2.6 The Dawn of Rome -TEACH-

• History
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 1

AGE 2. The Time of Greeks and Romans

2.6 The Dawn of Rome

What do you know
about the Roman Empire?

Roman Empire, 117 AD

The Roman Empire stretched out around the Mediterranean Sea. Which 3 continents was the empire located on?

START TASK

New page in your notebook: write down:

2.6 the dawn of Rome.

Stick the map in your notebook and mark the borders of the Roman Empire.

Write underneath the map: Roman Empire, 117 AD

Why do you think we refer to the Roman culture as the
Greek-Roman culture?

1 answer per group

Why do you think the wolf is one of Rome’s important symbols?

1. Romulus and Remus were nursed by a she-wolf, so there is a strong connection to wolves.
2. The wolf is the symbol of the goddess Roma from which the name Rome is derived.
3. Wolves were seen as strong, and intelligent, just like the Romans wanted to be
4. Romulus and Remus both had a wolf cub as a pet.

According to the myth, who was the father of Romulus and Remus?

1. Alexander the Great
2. king Numitor
3. Zeus
4. the god Mars

The story of Romulus and Remus is and example of:

1. historical science
2. a creation narrative
3. a Greek myth
4. Roman religion

Roman Empire, 117 AD

Make a note in your notebook 

Lesson 2.6: the dawn of Rome

• Rome was founded in 753 BC.
• The Roman empire was at its greatest in 117 AD.
• The empire mainly had natural boundaries, like seas, rivers, mountains and deserts:
• West: Atlantic Ocean
• South: Sahara Desert
• North: the rivers Rhine and Danube
• East: deserts & mountains

1 group answer please:
If there were no natural boundaries, the Romans had to make their own boundaries.
What could these be? Give some examples.

Write down some advantages of natural boundaries over man-made boundaries.

Draw the outer boundaries in your map.

Write under the map: Roman Empire, 117 AD 

The Republic of Rome was often shown in Latin as the abbreviation SPQR (Senatus Populusque Romanorum – the senate and people of Rome) as was shown on the military standards.

the assembly of the senate in Rome. The senators, dressed in white togas with a purple edge,  discuss the politics of the republic. 

Now make a note in your notebook.

• Rome started as a city-state in 753 BC (8th century BC).
• At first Rome was a monarchy: it was ruled by a king (= a monarch).
• In 509 BC Rome became a Republic (=  a country without a monarch.
• A republic can have different types of government: it can be a democracy, aristocracy or a tyranny / dictatorship.
• The Roman republic was ruled by the Senate, an assembly of patricians.
• So the Roman Republic was not a democracy like Athens . It was more an aristocracy, because power was in the hands of a small group of rich patricians: the senators.
• the head of the senate was a consul. Every year the senators elected a new consul.

Politics of the Republic (2)

The plebeians were not happy that they could not become senators themselves.

They threatened to leave the city. Without the work of the plebeians the city could not function.

This helped. The patricians gave the plebeians some power. Each year they could elect two Tribunes. Tribunes were representatives of the plebeians. They made sure that the consuls not only made decisions that were good for patricians, but also for the plebeians.

The tribunes had one very strong power; the power of veto.

Veto means “I forbid”. With this power the tribunes could stop any decision made by the consuls.

See a graphic overview of Republic Politics here

the senators are discussing a new law that the consuls want to install

a tribune of the plebeians wants to use his veto to stop the new law of the consuls

the two consuls listen to the tribune who wants to stop their new new law

these are two "lictores", bodyguards of the consuls

The senate during the Roman Republic

monarchy:
democracy

republic:
democracy

republic:
dictatorship

753 - 509 BC

Types of Roman administration (=government): 509 BC - 476 AD

monarchy

KING

(rules a country)

753 - 509 BC

Types of Roman administration (=government): 509 BC - 476 AD

monarchy

KING

(rules a country)

753 - 509 BC

509 - 27 BC

republic

SENATE

Types of Roman administration (=government): 509 BC - 476 AD

monarchy

KING

(rules a country)

753 - 509 BC

509 - 27 BC

27 BC - 476 AD

republic

SENATE

monarchy

EMPEROR

(rules an empire)

Types of Roman administration (=government): 509 BC - 476 AD

TRUE

FALSE

The Roman republic was ruled by a king

the Roman republic was more aristocratic than democratic.

