Rome

Republic to

Empire

Romulus and Remus According to

Roman Mythology, the legendary city of Rome was founded in 753 B.C.E

Twin brothers. Sons of the war god Mars

The Age of Kings For the first 250 years of Rome’s

existence, it was ruled by a group known as the Etruscans who resided north of the Tiber River

In around 600 B.C. they overtake the city of Rome

Even though Rome was ruled by kings there were elements of the Republic already incorporated into the city

The Age of Kings Rome under the Etruscans resembled a Greek

city. There was a senate that advised the king. This

consisted of a class of people called the Patricians

The most important building was called the Capitol. It is here where the Comitia (Assembly) would meet

The Etruscans influenced the early Romans the way the Greeks influenced the Etruscans.

The Age of Kings

Etruscan and Greek territories in Italy by

509 B.C.

Expulsion of the Kings In 509 B.C. a group of noblemen grew fed

up with their king, Tarquin. They organized a revolt and drove him from

the city. The leading families in Rome took power

and ruled together a members of the Senate

They instituted no new kings, and formed the Roman Republic

Age of the Republic: The Seven Hills of Rome

Provide a natural defense system for the city

Quirinal Viminal Esquiline Capitoline Palatine Caelian Aventine

Age of the Republic During the years of

the Republic Rome was split socially between two classes.

The Patricians represented the higher class of citizens

The Plebeians represented the lower class

Age of the Republic Both Patricians and Plebeians had the right

to vote. But only patricians had the right to hold any political, military or religious offices. Basically all the power was in the hands of the patricians. Although the plebeians had fewer rights than the patricians they still had to serve in the army and pay taxes to the people that were oppressing them.

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Age of the Republic Struggle of the Orders- Refers to the class struggle between the Patricians who

had all the power and made up a small percentage of the population and the Plebeians who had no power and made up a majority of the population in Rome.

- This conflict lasted for over 70 years during the early days of the Republic and resulted in numerous attempts at concession from the Patricians in the form of more rights and more participation in the Republic.

- It also resulted in the creation of the first written law code in Rome, the Twelve Tables

Age of the Republic In 450 B.C. Rome

develops its first law code

Called the Twelve Tables, these laws talked about property, crime, family, theft, marriage and inheritance.

Age of the Republic Offices of the

Republic (# of members)

-Consul (2)-Quaestor (20)-Praetor (8)-Censors (2)-Aediles (4)-Tribune (10)

Age of the Republic Consuls- Elected by the Senate to

one year terms- Two elected each year from

the Patrician class- Initiated Legislation, served

as heads of the judiciary and the military, as well as the chief priests to the nation

- Limited power of the Consul by electing two to serve (each had veto power over the other)

Quaestors- Administered the finances

of the state treasury and served in varying capacities elsewhere in the provinces of Rome

- After serving as a quaestor, individuals automatically became eligible for service in the Senate-though they had to be appointed by a Censor

Age of the Republic Praetors- Elected for one-year

terms- Served primarily as

judges in law courts.- Had power to convene

Senate and Assemblies- Assumed administrative

duties of Consuls when absent from Rome.

- After term was finished, they may have served as a governor of a province given the title of Propraetor

Censors- Elected for 1½ year

terms- Updated lists of

Senators - Conducted census of

citizens- Assessed property

values for tax purposes- Granted state

contracts

Age of the Republic Aediles- Two types: Aediles and Curule

Aediles- Supervised public places,

public games, and the grain supply of Rome.

