Rome Flashcards
1
Q
What are the main themes for the Roman topic?
A
- Geography of Italy
- Peoples of Italy
- Early urbanism and Greek colonisation
- Roman conquest of Italy
- Roman colonisation
- Development of towns in Roman Italy
2
Q
What is the Geography of Italy?
A
- Bordered by the alps to the north
- The Appenines (mountain range)
- Volcanoes (Vesuvius and Etna)
- Long coastline
- Central Italy has one of the densest clusters of ancient cities in the mediterranean
3
Q
Describe the human landscape of Ancient Italy in the 4th century BC
A
- Fortified settlements are found in most of the areas inhabited by pre-Roman peoples.
- After the Roman conquest of Italy (2nd century BC): cities founded by Rome represent less than 10% of total numbers of urban centres.
- High number of cities in Roman Italy is more related to pre-existing settlements subsumed by Roman expansion than to new Roman foundations.
4
Q
Describe the origins of urbanism in Italy
A
- So called ‘proto-urbanism’
- process of settlements beginning to take on rudimentary urban form might date back to the 9th century BC. It is most closely associated with areas of Etruria and Latium.
- Dispersed groups of villages become more nucleated and situated within an artificially created boundary (bank and ditch fortification)
- Greek colonisation of 8th to 6th centuries BC was very influential.
5
Q
Describe Greek colonisation in Rome
A
- Current thinking on the causes is that trade provided the initial motivation.
- Small Greek trading posts were replaced by large permanent settlements which possessed territories farmed by the Greek settlers.
- Arrival of the Greeks coincides with a new indigenous in Greek products, mostly Greek forms of ceramics.
- Language adapted from the Greek alphabet in the 7th century BC
- The equating of Latin and Etruscan gods with Greek gods.
- The modern term for this period is the ‘ Orientalising’ period.
6
Q
What did the 8th and 6th centuries BC represent in Italy?
A
- A period of Greek experimentation in the ideal form of settlement.
- if you have to build a settlement from scratch, you are more likely to think about what you want from it and how it should be physically structured.
7
Q
What are the characteristics of Greek colonial urban centres
A
- Subdivision of space according to function
- Chora (a territory to be farmed)
- Necropoleis (space for the dead outside of city)
- City within which there are distinct areas for domestic architecture, sanctuaries and political assembly.
8
Q
What had happened by the 6th century with regards to Greek colonies?
A
- The Greek colonies of Southern Italy and Sicily had become territorial states.
- They were inhabited by people who considered themselves to be Greek
- Described by Greek writers as ‘city-states’ (poleis)
9
Q
What happened to Greek colonial urban centres in Italy?
A
- Some survived to the Roman imperial period, although be that point many were in decline or had been abandoned.
10
Q
Name an example of a Greek urban area in Italy?
A
- Poseidonia (7th to 6th centuries BC)
11
Q
What was Greek colonisation like in the 8th to 5th centuries BC in Italy?
A
- Likely Greek influence on the development of major native settlements and communities in Etruria, Latium and Campania
12
Q
How do settlements show Greek influence in Italy?
A
- Subdivision of urban space for distinct functions.
- Necropolises created outside urban areas
- Structures cleared to create public spaces
- Houses and other buildings constructed with stone foundations and tile roofs.
- Use of surveying techniques in the creation of regularised street-systems
- Monumental public architecture.
13
Q
Describe history of Etrusca
A
- Large Etruscan and Latin settlements became city-states during the Orientalising period.
- Etruscan influence at its height during the 6th century
- Evidence of major construction, layout and monumentalisation at Rome during the 6th century BC
- Etruscan dominance fades during the 5th century BC
14
Q
Describe history of Latium
A
- By the end of the 6th century, there were as many as 20 city-states
- Rome was the largest and most powerful
- During the 6th and 5th centuries, these city-states maintained their independence but were organised as a league allied to Rome.
- 5th century BC- generally a difficult time for central Italy
- Reduced quantities of archaeological material from this period.
- Reduced quantities of Greek imports
- Later written sources refer to invasions and conflict during this period.
15
Q
When did the rule of Kings end in Italy?
A
- Written sources point to the end of the rule of kings at Rome and beginning of the Republic in 509BC
- Scholars still disagree about when this took place
- By the 4th century BC, there is no mention of kings in Etruria, Latium or Campania.
- Instead cities were ruled by colleges of magistrates with distinct responsibilities.
- These magistrates were drawn from the higher property-owning classes- the wealthy.
- Cities being ruled by the aristocracies
16
Q
Describe the rise of Rome as a political and military power?
A
- During the 5th century, Rome had a series of wars against its Etruscan neighbour Veli
- Veli fell in 396BC and its entire territory was incorporated into land possessed by Rome.
- Romans had a mentality not seen before; when an enemy is beaten, the victor takes the land.
- Latin city-states begin to be absorbed by Rome. Tusculum is first in 381BC.
17
Q
Describe how the Romans took Italy
A
- Military superiority
- Cunning diplomacy- exploited lack of unity
- Some cities voluntarily joined Rome
- Consolidated power in aftermath of invaders e.g. Pyrrhus and Hannibal
18
Q
What is a Municipium?
A
- a self-governing community of Roman citizens
19
Q
How did Rome hold onto territories?
A
- Rome conferred Roman citizenship on many Latin-states
- Males from municipia could be levied straight into the legions
20
Q
What were the two types of colonies?
A
- Roman colonies (of Roman citizens)
- Latin colonies (settlers had to give up their old citizenship to become a citizen)
21
Q
Describe the colony of Ostia
A
- One of the first colonies. Founded at the mouth of the Tiber near Rome towards the end of the 4th century BC.
22
Q
Describe formation of colonies by Rome
A
- As many as 28 colonies like Ostia were created between 328 and 177 BC. All were situated on the coast and designed to be used for coastal defence.
