Chapter 8: The Rise of Rome - Mr. Shuman History · How was Rome’s location advantageous ... new chapter in Rome’s history. ... Scala/Art Resource, NY 262-267 CH 8 S1-824133 3/22/04

Romes

c. 650 B.C.Etruscans ruleRome

509 B.C.Rome becomesa republic

267 B.C.Rome controlsmost of Italy

ITALY

AFRICASicily

Rome

650 B.C. 450 B.C. 250 B.C.650 B.C. 450 B.C. 250 B.C.

262 CHAPTER 8 The Rise of Rome

BeginningsWhats the Connection?

In previous chapters, you learnedabout the civilization of ancientGreece. Greek ways did not die withthe end of Greeces freedom. Theywere adopted and spread widely byanother civilization, Rome.

Focusing on the Geography played an important role

in the rise of Roman civilization.(page 263)

The Romans created a republic andconquered Italy. By treating peoplefairly, they built Rome from a smallcity into a great power. (page 265)

Locating PlacesSicily (SIHsuh lee)Apennines (ApuhNYNZ)Latium (LAYsheeuhm)Tiber River (TYbuhr)Etruria (ihTRUReeuh)

Meeting PeopleRomulus (RAHMyuh luhs)

and Remus (REEmuhs)Aeneas (ihNEEuhs)Latins (LAtuhnz)Etruscans (ihTRUHSkuhnz)Tarquins (TAHRkwihnz)

Building Your Vocabularyrepublic (rihPUHblihk) legion (LEE juhn)

Reading StrategySummarizing Information Use adiagram like the one below to showhow the Etruscans affected thedevelopment of Rome.

Etruscans

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CHAPTER 8 The Rise of Rome 263

The Origins of RomeGeography played an important role in

the rise of Roman civilization.Reading Focus If you were founding a new city, whatnatural features would influence your choice of a build-ing site? As you read this section, think about thechoices that the early Romans made.

Italy is in an important location in themiddle of the Mediterranean region. It is along, narrow peninsula with a distinctiveshape: it looks like a high-heeled boot jut-ting into the sea. The heel points towardGreece and the toe toward the island ofSicily (SIH suh lee). Across the top of theboot are the Alps, craggy mountains thatseparate Italy from European lands to thenorth. Another mountain range, theApennines (A puh NYNZ), runs all the waydown the boot from north to south.

The landscape of Italy is similar to thatof Greece, but the Apennines are not asrugged as Greeces mountains. They can becrossed much more easily. As a result, thepeople who settled in Italy were not split upinto small, isolated communities as theGreeks were. In addition, Italy had betterfarmland than Greece. Its mountain slopeslevel off to large flat plains that are ideal forgrowing crops. With more capacity to pro-duce food, Italy could support more peoplethan Greece could.

Historians know little about the firstpeople to live in Italy. There is evidence,however, that groups from the northslipped through Italys mountain passesbetween about 1500 B.C. and 1000 B.C.Attracted by the mild climate and rich soil,a small but steady stream of newcomers set-tled in the hills and on the plains. Amongthese peoples were a Latin-speaking peoplewho built the city of Rome on the plain ofLatium (LAY shee uhm) in central Italy.

Where Was Rome Located? Geographyplayed a major part in the location ofRome. The site chosen for Rome wasabout 15 miles (24 km) up the Tiber River(TY buhr) from the Mediterranean Sea. TheTiber River gave the Romans a source ofwater and a way to the rest of theMediterranean world. At the same time,Rome was far enough from the sea toescape raids by pirates.

N

S

W E

100 km0

100 mi.0

Azimuthal Equidistant projection

10E 15E

40N

45N

A L PS

AP

EN

NIN ES

Corsica

Sardinia

Sicily

CAMPANIA

TyrrhenianSea

Strait ofMessina

Mediterranean Sea

IonianSea

Adriatic

Sea

TiberR

.

Po R.

ETRURIA

LATIUM

AFRICA

Rome

Carthage

Italy 500 B.C.

In 500 B.C. the Etruscans and the Greeksoccupied much of Italy.1. Which civilization do you think most

influenced the Latins who settled Rome?Explain your answer.

2. How was Romes location advantageousfor the Latins conquest of Italy?

Find NGS online map resources @ www.nationalgeographic.com/maps

CarthaginiansKEY

EtruscansGreeksLatins

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http://www.nationalgeographic.com/maps

In addition, Rome was built on sevenhills. The Romans did this on purpose. Thehills were very steep, making it easy todefend the city against enemy attack. Romewas also located at a place where peoplecould easily cross the Tiber River. As aresult, Rome became a stopping place forpeople traveling north and south in westernItaly and for merchant ships sailing in thewestern Mediterranean.

