12/7/2011
The Roman Republic
509 B.C.E. – 27 C.E.
Legendary beginnings – Romulus & Remus
from Livy’s History of Rome c. 27 BCE
(all history was lost in the 390 B.C.E. sacking
of Rome)
Founders:
-Aneas (survivor
from Troy)
-Latins (natives)
-Mars (god of
War)
-Twins Romulus
& Remus
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Real Beginnings
• The Etruscans
(purple)
• Latins (green)
• Greeks (pink)
• Carthaginians
(light orange)
• Rest: other
tribal peoples
Below: Defensive Walls
& armor
Etruscans 800
B.C.E.
• Militarily stronger than
natives.
• Greek sources paint them
as immoral due to gender
equality.
•Rome adopted Etruscan
religion (use of auguries),
military organization, art
forms & architecture.
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Roman Natives (Latins)
• 800 B.C.E: Iron Age
Huts along Tiber River.
• By 509 B.C.E.: Etruscan
style fortresses on top of
hills
– Romulus built his city on
Palatine Hill.
– Etruscans drained the
swamp land around
Rome, made Rome into a
real city!
Greeks
• 8th c. B.C.E.: Greek Poleis formed in
Italy
– Early Hellenic Age
• 6th c. B.C.E.: Romans gain
independence; Hellenic influence grew.
• 4th c. B.C.E.: The Hellenistic Age began
– spreading culture through Alexandria,
Athens, Antioch, etc..
Above: Greek temple
in Southern Italy
Below: Greek
Amphitheater in S.
Italy
• 2nd c. B.C.E.: Romans conquered Greece.
Hellenistic Influence grew.
• “The name Greek is no longer a mark of a
race, but of an outlook, and is accorded
to those who share our culture rather
than our blood.” - Isokrates in 380 BCE.
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Carthage
• 8th c. B.C.E.– founded by Phoenicians
–
–
–
–
Dominated W. Mediterranean Trade.
Traded with the Romans.
Some Carthaginians lived in Rome.
May have also influenced Roman religious
practices.
• 2nd c. B.C.E. - Conquered by Rome
– Wars solidified Rome’s military
– Built a Navy based on a Carthaginian ship.
Carthaginian
Empire in
Blue 
Above –
Carthaginian
Harbor
The Rise of Rome
• 509 B.C.E.: Expulsion of
the Etruscan Kings.
• Formation of the Roman
Republic (Res Publica)
Old, wealthy,
landowning
families,
military
leaders,
priests.
Then, by birth.
Patricians
5-10%
Plebeians 90-95%
See the ORANGE
slide for the
Republic
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The 12 Tables 450 B.C.E.
The first Roman Law Code
Laws were held secretly by the Patricians & Plebeians were
severely punished until the 12 Tables were created.
On Debt
"When a debt has been acknowledged or a judgment has been
pronounced in court, 30 days must be the legitimate grace period.
Thereafter, arrest of the debtor may be made... Bring him into court. If
he does not satisfy the judgment …the creditor may take the debtor with
him. He may bind him either in stocks or fetters, with a weight of no less
than 15 lbs. (or more if he desires)." [After 60 days in custody, the case is
returned to the court, and if the debt is not then paid, the debtor can be
sold abroad as a slave, or put to death.]
On Theft & Self Defense
“If the theft has been done by night, if the owner kills the thief, the thief
shall be held to be lawfully killed.”
“It is unlawful for a thief to be killed by day....unless he defends himself
with a weapon; even though he has come with a weapon, unless he shall
use the weapon and fight back, you shall not kill him. And even if he
resists, first call out so that someone may hear and come up.”
The 12 Tables 450 B.C.E.
The first Roman Law Code
On Family
“A dreadfully deformed child shall be killed.“
"Our ancestors saw fit that females, by reason of levity of
disposition, shall remain in guardianship, even when they
have attained their majority.“
“If a man and woman live together continuously for a year,
they are considered to be married; the woman legally is
treated as the man's daughter.”
