Slide 1
Roman Republic
Slide 2
The tale of Aeneas (The Aeneid)
Dido at Carthage and other travels (like The Odyssey)
Historical evidence
Settlements from 11th Century BC
Slide 3
Founding of Rome – The Roman Race
Wars against the Latins (like The Illiad)
Rape of the Sabine Women (Jacques Louis David)
Slide 4
Romulus and Remus
Latin princess was Vestal virgin
Raped by Mars, bore twin boys
Ordered killed by non-Latin king
Suckled by a wolf
Grew and founded a city (753BC)
Romulus killed Remus
Historic Evidence
The Etruscans conquered the Romans (non-Latin king)
Romans eventually overthrew Etruscans and established kingdom
Ruins of home of king (Romulus?) date from 8th Century BC
Slide 5
Began with war of independence from Etruscans (500 BC)
War heroes exhibit desired qualities of Romans
Horatio at the bridge (Oath of the Horatii by Jacques Louis David)
Stories became legends for Romans throughout their history
Compare to American War of Independence
Regal period
Ruled by 7 kings
Revolted against last king to found the republic
Slide 6
Ruled by a senate and the people
SPQR= Senate and the People of Rome
Senate (patricians) appointed consuls (1 year)
Foreign affairs and the military
Direct access by the people to the consul
People (plebs) organized by tribes and they elected 10 tribunes
Governed local affairs
Had veto power (individually)
Slide 7
Senate
Never made laws but advice was accepted
Had power to appoint a person to solve a specific problem (He was a "speaker" or "dictator")
Appointed censors (moral guardian/rank judge)
Appointed governors
Concilium plebis
Made all the laws (called plebecites)
Elected magistrates (administrators) and judges
Comitia Curiata/Centuriata – plebs and patricians
Committed the emporium (military power)
All met in the forum (looked over each other)
Pontifex Maximus
Religious leader
Slide 8