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The Rise of Rome
The overthrow of the Roman monarchy led to an aristocratic republic that came to dominate the Mediterranean world.
Phases of Roman History
The Monarchy of Rome (753–510 B.C.)
The Republic (509–27 B.C)
Early Republic, Rome’s expansion in Italy (509–264 B.C.)
Middle Republic, Rome’s expansion in the Mediterranean (264– 133 B.C.)
Late Republic, period of civil war and upheaval (133–27 B.C.)
The Augustan Age (27 B.C.–A.D. 14)
The Empire (A.D.14–235)
The Late Empire (235–476 A.D.)
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Geography of Italy
Location Position in Mediterranean Mountain barriers Moderately divided Important regions Latium, Etruria, Campania Resources Fertile agricultural land Metals Population Large population base
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Early Latium and Rome
Latin settlement Heavily influenced by more advanced Etruscans to the north and Greeks in Campania Threatened by mountain peoples such as the Sabines Rome’s site Ford of Tiber River Border zone between Latium and Etruria
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The Origins of the Roman State
Prehistoric Rome Advantageous site: seven defensible hills at the Tiber ford Mixed burials: Latin, Sabine, and other early settlers Rich, agricultural territory in the center of Italy The Early State Early villages coalesced and chose a rex, or king The heads of the old Latin families, the patres, constituted an advisory body, the senatus (body of “old men” or elders)
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The Value of Legends
Few substantial written documents survive from the earliest period, and there are no native histories Nevertheless, later Roman writings preserve early legends that account for the founding and early history of Rome Sometimes religious and archaeological evidence supports elements in these legends
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Aeneas and Italy (Liv. 1.1-2 = packet, 90-92)
Evander and Romus Anchises = Venus Attempt to tie Rome with the Homeric epics and Greek legends Creusa = Aeneas = Lavinia
Aeneas and the Trojans Ascanius Silvius legendary son of Venus (Iulus) (Aphrodite) and the Trojan Anchises Alban Kings
Escaped the destruction of Troy and migrated to Italy
Perhaps associated with the Etruscan founding figure Ainas
In Italy allied himself with the Latins and became the ancestor of the Romans
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Romulus and Remus (Liv. 1.4-7 = packet, 93-95)
Native Italian Myth featuring twins that were sons of a Latin Numitor Amulius princess, Rea Silvia, and the god Mars Rea Silvia = Mars Saved from exposure by a she- wolf (a lupa), they were raised by Acca Larentia = Faustulus Faustulus and Acca Larentia Later freed their mother and grandfather from their wicked granduncle Romulus Remus Built a city as a refuge for vagabonds and homeless from across Italy Fought over who would give his name to the city and be considered its founder “Rome” and not “Reme!”
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Rape of the Sabine Women (packet, 95-96)
Romulus city was settled by all men! The Sabines were invited to a festival and encouraged to bring their sisters and daughters At a given sign, the Romans “snatched” (rapio) women for their wives Later the Sabines declared war to get their womenfolk Jacques-Louis David, The Battle of the back Romans and the Sabines, 1799 The women, now mothers, intervened, and the two groups founded one state This may explain the dual Latin-Sabine origins of the original settlement
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Roman Monarchy Beyond the Legendary Evidence
The Latin Rex Elective but held office for life All religious, executive, legislative, and judicial power A warlord with imperium Traditional kings: Romulus, Numa, Tullus Hostilius, and Ancus Marcius Etruscan Rome Sudden urbanization and cultural advances coincide with the advent of Etruscan power in Rome Military reforms Tarquinius Priscus, Servius Tullius, and Tarquinius Superbus
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Etruscan Architecture
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Etruscan Art
Far Left: Apollo from Veii, late 6th cent. BC. Above: Tomb of the Reliefs, Cerveteri, late 4th cent. B.C. Bottom Left: Etruscan Cinerary Urn, late 5th cent. B.C.
