Roman republic Flashcards
Battle of Silvia Arsia
- The exiled Tarquinius Superbus gained support from some Etruscan cities and declared war on Rome
- Brutus and Tarquinius’ son died when they thrust a spear into the other at the same time
- The wood told the Romans that they had won as they had lost 1 less man.
Horatius Cocles
- He defended the bridge to Rome by himself
- He called the Gods to destroy the bridge
- A statue was built of him and he was given many honours and land
Mucius Scaevola
- He proposed to the Senate and was allowed to try to assassinate Porsena, an Etruscan king who besieged Rome.
- He accidently kills the king’s Secretary instead so was captured
- He told Porsena that every man in Rome wanted to have the honour of killing him
- Porsena ordered for him to be burnt alive but he stuck his right hand in the flame and was let go out of respect.
- More envoys were sent to kill Porsena but he survived. Porsena then proposed peace as he was so shook from Mucius.
Cloelia
- She was a hostage in a hostage swap from the peace deal but escaped with other hostages
- Porsena was furious and demanded Cloelia to return
- when she did, he praised her publicly and allowed her to choose some hostages to return to Rome
Causes of the first secession
War - wars had caused debt and homelessness as you weren’t paid in the army.
Story of the war veteran - a soldier came back from wat to find his cottage burnt and his flocks driven off so he couldn’t pay taxes. He was then tortured which angered the whole city
The patron-client system - the system was failing so plebeians couldn’t raise concerns.
Key events of the first secession
- Appius Claudius thought they should crush the plebeians but Publius Servilius wanted unity and compromise. They couldn’t do anything about the debts as they had no quorum
- Rome was attacked but Servilius convinced the plebeians to fight for him in return for fighting against their debts however he couldn’t do anything about the debts
- Valerius was appointed dictator and said he would put forward the plebeians suggestions but resigned when they were refused
- Sicinius, a soldier, led the plebeians to the Sacred Mount
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Consequences of the first secession
- Agrippa convinced the plebeians to come back
- Appius Claudius wanted to replace the plebeians
- Brutus and Sicinius proposed the creation of the tribunes to the senate. The tribunes were meant to look after plebeian problems
Coriolanus
- He believed the plebeians had cause famine and wanted them to starve so the tribunes indicted him for this
- Coriolanus ignored this as he didn’t believe in the tribunes power. The tribunes incited the plebeians until the Senate agreed to set him up as a scapegoat
- Coriolanus fled to Volsci and encouraged them to wage war on Rome
Agrarian law and Spurius Cassius
- The plebeians wanted land reforms so the tribunes proposed new agrarian laws
- The consul Spurius Cassius tried to use this demand to establish tyranny
- The senate caught on and executed him after he tried to use surplus grain to bribe the plebeians.
Volero Publilius
- He claimed the tribunes were too scared or too friendly with the Senate to help the plebeians but wasn’t punished as elder senators warned this would incite the plebeians
- He later became tribune and changed the voting system so the tribunes were elected by the plebeians only
Indictment of Appius Claudius
He was indicted by the tribunes but died during a suspension of the trial
Rape of Lucretia
Lucretia won a competition as to who was the best Roman wife
Sextus, Tarquinus’ son, was jealous so went to Lucretia’s house and forced her to sleep with him saying he will frame her of adultery
Afterwards Lucretia killed herself as she valued her honour and chastity and Brutus said he would avenge her death and remove Superbus
Overthrow of Tarquinius Superbus
There is a story where Brutus and two of Superbus’ sons go to the Delphic Oracle who tells them that whoever kisses their mother first will be the next king. Brutus then kissed the ground.
Brutus called an assembly an told the people of Superbus’ crimes and he was then exiled
Features of the new republic
- 2 Consuls shared the power and had control over the military
- Magistrates inherited the power of the kings (consuls were the most important magistrates)
- lictors with fasces acted as bodyguards of the magistrates
- Censors looked after the administration of Rome
- Dictators were elected in times of emergency and had complete control but for only 6 months. The master of the house was appointed to check on the dictators power so tyranny can’t be established.
Gaius Terentilius
He demanded constitutional reform which would limit the power of the consuls after one consul, Quintus Fabius, made a new colony to reduce demand for land reforms so the tribunes had less power.
The senate claimed there wasn’t enough evidence to act which gave them an excuse to do nothing for the plebeians