How Did Rome Begin? Two different leg-ends describe how Rome began. The tradi-tional story is that twin brothers namedRomulus (RAHM yuh luhs) and Remus(REE muhs) founded the city. As babies, the

boys were abandoned near the Tiber River.Rescued by a wolf and raised by a shep-herd, they decided to build a city in 753 B.C.The twins quarreled, however, and Remusmade fun of the wall his brother was build-ing. In a fury, Romulus lashed out at Remus

and killed him. Romulus went on tobecome the first king of Rome, thenew city he named after himself.

The seeds of Rome are tracedeven farther back in the Aeneid, afamous epic by the Roman poetVirgil. The Aeneid is the story of theTrojan hero Aeneas (ih NEE uhs).He and a band of followers are saidto have sailed the MediterraneanSea after the Greeks captured Troy.After many adventures, the Trojanslanded at the mouth of the Tiber.

Through warfare and then marriage to thelocal kings daughter, Aeneas united theTrojans and some of the Latins (LA tuhnz),the local people. He thus became thefather of the Romans.

Historians are not sure how Romebegan. They think that Latins lived in thearea of Rome as early as 1000 B.C. They builthuts on Romes hills, tended herds, andgrew crops. Sometime between 800 B.C. and700 B.C., they decided to band together forprotection. It was this community thatbecame known as Rome.

Early Influences After about 800 B.C.,other groups joined the Romans in Italy.Two of these groups, the Greeks and theEtruscans (ih TRUHS kuhnz), played a majorrole in shaping Roman civilization.

Many Greeks came to southern Italyand Sicily between 750 B.C. and 550 B.C.,when Greece was busily building overseascolonies. From the Greeks, Romans learnedto grow olives and grapes. They alsoadopted the Greek alphabet, and they

264 CHAPTER 8 The Rise of Rome

The AeneidTwo legends describe the beginning of Rome.One says that after Troy was destroyed,Aeneas and the other Trojans went in search of another place to live.Weeping, I drew awayfrom our old country. . . .I took to the open sea,borne outward into exilewith my people, my son,my hearth gods, and thegreater gods. . . . Nowmaking landfall underthe southwind there, Iplotted out on thatcurved shore the walls ofa colonythough fateopposed itand Idevised the nameAeneadae for the people,from my own.

adapted from Virgil, Aeneid

What type of person do you think Aeneaswas to build a new city after having thefirst one destroyed?

Virgil

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CHAPTER 8 The Rise of Rome 265

would eventually model their architecture,sculpture, and literature after the Greeks.

Romes early growth was influencedmost, however, by the Etruscans. TheEtruscans lived north of Rome in Etruria(ih TRUR ee uh). After 650 B.C., they movedsouth and took control of Rome and most ofLatium.

The Etruscans were skilled metalwork-ers who became rich from mining andtrade. They forced enslaved people to dothe heaviest work and made their own livescomfortable. Their tomb paintings showmen and women feasting, dancing, andplaying music and sports. Some murals alsoshow bloody battle scenes, revealing theEtruscans pride in their military.

The Etruscans changed Rome from a vil-lage of straw-roofed huts into a city ofwood and brick buildings. They laid outstreets, temples, and public buildingsaround a central square. Etruscans alsotaught Romans a new style of dress, featur-ing short cloaks and togasloose garmentsdraped over one shoulder. More impor-tantly, the Etruscan army would serve as amodel for the mighty army the Romanseventually assembled.

Explain How did geographyhelp the Romans prosper?

The Birth of a RepublicThe Romans created a republic and

conquered Italy. By treating people fairly, they builtRome from a small city into a great power.Reading Focus Have you heard the phrase winninghearts and minds? It means convincing people to supportyou rather than just forcing them to obey. Read on to learnhow the Romans not only conquered other people in Italybut also won their hearts and minds.

The Etruscans ruled Rome for more than100 years. Under the Etruscans, Romebecame wealthy and powerful. However,the ruling family, called the Tarquins(TAHR kwihnz), grew more and more cruel.

Finally, in 509 B.C., the Romans rebelled.They overthrew the Tarquins and set up arepublic (rihPUHblihk). A republic is a formof government in which the leader is not aking or queen but someone put in office bycitizens with the right to vote. In a republic,the citizens have the power. The rise of theRoman Republic marked the beginning of anew chapter in Romes history.

Etruscan murals often showed lively scenes of daily life, such as religious ceremonies orpeople enjoying music and feasts. How did the Etruscans become wealthy?

