The Roman Civilization
Early Rome
Geography of Ancient Rome
Apennines bisects Italy into East & West
Less rugged lands (than Greece) = allowed
farming
Did not isolate peninsula into small
communities
Tiber river gives access to sea
Italy had large fertile plains
Agriculture
The “crossroad” of the Mediterranean
The Apennines, an approximately 1,400
kilometer (870 mile) long mountain range that
stretches from northern to southern Italy,
provided protection and natural resources for
Romans. The fertile soil of the Po and Tiber
River Valleys allowed Romans to grow a diverse
selection of crops, such as olives and grains.
Mediterranean Sea - The Romans called it Mare
Magnum ("Great Sea") or Mare Internum
("Internal Sea") and, starting with the Roman
Empire, Mare Nostrum ("Our Sea"). The term
Mare Mediterrāneum appears later:
Romulus and Remus
According to tradition, Rome was founded by
Romulus and Remus in 753 BC. They were twin
brothers, sons of a human mother and the god
of war, Mars. After their birth, the king ordered
them killed. They were placed in a basket and
put into the Tiber River - left to die from
exposure in the outdoors.
The legend of the founding of Rome dates back
to 753 BCE. While this myth has little basis in
fact, the Romans used it to explain their past
and provide a sense of heroism and inspiration.
In this sense, the founding myth gave the
citizens of Rome a dignified and a divine
ancestry.
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The Seven Kings
Between 753-509 BCE, early Rome went under
the rule of seven (7) kings
By 509 BCE, The Roman Republic was
established
The king of Rome (Latin: rex Romae) was
the ruler of the Roman Kingdom. According to
legend, the first king of Rome was Romulus,
who founded the city in 753 BC upon the
Palatine Hill. Seven legendary kings are said
to have ruled Rome until 509 BC, when the
last king was overthrown. These kings ruled
for an average of 35 years.
The kings after Romulus were not known to
be dynasts and no reference is made to the
hereditary principle until after the fifth king
Tarquinius Priscus. Consequently, some have
assumed that the Tarquins' attempt to institute
a hereditary monarchy over this conjectured
earlier elective monarchy resulted in the
formation of the Republic.
The Conquest of Italy
Rome felt “threatened” of its enemies
surrounding, resulting to the conquest of the
entire Italy
1st Century BCE
Rome and Other Italian Territories
For a period of hundreds of years, Rome was in
a constant warring state with other Italian
territories.
338 BCE
Conquest of Latium
For the next 50 years, Rome will continue to
wage war to the hills of Central Italy
 Centuriate Assembly
267 BCE
Organized classes based on wealth
Conquest of Greek Cities in Italy Organize to always put the wealthiest in
assembly’s majority
The Romans in their conquest to the South have
seen influences of Greek culture in Italian lands Roles:
Elects the chief magistrates
264 BCE Passes laws

Defeat of the Etruscans Council of Plebs

Rise of a republic Represented the majority of the population

Composed of common people
The Roman Confederation
Upon establishment, Rome granted Roman The Roman Republic: Social Structure
citizenship to the people of Latium
All other communities remained as allies Patricians
They retained the freedom to run local affairs Wealthy landlords;
They are required to supply soldiers to Rome Descendants of original senators

The Roman Republic Political Structure Plebians

Consuls Small landowners, artisans, merchants, and

farmers
Two consuls chosen annually
Slaves
Roles:
Government administration Conquered peoples or were unable to pay debt
Leading the army into the battle
The Plebeian Struggle
Praetors
Early 5Th Century BCE,
Roles: Plebeians began to seek equality
In charge of civil law
Tribunes of the Plebs
May govern and lead armies when the consuls 471 BCE - was made to protect Plebeians from
are away unjust arrests

Senate 287 BCE all Roman citizens were equal under

the law
Composed of about 300 elders (both current
and past magistrates) who serve for life The Roman Republic: Roman Conquests

Roles: PUNIC WARS

Proposes laws
Advises the magistrates on certain public “Punicus” (Latin for Phoenicians)
matters

2
“Punicus” (Latin for Phoenicians)
The Republic engaged in a series of conquests to
The First Punic War expand its reign

Romans vs Carthaginians The political structure of Rome is headed by 2

in Sicily, Italy consuls who are elected

Carthage lost & gave up all rights of Sicily to

Rome There are 3 main social classes in Rome, the
patricians, plebeians and the slaves

218-201 BCE There are also clear differences among the

The Second Punic War
Romans were defeated by Hannibal of Carthage
at Cannae. They lost about 40,000 men.
By 201 BCE, Rome defeated Carthage
149-146 BCE
rights given to the patricians compared to the
plebeians
This led to revolts that ended with the creation
of the Tribune of the Plebs
Rome also engaged In a series of conquests in
the Mediterranean
The Punic wars was a battle against Carthage
After hundreds of years, Rome won and made
Carthage a province named Africa.

