS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN
THE DECLINE OF THE REPUBLIC
120 B.C.
• Some Plebeian Leaders tried to break up large land and give it to Plebeians, Patricians fought back• 75 years Roman
armies take control, Consuls are not respected• Civil War
RISE OF JULIUS CAESAR
58 to 51 B.C.
• Caesar leads army that conquered Gaul • Won the respect of his
soldiers • In 49 B.C. Caesar
violated military assignment • War between Caesar and
Pompey
RISE OF JULIUS CAESAR (CONT…)
• Caesar becomes dictator in 48 B.C. • Dictator can only
serve in Rome for six months• Caesar gets rid of the
republic , he replaces the Senate.
DEATH OF A DICTATOR
• Civil war lasted for 4 years• 45 B.C. Caesar
becomes only Consul• 44 B.C. Caesar
becomes dictator for life• Rome has a King?
People hate Kings…
DEATH OF A DICTATOR (CONT…)
March 15th, 44 B.C.
• Caesar plans to go to Senate meeting• Senators kill him • He had gone too far
and too fast gained power.
FROM REPUBLIC TO EMPIRE
• More Civil war followed Caesar’s death• Caesar’s son Octavian
becomes the first Emperor of Rome. • Augustus = “Highly
respected”• Lasted 500 years
FROM REPUBLIC TO EMPIRE
• From city-state to holding vast territory • Largest gov. in the
World• The people no longer
make choices, the Emperor does.