*Chapter 6 (Lo1) Notes*

THE RISE OF ROME

Italy and its Peoples

The Roman Empire was the most successful Empire of its time. It was centered in Italy, and it had many of the tools from the Indo-European migrations that allowed it to grow in size. Italy was also in the center of many Ancient Empires, like the Greeks, Egyptians, and Mesopotamian civilizations.

They had many tribal groups. The Latin people of central Italy settled near the Tiber River, eventually becoming Rome. The Etruscans were non-Indo-European immigrants. They arrived in Italy in the 9th century      B.C and gained control of area above Rome that was called Etruria. In the 7th Century B.C, they conquered Latinum, and ruled Rome for a period of time. Romans developed cultures from them that would help in their success later on.

• Romans also borrowed directly from Greece.
• They gained knowledge of the Greek alphabet and the culture of Greek City-States. 
• ^ This was the result of Greeks colonizing southern Italy in 8th century B.C

The Senate and the People

• At first, the city-state was ruled by powerful Kings
• King was advised by council of Elders called Senate
• He choose from a group of Patricians, or Upper-class citizens to advise him, in other words, he would choose someone in his bloodline.
• When he died, a successor was chosen by the Senate. 
• In 500 B.C, Monarchy was abolished, and it became the "peoples business"
• Republic: A type of City-State Government in which decision making was held between the Senate and the male citizens.

Patricians and Plebeians 

Plebeians: The common people 

consuls: In the Roman Republic, two senators who would lead the goverment and the millitary for 1-year terms, then they would appoint their own successors.

dictator: A single leader with full descision making powers, appointed for a maximum 6-month term in emergancy. 

tribunes: Magistrates elected by the Plebeians, who got to veto and initiate laws eventually. 

The Republic was run by the Senate, and the consuls were in charge of the senate. The consuls had one-year terms and would appoint their own successors. Since there were 2 consuls, it guaranteed that monarchy would not be a factor. In emergencies, the Senate could appoint a dictator, where he would make decisions for six months. The Government type was a mix of Oligarchy and Democracy. 

Before the 5th century, there was no written law in Rome. As a result of the Plebeians demand, they were written on 12 slabs of wood or bronze in the Forum. They were called the "Twelve Tables"

Eventually, the Plebeians had as much freedom in government as the Patricians. 

"Mixed Government"

  The Roman government eventually became very complex. This "mixed government" is actually very influential in today's modern society. 

The government wanted to prevent abuse in the Senate, so they created regulations saying that you couldn't leapfrog ranks to achieve a high ranking official. To get votes for a high ranking official, a person would provide entertainment and displays, similar to the campaigns the U.S parties have every four years. He would also need to support clients, who were people who provided a service in return for money and protection. Patrons would support the clients, and they were essentially people who were looking for the opposite of the clients. Once the person was elected, he would have to pay for all the expenses himself, since the job had no salary. This method of government was very effective, and served as the structure of government in Rome for a long time. 

 Republican Values

The City and the Gods

The Gods were very important to the Romans. They adopted the Greek Gods and Goddesses and used them as their religion. They worshiped 3 main Gods and Goddesses, and those were Zeus, Minerva, and Juno. They used Pontiffs to communicate with the Gods and maintain good relationships with them. 

Citizens and the Community 

It was the right and duty for men to fight in wars, and also to share in its government. Some men in Rome took for granted that women had no right to share in politics and government, and that women need guardians for all legal transactions. 

The Community and the Family

Romans were in normal families like today, but there were groups of families that they were in called clans. Clans and families were under the rule of paterfamilias, or family fathers. He held unlimited power in the family or clan. He was considered sacred by the family members.
Vesta was the Goddess of the hearth and the home. She was a very important deity to the Romans. In the household, the fire in the hearth was sacred to Vesta and was only put out if the family moved.
The Vestal Virgins also tended for Vesta's fire in her temple for 30 years.
A matron was the title that a women bore when she married. They were required to make sure that the men were doing their job.