Turning Point - Roman Republic
Turning Points in History
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Timeline Event
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Roman Republic
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When
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753-27BCE
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Where
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Italian Peninsula, Southern Europe, N. Africa
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Participants (Who) | }}
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{{ #if: Romulus & Remus (Founders) - Mythical | *Romulus & Remus (Founders) - Mythical| }} {{ #if: Hannibal (Carthage) Ruler Defeated | *Hannibal (Carthage) Ruler Defeated| }} {{ #if: Julius Caesar - General, Dictator | *Julius Caesar - General, Dictator| }} {{ #if: | *| }} {{ #if: | *| }} {{ #if: | *| }} {{ #if: | *| }} |
What Happened | }}
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Rome starts as a monarchy and evolves into a republic with a senate and an assembly. Rome creates the Twelve Tables a law system to control the population of its expanding territorial advances. Rome has extensive trade in the Mediterranean region, and builds a huge army & navy. Rome defends itself and conquers Carthage in N. Africa (present day Tunisia) in the Punic Wars. Julius Caesar, a general, conquers Gaul (modern day France), and becomes Rome's most successful general and ruler. He is assassinated on March 15th, 27 BCE also known as the Ides (middle) of March. Octavian is named his heir and successor, and takes over as the first emperor as Augustus Caesar. At this point the Roman Empire begins.
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Causes/Why Happened | }}
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Rome's favorable climate and proximity to the Mediterranean allows for sea trade, and its volcanic soil is favorable to grape growing for wine. Rome's wine is one of its most famous traded goods.
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Results/Outcomes | }}
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Rome becomes the most powerful government in ancient history. It's technology, such as the arch, concrete, and road system which the saying "All roads lead to Rome" becomes famous for its power and popularity in the Ancient World.
Vocabulary
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Founding of Ancient Rome
We have no actual records telling us about the beginnings of Rome. According to legend, Rome was founded in 753 BC by twin brothers Romulus and Remus. Abandoned by their uncle, they were rescued by a she-wolf. They were found and raised by a shepherd.
The brothers vowed to build a city to honor the she-wolf on the hill where they had been found. In a quarrel about the city boundaries, Remus was killed and Romulus became the first King of Rome - which was named after him.
Evolving through various stages, from the Roman monarchy to the Roman Republic to the Roman Empire, Ancient Rome has contributed a great deal to the contemporary style of governance found in most democracies today. For certain, the Republic of Rome stands as a favorite subject for depiction in various media. Yet entertainment value is the least of the contributions that this civilization has to offer. In fact, even a cursory survey of its history will reveal a wealth of noteworthy accomplishments and historical lessons that continue to reverberate to this day. Read on for more information on the Republic of Rome and its legacy.
Impact of Geography
- Rome is located near the center of Italy.
- Italy is a peninsula located in the Mediterranean Sea.
- Italy’s geography helped to unite its people.
- Low mountains presented fewer natural barriers.
- Fertile plains supported a growing population.
- The Italian peninsula helped Romans to move easily through the lands of the Mediterranean.
What is the Roman Republic?
The Roman Republic refers to a specific time in the history of ancient Rome as well as to the type of government that was employed at that time. The Republic succeeded the former Roman monarchy around 509BCE. The government was a sharp departure from the monarchy as it was headed by two individuals, called consuls, as heads of state. These consuls were elected by the people for 1-year terms of office. Furthermore, the consuls were advised by a standing senate. All of this operated under what would eventually become a rather comprehensive constitution. The Roman Republic was succeeded by the Roman Empire at a point between 44BCE to 27BCE.
Government
The Roman Republic left a legacy that is easily recognizable today. In fact, most democratically-elected governments follow forms that were established by Rome. This includes the idea of a duly elected representative style of government. Equally, the idea of term limits was a facet of the Roman Republic as well as the concept of a constitution that outlines the rights of citizens and the limits of government authority. It should be noted that the Roman constitution featured such traditions as checks and balances along with the concept of a separation of power among government branches. Roman citizens enjoyed such rights as the ability to vote and to go to trial if charged with a crime.
A Brief History of the Roman Republic
- In 509BCE the Romans drove out the Etruscans who had ruled them.
- The Romans established a new form of government called a republic. In a republic officials are chosen by the people.
- The most powerful governing body was the Senate. Senators were members of the landholding upper class called the patricians. These officials elected two consuls, who supervised the business of government and commanded the armies.
- The plebeians – farmers, merchants, artisans, and traders – who made up most of the population – had little power.
- Under Roman law, the male head of household had authority over his wife and family. During the late years of the republic and early years of the empire, however, women gained greater freedom. Roman women held prominent public roles and owned successful businesses
What Role Did Julius Caesar Play in the Roman Republic?
The man known as Gaius Julius Caesar was a significant personality in Roman history. In fact, his actions played an important part that led to the end of the Roman Republic. Julius Caesar was a general and political statesman. More to the point, he had ambition.
Rome's most famous citizen was no doubt Julius Caesar and without having any orders to do so, conquered the vast territory of the Gauls to the north of his province in France. In the year 49BCE Caesar crossed the small river between his province and Italy, called the river Rubicon, and conquered Rome itself which he then ruled as a dictator. His military campaigns also took him to Egypt where he met the famous Cleopatra. His life though was ended as he was infamously murdered in the senate in Rome.
