The Roman Republic. Main Idea: Rome’s Republic was shaped by a struggle between wealthy...

The Roman Republic

Main Idea:

Rome’s Republic was shaped by a struggle between wealthy landowners and regular citizens as it gradually

expanded the right to vote for leaders.

ROME’S GOVERNMENT

Do you know where the word Republic comes from?

Its made up of two Latin words meaning “Thing of the People”…now lets see how the Romans created their

Republic.

ROME’S GOVERNMENT

Early Romans were divided into two classes:

Patricians (Pa-Tri-Cian) and Plebeians ( Ple-Be-ians).

ROME’S GOVERNMENT

Patricians were wealthy landowners.These nobles made up most of Rome’s ruling class or

people that were in charge of the country.

ROME’S GOVERNMENT

Most of Rome’s people, however, were called Plebeians.

This group of people included artisans, shopkeepers and owners of small farms…everyday average people.

ROME’S GOVERNMENT

Both Patrician’s and Plebeian men were considered Roman Citizens…they had the right to vote and a

responsibility to pay taxes and serve in the military. The Plebeian’s however had less social status and were

looked down on by the Patrician’s

ROME’S GOVERNMENT

Marriage between members of the two social classes were forbidden.

Plebeians also lacked an important political right…they could not hold public offi ce…they could not be involved in

politics…do you think this matters?

ROME’S GOVERNMENT

Questions:

1) Who were the Patricians?

2) Who were the Plebeians?

ROME’S GOVERNMENT

Rome had a Tripartite (Tri-Part-itr), which is basically a three part government…

One group of people ran the government, another group made the laws and a third group acted as judges.

HOW DID ROME’S GOVERNMENT WORK?

It had checks and balances so that one group could not become too strong…sounds familiar right.


In the Roman Republic, the top government offi cials were the consuls…they headed the Army and ran the

Government

Consul – One of the two top government offi cials in Rome.


Consuls served very short terms in offi ce, that way there was little risk that they would abuse their powers.

The Consuls also kept each other in line because they could Veto or reject each others decisions.


Rome had other important offi cials called Praetors.

Praetors – Main job was to interpret the law and act as judges in court.


Various other offi cials preformed specialized duties such as keeping tax records, handling public finances,

supervising public festivals and so forth.


Rome’s most important legislative (Law making body) was known as the Senate.

This was a select group of 300 patrician men who served in the Roman Government for their entire life's.


In the beginning, the Senate only gave advice to the Consuls…however over time, the power of the Senate

grew.

By the 200 B.C.E., the Senate could propose laws, hold debates and approve building programs.


The Curia Julia in the Roman Forum, the seat of the imperial Senate.


Another important law making body was the Assembly of Centuries.

The Assembly of Centuries elected Consuls, Praetors and passed laws…it was under control of the wealthy

Patricians…


Questions:

1) How many parts did Rome’s government have and what is the name for it?

2) What was the Consul and what was their job?

3) What does the term “Veto” mean?

4) Who are the Praetors and what do they do?


As you might expect, Plebeians complained about having so little power in the Roman Republic.

After all, they fought along side the rich Patricians in the army and their tax payments helped the Republic thrive.

PLEBEIANS AGAINST PATRICIANS

Eventually, the Plebeians took action to bring about change…in 494 B.C.E. many Plebeians went on strike.

They refused to serve in the army and left the city to set up their own Republic…these moves frightened the Patricians

into agreeing to share more power equally.


In 471 B.C.E. the Plebeians were allowed to set up their own body of representatives called the Council of

Plebs.

This assembly elected Tribunes who brought Plebeian concerns to the government attention.


The Tribunes also won the right to veto government decisions that were harmful to their people.

In 455 B.C.E. Plebeians and Patricians were allowed to marry and in 300 B.C.E. Plebeians were allowed to

become Consuls.


The most far reaching political reform came in 287 B.C.E. were the Council of Plebs finally gained the

power to pass laws for all Romans.

Now all male citizens had equal political standings…at least in theory…a few wealthy Patrician families still held

most power and women remained without a voice in government.


The Roman Republic had become more representative, but was far from a full fl edged democracy.


Questions:

1) Why were the Plebeians angry with the Patricians?

2) What was the Council of Plebs?


An unusual feature of the Roman Republic was the offi ce of the Dictator.

We define a dictator today as am oppressive ruler with complete control over the state.

WHO WAS CINCINNATUS?

Roman dictators also had complete control, but they served the people and ruled on a temporary basis

during emergencies.

