Early Influences of Early Influences of RomeRome

It’s a Mystery!It’s a Mystery!

Historians have tried over the years to Historians have tried over the years to discover the truth about the founding of discover the truth about the founding of

RomeRome No one really knows who Rome’s first king No one really knows who Rome’s first king

was. was. We do know that the first We do know that the first Romans were Romans were

LatinsLatins The Latins were one of several groups who The Latins were one of several groups who

invaded Italyinvaded Italy In 700 B.C.E. In 700 B.C.E. a Latin tribe built a villagea Latin tribe built a village in in

central Italycentral Italy that later became that later became RomeRome

The First Village in RomeThe First Village in Rome The first village is believed to The first village is believed to

have been built on a hill in have been built on a hill in central Italy called central Italy called PaletinePaletine

Paletine overlooks Paletine overlooks the Tiber the Tiber RiverRiver, about 12 miles inland , about 12 miles inland from the seafrom the sea

Overtime this village expanded Overtime this village expanded and covered seven hillsand covered seven hills

Roman InfluencesRoman Influences Roman culture was greatly Roman culture was greatly

influenced by influenced by twotwo of Rome’s of Rome’s neighbors, neighbors, EtruscansEtruscans and the and the GreeksGreeks

The Romans borrowed many The Romans borrowed many ideas and skillsideas and skills from these from these two groupstwo groups

Who were the Etruscans?Who were the Etruscans? The Etruscans had come from the The Etruscans had come from the

north from a place called north from a place called EtruriaEtruria and and settled throughout Italy. settled throughout Italy.

No one knows exactly how/where No one knows exactly how/where these people started their these people started their civilization but they built city-states civilization but they built city-states and conquered othersand conquered others

By 600 B.C.E. they ruled much of By 600 B.C.E. they ruled much of northernnorthern and and central Italy,central Italy, including including RomeRome

EtruscansEtruscans On your map of Italy, draw an On your map of Italy, draw an

arrow from Etruria to Rome. arrow from Etruria to Rome. Label it “first influence.”Label it “first influence.”

Etruscan InfluenceEtruscan Influence The Romans learned many skills The Romans learned many skills

and techniques from the and techniques from the EtruscansEtruscans

One technique was engineering. One technique was engineering. More specifically they learned to More specifically they learned to make make archesarches and and cuniculuscuniculus

The Romans furthered advanced The Romans furthered advanced these techniques by these techniques by building building bridgesbridges, , stadiumsstadiums and and aqueductsaqueducts

ArchesArches::• Arches rested on two pillars.Arches rested on two pillars.• The pillars supported a half-circle of wedge-The pillars supported a half-circle of wedge-

shaped shaped

CuniculusCuniculus::1.1. A long underground trenchA long underground trench2.2. Vertical shafts connected it to the Vertical shafts connected it to the

ground aboveground above3.3. They used this method to irrigate water They used this method to irrigate water

to cropsto crops4.4. They also used this method to drain They also used this method to drain

swamps and carry water to their citiesswamps and carry water to their cities

Etruscan Sporting EventsEtruscan Sporting Events

Romans adopted two bloody Romans adopted two bloody Etruscan sporting event:Etruscan sporting event:

Slave FightingSlave Fighting Chariot RacesChariot Races

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Slave FightingSlave Fighting The Etruscan The Etruscan traditiontradition was to hold was to hold

slave fights after a slave fights after a funeralfuneral Two slaves of the dead master Two slaves of the dead master

fought to the death with fought to the death with swordsswords and and small shieldssmall shields

After being congratulated the After being congratulated the winner was winner was executedexecuted

NOT ONE SURVIVOR!!NOT ONE SURVIVOR!!

Chariot RacingChariot Racing Etruscans also enjoyed watching Etruscans also enjoyed watching

chariot raceschariot races The drivers, or The drivers, or charioteerscharioteers, were , were

strapped to their chariotsstrapped to their chariots If a chariot overturned, a driver If a chariot overturned, a driver

could be dragged under the could be dragged under the chariot’s or trampled by the chariot’s or trampled by the horseshorses

Injuries often occurred and Injuries often occurred and sometimes deathsometimes death

Etruscan ArchitectureEtruscan Architecture ConcreteConcrete was used to make was used to make buildings buildings

stronger and largerstronger and larger An example would be the An example would be the ColosseumColosseum, ,

where where gladiatorsgladiators fought fought Another famous stadium, called Another famous stadium, called Circus Circus

MaximusMaximus, was the home to multiple , was the home to multiple chariot races. This stadium could hold chariot races. This stadium could hold more than more than 200,000200,000 spectators. spectators.

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Architecture Continued..

Coliseum The Pantheon The Circus Maximus

The GreeksThe Greeks The Greeks also had an influence on The Greeks also had an influence on

early Roman cultureearly Roman culture The Romans learned about Greek The Romans learned about Greek

culture when they settled in southern culture when they settled in southern parts of Italy and on the island of parts of Italy and on the island of Sicily Sicily

They often They often tradedtraded with the Greeks in with the Greeks in Rome and abroadRome and abroad

Greek WritingGreek Writing The Romans borrowed the Greek The Romans borrowed the Greek alphabetalphabet First, the First, the EtruscansEtruscans borrowed the Greek borrowed the Greek

alphabet and modified it, then the alphabet and modified it, then the RomansRomans took the Etruscan alphabet and changed it took the Etruscan alphabet and changed it even moreeven more

Like the Greeks, Romans wrote in ALL Like the Greeks, Romans wrote in ALL CAPITAL LETTERSCAPITAL LETTERS

The Greeks carved important The Greeks carved important documentsdocuments into into bronze or stone bronze or stone plaquesplaques and posted them for and posted them for all to see. The Romans took this idea and all to see. The Romans took this idea and started to started to recordrecord documents in writing. documents in writing.

Mythology Again?Mythology Again?

RomanRoman GreekGreekJupiter (greatest god) Jupiter (greatest god) Zeus ZeusVenus (god of love) Venus (god of love)

AphroditeAphroditeMars (god of war) Mars (god of war) Aries Aries

The Romans were more concerned about The Romans were more concerned about carrying out carrying out ritualsrituals to please the gods, not to please the gods, not

telling myths about themtelling myths about them