Rise and Fall of Rome
Shanol Handapangoda
Honors History
Mr. Hanna
November 28, 2012
“Rise and fall of The Roman Empire”
Rome began as a small city-state in the country Italy, but ended up ruling the entire Mediterranean world. Rome was located in the Italian peninsula; the peninsula is centrally located in the Mediterranean. This location helped Rome expand to one of the greatest empires known to civilization. Latins, the ancestors of the Romans migrated into Italy by 800 B.C settling along the Tiber River in small villages. Romans weren’t the only people living in Italian peninsula among them were Greeks colonists who scattered along southern Italy and then there were the Etruscans, the Etruscans ruled much of central Italy including Rome. In fact Romans learned most things from the Etruscan civilization. As time went by the Romans drove out the Etruscan leader in 509 B.C. This date is considered to mark the founding of the Roman state. The Romans grew stronger; they set up a government and named it the “ Republic”. They thought a Republic would keep any individual from gaining to much power. During the beginning of the Republic the most powerful governing body was known as the senate. The senate’s 300 members served for life and made the laws. Each year the senators elected two consuls, their jobs were to supervise the business of government and command their armies. As Rome’s political and social systems evolved at home, their armies expanded Roman power across Italy. The Romans first controlled the Etruscans and then the Greek city-states by 270 B.C. Rome controlled majority of the Italian peninsula. Rome’s success was due to the skillful diplomacy and its loyal well-trained army. The basic military unit was made up of 5,000 men. Rome generally treated its defeated enemies with justice. Conquered people had to acknowledge Roman leadership, pay taxes, and supply soldiers for the Roman army. To protect its conquests Rome posted soldiers throughout the land it also
Honors History
Mr. Hanna
November 28, 2012
“Rise and fall of The Roman Empire”
Rome began as a small city-state in the country Italy, but ended up ruling the entire Mediterranean world. Rome was located in the Italian peninsula; the peninsula is centrally located in the Mediterranean. This location helped Rome expand to one of the greatest empires known to civilization. Latins, the ancestors of the Romans migrated into Italy by 800 B.C settling along the Tiber River in small villages. Romans weren’t the only people living in Italian peninsula among them were Greeks colonists who scattered along southern Italy and then there were the Etruscans, the Etruscans ruled much of central Italy including Rome. In fact Romans learned most things from the Etruscan civilization. As time went by the Romans drove out the Etruscan leader in 509 B.C. This date is considered to mark the founding of the Roman state. The Romans grew stronger; they set up a government and named it the “ Republic”. They thought a Republic would keep any individual from gaining to much power. During the beginning of the Republic the most powerful governing body was known as the senate. The senate’s 300 members served for life and made the laws. Each year the senators elected two consuls, their jobs were to supervise the business of government and command their armies. As Rome’s political and social systems evolved at home, their armies expanded Roman power across Italy. The Romans first controlled the Etruscans and then the Greek city-states by 270 B.C. Rome controlled majority of the Italian peninsula. Rome’s success was due to the skillful diplomacy and its loyal well-trained army. The basic military unit was made up of 5,000 men. Rome generally treated its defeated enemies with justice. Conquered people had to acknowledge Roman leadership, pay taxes, and supply soldiers for the Roman army. To protect its conquests Rome posted soldiers throughout the land it also