ROMAN REPUBLIC
In 509 B.C the monarchy collapsed and was replaced by an aristocratic republic
based on Senate, whose members belonged to noble families called patrizi(
patricians). Poor people were called plebei (plebeians). The patritians’wealth came
from agriculture as they owned vast agricultural estates and they ruled Rome through
a crowd of people, called, clientes, that offered them service and supported them
politically receiving in return protection and material provisions. The plebeians, that
were the majority of population, were very poor but had the oppurtunity to get rich.
Rome economy was based mainly on agricolture but craftsmenship and construction
were other sources of wealth. As regards religion Romans were tolerant.
The republic wasn’t a democratic one but an “oligarchy” as a small number of noble
families (called gentes) monopolized the magistracies that were elective, temporary,
collegial and free. The main magistrates were the 2 consuls who held executive
power, 4 questors that adminstered the state incoms, the praetors that administered
justice and, when it was necessary, a dictator, who held all power, was elected to
solve serious problems.
All decisions passed by the Senate whose members were aristocrats.
Already in the VI Century B.C. Rome was rich and took advantage of its central
location close to the sea and along the banks of Tevere/Tiber River.
Since the Republican age till the first decades of the IV Century B.C., Rome fought
with the Latines, Volsci and Equi but it subdued all of Lazio. It risked being
destroyed by the Senoni Gauls who sacked it.
PATRICIANS AND PLEBEIANS
Until the beginning of V Century Rome was ruled by an aristocracy. The plebeians,
especially the richest ones, complained they were forbidden to join public life and to
become magistrates. At the beginning of III Century, plebeians could enjoy the same
rights of patricians as, for instance, run for all magistracies, get married to patricians.
ITALY IN THE HANDS OF ROME
Between the half of IV Century and the half of III Century, the Romans devoted
themself in the conquest of Italy. They defeated the Sanniti, subdued Etruria and
deprived the Gauls/Celts of their territories. Then they aimed to the conquest of
Magna Grecia. They defeated the powerful city of Taranto that sought help from
Pyrros, king of Epirus (the region between Albania and Greece), who was defeated as
well.
PUNIC WARS
Step by step Rome conquered Italy and when it wanted to conquer Sicily for its
natural resources and its position in the Mediterranean sea a war with Carthage broke
up as the latter had some colonies in Sicily and wanted to conquer all the island.
Rome won the First Punic War (264-241) against Carthage and conquered Sicily, the
first Roman province, followed by Sardinia and Corsica.
After the 1st Punic War Rome turned itself to organizing the administration of the
conquered lands. The Romans brought their culture and language with them. They
built towns and connected them with roads, many of which are still in existence
today, they built acqueduct, baths/hot springs. The towns, planned and built with
stones structures, were the basis of Roman administration and civilisation.
There were three different kinds of towns:
The coloniae, peopled by Roman settlers; the municipia where the inhabitants were
given Roman citizenship; the federates cities/ civitates, with which Rome made an
alliance pact. A wide system of roads and the establishment of a common currency in
all Italian cities were powerful means of unification.
After the defeat, Carthage turned to the conquest of Spain and conquered Sagunto
thanks to the general Annibal but Sagunto was an ally of Rome so a second Punic
war with Carthage broke out in 218/202 BC. Annibal invaded part of Italy but, after
his first victories, he was recalled to Carthage because the Romans had successfully
invaded the city in 204 BC. He was defeated in Africa in the battle of Zama and
Carthaginians had to give Rome the fleet, pay the damages of the war and submitted
to Rome. The 3rd Punic War was fought mainly in Carthage defended by Hasdrubal.
In 149 BC Rome with a contrived justification declared war on the city and in 146
BC stormed it, slaughtered most of its population and completely demolished it.
Italian territories were united, politically, during the Roman Age, with the Roman
Republic, from 509 to 27 BC, year in which Cesare Augusto Ottaviano abolished it.
TOWARDS THE TRIUMVIRATE
CRISIS OF REPUBLIC AND FIRST TRIUMVIRATE
First triumvirate: Caesar, Pompey, Crassus.
After conquering the Mediterranean in the second half of II Century BC, Rome had to
face home problems concerning the social differences increased because of wealth
that widened the gap between the rich aristocracy on one side and the middle classes
and the poor on the other side. The Senate, too, was split into a conservative majority,
called ottimati, and a minority, called popolari, that wanted to grant some social
reforms to improve the condition of poor classes. There was much turmoil and
discontent and when, about the I Century, Lucio Cornelio Silla, a very strong man,
won power with a coup d’etat becoming a dictator a civil war broke out between him
and the populares.
When Silla retired from polititical life other strong personalities, very strong
politically too, took his place and continued to be succesful. Two of these were
Pompey and Crassus. Pompey defeated Sertorio in Spain while Crassus crashed the
slaves’ revolt lead by Spartacus. Later Pompey obtained the command of the army
with special powers to fight first pirates, that made navigation dangerous in the
mediterranean sea then Mitridate, king of Ponto, who threatened the Roman
dominions in east Asia. While Pompey was successful in Rome Crassus's ambitions
were contrasted by some senators lead by Catone . At the same time Cicero, who
became consul, and Julius Caesar, who thanks to Crassus, started the cursus
honorum, began to make their way. When Pompey came back from east Asia he
dismantled the army, as a sign of respect for Rome, but the senate didn’t recognize
his conquests and humiliated him.
Caesar suggested Pompey and Crassus a private pact called first triumvirate to
conquer the consular magistracies and to rule the richest provinces.
Pompey's conquests were recognized and he was appointed proconsul in Spain and
remained in Rome to keep the city under control, Crassus proconsul in the east Asia
and Caesar proconsul in Gaul for 5 years. The triumvirate broke up when Crassus
died, Caesar and Pompey argued and Rome precipitated into anarchy. The aristocrats
helped Pompey to become consul without the presence of another one. Caesar when
came back from Gaul wanted to become consul as well but, as the senate disagreed,
he moved to Rome with his army and defeated Pompey. Caesar obtained the most
important magistracy and the dictatorship indefinitely in order to reform the state.
The assassination of Caesar paved the way to the end of the republic and to the rise of
the Roman Empire.
