Ancient Roman History and Politics

Founding of Rome

• 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

Sabine Women

• 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

• 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

Vestal Virgins

• 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

Pontifex Maximus

• 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

Transition from Kingdom to Republic

• 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

Cursus Honorum

• 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

Punic Wars

• 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

Populares and Optimates

• 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

Latifundia

• 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

Land Reform Bills

• 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

Conflict of the Orders

• 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

First Triumvirate

• 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

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

Julius Caesar

• 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

• 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

Second Triumvirate

• 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

Places

• 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