More about Rome

• 5,000 Soldiers in a Legion
• Roman army's elite heavy infantry 
• recruited exclusively from Roman citizens
• Group of eighty is a century
• on horseback is the cavalry

After the Punic Wars...

• Slaves poured into Italy
• By the end of the second century, there were over one million slaves in Italy
• Small farmers lost their land to aristocrats if they couldn't pay their debt, sometimes because the men of the house were fighting in battle
• Slaves did the work on the farms for the rich
• the big farms became massive estates called latifundia 

Rome notes continued

3 branches of government
Rome

• Executive: 
• two consuls
• one year terms
• each has veto power
• controls military
• appoint dictator in crisis for six-month term

United States

• President (VP)
• four year terms
• veto proposed laws
• commander-in-chief 

Rome

• Legislative: 
• Senate
• 300 people
• aristocrats
• members for life
• Assemblies
• members for life

United States

• Senate
• 100 senators (2 per state)
• 6 term years
• House of Representatives 
• 435 members 
• 2 year terms

Rome

• Judicial: 
• Praetors 
• chosen by Centuriate Assembly
• One term years

United States

• Supreme Court 
• nine members
• appointed by the president
• confirmed by the senate
• lifetime terms

Twelve Tables (Tablets)

• Publicly displayed
• gave rights to plebians, not aristocrats
• Only protected free-born males

Bill of Rights

• 10 amendments to Constitution 
• Women were not included at first

Rome notes

Today in class we took these notes:

• Estruscans: 
• came from North-central
• metalworkers, artists, architects
• Greeks: 
• had many colonies around mediterranean sea
• Romans borrowed ideas from them, such as:
• religious beliefs
• alphabet
• much of their art
• military
• techniques
• weaponry
• Latins: 
• descendants of indo-Europeans 
• settled on the banks of the Tiber
• situated so trading ships could navigate as far as Rome
• built on the seven hills (palatine) 
• many streams flowed into the Tiber 
• There was a marshy area called the Forum, between palatine and Capitoline hills
• Tarquin the Proud's grandfather built the Cloaca Maxima into the Tiber 
• Lucuis Tarquinias Superbus 
• The seventh final King of Rome
• Known as Tarquin the Proud (Tarquin the arrogant) 
• True tyrant, in the old and modern sense
• Tarquin was driven out and the people decided they didn't want any more kings
• there is a painting of sextus attacking Lucretia called "the rape of Lucretia" 
• Rule of kings is replaced by rule of two consuls
• elected officials 
• one term: one year
• almost always aristocrats
• duties: dealing justice, making law, commanding army 
• one consul could veto another 
• fifthe century BCE - patrician dominance of government was challenged by the plebs 
• plebs were 98% of population 
• How did patricians dominate?
• Plebs served in the army
• couldn't serve in the army
• couldn't hold office
• threatened by debt slavery
• no legal rights
• Rome had no laws, just unwritten customs 
• Patricians could interpret laws to their advantage 
• Plebs refused to serve in the military until... 
• laws were written out (Twelve Tablets) 
• laws were posted in public 
• tribunes were elected 

Project

In class Mr.Schick let us plan out our projects more like we did the other day. We had to tell him who we were working with and what we were doing. Me and Kacey are doing our project on culture so we are going to cook some food, show or make some art, and maybe even bring in some of the clothes they wore. We think it will turn out very well if it works out.

Baltimore Riots

Today in class we talked about the Baltimore riots where people are burning things and robbing stores. Everyone shared their opinions on the situation and we talked about what was happening and watched videos. We also discussed the riots that are supposed to happen on Thursday but decided that we don't think they will happen. The discussion took up the whole class.

Circus Maximus and Aqueducts

Mr. Schick had us do research today about 4 topics: Colosseums, Circus Maximus, Roman Forum, and Aqueducts. I worked with Kacey and she researched Colosseums and Roman Forum, I took these notes on Circus Maximus and Aqueducts.

Circus Maximus

• First Celebration of the consualia in honor of Consus, the Roman god of granary
• Could hold a quarter of a million people
• It was used primarily for chariot racing but sometimes for hunts and mock battles 
• Built in the 6th century B.C 
• It was twice destroyed by fire and the stands collapsed at least twice, killing many people
• 620 meters long and 120 meters wide 

Aqueducts

• Local governments decided to build 
• Bridge that brings water in and out
• First built in 312 B.C
• Used for indoor sewage 
• Brought water in and out of Rome 
• Was used to carry waste out and bring drinking water in
• Miles long

Colosseum 

• Seated 50,000-80,000 people
• Largest Amphitheater in the world 
• Construction started in 70 AD
• It takes up 6 acres of land
• Slaves and woman were seated in the upper bleachers and senators were seated near the floor area
• A place of honor was reserved for the editor - person who funded and arranged the games (often the emperor) 

Project day

Today in class we were allowed to work on our projects. Me and Kacey decided that we were going to do our project on Roman culture. We are going to recreate some of the Roman art, make some Roman food, and maybe show how the Roman woman dressed. We haven't planned it out completely but we should be able to start working on it soon.