- 2 required to be Plebeian, 2 to be from either order (curule Aediles)

Tribunes- Heads of the Assembly,

members came from the Plebian class

- Established to protect plebeians from actions of the magistrates

- Power to veto any act of magistrates

- By law were ‘sacrosanct’ meaning if they were physically attacked the attacker could be immediately killed

- Power to convene Senate and initiate legislation

Age of the Republic The Senate-600 Magistrates and ex-magistrates who served for life unless expelled by Censors

-Met in building called the Curia in the Roman Forum

-Technically was an advisory body, but was more the chief governmental body of Rome. It controlled foreign affairs, public finances, assigned military commands and provincial governorships, and debated and passed decrees and laws to be submitted to the Assembly for ratification

-Symbolized by the letters “SPQR” (Senatus Populusque Romanus) meaning “The Senate and the People of Rome”

Age of the Republic Assemblies- Very similar to Greek Assembly- Comprised of all Roman citizens (males)- Voted on laws and decrees presented by the Senate- Votes counted in groups, not individually. Majority from

each group was final vote

Age of the Republic 509-27 B.C.

Age of the Republic

Age of the Republic Structure of Roman

Republic

Age of the Republic The Punic Wars (264-146 B.C.)- A series of three wars with the city of Carthage a city

on the north African coast. Originally settled by Phoenicians. Punic is Latin word for Phoenicia.

- By 272 B.C. Rome had attained control of the whole Italian mainland and sought to extend its influence into the surrounding islands of Italy

- The western Mediterranean was under the control of Carthage who had a vast trading empire that in the beginning did not conflict with Rome’s intentions.

- However by 264 B.C. the two powers would come into direct conflict with each other. The first entanglement would be over the Carthaginian territory of Messana in northeast Sicily

Age of the Republic First Punic War(264-241 B.C.)- After gaining control ofsouthern Italy, the Romanscame into direct conflict with Carthage as the two

civilizationscame in closer contact with

each other. -Carthage had control of the northern part of Sicily.

Age of the Republic First Punic War - Carthage was a great Naval power and Rome knew

that it had to develop their own Navy- For twenty years Rome and Carthage were at war in

Sicily. Rome constructed a naval force that finally defeated Carthage in 241B.C.

- The terms of the treaty gave control of Sicily to Rome. This is significant, because it is Rome’s first overseas territory.

- Carthage was also required to pay Rome and indemnity (sum of money) to pay for the costs of the war.

Age of the Republic Second Punic War ( 218-201 B.C.)- While Carthage suffered the loss of its territories in Sicily in

the first war, they still sought to create a great empire. - The set their sights on the region of Spain and invaded and

conquered between the years of 273-219 B.C. Under the command of Hamilcar Barca

- This violated part of the treaty between Rome and Carthage that limited Carthaginian expansion past the Ebo River in Spain.

- Additionally, the city of Saguntum, in Spain, approached Rome asking for protection and alliance against Carthage.

- Now Rome has an ally in the heart of Carthaginian territory.

Age of the Republic- In 221 B.C. a young man of

25 years of age takes command of the Carthaginian Spain

- His name was Hannibal and at first he stays away from Saguntum, not wishing conflict with Rome.

- Saguntum, however, begins to use their alliance with Rome to their advantage when dealing with other Spanish cities.

- Hannibal, despite threats from Rome, attacks Saguntum and conquers it.

Age of the Republic Second Punic War- Rome attempts diplomatic measures and demands that

Carthage turn Hannibal over to Rome. - Hannibal’s refusal to meet the Roman demands forces

Rome to declare war in 218 B.C.- However, the enemy Rome faced in the second war, was

much more formidable than the enemy faced in the first war

- Carthage had many years to raise a powerful army in Spain.

- Hannibal makes the decision to take the war to Roman territory and marches his army into Northern Italy by a dangerous route through the Alps.

Age of the Republic Second Punic War- Hannibal’s army, although extremely tired from their journey

over the Alps succeed in defeating Roman armies in North Italy and within two months had conquered the whole of Northern Italy.

- These victories brought in support from the Gauls from the north numbering in the fifty-thousands.

- Hannibal believed that his victory over Rome would be solidified if he could succeed in turning Roman allies over to Carthage.

