Roman Monarchy and Republic

Seven Hills of Rome

Seven primary hills of the city that overlooked the Tiber River

Tiber River

The river where Rome was founded.

Palatine Hill

One of the Seven Hills of Rome; Founded by Romulus

Geography of Rome

Tiber river gave access to trade, surrounded by water and had the Alps to the north

Roman Monarchy

750-509 BC, kings are elected by the upperclass

Titus Livius

Roman historian that gives us most of the information on Rome, wrote 142 books only 35 remain wrote all books dated in AUC

Seven Kings of Rome

The kings of the Roman Monarchy. Romulus, Numa, Serivus Tullius, and Tarquinius the proud are the most prominent

interregnum

time between rulers

Romulus

Founder of Rome and the first king of Rome

Remus

the twin brother of Romulus who was killed in a battle to see who would be the king of Rome

Sabine Women

The women that were taken in order to provide Rome's men with women to marry

Lictors

Bodyguards for consuls carried the fasces

Fasces

bundle of rods containing an axe with the blade protruding used by the Licitors

Numa Pompilius

2nd king of Rome; "Founder of Roman Religion"

civil religion

the beliefs, practices, and symbols that a nation holds sacred

Temple of Janus

open or closed door indicated war or peace, built by Numa

Servius Tullius

6th King of Rome introduced the Servian reforms

Servian Reforms

Wealthy had to pay more taxes but had more power in government

Lucius Tarquinius Superbus

7th and final king of Rome, remembered for use of violence and intimidation

Usurper

one who wrongfully or illegally seizes and holds the place of another

Purges

Removal of undesired people from a nation

Paterfamilias

"father of the family" Head of household in Ancient Rome

Lucius Junius Brutus

"Brutus"; consul of Republic; defended the city against Tarquin

Roman honor

The difference of expectations from women to men

Sextus Tarquinius

6th son of Tarquinius Superbus

Lucretia

raped by Sextus

res publica

public affairs

SPQR (Senatus Populusque Romanus)

Symbol for the Roman motto "the Senate and the Roman People"

republic vs. direct democracy

republic: elected official

democracy: from the people and not officials

Popular Sovereignty

A belief that ultimate power resides in the people.

seperation of powers

dividing the powers of government among branches

Checks and Balances

used to keep the government from getting too powerful in one branch

rotation in office

the periodic replacement of officeholders

Legislative

Having to do with the law

executive

Carries out the laws

Judicial

Interprets laws

Veto

To reject

Cursus Honorum

The Course a Roman politician would follow to rise in rank in the Republic.

Publius Valerius

Roman ruler called Publicola; people's friend. He aided in the over throw of the Roman Monarchy

Laws of valerius

Three laws passed that favored the plebeians

censorship

Control of what people read or write or see or hear; efforts to prohibit free expression of ideas.

Census

A periodic and official count of a country's population.

Cincinnatus

Reluctant Roman dictator who returned to his farm after completing his duty for the government.

Pontifex Maximus

High priest

Struggle of the Orders

plebeians vs. patricians, plebeians fight for more of a say in the government

Twelve Tables

Rome's first code of laws

First Punic War

Rome defeated Carthage in 241 B.C.

Phoenicians

Sailing and trading people who had many colonies on the Mediterranean coast. Who Rome fought against in the Punic wars

Tyrian Purple

famed Phoenician dye made of sea shells

Carthage

An ancient city on the north coast of Africa and fought Rome many times.

Sicily

An island in the Mediterranean Sea off the southwest tip of the Italian peninsula

Corvus

the device that allowed the Romans to board enemy ships

Corsica

One of the three territories gained by Rome in the first Punic war

Sardinia

Territory gained by Rome in the first Punic war

Hamilcar Barca

The first Carthaginian general to fight in the Punic Wars. Hannibal's father

Second Punic War

Second war between Rome and Carthage

Hannibal Barca

Carthaginian general, crossed the Alps and had elephants

Alpine crossing

Hannibal and the army of Carthage crossing the alps

Battle of Trebia

First battle of the second Punic war. Rome was crushed by Hannibal

Battle of Lake Trasimene

the three-hour battle of the 2nd Punic War that was a great ambush by the Carthaginians

Battle of Cannae

Hannibal encircled Romans; beat force at least three times bigger than his own; greatest victory

Fabius Maximus

"The Delayer" worked to delay the Carthaginians

Fabian tactics

to wear out an opponent by delay and evasion rather than confrontation

Cunctator

A procrastinator; delayer

MOOSEMUSS

The tactics that are needed to win in battle

Scipio brothers

The brothers sent to fight Carthage at Carthage

Scipio Africanus

Roman general who defeated Hannibal in a upset

Hasdrubal Barca

Second son of Hammilcar, younger brother of Hannibal and a general in the second Punic War.

Battle of Metaurus

Hadsrubal went to meet Hannibal but was ambushed and beat by the Romans

Battle of Zama

the battle in 202 BC in which Scipio decisively defeated Hannibal at the end of the second Punic War

Third Punic War

Last war between Carthage and Rome

Cato the Elder

He was the Roman statesman who hated Carthage and started the Third Punic War

Carthago delenda est

Latin for "Carthage must be destroyed." Cato ended every speech with this

Scipio Aemilianus

Roman general; adopted son of Scipio Africanus

Expansion of Rome

Rome after defeating Carthage traveling to Greece and destroying Macedonia

Battle of Cynoscephalae

Decisive battle between Rome and Macedonia

Roman Legion

a division of from 3000 to 6000 men (including cavalry) in the Roman army

Macedonian Phalanx

16X16 mobile battle formation

Hellenization

The spread of Greek culture, begun during the time of Alexander the Great

Old Roman virtues

The virtues Cato the elder introduced after feeling threatened by Hellenization

Urbanization

Movement of people from rural areas to cities

Proletariat

The working class

Tiberius Gracchus

Roman politician who wanted to give land to the poor

agrarian reform

popular but controversial strategy to redistribute land to peasant farmers

Gaius Gracchus

Roman politician who wanted to control the Price of grain, build public works

Cheap grain

Gaius gracchus bought the grain from the upperclass and sold it at a lower price for the low level citizens

Roman Civil War

The first civil war between Sulla and Marius

Optimates

Senators who desired power to remain in the hands of the Senate

Populares

Reformers, did not hold power in the senate, represented the poor

Marius

A Roman general who recruited volunteer warriors who swore oaths of loyalty to him

novus homo

the first person in a family to be elected to a political office - the term means "new man"

Marian reforms

Military reforms introduced by Marius

Sulla

Roman general and dictator (138-78 BC). Won the first civil war of Rome

Proscription list

List of enemies that Sulla would put bounties on

Spartacus Revolt

Revolt led by Spartacus and other slaves to free slaves around Rome

Decimation

Means ones tenth and was put in place to deter the Roman army from leaving their posts

Crassus

richest man in rome, and was part of the first Triumverate, his death was what started the first civil war of Rome

First Triumvirate

60 BCE, unofficial coalition between Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus

Pompey

Roman general and statesman who quarrelled with Caesar and fled to Egypt where he was murdered

Caesar

Part of the first triumvirate and eventually defeated Pompey and became dictator of Rome