GLOBAL STUDIES ROMAN REPUBLIC

Conflict of Orders Step 1

Plebeians go on strike, refusing to serve in the army, threaten to remove support from Rome if demands are not met. Patricians allow plebeians to form the Popular Assembly to elect 10 tribunes. Key: Tribunes had veto power

Conflict of Orders Step 2

12 tables: 1st written form of Roman law. Laws applied to both plebeians and patricians.

Conflict of Orders Step 3

Consulship opened to both plebeians and patricians

Conflict of Orders Step 4

Popular Assembly gains right to make laws

Plebeians

Poor working class. They make up 90% of the population

Patricians

make up around 10 % of the population, they are the wealthy elite, landowners, they control the government of the new Republic

Marius

 General and Politician but was denied an army by the senate. Marius recruits legions without the property qualification, then gets senate to award land to his soldiers after their victories. It is a precedent that follows for the next century, generals using landless soldiers by promising the soldiers rewards from the senate for their service. The veterans of the wars become political clients of the generals, meaning armies are loyal to generals, not the state. He made army professional by calling for volunteers from the city working class. He made army professional by calling for volunteers from the city working class. ARMIES NOW MORE LOYAL TO GENERALS RATHER THAN STATE!

Sulla

Optimate general. Sulla fought rebellious allies in Italy and secured himself a consul position. He became the first Roman general to: Use army for political purposes,March army into Rome. Sulla was dictator for 3 years. He killed the leaders of the populares and made the power of the Senate supreme again.

Problems that lead to the fall of the Roman republic

Decline of Roman Farmer who were the backbone of Roman Republic, Loss of Life: From many wars; Punic Wars, Macedonian Wars, Wars of expansion, Loss of Good farmland; Hannibal destroyed 50% of the Roman fields, Influx of cheap slave grown corn. Drove down prices of the Roman farmers, Rise of large estates(latifundia). Worked more economically with slaves.

Populares

Liberals who championed reform for the poor

Optimates

Conservatives who were majority of the Senate.They represented the Senate

Magna Graecia

The idea that the Greeks controlled all of southern Italy.

Consuls

2 of them. Served 1 year term,. Could not succeed yourself. Had veto power over each other. Chosen by the Centurial Assembly.

Censors

Former consuls who kept track of the citizens. Census takers, tax assesors.

Aediles

Public servants. Policemen, fine collectors, commerce, sewers, roads.

Quaestors

Judge first then primary treasurers of the funds of the state.

Senate

300 patrician men appointed for life, most powerful governing body

Duties of the Senate

Supervise military, investigate major crimes, supervise finances of the state.

Assembly of Centuries

Chief legislative body of the state. Declare war, ratified peace treaties. Also court of appeals.

Assembly of Tribes

Elects tribunes, conducts trials, gave magistrates power to govern.

Tribunes

10 men who represented the plebeians. Had veto power over the senate

Judicial Branch/ Praetors

Judges in civil cases

Dictators

Man granted 6 month emergency powers over the entire Roman government. Most famous is Cincinnatus.

Octavian

Succeeded Caesar after Caesar adopted him in his will. Formed the second triumvirate with Marc Antony and Lepidus. Declares Antony enemy of Rome after Antony goes to Egypt and marries Cleopatra.

Decline of Roman Republic

Peace is restored in Rome through Octavian’s dominance, lasting 45 years. This marks the transformation from Roman Republic to Roman Empire (ruled by emperor). Octavian takes a new name, Augustus, and rules as a roman emperor. Instead of taking control of a dictator as others before him had, Octavian/Augustus took his powers in new ways and new titles. When Caesar is made a god by the Senate, Octavian/ Augustus adds Caesar to his own name to show he is the son of a god. All Roman emperors from here on out will be regarded as Caesar.

Julius Caesar

Pompey recognizes that Caesar is a problem. Tells the senate to tell Caesar that if he wants to run for consul again, Caesar has to come back to Rome to do so. Tells him when he gets to the Rubicon River, he has to disband his army and send everyone home. Then he may come into Rome and be reelected. Caesar went to Rome with 1 legion and was joined by 5 other legions. Pompey flees to Egypt, where Ptolemey kills him. Caesar sets up Cleopatra as Egyptian queen, becomes her mistress, and she bears his child. Caesar appoints himself dictator of Rome for 10 years, and then changes it to dictator for life.

Reasons why Julius Caesar was killed

The roman senate is afraid Julius Caesar wants to become king. Senate was afraid they were going to lose their power

Gravitas

A sense of importance of the matter at hand, responsibility and earnestness.

Dignitas

Dignity, honor, self worth. The concept of dignitas required eligible nobles to serve as magistrates of the Republic or as army officers.

Paterfamilias

The idea that the dad was in charge

Animism

The idea that there is a soul in everything

Larariums

A shrine in your house where you pray to a god

Baal

God that the Phoenicians worshipped. Carthaginians believed in him, this god requires human sacrifice. Every year, the Carthaginians would sacrifice dozens of small toddlers, this is why the Romans looked at the Carthaginians as barbaric.

Corvice

Means “raven”, able to turn naval battles to land battles. Had a spike on the end, catches on enemy decks, Romans are then able to walk across it.

Latifundia

Large farm or estate

Contributions of the Greeks to Roman Culture

poetry and philosophy. Also introduced the Alphabet, Religion/gods, and olives and wine.

Contributions of the Etruscans to Roman Culture

Introduced superior bronze work, black pottery, and the chariot. Also fashion, banquets, and sports. They were also very superstitious, something the Romans followed heavily.

Contributions of the Latins to Roman Culture

Romans used the Latin Language

Roman Slavery during the republic

This was a prominent institution in Rome. Slaves sold at large markets and were of all nationalities and races. Both men and women were sold, as many as 10,000 slaves were sold at a time. Slavery began with capture of enemy soldiers.

Role of Roman Army during the republic

Roman military power propelled the Rise of Rome. The roman military forced neighbors into submission. Some of those conquered areas were allowed to become Roman citizens.