Unit 4: The Republic (509 BCE–31 BCE) - Objectives Flashcards
Early Republic (509 BCE–287 BCE)
(509 BCE–287 BCE) The Early Republic was marked by the Struggle of the Orders, where plebeians fought for political rights against the patrician class. Over time, plebeians gained access to government offices, priesthoods, and legal protections, culminating in the Lex Hortensia (287 BCE), which made plebiscites binding on all Romans. Rome also expanded control over Italy through military alliances and wars.
Middle Republic (287 BCE–133 BCE)
(287 BCE–133 BCE) During the Middle Republic, Rome expanded across the Mediterranean through wars, including the Punic Wars against Carthage and conflicts in Greece. The ruling nobiles, a mix of patricians and wealthy plebeians, controlled politics. While expansion brought wealth, it also created economic and social problems, as small farmers struggled while elites gained land and slaves.
Late Republic (133 BCE–31 BCE)
(133 BCE–31 BCE) The Late Republic saw increasing internal conflict as the political system failed to govern a vast empire. The Senate struggled against ambitious generals like Marius, Sulla, Pompey, and Julius Caesar. Civil wars erupted, leading to the collapse of the Republic. The period ended with Octavian (Augustus) consolidating power after defeating Mark Antony in 31 BCE, marking the rise of the Roman Empire.
Explain the systems through which Romans incorporated or integrated non-Romans into their empire.
Rome integrated non-Romans through a hierarchical system of citizenship and alliances. Civitates foederatae (allied states) retained autonomy but provided military support. Civitas sine suffragio granted legal rights but not voting privileges. Over time, conquered peoples could gain full citizenship, culminating in the Social War (91–88 BCE) and the Edict of Caracalla (212 CE), which granted citizenship to nearly all free inhabitants of the empire.
Outline Rome’s expansion from 509 BCE to 44 BCE.
- Early Republic (509–287 BCE): Rome unified Italy, defeating the Etruscans, Latins, and Samnites.
- Middle Republic (287–133 BCE): Rome expanded through the Punic Wars (264–146 BCE) against Carthage and wars in Greece and Asia Minor.
- Late Republic (133–44 BCE): Conquests brought wealth but also internal strife, leading to civil wars and Julius Caesar’s rise, marking the Republic’s decline.
Discuss the theoretical constructs explaining the development of Roman imperialism.
Scholars debate whether Roman expansion was defensive or driven by ambition. The defensive imperialism theory argues that Rome reacted to threats and expanded for security. The elite-driven expansion theory suggests that aristocrats sought military commands and personal glory. Structural theories highlight Rome’s patron-client relationships and economic motives, emphasizing conquest as a means of sustaining political stability.
Explain how competition between the upper-class Romans first assisted and then finally destroyed the Republican system.
Initially, elite competition fostered military success and political innovation, as seen in plebeian gains during the Conflict of the Orders. However, by the Late Republic, personal ambition led to civil wars. The rivalry between leaders like Marius and Sulla, Pompey and Caesar, and finally Octavian and Antony weakened institutions, culminating in the fall of the Republic and the rise of the Empire.