- This strategy did not work as Roman allies remained faithful. - Meanwhile Hannibal has marched his armies to the city of

Rome, but lacking support he turns his army to the south

Age of the Republic Second Punic War- Rome builds up a huge army 80,000 strong to challenge

Hannibal in the south. - This army vastly outnumbered the Carthaginian army, but

was decimated by Hannibal-this was the largest defeat ever suffered by Rome in its history.

- Rome’s failures in the south cause southern allies to change alliance to Carthage including the whole of the Sicily and even Greece under the rule of Philip V of Macedon.

- Rome’s new strategy would be to wait out Hannibal. Fortunately none of Rome’s central allies had changed allegiance.

Age of the Republic Second Punic War- Hannibal is now left ‘high and dry’ in Italy. - Scipio’s next move is to cross the Mediterranean and

take the war to the city of Carthage itself.- Carthage was unable to defend itself and was forced to

sue for peace with Rome- Under the stipulations of the new treaty, Hannibal was

to leave the Italian peninsula. - He returns to Carthage and engages Scipio’s army in

202 B.C. at Zama in north Africa. Hannibal was defeated and Rome reduced Carthage to a dependent state.

Age of the Republic Second Punic War- Rome’s strategy was working. While Hannibal’s army

marched unopposed through southern Italy, he was running low on supplies and men, unable to re supply his army with his distance from Carthage.

- This made Hannibal unable to attack cities as large as Rome.

- Hannibal even gets his army to the doors of Rome in 211 B.C. , but does not lay siege.

- Rome then appoints a new proconsul named Publius Cornelius Scipio who takes the war to Carthage and attacks Spain.

- By 206 B.C. Scipio has conquered all of Carthaginian Spain and made it into Roman provinces.

Age of the Republic Second Punic War- Rome now had control over the whole of the western

Mediterranean including north Africa- During his campaign in Italy, Hannibal never lost a major

battle. Only at Zama was his army finally defeated by Roman forces.

- Publius Cornelius Scipio was given an honorary name for his conquest of Africa. He was now know as Scipio Africanus

- Rome had faced certain defeat at the hands of Hannibal but they stood strong. A strong system of alliances held strong for the most part.

- Victory over Carthage turned Rome into an international empire. The lands acquired during the Second Punic War would nearly triple the size of Roman territory.

Age of the Republic Third Punic War ( 149-146 B.C.)- In the years following the end of the second Punic

War, Carthage saw a rebound of prosperity through commercial activities. Although they never gained back much power

- Rome was however fearful that a rejuvenated Carthage would eventually seek to gain the power lost in the first and second Punic Wars

- They issued a decree that demanded that Carthage move its city to inland Africa.

- Being a commercial naval trading power Carthage was unwilling to submit to the demands of Rome.

Age of the Republic Third Punic War- When Carthage refused Rome’s demands Rome

declared war on Carthage for a third time. - Rome attacked Carthage itself and lay siege to the city. - Roman soldiers went from house to house slaughtering

the city’s inhabitants-even non combatants (women and children)

- The Carthaginians who survived were sold into slavery- The city itself was demolished including the harbor. - All the surrounding land was sown with salt-this renders

it uninhabitable and unable to produce crops. - Signifies the end of Carthage. Rome then sets is sites on

Philip V and conquers his territories in Greece.

Age of the RepublicTiberius and Gaius Gracchus Following the end of the Punic Wars Rome was now the central

power in the Mediterranean. In the span of little more than a hundred years Rome would

shift from a republic with democratic institutions into an empire under the control of one man

Many historians pinpoint the shift in politics to the rise of one man: Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus-held office of Tribune

Many of the poor who served in the military, had come home

from war to find their land over taken by wealthy neighbors.

Age of the Republic Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus Tiberius, a plebian by birth, but nobleman by his service in the

Tribune designed a land reform plan to aid the poor who had lands taken. His reform bill also dealt with what to do with lands owned by soldiers killed in war.

