Link to the lesson

The history of ancient Rome is inextricably linked with the legend of two brothers miraculously saved by a she‑wolf - Remus and Romulus. Initially, Rome was one of the many centers of the Italic tribe - Latins - that settled in this area after arriving on the Apennine Peninsula. The reign of Romulus - „the first Roman” - opens a royal era in the history of Rome. Supposedly, he founded and populated the city, became its first leader and laid the foundations for the future greatness of the Roman Republic, creating the state's most important institution, the council of elders called the SenateSenateSenate. Already ancient historians tried to pinpoint the date of founding the city, usually assuming the year 753 BC. These assumptions were confirmed by archaeological excavations, thanks to which the remains of defensive walls from the 8th century BC were discovered. Initially, Rome was a small settlement, which thanks to its strategic location, copious natural resources (salt, grain, metal ores) and numerous conquests quickly became the most powerful political center on the Apennine Peninsula.

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Fotografia barwna przedstawiająca rzeźbę Etruska. Leżący mężczyzna wykonany z jasnego kamienia.

The reign of the Etruscan rulers in Rome, and thus the royal era, ended in the 6th century BC. After the expulsion of the last king, the Romans did not elect a new ruler, but as in ancient Greece they decided to rule together, creating a republic (res publica - a thing that is public, belongs to the public). The powers that earlier had been concentrated in the hand of the rulers were divided among numerous officials. The most important were the two consulsconsulconsuls, elected annually, responsible for the conduct of politics and command of the army. They consulted with the Senate, in which eminent citizens sat. The Senate supervised and advised the people of Rome and the state officials. When Rome was in danger, the consuls were replaced by a dictatordictatordictator, who was appointed for 6 months. He had full power and his decisions could not be appealed. Adult men, because only such men had the right to vote, took part in assemblies, called comitia. The first one, the Centuriate Assembly, elected consuls and praetorspraetorpraetors The second one, the Tribal Assembly, passed laws and made the most important decisions concerning the state. In the ancient Rome there were also other offices: quaestorsquaestorquaestors - they assisted the consuls in financial matters, censors - they were responsible for carrying out population and asset censuses and supervised the implementation of municipal projects, praetors - they dealt with judiciary matters, and finally tribunes of the plebstribune of the plebstribunes of the plebs - they were responsible for protecting the people against those in power who would wish to abuse it.

Exercise 1

Wysłuchaj nagrania abstraktu, ułóż do niego pytania i zadaj je koledze.

Wysłuchaj nagrania abstraktu, ułóż do niego pytania i zadaj je koledze.

Study the map and do the exercise.

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Grafika mapy przedstawiającej początki państwa rzymskiego. V- III w. p.n.e. Na mapie wyróżniono zieloną linią Etrurię i Ziemie zdominowane przez Etrusków do końca V w. p.n.e. Kolorem różowym oznaczono tereny Latynów. Słabszym odcieniem różowego koloru oznaczono zdobycze terytorialne Rzymu w IV w. p. n. e. natomiast bladoróżowym kolorem oznaczono zdobycze terytorialne Rzymu do początku III w. p.n.e.

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Wykonaj polecenie.

Wykonaj polecenie.

Choose the sentences that are true.

• Greeks and Italic peoples founded their colonies on the Apennine Peninsula.
• Latins shared a border with the Etruscans in the north.
• The territory inhabited by the Latins was surrounded by the Tyrrhenian Sea in the south.
• River Po flows through Rome.
• The border between the Latin and the Etruscan territory was river Tiber.
• Sicily was inhabited by the Bruttians.

Keywords

ancient Rome, Rome, consul, Roman Republic

Glossary