The Roman World

Geography:Italy is a peninsula

Shaped like a boot

Borders the Mediterranean Sea

People of Rome:

Latins – ancestors of the Romans

Etruscans – settled north of Rome

The Roman The Roman RepublicRepublic

• Officials (political leaders) were chosen by the people. Republic was set up to keep one person from gaining too much power.

The Roman The Roman RepublicRepublic•SenateSenate

•300 members

•All were patricians

•Served for life

•The senate could choose a dictator in an emergency who could rule for 6 months…why?

The Roman RepublicThe Roman Republic•Consuls

•Two were elected

• Supervised the business of the government and commanded the armies

• Served only one term

•Had to consult with the Senate for Checks and Balances….what is this?

The Roman RepublicThe Roman Republic•Plebeians

- Eventually gained a place in government

- Finally had laws written down (why important?)

- Elected officials to a tribune. The tribune could veto laws that were unfair to the plebeians.

The Roman SocietyThe Roman Society•Men

-Had absolute power in a family

•Women

-Had a great amount of freedom

-Some ran businesses, but most worked in the home

The Roman SocietyThe Roman Society•Education

- Both boys and girls attended school

- Both upper and lower classes were educated

•Religion

- Polytheistic

- Had a calendar full of feasts and celebrations to honor the gods

Expansion Into ItalyExpansion Into Italy

•By 270 B.C. Rome controlled most of the Italian peninsula

Expansion Into ItalyExpansion Into Italy•Citizen-Soldiers

• Legion – 5,000 men

•Fought without pay and supplied their own weapons

•If a unit fled from battle, 1 out of every 10 men was put to death…why?