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ROME
(ROMA)
HISTORY OUTLINE
Archaeological finds testify
the presence of settlements on the Palatino hills, as early
as the middle of the 8th Century BC. Little by little, the
Roman community suffered change under the Sabina, Etruscan
and Greek civilizations. The legend of a sort around the foundation
of Rome on the Palatino (753 BC legend of Romolo and Remo)
testifies a basis of real events: during the era of the Monarchy
(8th-509 BC) battles and alliances with the Sabina race and
Etruscans, allowed the city’s formation due to the fact
of fusion of villages spread out in the hills surround Palatino.
During the Monarchical period, next to the royal figure, also
depositary of religious powers, and that which in tradition
appears to be chosen elective principles, affirmed the most
influential Pontificate council. The civilization was constituted
around the socio-economic dialectics between the gentilitial
groups who owned land and the populace, who were subjected
to a customer rapport with them. The armed population was
made up of an assembly of the curiate comitia.
During the changes from the Monarchy to the Republic, which
was determined in the precincts of the Etruscan power in Italy,
the changeover occurred by elaborating a military and political
system based on census, which substituted that of the nobility.
By use of a gradual process, the aristocrats gave life to
a form of government based on collegiate magistracy (consul,
censor) and on the senate, which they fully controlled with
the changing social-political needs of the City, by then in
phase of expansion. Parallel to the war periods against the
surrounding populations, social and political contrasts began
to develop inside the City between the nobility and the populace.
The Latin’s were defeated (499 BC), allowing an alliance
to be put in place (foedus Cassianum, 493 BC), the Republic
consolidated its own juridical-political assets (populace
tribunal, 12th table laws, (duodecim tabularum leges), 451
BC; Canuleia laws, 445 BC; institutes of the Censor, 443 BC).
The wars of conquest continued with the taking of Fidene (426
BC), the conflict against the Sanniti (Wars of the Sanniti,
343-341 BC; 326-304 BC; 298-290 BC) and against the Etruscans
(310 BC). The conquest of the Sannio allowed Rome to connect
with Magna Grecia (Greater Greece). In accordance with the
Italian population (treaty with the Lucani, 299 BC; the Turi,
282 BC), the war against Taranto happened soon after, aided
by the Epirus King Pirro. At the end of this war, Rome became
ruler of Meridianal Italy (from Taranto, 272 BC; and from
Reggio, 270 BC). The Roman advancement continued, notwithstanding
the resistance put up by the Carthaginians (The Punic Wars,
264-241 BC; 218-201 BC): where the following were conquered:
Corsica (259 BC), Sicily (241 BC), Sardinia (238 BC) and a
vast province in the Iberian peninsula (226 BC). In this way,
Rome began her own expansion on the Padanan Plains (200 BC),
in the Illirico area and Macedonia (196 BC). The advancement
into the Oriente followed with the Siriaca war (193-188 BC)
and the reduction of Macedonia and Greece into provinces (conquest
of Corinth, 146 BC): contemporarily the destruction of Cartagine
(146 BC) saw the beginning of the conquest of the African
coasts.
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| ROME
Art City
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TITUS' ARCH, COLOSSEUM |
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VESTALI'S HOUSE |
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ROSTRA: ANTONIO SPEECH |
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