Ancient Rome
The Beginnings of Rome
Romulus and Remus
-Twin sons of the god Mars and a Latin Princess. Abandoned on the Tiber River and raised by a she-wolf. Built a city near the location. Couldn't decide who would rule, so Romulus killed
Remus and named the city after himself.
Geography
-Developed because of it's strategic location and fertile soil
Built on seven hills at a curve on the Tiber River
Near the center of the Italian Peninsula
Early Settlers
-The Latins- Farmers and shepherds who wandered into Italy across the Alps. Built the original Rome at the top of Palatine
Hill. Were the first Romans.
-The Greeks- Greek settlers established colonies in Southern
Italy and Sicily. Brought Italy into contact with Greece.
-The Etruscans- Native to Northern Italy. Skilled metal workers and engineers. Strongly influenced the development of Roman civilization. Influenced architecture, including use of the arch.
Early Religion
Borrowed ideas from the Greeks and Etruscans
Used Etruscans rituals that they believed helped win favor with the gods
Used Greek gods as the basis for their gods.
Zeus = Jupiter Hera = Juno

Romans Create a Republic
Under the Republic, two (2) elected consuls shared the head of government. Consuls were members of the Senate, who had been elected to serve for a one year term in the position of
Consul, the highest position in government under the Republic. The consuls most important power was that they controlled the army.
Patricians: The patricians were the upper class, the nobility and wealthy land owners.
Plebeians: The plebeians were the lower class. Nicknamed "plebs", the plebeians included everyone in ancient Rome (except for the nobility, the patricians) from well-to-do tradesmen all the way down to the very poor.
The Senate was composed of leaders from the patricians , the noble and wealthy families of ancient Rome. They were the law makers. They controlled spending. Members of the Senate were not elected. They were chosen by the Consuls. Once chosen, they served for life. There were 300 seats in the Senate.
The Assembly was composed of all the plebeian citizens of Rome, the common man. The
Assembly did not have a building. It was the right of the common man to assemble in the
Forum and vote. In the beginning, the Assembly had very limited power. They could vote for or suggest laws, but the Senate could block their decisions. The Assembly could vote to declare war, but again, the Senate could override them. However, the Assembly had one power that was very impressive - it was the Assembly who voted each year on which two members of the Senate would serve as Consuls. As a noble, if you wanted to rise to the level of Consul, the highest position in government under the Republic, you needed to gain the support of the plebeian class.
Since it was the Consuls who filled empty seats in the Senate, if the Assembly chose their
Consuls well, they could slowly gain power in government by putting people in charge who were sympathetic to their needs.
Some members of the Assembly became quite powerful in government in their own right. Some tradesmen were very wealthy. There is an old expression - money talks - which means the rich seem to be heard more easily than the poor. In ancient Rome, certainly money talked, but so did those who had the power of speech. The Romans loved a great orator. When the Assembly met, down at the Forum, many speeches were going on at the same time. One speaker might say,
"Rome's roads need repair!" Another speaker might say, "We need to stop crime in the streets."
If you wanted your speech to have an impact, it did not matter how rich or poor you were. What mattered was how persuasive you were as a speaker.

Structure of Government Under the Republic
2 Consuls
Head of Government
Senate (300 members)
PATRICIANS
1 year term
PATRICIANS
Life term
Consuls chose the Senators
Ran the government, overseeing the work of other government officials.
Advised the consuls. Advised the Assembly.
Directed (commanded) the army
Directed spending, including tax dollars
Acted as judges Approved or disapproved laws made by the Assembly
In an emergency, consuls could choose a dictator – a single ruler to make quick decisions.
Made decisions concerning relationships with foreign powers
Both consuls had to agree on their decisions. Each had the power to Veto the other. In
Latin, veto means “I forbid.”
Assembly
PLEBEIANS
Elected the 2 Consuls
Elected government officials including judges.
Voted on laws suggested by government officials
Declared war or peace

2 Consuls
Structure of Government Under the Republic
Head of Government
Senate (300 members) Assembly