With his accomplishments on the battlefield, Caesar elevated his personal prestige. This led him into open conflict with the Roman senate and the Consul of Rome. Caesar was the victor in this civil war, which allowed him to consolidate military and political power around himself. He eventually declared himself dictator in 44BCE, a date that many historians mark as the end of the Republic and the beginning of the Empire.
So famous and respected was Caesar that a month of the year is still named after him and his heirs today, July (after Julius Caesar). Also during the Renaissance (c.1350CE-1600CE) the great English poet Shakespeare wrote a famous play called Julius Caesar about his famous murder.
War and Conquest
The greatest challenge the Roman Republic faced was that of the Carthaginians. Carthage was a very powerful city in North Africa which, much like Rome, controlled its own empire. The fight between the two sides was a long one and took place on land and on sea. The most famous incident came when the great Carthaginian general Hannibal crossed the mountain chain of the Alps to the north of Italy with all his troops, including his war-elephants, and invaded Italy. In the end, Rome won and Carthage was completely destroyed in the year 146BCE.
Enduring Legacy for the Roman Republic
The Republic of Rome stands as a historical legacy of noteworthy proportion. The reasons are straightforward: this civilization established a form of government that has aspects that are still adhered to and valued in modern times. Equally, many of the historical personalities of this time period continue to fascinate the contemporary mindset. The accomplishments and failures as well as the military and political intrigue of this time period stand as an insightful historical study of the dynamics of civilization.
Architecture & Engineering
Aqueducts
The Romans enjoyed many amenities for their day, including public toilets, underground sewage systems, fountains and ornate public baths. None of these aquatic innovations would have been possible without the Roman aqueduct. First developed around 312 B.C., these engineering marvels used gravity to transport water along stone, lead and concrete pipelines and into city centers. Aqueducts liberated Roman cities from a reliance on nearby water supplies and proved priceless in promoting public health and sanitation. While the Romans did not invent the aqueduct—primitive canals for irrigation and water transport existed earlier in Egypt, Assyria and Babylon—they used their mastery of civil engineering to perfect the process. Hundreds of aqueducts eventually sprang up throughout the empire, some of which transported water as far as 60 miles. Perhaps most impressive of all, Roman aqueducts were so well built that some are still in use to this day. Rome’s famous Trevi Fountain, for instance, is supplied by a restored version of the Aqua Virgo, one of ancient Rome’s 11 aqueducts.
Concrete
Many ancient Roman structures like the Pantheon, the Colosseum and the Roman Forum are still standing today thanks to the development of Roman cement and concrete. The Romans first began building with concrete over 2,100 years ago and used it throughout the Mediterranean basin in everything from aqueducts and buildings to bridges and monuments. Roman concrete was considerably weaker than its modern counterpart, but it has proved remarkably durable thanks to its unique recipe, which used slaked lime and a volcanic ash known as pozzolana to create a sticky paste. Combined with volcanic rocks called tuff, this ancient cement formed a concrete that could effectively endure chemical decay. Pozzolana helped Roman concrete set quickly even when submerged in seawater, enabling the construction of elaborate baths, piers and harbors.
Roads
At its height, the Roman empire encompassed nearly 1.7 million square miles and included most of southern Europe. To ensure effective administration of this sprawling domain, the Romans built the most sophisticated system of roads the ancient world had ever seen. These Roman roads—many of which are still in use today—were constructed with a combination of dirt, gravel and bricks made from granite or hardened volcanic lava. Roman engineers adhered to strict standards when designing their highways, creating arrow-straight roads that curved to allow for water drainage. The Romans built over 50,000 miles of road by 200 A.D., primarily in the service of military conquest. Highways allowed the Roman legion to travel as far as 25 miles per day, and a complex network of post houses meant that messages and other intelligence could be relayed with astonishing speed. These roads were often managed in the same way as modern highways. Stone mile markers and signs informed travelers of the distance to their destination, while special complements of soldiers acted as a kind of highway patrol.
Calendar
The modern Gregorian calendar is modeled very closely on a Roman version that dates back more than 2,000 years. Early Roman calendars were likely cribbed from Greek models that operated around the lunar cycle. But because the Romans considered even numbers unlucky, they eventually altered their calendar to ensure that each month had an odd number of days. This practice continued until 46 B.C., when Julius Caesar and the astronomer Sosigenes instituted the Julian system to align the calendar with the solar year. Caesar lengthened the number of days in a year from 355 to the now-familiar 365 and eventually included the 12 months as we know them today. The Julian calendar was almost perfect, but it miscalculated the solar year by 11 minutes. These few minutes ultimately threw the calendar off by several days. This led to the adoption of the nearly identical Gregorian calendar in 1582, which fixed the discrepancy by altering the schedule of leap years.
Common Law
Subpoena, habeas corpus, pro bono, affidavit—all these terms derive from the Roman legal system, which dominated Western law and government for centuries. The basis for early Roman law came from the Twelve Tables, a code that formed an essential part of the constitution during the Republican era. First adopted around 450 B.C., the Twelve Tables detailed laws regarding property, religion and divorce and listed punishments for everything from theft to black magic. Even more influential than the Twelve Tables was the Corpus Juris Civilis, an ambitious attempt to synthesize Rome’s history of law into one document. Established by the Byzantine emperor Justinian between 529 and 535 A.D., the Corpus Juris included modern legal concepts such as the notion that the accused is innocent until proven guilty. After the fall of the Roman empire, it became the basis for many of the world’s legal systems. Along with English common law and sharia law, Roman law remains hugely influential and is still reflected in the civil laws of several European nations as well as the U.S. state of Louisiana.
