The Romans Formed a Republic

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Chapter 5

• Section 1

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The Romans Formed a Republic

• Objectives
• How did geography affect the growth of Rome?
• What did the Romans learn from the Etruscans?
• How democratic was the Roman republic?

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Rome Grew on the Banks of the Tiber River

• 1000 BC the people who came to call themselves
  Romans lived on the Tiber River in small villages
• The Tiber located in Italy is where these people
  formed their republic and went on to conquer the
  whole of Italy.
• Their rules lasted for hundreds of years and
  included much of the lands around the

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• Mediterranean Sea.
• The capital was called Rome
• Between 800 750 BC a group of peopl from
  central Europe who were called Latins migrated to
  central Italy
• There, they built farms along the Tiber
• They united the others who were already living
  along the river.
• It is said that a Latin princess gave birth to
  twins Romulus and Remus

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• Their father was Mars the god of war
• They were abandoned by their mother because they
  were afraid they would someday challenge the
  kingthey were founded by a wolf and raised by
  the wolf
• They grew up discovered their origins and killed
  their evil uncle and later founded the city of
  Rome in 753 BC

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II. Geography Influenced Romes Growth

• Rome is largely mountainous but is blessed with
  mild climate and a number of fertile river
  valleys and plains
• Rome has many fine harbors with access to the
  Mediterranean Sea
• Rome lies halfway down the west side of Italy

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• With its position near the Tiber River gave it
  ready access to the Med. Sea
• The hills of Rome protected it from attack
• They valleys and hills are used to raise cattle
  and grow crops

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III. Etruscans Overpowered the Roman People

• Although the Romans are dated to have founded
  Rome in 753 BC, the city may have existed long
  before then
• Around 800 BC Rome fell under the control of a
  group of people from Asia Minor called the
  Etruscans (ih TRUHS kuhns)
• This group ruled nearly all of Italy

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• The Etruscans were a highly civilized group of
  people
• They were very gifted and skilled in many areas
• The Romans learned much of what they did from the
  Etruscans, such as metal work, building, art of
  war, weapons, and ships
• They helped the Romans drain the marsh from the
  city to expand it

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IV. The Romans Set Up A Republic

• It was shortly after 509 BC that the Roman people
  declared themselves independent
• Now free of monarchs, the Romans set up a new
  form of government called a republic
• Republic elected representatives govern, like
  the U.S., but unlike the U.S. the elected groups
  in Rome governs over a

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• governs over a particular group not a whole
  population.
• The representatives who govern came from Romes
  upper class
• The wealthy landowners were called patricians
  which comes from the Latin word meaning fathers
• The common citizens of Rome were called plebeians
  (farmers, merchants, traders) and they had only
  limited say in government

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• The Romans set up a legislature which included a
  senate and 2 assemblies
• The senators or members of the Senate were
  patricians who served for life
• They propose and passed all laws and ratified
  treaties and approved official appointments
• Assembly of Centuries also made up of patricians
  directed military matters.
• Assembly of Tribes made of plebeians

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• They represented 35 tribes in which the Romans
  were divided into.
• In theory, the assemblies represented all the
  people of Rome b/c their members were of both
  patricians and plebeians
• The patricians controlled the assemblies
• The Romans felt they needed supreme authority or
  imperium and they placed this imperium in the
  hands of 2 consuls.
• Consul was an official from the patrician class
  who carried out all laws of Rome.

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• They ruled for one year. In addition to carrying
  out laws, they also commanded the army and had
  the right to veto, or stop, the acts of the other
  consul
• The 2 consuls had to agree in order to act
• If quick decisions had to be made, the senate
  would replace the consuls with a dictator for a
  six-month period
• The dictator had full power to make all decisions
  and guide govt through an emergency, but
  couldnt change laws

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• The govt of Rome was also served by praetors or
  judges, who played an important role in
  interpreting the laws of Rome
• Censors counted the number of people of Rome
  and from this they determined the amount of taxes
  people would pay taxes were based on a persons
  wealth.
• In the early years of the republic, the plebeians
  struggled for a greater share in govt and in
  social equality

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• Also, plebeians could not marry or hold important
  offices
• They were forbidden to conduct religious rituals
• But they paid taxes and worked for Rome and more
  importantly made up Romes army

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V. Plebeians Won Additional Rights

• In the 5th century, after the plebeians refused
  to fight for Rome, the patricians gave in to some
  of the plebeians demands
• They won the right to choose, through the
  Assembly of Tribes, 10 tribunes
• The tribunes had unusual powers, they could
  simply veto any act and override the senate,
  assemblies, or govt officials

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• In 450 BC, Rome adopted a set of 12 laws called
  the Twelve Tables.
• These tables spelled out Romes basic laws
• These laws covered every aspect of Roman life
  including wills, property rights, court cases,
  family laws and behavior of citizens
• 339 BC plebeians were allowed to marry patricians
  and hold the office of consul
• They could also sit in the Senate and their
  assembly could pass laws without senate approval

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• In spite of all these reforms, Rome was still not
  a true democracy b/c now the plebeian class
  guarded its power much like the patrician class
  had done earlier.