Topic Four - Rome: Origins and the Roman Republic Flashcards
Rome’s mythological origins/Ananeas, Romulus, Remus
Aeneas: hero who escaped Troy and settles in Italy
-reflects cultural connections to Greece, desire for legitimacy
Romulus and Remus: brothers who were sons of Mars
-raised by shepherd after being abandoned and suckled by a she-wolf
-avenged their mother’s death and founded Rome, 753 BC
-Romulus: kills brother, becomes first king of Rome
Roman Monarchy
Period of Seven Kings (753-509 BC)
-Two Etruscan Kings?
-Roadbuilding, temple creation, general urbanization
-Etruscan cultural influence: toga, alphabet, and ruling insignia
-Rape of Lucretia ended Seven Kings Period
Roman Republic
509 BC-264 BC
Executive authority: only authority
Consuls; praetors; dictators; quaestors; aediles
Executive authority:
-two consuls: one-year terms, also served as chief of military affairs
-praetor: executive when consuls were away, in charge of civil law; more positions added as Rome expanded
-dictator: assumed near-limitless power during crises
Administrators:
-quaestors: finances of the republic
-aediles: oversaw games and grain supply
Roman Senate and Popular Assemblies
Roman Senate:
starts as council of elders
about 300 men, served for life
Can advise not make law, but advice carries much weight
Popular assembles:
Could pass laws
Plebeians and Patricians, Clientage and Patronage
Clients: dependent on Patrons for protection, legal help, financial assistance, gave labor for services, etc.
Patrons: wealthy upper classmen
Plebeians: vast majority; made up virtually all citizens outside of Patricians
Patricians: aristocratic class, largely responsible for governance, traced lineage to original senators
The Struggle of the Orders
Social Restrictions on Orders (no intermarriage, plebs no office holding)
Demands of wealthy Plebs
with time rules were changed, opening opportunities for Plebeians (like allowing intermarriage and Plebeians to be counsel) but that still doesn’t mean it was done or socially accepted
Rome conquest of Italy
started in late 300s BC
by 264 BC control of the entire Italian peninsula was near complete
social integration into Roman confederation
rights of defeated foes: local political autonomy, opportunity for Roman citizenship, must provide soldiers
Punic Wars
Roman expansion beyond Italy, 200s - 100s BC
fought between Carthage (dominant western Mediterranean military and economic power) and Rome
Second Punic War had Hannibal with elaphants through Alps and Scipio Africanus from Rome
Carthage had gone into Spain, Rome pushed them out
Third Punic War, Rome utterly destroys Carthage
Qunitus Fabius Maximus
Second Punic War (Rome and Carthage) c. 200 BC
“The Delayer”
Roman General, when Hannibal came with his elephants, Maximus delayed the real fight back against Hannibal, waiting until they were at the heart of Rome
Battle of Cannae
big victory battle for Carthage in Second Punic war, 216 BC
as a result, Scipio Africanus pushes Carthage out of Spain, takes war back to Africa
Hannibal must return to defend city
Rome Conquers the Hellenistic World
After Rome’s defeat of Carthage, door opened to Eastern Mediterranean and Greek States
War with Macedonia and Seleucid Empire
Greek freedom from Macedonia, Rome is guardian
Then Rom takes over Macedonia
Then Rome controls the entire Mediterranean by 133 BC
Cum manu and sine manu marriages
had to do with who was legal guardian of woman in marriage in Roman Republic
By third century BC, there was divorce
Upper-class women handled family affairs in absence of husband (war)
overall increasing women’s legal rights
Optimates and Populares
two main groups in the senates (division)
Traditional sources of political power vs. newly ambitious
Gracchi Brothers
toward end of Roman republic
Tribune Gracchus and Gaius Gracchus
Supported reforms, like land redistribution to the poor, colonization, cheap grain, vast expanse of citizenship (better for plebians)
Bypasses senate, assassinated by Senators
This opened the door for more violence, reprisals
