3.1 Early Rome

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• Middelbare school
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AGE 2. The Time of Greeks and Romans

3.1 Early Rome

What is this lesson about?

According to the Roman historian Varro, a small town called Rome was founded on 21st April 753 BC. How was Rome founded? And how did such a small town grow into the mighty Roman Empire?

1. How many games, films and comics can you think of that are based on the Romans? Write down as many as possible. If you cannot think of any more, check with a classmate to see if you have the same ones.

2. Read The story of Romulus and Remus (Theory B)
The story of Romulus and Remus is a legend. What is a legend?

3. Read The story of Romulus and Remus (Theory B)
According to the legend, who was the founder of Rome?

4. Study source 3.3. It shows Romulus, Remus and the she-wolf. Why do you think the wolf is one of Rome’s symbols?

Read the source:

Romulus was starting to build the first walls of Rome when his brother Remus appeared. They had been fighting over who should become the first king of their new city. When Remus asked what Romulus was doing, he answered: ‘I am building the mighty walls of my city. No one will ever climb over my enormous walls!’ Remus laughed and joked about it. He said everybody would easily get over the wall he had built so far. Romulus got very angry. Remus laughed some more and then jumped over the wall. Before he could make another joke, Romulus hit Remus with a tool he had been working with. As Remus dropped dead to the ground, Romulus shouted: ‘And that will happen to all that cross my walls!’

Simplified version of the legend of Romulus and Remus

5. Does the story say that Romulus is ashamed of what he did to Remus?

6. In the legend, Romulus killed his brother. The Ancient Romans found this legend a great story and Romulus a tough king. What idea does the story give you about the Romans?

7. Does the story make Romulus look friendly or tough?

8. The location of the city of Rome was not accidentally chosen.

Fill in the missing parts in the scheme to illustrate why.

Easy to defend

More traffic can mean more trade

you can see people coming

water and trade route

9. Why did the Romans want to get rid of Tarquin the Proud?

10. Read Senators and Consuls (Theory F) and study source 3.4.

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

11. Drag the words at the bottom to the correct place in the table.

dictator

senate

republic

Tarquin the Proud

Romulus

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

12a. true or false?

A dictator was a single ruler who had as much power as the old kings.

1. TRUE
2. FALSE

12b. true or false?

Early Rome was ruled by an emperor.

1. TRUE
2. FALSE

12c. true or false?

The Forum Romanum was the main centre of Ancient Rome.

1. TRUE
2. FALSE

12d. true or false?

Consuls only served a one-year term and then had to step down.

1. TRUE
2. FALSE

12e. true or false?

The Senate House was situated outside Rome.

1. TRUE
2. FALSE

Read Rome conquers Italy (Theory G).

13. Rome had a surplus of men. What does ‘a surplus of men’ mean?

A surplus of men: positive or negative for Rome:

14a. Rome had enough men to fight other cities.

1. POSITIVE
2. NEGATIVE

14b. Because there was not enough farmland, there was not
enough food either.

1. POSITIVE
2. NEGATIVE

14c. Many people were hungry and discontented.

1. POSITIVE
2. NEGATIVE

14d. Conquered lands and the spoils of war made Rome
rich and powerful.

1. POSITIVE
2. NEGATIVE

14e. So Rome was strong enough to expand.

1. POSITIVE
2. NEGATIVE

14f. There was not enough land for everyone to live on.

1. POSITIVE
2. NEGATIVE

14 g. What CAUSED the positive and negative effects?

1. all answers are correct
2. Rome becoming a republic
3. Tarquin the Proud being banished
4. Rome having a surplus of men

15. Drag the effects to the right causes.

Rome had a surplus of men.

There was not enough land for everyone 

to live on.

By the end of the 4th century BC, large parts of Italy were dominated by Rome.

16a. What does the abbreviation SPQR stand for?

The abbreviation SPQR means Senatus Populesque Romanus (‘the senate and people of Rome’). Using these letters, the Republic of Rome was shown on the military standards, on public buildings, coins and even park benches. It reminded the people that they were part of the Roman Republic, and no longer ruled by kings.

16b. Why could we say SPQR stands for
the Roman Republic and not the Roman
Monarchy? Write down your answer.

The abbreviation SPQR means Senatus Populesque Romanus (‘the senate and people of Rome’). Using these letters, the Republic of Rome was shown on the military standards, on public buildings, coins and even park benches. It reminded the people that they were part of the Roman Republic, and no longer ruled by kings.