Roman Republic and Empire: Government, Society, Wars, and Reforms

What are the two periods in Roman history

Roman Republic

Roman Empire

How did the Roman Republic began and how long did it last

began by overthrowing monarchy

lasted 500 years

How did the Roman Empire began and how long did it last

Began when Octavian took over after the death of Julius Caesar

Lasted 500 years

Know what early civilizations most influenced early Rome and how

Etruscans- writing systems (alphabet and numerals)

what groups governed during the Republic

The Senate and the councils

What was the importance of the law code

12 Tables were the law code, and it gave a unified set of laws to the entire republic

What was the basis of the Roman economy

Agriculture and trade

What two things that most helped trade

Standardized money and a good road system

Know how Roman women legally/politically and socially differed from Greek

In Rome, women were not involved in politics, but they were seen as social equals to men. In Greece, they were expected to be housewives at all times

Know characteristics of Roman slaves

There were debt slaves and POWs

⅓ of the population

Name three major types of Roman entertainment

Theater

Colosseums

Circus Maximus (chariot racing)

Know the Roman writing and number systems

Latin writing system and Roman numerals

What was Hannibal's unusual plan to fight the Second Punic War and success/ failure?

Hannibal is the carthage general and has the idea to take the long way to get to Italy. This plan fails.

Know the economic turmoil/problem in the Roman Republic after the wars

There is now a large gap between the rich and the poor

Know how Gracchus and some generals responded to social problems after the war

Gracchus- took the land from the rich and gave it to the poor

General Marius- offered landless people land in exchange for loyalty and military service

Know why the First Triumvirate was created

To bypass the rules of the Senate which limited their individual power

What social reforms did Julius Caesar make

created jobs, public works, established colonies

What political reforms did Julius Caesar make

Expanded the Senate and extended citizenship

how did Octavian gain power in Rome and what was his new title

Julies Caesar gets assassinated, so his great-nephew Octavian takes over

His new title is Augustus, which means revered one

What political reforms did Augustus make

reorganized civil service, decreased the power of the Senate

What social reforms did Augustus make

created building programs which created jobs, increased the army (protection), added territory, and expanded citizenship

Plebeians

farmers and workers

Patricians

powerful landowners who controlled the government

Consuls

elected to run Rome's government and Army; work with the Senate

Dictators

given temporary power to handle severe military or civil emergencies

Legions

Major divisions of the Roman army

What are three advantages of Rome's location/ impact of geography

Peninsula- good defense/ isolation

Accessible to the center of Italy and good rivers- good for trade

Good soil- supports a large population

how did Rome expand beyond Italy, and what was gained

By defeating Carthage in the Punic Wars, granted them control over the Mediterranean

Contrast Athenian democracy and the Roman republic

In Athens, they had assemblies where all citizens would come together and vote. In the Roman Republic, the citizens would elect government leaders who would vote on the matters

relate being named dictator for life and Caesar's assassination

Caesar was named dictator for life, and people were displeased with him having this much power, so they killed him