The Roman Republic
Learn the 3 branches of Roman Government and basic function, understand the 3 Punic Wars and their outcome for Rome (along with who they fought) and understand the significance of Julius Caesar and his reforms for Rome.
1. Ch. 14 The Roman Republic
509 B.C. – 30 B.C.
Lesson 1 The Government
2. The Roman Republic
• In 509 B.C. The Romans overthrew Tarquin the Etruscan king
• Set up a Republic – a form of government in which people
choose their rulers
• However, not all Romans were equal
– Patricians – members of the oldest and richest families—the only ones who
could hold public office
– Plebeians—Poorer citizens who paid taxes, serve in the army
– Plebeians could not marry patricians or hold office
3. The Government
• Roman idea of government chosen by the people has served as a
model for future generations (United States included)
• Roman Republic had two consuls – administrators & military leaders
chosen yearly
• Roman Senate – 300 Senators chosen for life
– Handled daily problems of government, proposed laws, approved contracts
for building roads, temples
4. The Government
• Judges or tribunes – government officials who protected the
rights of the plebeians
• All Roman citizens belong to assemblies
• In 450 B.C. Romans began to write their laws down
• Carved laws on 12 bronze tablets called The Twelve Tables
• Placed in the Forum– the Foundation of all future Roman Law
• Romans gradually grew more democratic
• By 250 B.C. no one could be sold into slavery due to their debts
• Plebeians could finally hold public office
5. Ch. 14 The Roman Republic
Lesson 2 Roman Expansion
6. Roman Expansion
• Romans worked to protect the Republic they built
• Conquered several Etruscan cities, ensuring Etruscans could
never take Rome
• By 275 B.C. Rome ruled all of Italian peninsula
• By 146 B.C. Rome ruled most of Mediterranean world
7. • New Warfare arrangement: Legions – army containing 5,000
soldiers (legionaries) & divided into groups of 60 to 120 soldiers
• Outperformed the phalanx
• Legion was smaller, moved faster, could attack from all sides not
just one direction
• Romans let conquered people keep their own governments & did
not tax them at first
• In return, the conquered were expected to serve in Roman army
• Result: enemies of Rome became loyal Roman allies
• Turn to page 221 in World History Book
• Answer Linking Across Time
9. The Punic Wars
• Romans conquered Greek city-states in southern Italy 264 B.C.
• Rome’s Rival = Carthage: Phoenician city that controlled most of
North & West Africa, most of Spain, & islands off Italy’s coast
• Romans felt threatened by the Carthaginians & First Punic War
began 264 B.C. lasting 23 years
• Carthage’s military strength: navy
• Rome’s military strength: army
• In 241 B.C. Carthaginians agreed to make peace & left Sicily
10. Hannibal & Second Punic War
• General Hannibal Barca won many victories against Rome
beginning in 218 B.C.
• Journeyed through Spain, France, Swiss Alps & into Rome
• Without enough supplies to batter down Rome’s city walls
Hannibal unable to capture Rome
• 201 B.C. Carthage agreed to pay Rome money & give up all
territories including Spain
• Spanish resources of copper, gold, lead, iron belonged to Rome
11. Hannibal & Second Punic War
• General Hannibal Barca won many victories against Rome
beginning in 218 B.C.
• Journeyed through Spain, France, Swiss Alps & into Rome
• Without enough supplies to batter down Rome’s city walls
Hannibal unable to capture Rome
• 201 B.C. Carthage agreed to pay Rome money & give up all
territories including Spain
• Spanish resources of copper, gold, lead, iron belonged to Rome
12. Third Punic War
• To prevent Carthage regaining power, Rome attacked in 149 B.C.
• Burned Carthage & plowed salt into fields so no crops could grow
– Rome now controlled Macedonia, Syria, & Greece
• Leading Mediterranean Power
13. Ch. 14 The Roman Republic
Lesson 4 Effects of Conquest
14. Effects of Conquest
• Conquests & Wealth changed Rome’s economy & government
• Changes:
– Replacement of small farms by large estates
– The Coming of Slavery
– Movement from Farms to Cities
– Decline of the Roman Republic
– Landless farmers moved to Rome
– Government officials too busy getting rich to worry about solving the
republic’s problems
– Gap between rich and poor grew much greater
– Rich hated poor; poor hated rich
– Rome was no longer politically stable
15. Ch. 14 The Roman Republic
Lesson 5 Roman Leadership
16. The Reformers
• Next 100 years – Popular Leaders tried to Improve Conditions in
Rome
• Reformers & Generals
• Tiberius Gracchus – 133 B.C. – Limited the amount of land
people could own; divided public lands; gave to the poor
• 107 B.C. General Marius – Opened the army to all – convinced
poor to join offering them pay, land, pension
• In 60 B.C political power passed to a triumvirate – group of 3
persons with equal power
• Julius Caesar, Crassus, & Pompeius
• Caesar eventually became Sole Ruler
17. Julius Caesar
• “Born into one of the oldest patricians families in Rome, Gaius
Julius Caesar, knew politics could be a dangerous job. Even so,
he had a big advantage—the loyalty of the legions who served
him. The legions helped Caesar become the reform-minded ruler
of Rome, but they could not save him from murder by the
senators who felt his popularity and power threatened the
Republic.”
• Caesar built up large, strong, loyal army
• Conquered northern France and Belgium; invaded Britain
• Reforms: redistributed state lands in Italy, built new infrastructure,
doubled the Senate to give business people more power
18. End of Republic
• Caesar murdered on Ides of March – March 15 44 B.C. by jealous
Senators
• In 31 B.C. Octavian became sole ruler of Roman Empire
– Beginning new period of the Roman Empire
