The Punic Wars

The Punic Wars were fought from 264 - 146 BC. Three wars happened in that time period: the first was from 264 - 241 BC, the second was from 218 - 201 BC, the third was the shortest from 149 - 146 BC. The three great wars were fought between Rome and Carthage, Carthage wanted to take control over Roman land but they never succeeded. They fought battles in the sea for the island Sicily, they fought right in their homeland of Rome, and they fought right in Carthage city which was destroyed in the end. Rome did all this with 5,000 unpaid soldiers(until later) carrying a shield, sword, dagger, wearing armor, and a tunic. They had cavalry and one of the best Navy's.

Rome's leader and government

This is how Tarquin took power to Rome. Before Tullia became his wife, she killed her old husband and sister so she could be with him. For him to be king right then they had to get rid of her father. Tarquin asked to become king and was refused so he had the king assassinated. Tullia worships Tarquin as the new king but is sent home, and she sees her father's body on the road and runs over it. Some senators want to bury the body but Tarquin doesn't want it buried so he assassinates the senators. Much later Tarquins son causes a young woman to commit suicide, Tarquin tries to hide it but the people had him, his son, and his family expelled from Rome. After this Rome didn't want kings to rule ever again. So they change the government to two consuls. They are patricians who are elected each year. They dealt with justice, making laws, and commanding armies. One person could veto the other so they were less powerful. Then plebeians challenged the patrician's power, and eventually, fair laws were written down. Democracy was created similar to ours. Everyone can vote, they both have three branches of government. We both have a legal code. Ours is the Bill of Rights and Romes was the Twelve Tables. We based our democracy off of Rome's.

Notes on Rome

Groups that settled in Rome

Latins- (they were first)

• descendants of Indo-Europeans
• settled on the banks of the Tiber
• situated so trading ships - but not war fleets - could navigate as far as Rome, but no further
• a commercial port, but not susceptible to attack
• built on seven hills (esp. Palatine)

they drained a swamp:

• many streams flowed into the Tiber
• there was a marshy area called the Forum, between Palatine and Capitoline Hills
• Tarquin the Proud’s grandfather built the Cloaca Maxima (largest ancient drain), which channeled water into the Tiber
• urban legend says Washington DC was built on a swamp - but only about 2% was actually swampland - however, Constitution Avenue is located on what used to be called Tiber Creek

Etruscans 

•  they came from the north-central part of the peninsula
• they were metalworkers, artists, architect

two foundation myths: 

• Virgil’s Aeneid (where Aeneas escapes from Troy)
• the story of Remus and Romulus

Greeks

• had many colonies around the Mediterranean Sea
• Romans borrowed ideas from them, such as:
• religious beliefs
• alphabet
• much of their art -Remus wanted Aventine
• military techniques and weaponry -Romulus chose Palatine

Lucius Tarquinias Superbus

• the seventh and final king of Rome
• known as Tarquin the Proud (sometimes referred to as Tarquin the Arrogant)
• a true tyrant, in the old and modern sense of the word
  

Rome by Chi Cago

When I heard I was going to get the chance to hear Rome by the famous rapper and historian I was very excited. I heard about it from my brother years back and waited for my chance. I wasn't totally sure what to expect but I would have given it a standing ovation. I think it was very well written and it even had a lot of information but it was in a fun way. I am very disappointed I didn't get to see it live though, that would have been cool. But, it was still great and I'm glad I didn't miss out on the once in a lifetime chance.

Twelve Tables

The Twelve Tables are a set of Roman Laws that are inscribed on 12 tablets in Ancient Rome. They were created in 451 BC. These tablets were hung everywhere for all people to see. It was the start of a new way for laws. These laws would go through the government first, and then they would be written down. They were then hung around Rome so all citizens would know their rights and be treated equally without the laws changing. Before these laws were created patricians would change laws or make them up for their benefit because they were a higher class. The plebeians didn't like this so they fought against them and when they won these laws were created. These laws established the rights of Roman citizens in areas of property, trials, personal wrongs, public, and religious matters. This was an important step for Romans in their government.

Arch of Septimius Severus

                                            

This is the Arch of Septimius Severus. The 69-foot archway is made of Proconessian white marble from the Sea of Marmara. The Romans made this arch to dedicate it to the Emperor Septimus Severus, and his two sons Caracalla and Geta in 203 for their victories in Parthia. It is one of the two remaining triumphal arches that surround the Roman Forum.

Roman Patricians and Plebians

The main difference between patricians and plebians is that patricians are wealthy and plebians are common people. Patricians have lots of money and own land. They probably have some plebians working on their land. They thought they should have a lot of power because they were wealthy. Plebians are the middle class and the lowest class people put together in the same group. There was no middle class if you weren't a patrician you were a plebeian even if you made more money than most plebeians. There are merchants, farmers, builders, bakers, and artisans. These people were the majority of Rome but didn't get any power. Ancient Greece had four classes which make more sense. They had the upper class; the metics, or middle class; lower class, or freedmen; and the slave class. I think the way the Greeks set up their social class system was better and fairer.