Ancient Rome Notes

In class today, we took more notes on Rome from the textbook and the powerpoint. These are the following notes we took on Rome:

They turned around and ran that tyrant outta town/ next thing you know, no kings no more...
- the people's shock at this horrible family and their terrible made them NEVER want to be subject to the rule of kings EVER again- this was an attitude that lasted for centuries.

Hey we got three governments rolled into one patricians and plebeians having some fun...
- rule of kings is replaced by rule of two consuls ("gotta be better than one")
- consuls are elected officials 
- term of office: one year
- always aristocrats (patricians)
- patricians traced their descent from a famous ancestor or pater (father)
- duties: dealing justice, making laws, commanding the army
- one consul could veto the other (reducing the power of the individual). Then, a challenge from the "regular folks" 
- fifth century BCE- patrician dominance of the government was challenged by the plebs ("common people")
- plebeians were 98% of the population
- How did the plebeians dominate?
- plebs had to serve in the army, but couldn't hold office
- plebs were threatened with debt slavery 
-plebs had no legal rights

"no legal rights" you say?
- plebs were victims of discriminatory decisions in judicial trials 
- Rome had no actual laws, just unwritten customs 
- patricians could interpret these to their own advantage
 
So, plebs refused to serve in the military until...
- laws were written out (The law of the Twelve Tables)
- these laws (on tablets) were posted in public (in 450 BCE)
- Tribunes ("tribal leaders") were elected 
SPQR- Senatus Populusque Romanum 
- designates any decree or decision made by "the Roman senate and people"



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