Overview of History (753 - 42BC)

• Founding of Rome
  • legends
    • Aeneas, Venus, Troy
    • Mars, Romulus, Remus, wolf, Sabine Women
    • Lucretia, Brutus, Tarquinius Superbus, Tarquinius Sextus
  • reality
• Kingship (753-509)
  • Governmental structure
  • Merger with Sabines, position of women
  • Examples of Etruscan influence
  • Why did the kingship end according to legend? Is there any historical basis for the legend?
• The Republic (508-42)
  • Government: Functions, etc. of Consul, Praetor, Quaestor, Aedile, Censor, Tribune, the Senate, the Assemblies (as a whole)
  • Development/Spread (508-264)
    • key to spread?
    • what were the ways they treated those they conquered?
    • suffered a major setback at the hands of whom, when?
    • whom did they fight in Southern Italy? results?
  • Conquest of Mediterranean (264-133 BC)
    • why did they fight Carthage each time? results of each war?
    • whom did they defeat in the East after they defeated Carthage? results?
    • what was the new system for treating those they conquered?
    • what was effect of these conquests on the Roman state?
  • The end of the Republic (133-42 BC)
    • what solution did the Gracchi propose to the probems the Roman state was having? Results?
    • what solution did Marius effect? Results? Who was Marius?
    • who were Sulla, Pompey, Crassus, Caesar & Brutus and what was their significance?

Roman Religion

• Key Terms: animism, pax deorum, pietas, cultus deorum
• Major elements of religious practice: sacrifice, prayer, vow, divination
• Major priests/priestesses: Pontifices, Vestal Virgins, Flamines, augurs
• Deities of the home: Lares, Penates, Janus, Vesta, Manes
• Festivals: Ambarvalia, Robigalia, Lupercalia, Saturnalia

Social Institutions:

• City Life: What are the pro's and con's of life in the city of Rome?
• Slavery:
  • Sources for slaves?
  • Owned by?
  • Occupations?
  • Treatment:
    • Of slaves in the mines, on farms, in the city?
    • Differences based on occupation? Gender? Nationality?
    • Other?
  • "upper" class/management slaves: qualities of, job/duties, perks
  • Revolt of Eunus
    • reasons for the revolt
    • what happened during the revolt?
    • how did the revolt end?
    • any effects from the revolt?
• Freedpersons:
  • Reasons for manumission?
  • Restrictions on freedom of freedpersons?
  • Restrictions on freedoms of children of freedpersons?
  • Roman attitudes towards freedpersons? consistent?
  • Occupations?
  • Relations with former master (now patron)
    • responsibilities to former master
    • how does naming work?
    • limitations on what former master can expect
    • responsibilities of former masters
    • cordial relations? strained relations?

Possible Essay Questions

• Religion: Shelton has noted the importance of "cultus deorum" in her discussion of Roman religion. Using Shelton #404-405 & 412-414 (pp. 363-365, 371-374) as a springboard, discussion how "cultus deorum" could have both freed a Roman citizen from anxiety and also caused him greater anxiety (you may add other passages to support ideas initiated in the discussion of the other passages, but you must cover all 5 of the passages mentioned above).


• Politics: Background: When Augustus transformed the Roman Republic into an Empire, he paid close attention to what had worked previously and what had not. Some key powers/titles that he kept for himself were the tribunicial power, the censorial power, the power to appoint substitutes for provinces where he had official imperium (and maius (greater) imperium in provinces that were not officially 'his'), religious power as Pontifex Maximus. Three that he rejected were king, dictator (for a time period or for life) and the right to wear triumphal clothes.
  Prompt: For 3-6 of the above listed powers/titles, discuss whom he learned from with regard the powers/titles you picked and what he learned by studying their examples (also include why those particular powers/titles were important).