Etruscanjewelry

(t)file photo, (b)Scala/Art Resource, NY

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At the time Rome became a republic, itwas still a small city, surrounded by ene-mies. Over the next 200 years, the Romansfought war after war against their neigh-bors. In 338 B.C. they finally defeated theother Latins living nearby. Next theyattacked the Etruscans and defeated themin 284 B.C. By 267 B.C., the Romans had alsoconquered the Greeks in southern Italy.With this victory, the Romans became themasters of almost all of Italy.

Why Was Rome So Strong? Rome wasable to conquer Italy because the Romanswere excellent soldiers. In the republicsearly days, every male citizen who ownedland had to serve in the army. Disciplinewas harsh, and deserters were punished bydeath. The tough discipline helped moldRoman soldiers into fighters who did notgive up easily. In addition, they were prac-tical problem solvers.

For example, Roman armies at firstfought like Greek armies. Row upon row ofsoldiers marched shoulder to shoulder,keeping their shields together and holdinglong spears. Roman generals soon realizedthat this way of fighting was slow and hardto control. They reorganized their soldiersinto smaller groups called legions (LEE juhnz). Each legion had about 6,000 men andwas further divided into groups of 60 to 120 soldiers. These small groups couldquickly cut through enemy lines.

Roman soldiers, or legionaries, werearmed with a short sword called a gladiusand a spear called a pilum. Each unit alsocarried its own standarda tall poletopped with a symbol. In battle, standardshelped keep units together because the sol-diers could see them above the action.

Shrewd Rulers The Romans were not onlygood fighters but also smart planners. Asthey expanded throughout Italy, they builtpermanent military settlements in the areasthey conquered. Then they built roadsbetween these towns. These roads allowedtroops to travel swiftly to any place in theirgrowing territory.

To rule their new conquests, theRomans created the Roman Confederation.Under this system, Romans gave full citi-zenship to some peoples, especially otherLatins. They could vote and serve in thegovernment, and they were treated the

266 CHAPTER 8 The Rise of Rome

At first, the Roman army was made up of ordi-nary citizens. Later the army contained well-trained professional soldiers and was one of thebest fighting forces in the world. What was astandard, and why did the army carry them?

The long iron point on the

spear was made to bend after the spear was

thrown, preventing an enemy from

using it.

Shields were made from

sheets of wood glued together

and covered with leather or

cloth.

A soldier's armor was made of iron strips joined by leather ties.

Roman LegionaryRoman Legionary

Stock Montage

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Reading SummaryReview the The Romans, a Latin-speaking

people, settled the region ofRome on the west side of Italy.The regions geography, as well asEtruscan and Greek ideas, helpedRome grow.

In 509 B.C. the Romans overthrewEtruscan rule and established arepublic. By about 275 B.C.,Roman legions had conqueredmost of Italy.

Study CentralTM Need help with the material in this section? Visit jat.glencoe.com

1. Where did the Greeks live inItaly, and how did they influ-ence Roman civilization?

2. Describe the two legends thattell of the founding of Rome.Then describe how and whenRome was actually founded.

Critical Thinking3. Geography Skills Draw a

diagram like the one below. Listexamples of how geographydetermined Romes location.

4. Summarize Describe theRoman conquest of Italy.

5. Compare and ContrastHow did geography affect thedevelopment of civilization inGreece and Italy?

6. Expository Writing Write ashort essay discussing the rea-sons Rome was so successful inits conquest of Italy.

7. Taking NotesUse the blue subheads inSection 1 to create notesabout Romes beginnings. Listeach subhead on the left of aT-chart and details on theright.

What Did You Learn?

CHAPTER 8 The Rise of Rome 267

same as other citizens under the law. TheRomans granted other peoples the status ofallies.

Allies were free to run their own localaffairs, but they had to pay taxes to therepublic and provide soldiers for the army.The Romans made it clear that loyal alliescould improve their position and evenbecome Roman citizens.

With these policies, the Romans provedthemselves clever rulers. They knew thatconquered peoples would be more loyal tothe government if they were well treated.Romes generosity paid off. As a result, therepublic grew stronger and more unified.

All the same, Rome was not afraid touse force if necessary. If conquered peoplesrevolted against Roman rule, their resist-ance was swiftly put down.

Describe How did Romerule its new conquests?

The Location of Rome

This mosaic, or picture made from bits of stone,shows a group of Roman legionaries. Howmany soldiers made up a legion?

Prenestino Museum, Rome/E.T. Archives, London/SuperStock

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