The Senate appointed a dictator in times of great danger…as soon as the emergency had passed the

Roman dictators gave up their power.


The best known dictator is Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus.

About 460 B.C.E. a powerful enemy had surrounded a Roman army…offi cials decided that the crisis called for a

dictator and that Cincinnatus was the man for the job.


When the crisis occurred Cincinnatus was found plowing his farm fields… as a loyal and devoted citizen he left

his farm and gathered an army.

He defeated the enemy in a short battle and returned to Rome in triumph.


Although he probably could have continued ruling, Cincinnatus did not want the power over Rome.

Having done his duty to the Republic he returned to his farm a mere sixteen days later.


Romans strongly believed in civic duty, or the idea that citizens have a responsibility to help their country.

What are some of your civic duties as an American Citizen?


Cincinnatus was widely admired in his own time and throughout history…George Washington for one took

inspiration from his example.


Like Cincinnatus, Washington was a farmer and when asked to head the Continental Army during the

American Revolution.

After leading the Americans to victory, Washington returned to his plantation and home…only later with

great reluctance did he agree to become the fi rst President of the United States.


The story of Cincinnatus was important to the ancient Romans for several reasons…he was victorious in battle

and yet quickly gave up his dictatorship.

Perhaps more important, he did his civic duty by responding to a call to serve.


Questions:

1) What is a Roman Dictator?

2) What is the diff erence between a Roman Dictator and what we today consider a Dictator?

3) Who was Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus?


One of Rome’s chief gifts to the world was its system of law.

The legal system of the United States owes much to the Roman system.

ROMAN LAW

Rome’s fi rst code of laws was the Twelve Tables, that were created in 451 B.C.E.

The Twelve Tables were laws written on tablets that described the rights of each person in the Roman Republic.

ROMAN LAW

The laws were the fi rst set of rules to govern Rome.

Writing the laws down and putting them in public display ensured that everyone knew the laws and that judges did

not apply the laws diff erently to diff erent people.

ROMAN LAW

The laws on the Twelve Tables explained a person's rights concerning property, wills, public behavior, family law and

court actions.

These laws were the fi rst step towards equal rights for citizens of all classes in Ancient Rome and even in today’s

society.

ROMAN LAW

Top Ten Messed Up Roman Laws :

"A dreadfully deformed child shall be killed.“

"If a father surrender his son for sale three times, the son shall be free.“

Marriage by usage: If a man and woman live together continuously for a year, they are considered to be married; the

woman legally is treated as the man's daughter.

"If any person has sung or composed against another person a song such as was causing slander or insult.... he shall be

clubbed to death.“

"If a person has maimed another's limb, let there be retaliation in kind, unless he agrees to make compensation with him."

ROMAN LAW

"Whoever is convicted of speaking false witness shall be flung from the Tarpeian Rock.“

"No person shall hold meetings in the City at night.“

"Putting to death... of any man who has not been convicted, whosoever he might be, is forbidden.“

"Women must not tear cheeks or hold chorus of `Alas!' on account of a funeral.“

"There are eight kinds of punishment: fine, fetters, flogging, retaliation in kind, civil disgrace, banishment,

slavery, death."

ROMAN LAW

The Laws were carved on bronze tablets that were placed in Rome’s Marketplace or in the Forum.

The Twelve Tables became the basis for all future Roman laws…they established the principle that all free citizens

had the right to be treated equally.

ROMAN LAW

The Twelve Tables, however, applied only to Roman Citizens.

As the Romans took over more lands, they realized that new rules were needed to solve legal disputes between

citizens and non-citizens.

ROMAN LAW

They created a collection of laws called the Law of Nations.

It states principles of justice that applied to people everywhere.

ROMAN LAW

These standards of justice included ideas that we still accept today…

A person is innocent until proven guilty” “ People accused of crimes could defend themselves in front of a judge” “A judge had to look at evidence carefully before

making a decision”.

ROMAN LAW

The idea that the law should apply to everyone equally and that all people should be treated the same way by the

legal system…this is called “Rule of Law”.

In the age of Rome, the rule of law was still a new idea.

ROMAN LAW

In many lands, people at the top of the society often had special privileges and did not have to obey the same laws

or use the same courts as people at the bottom.

In some places people at the bottom of society did not have any legal rights at all.

ROMAN LAW

The Rule of Law is one of the key ideas that the Romans gave to the world.

It is still the basis of our legal system today.

ROMAN LAW

Questions:

1) What was the fi rst law code in Rome called?

2)Where were this law code displayed for people to read?

3) What was the “Rule of Law”?

ROMAN LAW

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