Rome Flashcards
Story of Aeneas
Trojan war hero- Venus told him to leave
Left with his son Ascanius, wife Creusa and dad Anchises
Lost Creusa but met his second wife Lavinia- founded Lavinium
He took with him the fire of Vesta and the holy headbands
What are the four foundation myths of Rome?
Romulus and Remus
The Sabines
Aeneas
Hercules and Evander
The story of Romulus and Remus
Mother was Rhea Silvia, a Vestal Virgin, who was raped by Mars
The king put the twins in a basket by the river with the intention of drowning them
A she wolf found them first and treated them like cubs
They were found by Faustulus a shepherd and he raised them
When they were older they went back to and took the throne off king Amulius and gave it to their father Numitor
They built temples on two hills to look for omens
Romulus became king
Describe the story of Hercules and Evander
Hercules was carrying out one of his 12 Labours, when he had taken Geryon(a monster)’s cattle and taken them near to the river Tiber
While he slept Cacus(a giant shepherd) stole the best bulls and took them to his cave
When Hercules woke up he looked for the bulls but couldnt find them, until they mooed
He killed Cacus, and the ruler Evander said he knew Hercules would come and be made a god
Hercules built an altar where they made sacrifices to the Pinarii and Potitii families
Describe the story of the Sabines
Rome didnt have enough women so sent ambassadors round to see if anyone wanted to marry a Roman (they didnt)
The Romans planned a new festival called the Consualia and invited all the neighbours, including Sabines
All the Roman men grabbed a Sabine woman and Romulus made them marry and ensured that the wife was treated very well
The Sabines attacked the Roman citadel and they fought for a while until the women broke it up
Romulus agreed joint power with the Sabine king Titus Tatius
Name the kings in order
Romulus Numa Pompilius Tullus Hostilius Ancus Marcius Lucius Tarquinius Priscus Servius Tullius Lucius Tarquinius Superbus
3 achievements of Romulus
Creating the 100 Senators (founding fathers)
Gave people laws for the first time
Expanded Romes population and territories
3 achievements/events in Numa’s reign
He created the temple of Janus- doors open, at war, doors closed, at peace
Made people ‘fear the gods’- meeting Egeria in the woods
Made the year into 12 months according to the moon
2 achievements/events of Tullus Hostilius’s reign
Triplets from Rome fought with triplets from Alba Longa so he could conquer them
He punished the leader by tying his arms and legs to different horses and sending them running in opposite directions which had never been done in Rome before and never was again(too harsh)
2 achievements of Ancus Marcius
Made a bridge- first bridge in Rome
Founded the port at Ostia
2 achievements/events in Tarquinius Priscus’s reign
Created the Ludi Romani(roman games)
Built the Cloaca Maxima(new sewage system)
2 events/achievements from Servius Tullius’s reign
He made the first census to tax Roman people fairly
He was a slave whose head burst into flames which was seen as an omen that he should be king
3 events from Tarquinius Superbus’s reign
Didn’t allow Servius Tullus to be buried
Got rid of the Senators and made all the decisions himself
Was run out of Rome by Brutus
Describe the rape of Lucretia
Some men were away at war
They returned to Rome to see what their wives were doing- most were drinking at parties but Lucretia was working at home
The son of Superbus went back to her house the next night and raped her
She felt so bad in the morning that she called her husband and father together and stabbed herself
As revenge, her husband and the Romans led by Brutus got rid of the Tarquin family
