The Roman

The Roman

RepublicRepublic

Geography Geography & & Environme

Environmentnt

The Italian The Italian PeninsulaPeninsula

• Italy is a peninsula that Italy is a peninsula that extends into the extends into the Mediterranean SeaMediterranean Sea

•POSITIVES:POSITIVES:•Rich soil & mild Rich soil & mild

climate climate•Attracted colonistsAttracted colonists

Mediterranean Sea

The Italian The Italian PeninsulaPeninsula

•NEGATIVES:NEGATIVES:•Mosquito infested swamps Mosquito infested swamps

resulted in epidemics of resulted in epidemics of malaria & other diseasesmalaria & other diseases

•The Alps The Alps contributed contributed to geographic to geographic isolation isolation

•Rocky & marshy coastline Rocky & marshy coastline lacked good harborslacked good harbors

The Italian The Italian PeninsulaPeninsula

Alps

Rocky Coast

The Early The Early People of People of ItalyItaly

Early Early PeoplesPeoples

•The EtruscansThe Etruscans::•Ruled in northern Ruled in northern

Italy from 900 Italy from 900 BC to 500 BC BC to 500 BC

•Heavily influenced those that Heavily influenced those that followed them, especially the followed them, especially the ancient Romansancient Romans

• Influences:Influences:•The usage The usage

of brick of brick•Construction of city streetsConstruction of city streets•Creation of the FORUMCreation of the FORUM•Religious beliefsReligious beliefs

Early Early PeoplesPeoples

Early Early PeoplesPeoples

•Latins:Latins:•First settlers First settlers

of Rome of Rome (1000 BC) (1000 BC)

•Greeks:Greeks:•Settled in southern Italy on Settled in southern Italy on

the island of Sicilythe island of Sicily

The The RepublicRepublic

Social Social

StructureStructure

Social GroupsSocial Groups•PATRICIANS:PATRICIANS:•Wealthy, Wealthy,

aristocratic aristocratic citizens of Romecitizens of Rome

•Declared Rome a Declared Rome a republic when the republic when the Etruscans were Etruscans were driven from powerdriven from power

Social Social GroupsGroups

•PLEBIANS:PLEBIANS:•Nonaristocratic Nonaristocratic

townspeople; townspeople; landowners, landowners, merchants & laborersmerchants & laborers

•Majority of Roman Majority of Roman population population

Social GroupsSocial Groups•BOTH Patricians & Plebeians BOTH Patricians & Plebeians

could:could:•Be citizensBe citizens•VoteVote•Pay taxesPay taxes• Join the armyJoin the army

Social GroupsSocial Groups•PRIMARY DIFFERENCE:PRIMARY DIFFERENCE:•Patricians COULD hold Patricians COULD hold

public officepublic office•Plebeians COULD NOT hold Plebeians COULD NOT hold

public officepublic office

Political Political

StructureStructure

•RepublicRepublic::•A form of A form of

government in government in which power which power rests with the rests with the citizens citizens

•Citizens have the right to Citizens have the right to select their leadersselect their leaders

The Roman The Roman RepublicRepublic

•Who was allowed Who was allowed to vote?to vote?

•FREE-BORN FREE-BORN MALE MALE CITIZENS CITIZENS

The Roman The Roman RepublicRepublic

The Roman The Roman RepublicRepublic

•STRUCTURE OF THE ROMAN STRUCTURE OF THE ROMAN REPUBLICREPUBLIC::

•SenateSenate•ConsulsConsuls•DictatorDictator

The Roman The Roman RepublicRepublic

•SenateSenate::•The “Legislative” BranchThe “Legislative” Branch•Group of Group of

officials officials who created who created laws laws

•ConsulsConsuls::•The “Executive” The “Executive”

Branch Branch•Two senators Two senators

elected to rule elected to rule the government for the government for one year at a timeone year at a time

The Roman The Roman RepublicRepublic

The Roman The Roman RepublicRepublic

•DictatorDictator: : • In the event of a war, the In the event of a war, the

Roman people chose a Roman people chose a dictator who ruled for 6 dictator who ruled for 6 months at a timemonths at a time

•Possessed complete Possessed complete controlcontrol

ConflicConflictt

Plebeians vs. Plebeians vs. PatriciansPatricians

•499 BC499 BC•Plebeians refused to fight in Plebeians refused to fight in

the Roman army unless they the Roman army unless they were given more POLITICAL were given more POLITICAL POWERPOWER

•Patricians agreed to grant Patricians agreed to grant more power to the Plebeian more power to the Plebeian class by establishing the class by establishing the TRIBUNETRIBUNE

Plebeians vs. Plebeians vs. PatriciansPatricians

•TribunesTribunes::•Chosen representatives of Chosen representatives of

the plebeian class the plebeian class •Could veto government Could veto government

decisionsdecisions•Plebeians could now hold Plebeians could now hold

public officepublic office