Unit 3: The Roman Republic Flashcards
1
Q
republic
A
- form of government where power rests with the citizens who have the right to vote for their leader
- only free-born male citizens could vote
- established in Rome after a tyrant, Tarquin the Proud (last king of Rome), was harsh to Romans
- 509 BC = no king anymore, republic was esablished
2
Q
patricians
A
- wealthy landowners
- held most of the power
- inherited power and social status
3
Q
plebians
A
- common farmers
- artisans
- merchants
- made up the majority of the population in Rome
- had right to vote but couldn’t hold the most important government positions
- allowed to form their own assembly and elect representatives (tribunes)
4
Q
tribunes
A
- elected representatives for plebian assembly
- protected the rights of the plebians from unfair acts of patrician officials
- represented the plebians
- could veto (like consuls)
- if ignored, the plebians could go on strike (again) and not serve in the army
5
Q
Twelve Tables
A
- made in 451 BC
- Rome’s first written law code
- written by 10 officials
- became the basis for later Romans law
- established the idea that all free citizens had a right to the protection of thelaw
6
Q
consuls
A
- Roman officials
- commanded army and directed the government (like but not like kings)
- had limited power
- term was only 1 year long
- the same person could not be elected again for another 10 years
- one consul could veto (overrule) the other’s decision
7
Q
senate
A
- aristocratic branch of Rome’s government
- had legislative and administative functions in the republic
- 300 members
- members were chosen from upper class of Roman society
- served for life
- most powerful part of Roman Empire
- in charge of all the money
- later plebians were allowed in the senate
- exercised great influence over foreign and domestic policy (trade, war & peace)
8
Q
The Tribal Assembly
A
- assembly organized by plebians
- represented the more democratic side of government
- elected tribunes
- made laws for the common ppl (later for the republic itself)
9
Q
dictator
A
- leader who had absolute power to make laws and command the army
- appointed in a time of crisis
- could only rule for 6 months
- chosen by consuls, elected by senate
10
Q
legions
A
- large military units with Roman soldiers
- made up of 5,000 foot soldiers (infantry)
- had cavalry
- divided into small groups of 80 men, which was called a century
- the word legion also means multitude
11
Q
Punic Wars
A
- 3 wars: (1) 264- 241 BC , (2) 218-202 BC, (3)149-146 BC = 120 years, only 40 years of fighting during this time
- war between Carthage (Romans called then the “Phoenicians”) and Rome
12
Q
1st Punic War
A
- in Sicily
- 264-241 BC
- Romans didn’t have a navy, Carthage did have a navy (better at fighing at sea because of the vast trade)
- boats = had oars (made it easier to control direction and speed)
- Romans invented a spike that would go down from their ship to the enemy ship so that when it came down, the boats couldn’t move. This made it a “land” battle on the deck of the boats (Romans were better at land battles)
- ROME WON
- Sicily became Rome’s first province
- Rome made Carthage give them Sardinia and Corsica (Rome’s 2nd provinces)
13
Q
What are the benefits of Rome having provinces?
A
- like subjects
- the provinces had to pay taxes (way to get Rome richer)
- they supply and are in the army
- governor could make money from provinces
- slaves
14
Q
2nd Punic War
A
- in Spain and Rome
- 218-202 BC
- Hanninbal (Carthaginian gerneral from Spain) comes up with a UNEXPECTED strategy to march from Spain, through France and across the Alps to Rome
- ARMY: 50, 000 infantry (foot soldiers), 9,000 cavalry, 60 elephants
- spent over a decade fighting in Italy
BATTLE OF CANNAE (215 BC)
-Hannival vs. Bothe Roman Consuls
-Rome:87,000 trrops, 8 legions, 6,400 cavalry
Carthage: 40,000 troops, 10,000 cavalry
-Hannibal’s strategy: be in position where the sun will face directly at the Roman army (in the morning) and the wind will be blowing towards the Romans
-stopping of feet wil creat dust clouds and blind Roman soldiers
-CARTHAGINIANS WON
-50,000 Romans died
-8,000 Carthaginians died
15
Q
Hannibal
A
- Carthaginian general in Spain
- brilliant military strategist
- wanted to avenge Carthage’s defeat in the 1st Punic War
- basically never been beaten (in Italy)
16
Q
3rd Punic War
A
- 149-146 Bc
- Scipio Africanus = Roman general, studied Hannibals tactics + knew how to fight Hannibal
- attacked Carthage; forced Hannibal to return home to Carthage
BATTLE OF ZAMA (202 BC)
- (near) Carthage
- only time Hannibal wa defeated
- Romans took Spain as a province
- Carthaginians promised not to fight anyone EVER without permission from Rome (SEE CLASSNOTES)
- 50,000 Carthaginians sold to slavery
17
Q
“foundation myth”
A
myth about how an empire started
18
Q
What is the “foundation myth” for Rome?
A
ROMULUS AND REMUS: twin brothers
- parents: Mars (god of war) & priestess (vestal virgin for Vesta)——–>not supposed to have kids
- they couldn’t keep Romulus and Remus, so they put them in a basket in the Tiber River
- found by a mother wolf, who raised them
- when they grow up, they both want to find/build cities and they do
- Remus makes fun of Romulus’s city because his walls are only knee high but Romulus is proud of his city
- Romulus gets mad and kills Remus
MESSAGE
- Romans are strong, warlike, devoted to the gods, and proud
- DO NOT MESS WITH THE ROMANS!
19
Q
civil war
A
-conflict between groups within the same country
20
Q
Julius Caesar
A
- military leader
- 59 BC = elected consul
- 60 BC = joined forces with Crassus and Pompey, ruled as a triumvirate for 10 years
- strong leader, genius at military strategy
- January 10, 49 BC = took army across Rubicon River (Italy) , marched to Rome and Pompey ran away; Caesars’ troops defeated Pompey’s armies at Greece, Asia, Spain, and Egypt
- 44 BC = appointed dictator for life; absolute ruler (ruled with total/absolute power)
- March 15, 44 BC = stabbed to death (in “senate chamber”) by nobles and senators who disagreed with his reforms and thought he was acting to much like a king
- after death = civil war again and destroyed what was left of the Republic
21
Q
triumvirate
A
group of 3 rulers
22
Q
Augustus
A
- real name = Octavian
- Augustus means “exalted one”
- Octavian was also called imperator (“supreme military commander”; where the word emperor comes from)
23
Q
Pax Romana
A
- “Roman peace”
- time of peace and prosperity
- Roman Empire = 3 million square miles, 60-80 million ppl, 1 million ppl lived in Rome
- organized government
- vast trade network
- lots of farming (agriculture)
24
Q
denarius
A
- silver coin used during Augustus’s time
- used throughout empire
- made trade easier
