The Empire of Rome
The Birth of Rome
•	Italy a central peninsula, centrally located in the Mediterranean Sea. 
•	The Etruscans and Latins helped to form the culture of Rome. The triumph and road building .
•	The Roman republic - Only adult male citizens could vote. Three groups of citizens. The Assembly of Centuries, Assembly of Tribes and the Senate.
•	Consuls -two - elected for one year. 

Roman Government
•	The Roman consuls could veto- or cancel each others vote. This is called checks and balances. The idea is in our own Constitution.
•	The praetors served as military leaders and judges and the censors registered people to assess taxes. 
•	The tribunes were elected by the Assembly of Tribes.  They could veto laws if necessary.

The Senate and Class Struggle
•	The Senate included 300 men. The Senate could propose a man be elected dictator for 6 months.
•	The patricians were a powerful aristocratic class. All other citizens were plebians. 
•	The plebians forced the government to write the laws down in the twelve tables.
•	The patricians ran the government.  
•	The army was ,made up of male citizens. The legion  consisted of 4500 -6000 men. 
•	Rome shared citizenship with the conquered.

Family and Religion
•	The center of Roman religion, morals, and education was the family. 
•	The father of paterfamilias had absolute authority. 
•	The Roman religion was borrowed from Greece.  Jupiter - Zeus,  Juno - Hera . 
•	The high priest was elected for life - The Pontifex Maximus.
•	Etruscans and Latins - looking at entrails for divine guidance. 

Rome Expanded - the Punic Wars
•	The First Punic War Rome fights Carthage and takes Sicily. Carthage must pay an indemnity.
•	The Second Punic War Hannibal invades Rome, over the Alps. He ravaged Italy for 15 years. He is defeated by Scipio in 202 B.C. after invading Africa. 
•	Third Punic War - Rome destroys Carthage and sells the people into slavery.
•	Roman landowners form latifundia and equites move to the cities to live.