Ancient Roman History and Politics

Rome was founded by Romulus and Remus, twin brothers who were abandoned as infants and suckled by a she-wolf
The brothers disagreed on the site of the city, and Romulus killed Remus, either in a fight or as a result of a divine sign
Romulus became the first king of Rome and named the city after himself

The Sabine women were abducted by the Romans to populate the city and provide wives for the Roman men
The abduction led to a war between the Romans and the Sabines, but eventually, the women intervened and negotiated a peace between their fathers and husbands

Numa Pompilious, the second king of Rome, introduced many religious and cultural reforms, including the creation of the Pontifex Maximus
He established the Vestal Virgins, a group of priestesses who tended the sacred fire and made sacrifices to the gods

The Vestal Virgins were a group of priestesses who served for 30 years and were responsible for maintaining the sacred fire and performing rituals
They were sworn to celibacy and were punished by death if they broke their vow

The Pontifex Maximus was the highest priest in Rome, responsible for performing rituals and sacrifices, and advising the Senate on religious matters
The office was held for life and was traditionally held by the king or a high-ranking noble

The last king of Rome, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, was overthrown in 509 BC, and the Romans established a republic governed by a Senate and elected representatives
The transition was motivated by the desire to limit the power of the monarch and create a more equitable system of government

The cursus honorum was the sequence of offices held by Roman politicians, starting with the quaestorship and progressing to the consulship and censorship
The offices included:
- Quaestor: responsible for financial administration and supply
- Aedile: responsible for public works and festivals
- Praetor: responsible for justice and the administration of the law
- Consul: the highest elected office, responsible for military command and governance
- Censor: responsible for moral guidance and the supervision of public behavior

The Punic Wars were a series of conflicts between Rome and Carthage, lasting from 264 to 146 BC
The wars resulted in the destruction of Carthage, the expansion of Roman territory, and the establishment of Rome as a dominant power in the Mediterranean

The populares were a group of politicians who advocated for the interests of the common people and sought to increase the power of the people's assemblies
The optimates were a group of politicians who advocated for the interests of the aristocracy and sought to maintain the power of the Senate

The latifundia were large estates that were developed in the 2nd century BC, primarily in southern Italy
They were worked by slave labor and produced crops for export, leading to the displacement of small farmers and the growth of a landless class

The land reform bills were proposed by the Gracchi brothers, Tiberius and Gaius, in the 2nd century BC
The bills aimed to redistribute land from the wealthy to the poor and to limit the size of estates

The Conflict of the Orders was a period of social and political unrest in Rome, lasting from 494 to 287 BC
The conflict was between the patrician (aristocratic) and plebeian (commoner) classes, and resulted in the establishment of the tribunate and the development of the Roman constitution

The First Triumvirate was a political alliance between Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus, formed in 59 BC
The alliance was motivated by a desire to share power and influence in Rome

Ptolemy XIII, the king of Egypt, assassinated Pompey the Great in 48 BC, believing that Pompey posed a threat to his rule

Julius Caesar marched on Rome in 49 BC, after being declared an enemy of the state by the Senate
He was motivated by a desire to defend his dignity and to gain power and influence in Rome

Marcus Junius Brutus was inspired by Lucius Junius Brutus, a legendary hero who had expelled the last king of Rome
Brutus was one of the leaders of the conspiracy against Julius Caesar and assassinated him in 44 BC

The Second Triumvirate was a political alliance between Octavian (later Augustus), Antony, and Lepidus, formed in 43 BC
The alliance was motivated by a desire to avenge Caesar's death and to eliminate their political opponents

Lavinium was founded by Ascanius, a Trojan hero, before Rome
Carthage was located in modern-day Tunisia
Rome and Carthage went to war over the island of Sicily in 264 BC
Carthage began to colonize Spain, leading to the start of the Second Punic War
Rome suffered its worst military defeat at the Battle of Cannae in 216 BC, losing nearly 50,000 soldiers
Julius Caesar conquered Gaul (modern-day France and Belgium) immediately after serving as consul in 59 BC
Pompey was assassinated in Egypt in 48 BC
Julius Caesar was assassinated in the Roman Senate in 44 BC
Marc Antony and Cleopatra committed suicide in Egypt in 30 BC