Roman Empire
I. Italy Geography
1. Italy is about 750 miles long.
2. Centrally located in the Meditterean Sea.
3. As 3 fertile areas god for growing food.
4. Rome is about 18 miles up the Tiber at a good crossing point. Close but not to close to the sea.
5. Built on 7 hills, which is good for defense.
II. The People of Italy
1. Latin
A. The Latium came around 1500-1000 B.C.
B. The population of was made up of farmers.
2. Greeks
A. They came around 750-550 B.C.
B. They gave artistic, and cultural models.
3. Etruscans
A. Most influential people of the Appeanian Peninsula (Italy basically).
B. Controlled Rome, built up the city from 650-509B.C.
III. Roman Republic
1. Roman defeat the last Etruscan King.
2. They set up a new Republic, which is now know as the 1st Republic.
3. Over 200 years Romans fight/take over enemies that surround them.
4. Roman Confederation ruled.
A. Latins had full Roman citizenship, and other conquered people could be allies.
IV. Why Rome had success
1. Sense of duty, courage and discipline.
2. Good diplomats.
3. Excellent in military matters.
4. Good strategists.
5. Practical in law and politics.
6. Their people wanted a new government and not the old fashion tyrant Emperors.
V. The Government of Rome
1. People were divided into two groups:
1. Patricians: wealthy, landowners
2. Plebeians: less wealthy landowners, and craftspeople, merchants, and small farmers.
2. Men in both groups could vote, but only Patricians could be elected to public offices.
3. Chief executives of the Roman Republic.
1. Consuls: 2 men, elected annually to ran the government and lead the army.
2. Praetors: In charge of the civil laws as it applied to Roman citizens.
4. Various officials to regulate other aspects of government excited.
VI. The Senate
1. Group of 300 men of the Patrician class who served for life.
2. Created to advise, but later carried the weight of law.
3. Centuriate assembly
1. Organized by wealth so the richest men had the most power in the assembly.
2. Power to choose consuls and praetors.
4. Council of the Plebs
1. For plebs only.
2. Officials known as Tribunes of the Plebs were given the power to product their class.
5. Struggle between classes
1. Plebs mad at Patricians over equal rights, for example: we serve in the military and so should be able to decide
in political decisions about military action.
6. Eventually Plebs were actually able to become Consuls.
7. Later the Council of the Plebs was even allowed to pass laws for all Roman citizens.
8. These concessions were to try and show all were equal, but actually an elite existed of upper class Plebs and Patricians.
