The+Roman+Republic

The Roman Republic

Bold:
 * 1) Republic- A form of government in witch power rests withcitizens who have the right to vote for their leaders.
 * 2) Patricians- The wealthy landowners who held most of the power.
 * 3) Plebeians- The common folk, artisans, farmers, merchants who made up the majority of the populations.
 * 4) Tribunes- Elected representantives for the that protected the rights of plebeians from unfair acts of patrician officials.
 * 5) Consuls- two offials, like kings they commanded the army and directed the government.
 * 6) Senate- The aristocratic branch of Rome's government it had both legistlative and administrative functions.
 * 7) Dictator- A leader who had absolute power to make laws and command the army.
 * 8) Legions- Large military units.
 * 9) Punic Wars- Between 264 and 146 BC Rome and Carthage fought three wars. The first was for control of Sicily and the western Medditereanian that lasted 23 years 264 to 241 BC Rome won. The second war began in 218 BC the master behind it was a Carthaginian named Hannibal, but Rome won.
 * 10) Hannibal- A brilliant military stratigist for Carthage.

People-
 * 1) Hannibal
 * 2) Scipio

Key Ideas/Events: THE ORGINS OF ROME:
 * The city of Rome was founded in 753 BC.
 * Rome was built on seven rolling hills at a curve on the Tiber river.
 * The earlist settlers on the Italian Penninsula arrived in prehistoric times from about 1000 to 500 BC.
 * Between 750 and 600 BC the Greeks established colonies along southern Italy and Sicily, these cities became prosperous and commerially active.
 * The Etrscans were native to northern Italy. They were skilled metalworkers and engineers, they strongly influenced the development of Roman civilization. They boasted a system of writing.

THE EARLY REPUBLIC:
 * In the early republic many groups struggled for power.
 * The parteicians claimed that their ancestry gave them athority to make decisions for Rome.
 * In 451 BC a group of ten offcials began writing the laws down, they were carved on twelve different tablets. They became basis for Roman laws from then on.
 * The laws were called the Twelve Tables.
 * In the 1st centruy BC Roman writters boasted about how Rome had a balenced government.
 * Rome had taken thebest fetures of a monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy for their own government.
 * The upperclass of the Roman society choose the senate of 300 people.
 * The assemblies represented a more democratic side of the government.
 * The Romans placed a great value on their military, all citizens who owned land were required to live in the army.
 * The Roman legion was made up of 5000 armed solidiers on foot.

ROME SPREADS ITS POWER:
 * For hundreds of years after the republic was founded Rome sought to expand its territories through trade and conquest.
 * Roman power grew slowly but steadily as the legions battled for control of the Italian penninsula.
 * The Romans conquered Italy.
 * For more than two centuries Rome's power spread far beyond Italy.
 * Romes location gave it easy acess to the riches of the land.
 * They traded wine and oil for a varity of foods and raw materials.
 * Hannibal assenbled an army of 50,00 men and 60 elephantes with the intent of capturing rome he tried to suprise Rome, Hannibal only ened up wining one battle.
 * Rome won both of the Punic Wars.
 * Scipio devised a lan to attack Carthage, thats when the Romans defeated Hannibal.
 * By 70 BC Rome's Meditereanian empire stretched from Anatolia to east Spain in the west.