Introduction To Roman History Flashcards
Sources for Roman History
- Literary Sources
- Epigraphic Sources (inscriptions)
- Archaeological Sources
Examples of Sources
- Literary Sources: Roman Government Documents and Written Histories
- Epigraphic Sources: Tombstones, Road Milestones, Government Rulings
- Archaeological Sources: Houses, temples, personal objects, artworks
Factors that Influenced Rome’s Development
- Italy’s position in the Mediterranean
- Rome’s location on the fertile plains
What are the key factors to Romes location
- Fertile plains
- The seven hills of Rome
- Near the sea
- The climate of Rome
What is the story of the finding of Rome?
Remus and Romulus.
Who are the Etruscans?
-Settled North of Rome around 900 BC
- Was ruled by Kings
- Had loose confederation of neighboring states
- Had labor and military class
What is Archaeological evidence of the Etruscans?
- The Etruscan Tombs.
-The tombs looked like small houses and there are artworks showing everyday life
How did the Etruscans build their cities?
- Grid system
- Made aqueducts, tunnels, drains and bridges
- Introduced the use of the Arch
What is the Etruscan religion?
- They had three main Gods, Tini, Uni and Menrva. Called the Capitoline Three
- They also used divination, art of reading signs from heaven.
What was the Etruscans social customs?
- Symbols such as the Fasces (bundle of rods with an axe tide in it), signified authority
- Color purple signified authority and wore togas.
Gladiators and Chariot races
When did the Greeks come to early Rome?
- Migrated to Naples in the plain of Campia around 750 BC
How did the Etruscan empire decline?
- Around 6th century BC the Romans started to depose their Kings
- They lost wars with the Greek and the Samnites
What direct influence did the Greek have on Rome’s culture
- Trade
- Diplomatic agreements
- Architecture
- Religion
- Writing styles
- Customes
- Science
-Literature
-Philosophy - Education
What were the two main classes of Rome?
- Patricians (Upper class)
- Plebians (Lower Class)
What roles did the Patricians and Plebs have in Political matters?
- Patricians: controlled everything, the consuls and magistrates were only elected from the Patrician class
- Plebs: No political power, could not hold political office, had their own assemblies but was controlled by the patricians.
What role did the Patricians and Plebs have in religious matters?
- Patricians: controlled all religious matters, members from the priestly colleges were all patricians.
- Plebs: Had no right to hold religious office
What role did the Patricians and Plebs have in legal matters?
- Patricians: Controlled all laws, criminal or civil, wrote all the laws, controlled the legal apparatus (written law) and could change the laws.
- Plebs: No access to the legal apparatus, could not hold legal office, no right to appeal.
What role did the Patricians and Plebs have in social matters?
-Patricians: Patricians could not marry plebs, and when marries they would have a ceremony with priests.
-Plebs: Could not marry Patricians and their children would automatically be plebs.
What role did the Patricians and Plebs have in Economic matters?
-Patricians: Could own large estates, own business and industries, could lease land from the state (ager Publicus)
-Plebs: Could not lease public land, hired by Patricians, pay rent, had to pay military tax, would often fall into debt.
What role did the Patricians and Plebs have in Military matters?
-Patricians: Held all senior military positions, the two consuls of Rome were also the generals. Military service was based off of wealth.
- Plebs: Those working on farms called away for war had to still pay rent and taxes. Used their military position to put pressure on the Patricians for better quality of life.
What are the Property Qualifications for the Roman Military (5 tiers)
- Created by Etruscan King Servius Tullius (6th Century BC.
-1st tier, Triarii (spearmen): property worth 100’000 asses
-2nd tier and 3rd, Principes (heavy infantry): property worth 70’000 asses
-4th tier, Hastati (medium infantry): property worth 25’000 asses
5th tier, velities (skirmishers): property worth 11’000 asses
What was the formation of the military?
- It had 4’200 men
- Velities at the front, than the Hastati, then the Principles and lastly Triarii
- Poorest at the front richest at the back.
