Final Exam Study Guide

?he story of Romulus and Remus and the story of The Rape of the Sabine Women * res publica- “people’s business”; Republican Period- 509 – 44/31 BCE Location of Rome: perfectly placed between the Etruscans, the Latins, and the Greeks * gave access to cultural advancement; Romans borrowed many things from the 3 groups * Rome was far enough inland to avoid direct assault from the sea but had access to water and its port city Ostia from the Tiber River Struggle of the Orders: the plebeians (commoner) rebelled against the patricians (aristocrat) for more equal rights * patricians were determined by birth, not wealth; plebeians could influence the patricians because Rome had a citizen militia at the time and there were more plebeians than patricians * Twelve Tables compiled by Decemvirs; a code of Roman laws that applied to citizens * some reforms include: marriage legalized between orders, plebeians eligible for consulship, debt slavery abolished, plebiscites are binding to all citizens etc. * SPQR- “Senatus Populusque Romanus” or “The Senate and the People of Rome” * fasces- axe bundled in scrolls- symbol of the republic govern. and the consuls’ powers (military, religious, and imperial ) * some reforms included: 1) 342 BCE- at least one consul had to be plebeian 2) 326 BCE- debt slavery abolished 3) 287 BCE- plebeiscites were binding to all citizens

The Punic Wars: the three wars fought against Carthage that eventually led to a large a expansion of Roman territory and the eventual change of the Roman army * 387 BCE- Rome is sacked by Gauls; this event created the influence that if Rome does not overtake other city-states, it will be destroyed – defensive aggression * before Punic Wars, Roman army = all citizens that fought when nessessary * 4th or 3rd century BCE, Rome eventually fought a war every year and needed a full-time army * co-optation- the idea that when conquered nations or allies of Rome respected Roman authority, they received a certain degree of independence * could keep government, culture, religion, etc. * allowed Rome to properly control large expanses of territory * 264 BCE- south of Arna River = Roman territory; Rome expanded south due to impressive cultures there- Greek, Egyptian, etc. * Carthage- republic, ery powerful commercial and military navy; expanded north; very religious; posed a significant threat to Rome * First Punic War (264 -241 BCE)- began on Sicily; Carthage has advantage at first b/c of navy * Rome copies Carthaginian ships and uses Carthaginian fighting style to beat Carthage b/c of more economic and natural resources (and people) * Rome wins and takes Sicily, warships

Caesar murdered by conspirators led by Cassius and Brutus; believed they were freeing the roman people. 2nd Triumvirate forms as a result of Caesar’s death in order to wipe out his killers and put an end to the civil war that erupted * triumvirate made up of Mark Antony (close friend of Caesars), Octavian (Caesar’s adopted heir and nephew) and Lepidus ( a general); * triumvirate eventually falls apart after Battle of Philippi (42 BCE- killers and supporters defeated in battle) and Antony and Octavian start a civil war * 31 BCE- Battle of Actium- Octavian’s forces defeat Antony in Greece; Octavian given the name Augustus (“divinely favored”) by Senate * Augustus ruled under an illusion- never called himself emperor even though he was one- took term “Princeps”, which means leading man/citizen since people would reject the idea of a sole ruler and would accept the idea of a republic * brings era of 200 years of peace known as Pax Romana by stabilizing government List of Terms Republican Period- 509 – 44/31 BCE res publica- “people’s business”

SPQR- “Senatus Populusque Roman” or “The Senate and the People of Rome” fasces- axe bundled in scrolls- symbol of the republic government and the consuls’ powers (imperium and auspicium power) Imperium power- the power to command the army and inflict capital punishment; reserved for consuls and praetors Auspicium power- the religious power of the consul to determine the will of the gods through the flight patterns of birds Auspices- series of rituals; slaughtered animals for sacrifice and interpreted organs as an act of divination Augurs- observed the flight patterns of birds divination- the attempt to interpret the will of the gods lictors- 12 “bodyguards” that carried the fasces in front of the censors and other important officials co-optation- the idea that when conquered nations or allies of Rome respected Roman authority, they received a certain degree of independence latifundia- large estates urbanization- large masses of people moving into cities) and leads to pollution, crowdedness, etc. roscription- decree of condemnation to death or banishment that refers to state-approved murder or persecution clemency- forgiveness for a crime or misdemeanor; mercy or leniency necropolis- “city of the dead”; public cemetery plebeiscite- resolutions or laws passed by the Concilium Plebis (Plebeian Council) Cursus Honorum- “course of honor”; the path which is highly respected among politicians in which a successful politician ascends the Ladder of Offices from quaestor to aedile to praetor and finally to consul sacrosanctity- the belief that the tribunes’ bodies were holy; if death or harm come upon the body by result of another man= severe punishment reparations- payment for losses