Ancient Rome Flashcards
Into how many periods was ancient Rome divided ?
3
Who founded Rome?
Romulus and Remus 753 BC, according to a legend they were raised by a wolf
Who was responsible for building of Rome?
Etruscan civilization
what did the Etruscan civilization do?
-built heavily fortified cities
-no unified state was formed but we’re formed into a federation = league of 12 cities
-own system of writing, skilled engineers
-art and culture similar to greek (frescos)
-2 centuries Romans lived under Etruscan kings
-cloaca maxima
-public meeting place = forum romanum
-circus maximums
-Rome flourished under Etruscans until 509 BC
what was the cloaca maxima?
sewer, it’s primary function was to carry off storm water from the Forum district to the Tiber
what was circus maximus?
site of popular entertainment (theatres, plays, gladiator)
who was the last Etruscan king and what happened to him?
Tarquin the Proud - he was sent away because he ignored the Senate = Etruscan kings replaced by Republic
what was the first period in Ancient Rome?
Kingdom 753 - 509 BC
what was the second period in Ancient Rome?
Republic 509 - 31 BC
what happened during the second period of Ancient Rome?
-Roman republican system
-chief officials = two consuls
-consuls were advised by the senate = 300 members
-in times of crisis, the republic could appoint a dictator
what did the chief officials do?
(republic)
-commanded the army, directed the government
-power of imperium = power to decide over the life and death of citizens
what did the senate do?
(republic)
-controlled the Roman treasury & foreign policy
-senators were chosen for life, it provided continuity
how many members were in the senate?
300
who was the dictator?
(republic)
leader with absolute power to make laws and command the army
what did the government also consist of?
(republic)
censors = tax officials, kept record of individual’s property
questors = responsible for finances
what two groups were in conflict?
(republic)
Patricians = landowners, members of old aristocratic families, held most of the power
-held most important government offices, military leaders
Plebeians = common farmers, merchants, majority of population - limited participation in government
- formed their own assembly = council of plebeians
- later they could elect their own representatives - tribunes - protected the rights of plebeians
what was the first written Roman code?
(republic)
Laws of Twelve Tables (451 BC) - basis for Roman law
- most powerful unit in Roman society = family
how did the punic wars start?
(republic)
-Carthagians controlled the western part of Sicily
-Greeks controlled the eastern part of Sicily
Carthage - Rome’s biggest rival
-rich commercial power
-strong navy and army
-Carthagians also wanted to control EAST of Sicily
-conflict established into Punic Wars
- Punic War
264 - 241 BC
-Rome and Carthage fought for control of Sicily
-Rome defeated Carthage
-Sicily - Roman province
- Punic War
-Carthage was lead by Hannibal - he went from Spain, through the Alps, invading Italy
-ARMY = 50 000 men and war elephants
-Hannibal defeated Romans in battle of Cannae 216
-While hannibal was in Italy, Romans attacked Carthage and won at Zama in 202
-Carthage gave up their navy and lost territories in Spain
- Punic War
-revolt of Carthage against Rome -> destruction of the city itself
-Rome took control over eastern Mediterranean = Roman provinces - Mare Nostrum = Our Sea
What was the Roman Army?
-all citizens who owned land had to serve in the army
-romans organised in large military units = legions
-6000 heavily armed foot soldiers - infantry
-cavalry - soldiers on horses
-military and fighting skills of Roman army was a key factor in Roman expansion
-diplomacy was also very important for Romans = they treated their defeated opponents generously with privileges, and tried to make them allies
what happened during the crisis of the republic?
-common farmers had to rebuild their farms after Punic Wars
-small landowners had to sell their farms to wealthy landowners -> gaining more power and wealth from new provinces
-new problem -> man without land couldn’t serve in the army!
- brothers Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus <- tribunes -> tried to solve this problem
by reform = limitation of the size of the estates, giving land to the poor
-wealthy citizens didn’t like this -> Tiberius was murdered, Gaius was forced to commit suicide
Why did the rebellion of slaves happen?
73 - 71 BC
-stable government was replaced by the dictatorship
Roman economy relied on slave labour - slaves = 25% of population
-more than 100 000 slaves rebelled against government
-lead by Spartacus - former gladiator
-instability of Republic
-6000 slaves crucified as a warning
who formed triumvirate?
3 influential politicians (60 BC)
Marcus Crassus = wealthy patrician fought against Spartacus revolt
Pompeius = famous general who fought pirates in Mediterranean
Caesar = reformed calendar (Julian)
-appointed dictator for life
-senate didn’t like his growing power and influence - stabbed to death in 44 BC
-“Veni, vidi, vici” = I came, I saw, I conquered
What happened during the third period
(Roman Empire)
31 BC - 476 AD
-after Caesar’s death a civil war started
2nd Triumvirate was formed
Octavian = Caesar’s nephew
Mark Anthony = former general of infantry
Lepidus = former general in Caesar’s army
-wanted to restore peace in Republic
-Octavian and Marc became rivals -> fought against each other = Marc was defeated
-Octavian accepted the title of Augustus
-Imperator- supreme military commander
-became the 1st citizen of all Roman citizens
-he had supreme power
what was Limes Romanus?
the fortified border of the Roman Empire
-continuous strip of fortresses, military camps and real walls that separated Roman territory from barbarians
