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Romans began Republic
In 509B.C, the Romans overthrew Tarquin the Proud, their Etruscan king, and set up a republic. Under this form of governmet people can choose there ruler although not everybody had the same rites. Patricians had more rights than plebians. -
The first 12 tables
During this (450 BC) period the 12 tables were invented. The 12 tables are 12 bronze tablets and they were placed in the Forum where patricians and plebians could see them. This had a great effect on the empire because these tablets were the first laws. -
First Punic War
In 264 BC the first punic war started in 264. The war was between the Romans and the Carthaginians and it lasted for 23 years. Carthage force lay into the navy while Rome had no navy. One day the Romans found an abbandoned Carthaginian boat, copied it and made some changes. The Romans lost men and ships but at the end won the battle. Carthaginians agreed to make peace and left sicily. -
Second Punic War
The second punic war started in 218 BC. It began with Carthage attacking Rome. Carthaginians conquered all the northen territories and travelled through half of Europe on elephants and living off other poeple's land. Arrived to Rome they had lost to much supply and soldiers to break into the walls so they roamed through the south of Italy for 15 years. At the end Rome attacked Carthage making general Barca go back to save Carthage. Carthage decided to sell all it's territories to Rome. -
Third Punic War
After the second war there was peace for 50 years. In 149 BC the Romans felt Carthage was gaining power again, they attacke Carthage and burnt it down, plowed the fields and sold the people into slavery. In the same year Corinth was gaining power so the Romans made the same operation with Corinth, Macedonia and Syria. -
Rome Expands
At this point (146 BC) the Roman empire has become so strong that it has conquered most of the Mediterrenean became the strongest leader of it. They gained territoty by having a really strong army and dividing it into legions. -
Agricultural Changes and Decline
(In 145 BC). Due to the expasion of the empire Rome needed more food supply. The only solution was sterminate small farms and make them become latifundas with this solution the entire economy collapsed leading to the decline. The gap between the rich and the poor became so great that Rome was not politically stable anymore. -
Roman Leadership
At this time a new Rome was about to come. (133 BC). The first people trying to change Rome were the Reformers but most of them got killed. Then the generals came and there ideas were so hated that Rome broke into a civil war. After all this mess the first triumvirate was formed. -
Julius Caesar
In 60 BC the triumvirate obviously didn't work out and Julius Caesar became the supreme ruler of Rome. Even if Caesar was a self-centered man he made many reforms and expanded of the empire making it stronger and influential. In 15, 44 BC Julius was assasinated by 60 senators. -
End of the Republic
(In 31 BC). After Julius was assasinated another triumvirate was created with the closest people to Caesar. For a while it worked but at the end they were in conflict over everything. Octavian became the dictator of Rome after 4 years.