Instead of making his proposal to the Senate like protocol dictated he took his proposal directly to the Assembly of the People

One ancient writer said that this was when “the dagger entered the forum”

After numerous attempts to stifle the bill Gracchus’ land bill was eventually passed, however, when he tried to stand for re-election to the Tribune he was murdered by a group of Senators

Gracchus brought to attention many of the problems that Rome faced with a growing empire

Age of the Republic Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus Tiberius’ methods also raised question in Rome as to validity

of written laws. During his attempts to pass a land bill, Tiberius physically removed a fellow tribune who was vetoing the bill under the orders of Patricians in the Senate

By law, tribunes were ‘sacrosanct’, but Tiberius’ popularity amongst the people allowed this to be overlooked, and although there was no written protocol that all laws should go through the Senate before being passed on to the Assembly, it was considered courteous and respectful.

Tiberius’ methods showed, that with the support of the masses in Rome, any law could be manipulated or overlooked. A problem that would plague Rome in the last days of the Republic

Age of the Republic The Gracchi In 123 B.C. Tiberius’

younger brother, Gaius, was elected to the tribunate

He had already served as a consul and governor of Sardinia.

Motivated by the murder of his brother he set forth his agenda of administrative reforms and social equity issues.

Age of the Republic Gaius was a man of the people and he gained support of the

masses with his proposals. Among the proposals of Gaius was a state subsidized grain

law, which allowed every citizen to buy grain at half the market price, directly from the Roman state. His brother's agrarian law, which was revoked after Tiberius' death, was then re-adopted to allow the Plebes more access, once again, to available public land

Renowned for his oratory skills, he was later admired by one of Rome’s greatest public speakers, Cicero

Although he had more success than his brother is his laws, what is more important is that the name of the Gracchi was redeemed.

Age of the Republic The Gracchi Gaius remained a champion of the people until he proposed

a law that extended citizenship rights in Rome This measure was not only unpopular within the Senate, but

with the general public as well. It would conflict with his land rights laws and force poorer

citizens to share available lands with the new citizens of Rome.

When Gaius stood for re-election to the Tribunate in 121 B.C. he was denied the position.

The Senate was not at all happy with Gaius, as they had not been happy with Tiberius.

Age of the Republic The Gracchi Realizing that the Senate had plotted against him in his

election Gaius, followed by his supporters led a protest in the streets of Rome.

Many of his supporters were armed with weapons and this violated Roman law at time. This was all the Senate needed.

They ordered Senatus Consultum Ultimatum (martial law) and sent armed military forces into quell the rebellion.

Swooping down on the Aventine, all hope was lost for the Gracchus party. Ordering his own slave to stab him to death, the political career of the famous Gracchi came to a violent end. In the end, thousands of the mob were killed outright, and later, up to 3,000 more Gracchus supporters were rounded up, arrested and strangled.

Age of the Republic The Legacy of the Gracchi Around the time of the Gracchus brothers Rome began to

think in terms of political right and left, dividing the two factions into optimates and populares (of which Tiberius and Gaius were members)

The optimates were the party of the elite patricians. The Populares were the party of the people.

The populares were aristocratic leaders in the late Republic who relied on the assemblies and tribunate to acquire political power. They are regarded in modern scholarship as in opposition to the optimates, who are identified with the conservative interests of a senatorial elite. The populares themselves, however, were also of senatorial rank and might be patricians or noble plebeians.

Age of the Republic Legacy of the Gracchi The Gracchi legacy, noble though it goals may have been,

resulted in Roman society splintering, social and economic upheaval, and the slow disintegration of the Roman political system. Politicians became increasingly willing to play to the mob for power, and the use of violence and mob tactics became mainstays of future politicians. Political parties became more polarized and ruthless, and even the Senate began to splinter into opposing factions. With Roman society collapsing into chaos, the stage was set for the rise of popular magnates like Marius, Sulla, Pompey, and Caesar.

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Age of the Republic Gaius Marius Was a Roman General of

plebeian descent who served under the great Scipio Africanus

Became Tribune in 119 B.C.