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Etruscan Rome
Fortifications
“Servian Wall”
Draining and Paving of the Forum
Cloaca Maxima
Capitoline Complex
Temple of Iuppiter Optimus Maximus
Circus (hippodrome)
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The Res Publica
Typical move from monarchy to aristocracy Lucretia story gave the justification, not the reason (packet, 98-100) Rex replaced by a pair of magistrates, first praetors, later known as consuls (packet, 94-95) Res publica, 509 B.C. “public thing” or commonwealth “constitutional” government based upon law lex, any thing that the people order or establish > RULE OF LAW Assemblies The sovereign people organized to elect magistrates or enact laws Magistrates 2 Consuls Dictator (emergencies only) Quaestors and other officials Senate
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The Struggle of the Orders
Patricians Old Latin noble families claimed extra privileges because of their traditional religious roles Led to the “Struggle of the Orders” early in the republic Patricians versus Plebeians: not just rich versus poor! Wealthy plebeians wanted social, religious, and political equality “Middle class” plebeians were the backbone of the army Poor plebeians needed relief from debt, particularly the practice of debt slavery Plebeian Advances Plebeian tribunate established by 471 B.C. TRIBUNES COULD VETO LAWS AND THE ACTIONS OF MAGISTRATES Gradually gain right to be elected to all magistracies, join all religious colleges 287 B.C. lex Hortensia Plebiscites binding, equivalent to leges TRIBUNES GAIN POWER TO LEGISLATE
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Roman Expansion
Monarchy (753-509 B.C.) Rome became the major power in Latium Early Republic (509-264 B.C.) Rome expanded in Italy Organized a successful confederation Citizenship extended in varied forms to about half the Italian Communities The other half of the Italian states became socii, or “allies” Middle Republic Period of Roman expansion in the Mediterranean Began with the seizure of Sicily from Carthage Extension of citizenship ended, Sicily became Rome’s first oversea province Gained Spain and then north Africa from Carthage Dominated the eastern Mediterranean Fought the great Hellenistic states one after another When Rome failed to maintain a “balance of power” in the East, she organized it into provinces and client kingdoms
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Roman Expansion in the Middle Republic
The Eastern Kingdoms Fall . . .
Above: Macedonia, after fighting four wars, became a Roman province along with Greece. Right: the Seleucid Empire lost most of Asia Minor to Roman provinces and clients. Upper right: The last king of Pergamum left his kingdom to the Roman people; it became the province of Asia.
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Culture and Literature
First surviving examples of Latin literature, comedies written by Terence and Plautus, date to this period Much was still done by Greeks or even by Romans in Greek Greek influence increased as the Romans expanded into the east and began to absorb Hellenistic states The most important history of the period was written by a Greek named Polybius
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Art and Architecture
First marble temples built in Rome The Circus Maximus, an Etruscan-era racetrack, was restored and enlarged The Romans continued to excel in road building and town planning (as exemplified in their many colonies) Early phase of Roman sculpture
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Early Roman Art
Above: Capitoline Wolf, early 5th cent. B.C. (Romulus and Remus are Renaissance additions!). Right to left: Mars from Todi, 4th cent. B.C.; Tomb Painting, Paestum, mid 4th cent. B.C.; Esquiline Tomb Painting, late 4th cent. B.C.
Head of Brutus c. 350 B.C. • Influenced by Roman death masks (imagines) • Began the practice of portrait busts (head and shoulders only, the Greeks usually represented the whole body) • Reflected the Roman ideal of gravitas—seriousness and dignity
Right: Statue of Aulus Metellus, 2nd cent. B.C.
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Roman town planning, based originally on military camps
Polybius
Tradition of universal history—rejection of Thucydidean model
Issue of fate/Fortune (tyche)
Polybius’ preface (packet 61-62)
Self-conscious of predecessors
Didactic purpose of history
Polybius’ Achaean league conquered
The Greek view—the problem of the success of Rome Rome compared to the various Greek states and empires Polybius ignores Athens! “Can anyone be so indifferent or idle as not to care to know by what means, and under what kind of polity, almost the whole inhabited world was conquered and brought under the single dominion of the Romans, and that too within a period of not quite fifty-three years?”
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Polybius and the Roman Constitution
Rome’s institutions made her supreme Types of constitutions (packet, 63-66) Overly influenced by Aristotle’s political theory monarchy—kingship/tyranny rule of the few—aristocracy/oligarchy rule of the many—democracy/mob rule Rome’s “mixed” constitution—Monarchy (consuls), Aristocracy (Senate), Democracy (Popular Assemblies) (packet, 66-70) Polybius’ mistakes Problem with his assumptions—they are too influenced by Greek philosophic models Consuls were not kings—elected annually and always in pairs Assembly of the people had little real power Rome was essentially an oligarchy controlled by the leading families of the senatorial nobility
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