poor plebeians were mostly slaves

only patricians could become senators

the office of consul was hereditary

consuls were elected by the tribunes

consuls were elected by the tribunes

a tribune represented the plebeians

a tribune could veto the consuls

every year two consuls were elected

The patrician families owned most land

plebeians were not citizens and therefore had no rights

Children of patricians were automatically patricians too

patricians had more power than plebeians

consuls could veto each other's decisions

Tarquin the Proud was Rome's first consul

the consuls had the power of a monarch

SPQR stands for "Roman monarchy"

Political systems are very complicated. And they can change over time. 300 years ago, a king had more power than a king today. This is a simplified overview of the most used political systems 

absolute monarchy

constitutional monarchy

republic: democracy

republic: aristocracy / 

                 oligarchy

republic: dictatorship / 

                  tyranny

then

now

Start Task:  This may be a challenge. You may need to ask an adult to identify several political people from the past and present... Good luck.

11. With the end of the monarchy, the Roman king was replaced by 2 consuls.

Why 2 instead of one?

1. to prevent one man from becoming a tyrant
2. to make sure they knew how to work together with a partner
3. it was too much work for just one man
4. the statement is wrong. The republic had only 1 consul.

12. Which of these 2 statements is correct?


I. the Roman Republic was ruled by a king who was NOT a tyrant
II. Two consuls checked each other so none of them could be a tyrant

1. both are correct
2. both are incorrect
3. only I is correct
4. only II is correct

When the geese saved Rome (part 1)

There is a legend that in the year 387 BC the Gauls (or Celts) crossed the Alps and entered the Italy. They came searching for new land for their people and of course the wealth of the fertile north of Italy.

The Gauls heard about the power and wealth of Rome and so they wanted it for themselves. The Romans were warned of the advance of these barbarians from the north and went out to do battle. The Gauls were more terrible than the Romans could have imagined. Many of them fought naked and their bodies were painted and tattooed with strange designs. Their battle cries were horrifying. Their weapons were wicked and they wielded them with an ease that no Roman could match. The Roman soldiers, every one, turned tail and ran back through the city gates, leaving the gates wide open in their panic. They entrenched themselves on the Capitoline Hill.

At length the Gauls decided the Romans really were cowards and they entered the city, sacking, looting, and burning as they went. But they could not breech the high walls of the Capitoline Hill.

‘The Celts lived north of Italy. The Romans called them Gauls (Galliërs)

When the geese saved Rome (part 2)

Then one night one of the Gaulish spies said he had found a way. They could climb up the back of the hill, up a steep cliff by means of handholds. If they climbed the hill quietly they could gather a strong enough force to battle their way to the gate and let their fellows in.

Now, the Capitoline Hill was the site of the temple of Juno. Since geese were sacred to Juno, the priests kept a flock of geese on the hill. It is lucky that they did for on the night the Gauls decided to scale the back of the Capitoline the sentries had fallen asleep on duty and the dogs were silently snoring. But the geese heard the invaders as they climbed the hill and they sent up such a cackling and honking and flapping of wings that captain Marcus Manlius woke abruptly, grabbed up his sword, and rushed out to the wall, calling his men as he ran. He was first to the wall, but others soon appeared at his right and at his left. They threw the Gauls back from the cliff.

The siege continued on for a few more weeks but the Gauls grew bored and decided to make a treaty. The Romans were able to buy peace at a great cost. But Rome endured and one day grew to be a great empire.

‘Celtic warriors, climbing the Capitoline hill, where the Romans were hiding

The Roman leaders negotiated with the Celtic leader Brennus for the price Rome would pay for the Gauls to leave. They decided on 1000 pounds of gold. But the Gauls used cheater weights that were heavier than standard. When the Romans complained,  Brennus said” Vae Victus”, "woe to the vanquished", and threw his sword onto the scale as well.

13a. Which of these 2 statements is correct?


I. The Celts were the same as the Gauls.
II. before they entered Italy in 387 BC, the Celts lived north of the Alps.

1. both are correct
2. both are incorrect
3. only I is correct
4. only II is correct

13b. Which of these 2 statements is correct?


I. Brennus spoke the words "Vae Victis" because the geese had saved the Romans
II. The geese belonged to the temple of the goddess Juno.

1. both are correct
2. both are incorrect
3. only I is correct
4. only II is correct

Write down one question about something from this lesson that you find difficult.

congratulations