4.1 The Dawn of Rome

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

AGE 2. The Time of Greeks and Romans

4.1 The Dawn of Rome

What is this lesson about?

The Greeks made war a lot. For this, they relied on hoplites. Apart from local conflicts, like the Peloponnesian Wars, there was also the conflict with Persia. This ended with Alexander the Great who conquered the East.

What you can explain /  do after this lesson

•  who the founders of Rome were
• how Rome changed from a monarchy into a republic
• How the republic was ruled
• what plebeians and patricians were
• how Rome conquered Italy

Word Duty

Senate: group of wise, old men that advised the king. Made laws in the Republic.

Etruscan: the Etruscans were a people that lived close to Rome

Republic: form of government without a king

Consul: head of the senate in the Republic, had the right to command armies

Dictator: temporary return of a single ruler with all powers of the old king

Patricians: ruling class in Rome

Plebeians: non-patrician people of Rome

Plebeian assembly: assembly of only plebeians. Made laws and elected 10 people’s tribunes

People’s tribune: official that was elected by the plebeian assembly to protect normal people. Had veto powers

Veto: literally means I forbid. Still the word used for the right to stop a law or decision

KEY WORDS

Read The myth of "Romulus and Remus".
b.
Why do you think the wolf is one of Rome’s symbols?

Read The myth of "Romulus and Remus".
a.
According to the myth, who was the father of Romulus and Remus?

Read The myth of "Romulus and Remus".
c.
Why did the boys leave Alba Longa?

Which of these 2 statements is correct?


I. In the beginning, Rome was a monarchy
II. In the beginning, Rome was a city state

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

Rome was built near a river on a hilltop.

a. What was the benefit of building a city near a river?

Rome was built near a river on a hilltop.

b. What was the benefit of building a city on a hilltop?

Which powers did the king have?

Read "From kingdom to Republic" .

Some kings ruled as tyrants.
What does that mean?

1. these kings respected Roman people, laws and traditions
2. these kings did not respect Roman people, laws and traditions

Why did the Romans want to get rid of Tarquinius Superbus?

After they got rid of the king, how did they replace him?
Explain why they did it that way.

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

Which of these 2 statements is correct?


I. a dictator had the same power as a king, but only for a short time
II. a dictator was only appointed in times of an emergency

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

In times of crisis, they allowed one person to be in charge.
What did they call him?

Why did they appoint only one person?

Read "Rome conquers Italy".
a.
Rome had a surplus of men. What does that mean?

Try to explain why this could be both a positive and a negative thing.

Read "The people of Rome".
a.
What made the patricians so powerful? Name two reasons.

b.
Could the patricians do whatever they wanted in the Republic?
Explain your answer.

The abbreviation SPQR stands for
Senatus Populusque Romanus
(the Senate and people of Rome).
Why could we say it stands for the Republic?

Why do they say the senate and the people? Are the senators not people?

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

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

congratulations