Ancient Rome By:Otto Hines, Alexandria Polk, Tatyana

Coleman, and Daveon Walker

Government● Rome was a republic (Ruled by kings).● Their government included decrees of the

Senate, bills passed in the Assembly, and the practices of

public officials who heard cases.● The Senate was made up of male citizens and

were elected every year. However leaders would run for office, stay, and nominate their sons.

● This last from 507 to 31 BC.

The Senate

Legal Systems and Bureaucracies● Roman laws included The Twelve Tables.● Rome had two major classes; civil and public● Civil laws dealt with things such as business and

property.● Public laws dealt with crimes like murder and theft.

Public laws also handled religion.● Bureaucracies include city councils, chief and

imperial priests, gymnasiarchs, dekaprotoi (collectors of the tribute for the community), and eirenarchs (peacekeepers).

Military ● The Roman Military unified Italy and all the

lands around the Mediterranean ● The core of Rome’s military strength lay in the

professionalism of their heavy infantry● The Military was highly intertwined with the

Roman state and government● Military helped politicians gain power● Soldiers were usually a part of the lower class

Architecture in Rome● Roman was made mostly out of concrete● They were the first to use the arch and a dome

structure● They built Coliseums for special events● Rome built bridges, roads, and aqueducts all out

concrete● They built roads that are still there today● One famous building is the Pantheon● They also built Defensive walls to protect parts

of Rome

Roads and Trade● The Romans built roads out of gravel/pebbles

and in later years concrete. ● These roads helped the roman have an easier

time transporting goods and their armies.● One of the earliest roads built in ancient rome

was the Via Salaria, otherwise known as the Salt Road. This road helped transport salt to the empire.

● Another road is the Silk road which was a way of getting silk from China.

The romans had to travel a great distance to acquire silk from China.

Currency ● The main form of currency which was coinage was introduced

into Rome at around 300 BCE.● Coins in Rome were made of gold and were used to pay taxes,

rent, wages, credit and exchange goods. ● Coins were a lot easier to use and made the exchange of goods

even easier.● One flaw of uses gold coins was that they were made of a

valuable metal that was not easy to acquire. Low gold supply eventually led to inflation.

Resourceshttp://www.fofweb.com.gatekeeper.chipublib.org/NuHistory/default.asp?ItemID=WE49