Early Rome and the Roman Republic the First Italians
EARLY ROME AND THE ROMAN REPUBLIC THE FIRST ITALIANS
• Villanovans (ca. 1000 BCE) = Iron Age Italians • Ca. 800 BCE = Celtic clans and Phoenicians • Development of Carthage • Carthaginian Empire (6th century BCE) • Greeks & Syracuse
THE FIRST ITALIANS
• Villanovans (ca. 1000 BCE) = Iron Age Italians • Ca. 800 BCE = Celtic clans and Phoenicians • Development of Carthage • Carthaginian Empire (6th century BCE) • Greeks & Syracuse • 480 BCE = Carthaginians attack Syracuse, and lose • 410 BCE = Carthaginians invade Sicily again • 100 years of conflict • Etruscans • Confederation, not an Empire • Naval power • 474 BCE = attack Syracuse, and lose EARLY ROME AND ROMANS
• First Romans, from Latium
EARLY ROME AND ROMANS
• First Romans, from Latium • 8th century BCE = Alban League • “paterfamilias” = head of Roman family • Patricians vs. plebeians • Ca. 650 BCE = Etruscans absorb Romans • 509 BCE = Romans revolt against Etruscans • Establish a Republic THE EARLY REPUBLIC
• Oligarchy in Rome • Patricians rule • New Republic = shared governance, elected leaders • Two consuls hold the “imperium” • Could appoint a “dictator” • Senate = 300 magistrates • Centuriate Assembly = free citizens • Struggle of Orders = plebs are not happy • Eventually given a Council of Plebs (“tribunes”) • Splitting into two Republics? • 450 BCE = Law of the Twelve Tables = political rights for all THE EARLY REPUBLIC
• Roman Expansion • Patricians and plebs share fear of invasion • 390 BCE = Gauls sack Rome • BUT, also devastated the Etruscans • 338 BCE = Romans conquer the Etruscans • 265 BCE = Rome controls southern Italy’s Greek cities • Overcomes “Pyrrhic victory” • Romans treated conquered people well • Opportunity for citizenship • Took no tribute money • 264 BCE = Rome controls all of Italy PUNIC WARS
• Tension between Romans and Carthaginians erupts! • 265 BCE = Italian mercenaries are attacked by Syracuse • First Punic War (265-241 BCE) • 263 BCE = Romans invade Syracuse • New Roman navy • 241 BCE = Carthage surrenders Sicily to Romans • Second Punic War (218-202 BCE) • Carthage’s expansion into Spain pisses off Romans • Hannibal marches across the alps into Italy (with elephants!) • 217 BCE = Quintus Fabius Maximus named dictator of Rome • 202 BCE = Battle of Zama • Publius Cornelius Scipio (236-184 BCE) beats Carthage PUNIC WARS
• Third Punic War (149-146 BCE) • Lots of Roman hate toward Carthage • Cato the Elder: “Carthage must be destroyed!” • Trumped up charges against Carthage to finish the job . . . • Scipio Aemilanus (184-129 BCE) • 146 BCE = invades Carthage, destroys their civilization • Rome now controls the whole Mediterranean Sea
REPUBLICAN CIVILIZATION: EVERYDAY LIVING
• Farmers & Soldiers • Shift from Greek phalanx to the Roman Legion • Phasing out farmer-soldiers . . . • Roman women: still seen as property • BUT, several eventually became independent of men • Children could be abandoned • Adoption was a big deal – very political • Slaves REPUBLICAN CIVILIZATION: RELIGION & LITERATURE
• Romans worshipped as many gods as they could! • “numina” = individual powers • Religion was not personal, but public • 186 BCE = cult of Bacchus banned • Literature • Adopted the Etruscan alphabet • Greeks heavily influenced Roman Lit. • Timaeus (ca. 356-260 BCE) = wrote first history of Rome • Polybius (ca. 200-118 BCE) = wrote famous history of Rome CRISIS OF ROMAN VIRTUE
• Expanding, expanding, expanding . . . • Frustration with corrupt provincial commanders • Loss of the “old world” – no more farmer-soldiers • BUT, many of those complaining benefitted enormously . . . • Lots of tension between Roman elite and everyone else . . .