The Third Punic War Decline & Fall of the Republic

The Fall of Carthage The Latifundia

For 10 days, Roman soldiers burned down all of
Carthage’s buildings. Large estates that used slave labor
All of its residents were sold into slavery
Owned by aristocrats
133 BCE
Since slaves are owned privately, number of
The Master of the Mediterranean army-reserves declined

Greece and Pergamum was under the rule of a Most farmers went to the city and became
Roman Emperor landless poor

Carthage, became the new province of Rome The Gracchus Brothers

named Africa.
Summary
The geography of Rome helped in cultivating
fertile lands for agricultural lands – which will
eventually affect social status
Passed land reform bills through Council of
Plebs
To redistribute land to the landless farmers
Both got killed as most senators, got furious
over the bill

Early Rome was led by a monarchy before it

became the Roman Republic

3
By passing the laws through the council of
plebs, the senate was bypassed and this made
the senate furious
Gaius Marius
Roman general who recruited the landless poor
to become part of the army
Recruits were more loyal to the general than to
the state
The First Triumvirate of ancient Rome was an
uneasy alliance between the three titans Julius
Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus which, from 60
BCE until 53 BCE, dominated the politics of the
Roman Republic. Alliances have always been a
part of history.
By 44 BCE, Julius Caesar was assassinated by a
leading group of senators.
This followed to settle who inherits Caesar’s
leadership?
Octavian was given the west, Antony the east
The defeat of Antony and Cleopatra marked the
end of the republic and the beginning of the
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire
Augustus “Revered One”
Was the first Roman emperor
Senate was still given powers
His rule inspired stability in Rome for 200 years
Created the praetorian guard
9000 men who guard the emperor
Tried to conquer Germany but failed
Augustus proclaimed the “restoration of the
republic” but effectively, he was the first Roman
emperor (31 BCE – 14 CE)
4
Following the end of the civil wars, the Age of
Augustus was relatively peaceful
He died in 14 CE
Pax Romana
“The Roman Peace”
Reign of 5 Emperors known for their tolerance,
diplomacy, governance, & building programs
Peace riding in a triumphal chariot, by François
Joseph Bosio
The Five Good Emperors
Nerva (reigned 96–98 ce), Trajan (98–
117), Hadrian (117–138), Antoninus Pius (138–
161), and Marcus Aurelius (161–180),
The Fall of Rome
476, Romulus Augustulus was dethroned by
Odoacer
This “officially ended” the Roman empire in the
West
Factors For Decline
The fall of Rome was not a specific event, but
rather a slow process of decay
Political
Many of the migrants who were not even Latin
became Emperor
Economic Inequality
This has been a problem for centuries but it
worsened with the end of Pax Romana
Militarization = even the landowners were
forced to show up in battle
Barbarian Invasions
The migration of non-romans to Central Rome
became problematic especially when Germanic
peoples became part of the army. They were
mercenaries who were loyal to General instead
of the state. This eroded the strength of Roman
army.
Source:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/
fallofrome_article_01.shtml#:~:text=In%20Sept
ember%20476%20AD%2C%20the,western%20i
mperial%20regalia%20to%20Constantinople.
The Culture of Rome
Family
Paterfamilias – “dominant male”
Patria Protestas – Authority of the Paterfamilias
Roman males believe that females need
guardianship
Fathers arrange the marriage of their daughters
After marriage, legal control over daughter
passes from father to husband
Women in Rome were relatively freer than the
women in Athens despite the heavy male-led
family structure
Upper class women were also given more
opportunities to study and partake in social life
LAW
Law of Twelve Tables
Rome’s 1st code of civil laws for its citizens
Law of Nations
Body of law that applied to both foreigners and
citizens
The Law of Twelve Tables was created by 10
patrician leaders meant for the plebeians. First
10 tablets were created and were eventually
added with 2 more1.
It is important to note that the laws in
themselves were not necessarily liberating, they
were more of an assertion of the patricians and
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their privileges (e.g. validity of enslavement due
to debt, etc.)
Because the law of twelve tables eventually
became inadequate, it was replaced by a more
inclusive law: the Law of Nations
1(https://www.ancient.eu/Twelve_Tables/#:~:te
xt=The%20Twelve%20Tables%20(aka%20Law,be
%20treated%20equally%20before%20them.)
Greek and Roman Architecture
The Romans incorporated Greek columns in
their structures.
Colosseum was where gladiators matches were
held.
ART & LITERATURE
VIRGIL
Influential Roman poet during the time of
Augustan literature
AENEID
Epic of Aeneas where he and the remaining
Trojans flee Troy & settle in Rome
Aeneas as embodiment of Roman virtue: duty,
piety, faithfulness
Summary
• The latifundias (slave estates) worsened
inequality among peasants and
landowners
• The First Triumvirate of the Roman
Republic were composed of Crassus,
Pompey, and Julius Caesar
• Eventually, Caesar will became dictator
for life until his assassination
• Octavian inherited the Roman throne
and became Augustus after the Battle of
Actium
• The Age of Augustus ushered in a
period of stability in Rome

• The latifundias (slave estates) worsened

inequality among peasants and
landowners
• The First Triumvirate of the Roman
Republic were composed of Crassus,
Pompey, and Julius Caesar
• Eventually, Caesar will
became dictator for life
until his assassination
• Octavian inherited the Roman throne
and became Augustus after the Battle of
Actium
• The Age of Augustus ushered in
a period of stability in Rome