“A child born after ten months since the father's death will
not be admitted into a legal inheritance”
“Marriage shall not take place between a patrician and a
plebeian.”
Class conflict would continue to be a problem through
the long history of Rome
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The Roman Republic
Monarchy Branch
Aristocracy Branch
Democracy Branch
2 Consuls
Dictator for emergencies
– 6 months only.
Senate
General Assembly; led by
10 powerful Tribunes
Originally Patricians
only
Patricians only
Plebeians only
-1 year term. Had to
wait 10 years before
serving again.
Had most of the power
Fought for more rights for
200 years, but became a
rubber stamp.
-Could veto each other.
-1 led army; 1 led civil
gov’t
-Tribunes answer to
them.
-Intro ambassadors to
Senate
-Propose laws to Senate
& report laws to
assembly
-All preparations for war
-Managed the treasury
-Approved spending by
Consuls
-Prosecutors for criminal
trials
-Proposed treaties with
foreign powers
-Declared War
-Decides which
ambassadors to see.
-Decides how Consuls will
be treated after wars.
-Chose Tribunes
-Act as judge & jury in
criminal trials.
-Only group who could
impose the death sentence.
-Could approve or reject
laws.
-Could approve or reject
peace treaties.
-Could approve or reject
declarations of war.
The Growth of Rome
• Ancient Rome: Expansion & Conquest
Movie Guide
– Question for Consideration after the film,
based on last night’s reading:
After conquering so many people,
how did Rome manage to hold the
empire together? In other words,
why didn’t conquered people
rebel against Rome?
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The Decline of the
Republic
• Senatorial Murder
– 133 & 121 B.C.E.: Tiberius & Gaius Gracchus, brothers,
grandsons of Scipio Africanus, murdered by Senate (with
100s-1000s of their supporters) for trying to help the poor/
accused of trying to gain support to be king.
• Wanted to get land back for soldiers who lost it due to long
campaigns.
• Wanted to regulate the price of grain.
• Rise of long term Dictators
– 107 B.C.E.: Gaius Marius allows the poor to serve in the
military, pays them, provides weapons, provides a pension
(land) for 20 yrs. Service. Military becomes loyal to HIM,
not the state. Marius went on to become Consul 6 times.
The Decline of the Republic
• Civil Wars
– 91-88 B.C.E. The Social Wars
• Italian Allies revolt over citizenship issues.
• Politics divides: Optimates vs. Populares
– 88-82 B.C.E. Gaius Marius vs. Sulla
• Marius = too old to lead an army. Sulla = young brilliant
general
– When Marius tried to take a legion away from Sulla to
lead the military himself, Sulla marched on Rome.
– CIVIL WAR.
– Sulla appointed dictator. Executed enemies of the state
(c. 9000 people). Exiled others.
– Spared Julius Caesar (related to Marius & supporters of
his)
– “There were many a Marius in Caesar”
– 59-53 B.C.E.: First Triumvirate.
• Caesar - Pompey - Crassus
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The Decline of the Republic
• Civil War & the Dictatorship of Caesar
– 49-48 B.C.E.: Julius Caesar vs. Pompey
– 48 B.C.E.: Julius Caesar named Dictator. 11 days later,
appointed as Consul.
• Pompey Killed in Alexandria (head on a silver platter)
• Caesar creates the Julian Calendar (365 days, leap year, July
named for him). Spends tons of money on public works angering
senators.
– 45 B.C.E. Caesar coins money with his image & “Dictator
in perpetuity” on it.
– March 14, 44 B.C.E: Caesar Murdered in Senate
Senate : “People of Rome, we are free once again”
• 44 -36 B.C.E. Octavian vs. Enemies of Caesar
• 41 – 30 B.C.E. Octavian vs. Mark Antony.
• 27 B.C.E. Octavian called Augustus Caesar
Augustus Caesar –
First Emperor of Rome
• The Republic
became a rubber
stamp for the true
leader of Rome.
• The Republic was
dead.
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