ROME 



1066 



ROME 



PRINCIPAL DATES B.C 

 Founding of Rpme,about.753 



Numa Pompilius 716 



Tullus Hostilius 672 



Ancus Marti us 640 



Lucius larquinius 616 



ServiusTullius 578 



Tarquinius Superbus...534 

 Republic Established 509 



ROME 



BEFORE THE CHRISTIAN ERA 



PRINCIPAL DATES B.C. 



Sack of Rome by the Gaul&...390 

 The SamniteWars.343-Z90 



The Punic Wars 264-146 



TheMacedonian Wars.... ZI5-I68 



TheMJthridaticWars 88-63 



Caesar's Career 5944 



Battle of Philippi A2 



Battle of Actium 31 



Rome 



(in black) 



64 B.C. 



Roman dinner-table 



Ibmbs along 

 theAppianWay 



concession the creation of two tribunes of the 

 people, who had as their special office the pro- 

 tection of the rights of the plebeians. The lat- 

 ter party also succeeded in having their assem- 

 bly of tribes, always an unrecognized body, 

 given legal standing and certain definite pow- 

 ers, for they had hit upon a very effective 

 method. They simply threatened to secede 

 from Rome and build a city of their own; and 

 the patricians, because they could not do with- 

 out the working classes, grudgingly gave in to 

 their demands. 



Written Laws. Hitherto the laws had never 

 been written, and of course they could be more 

 or less distorted by anyone in power. Now the 

 plebeians demanded a regular code, so that 

 every one might know what really was the law, 

 and though the patricians fought hard they 

 were finally compelled to submit to the ap- 

 pointment of decemvirs and the drawing up of 

 the Laws of the Twelve Tables. These served 

 as the basis of all later Roman law. Connected 

 with this period of the decemvirs is the story, 

 variously told but always interesting, of Vir- 

 ginia, whose father killed her rather than to see 

 her led away to slavery and shame. Macau- 

 lay's poem Virginius tells the story. 



Other Plebeian Gains. Not content with 

 their growing political power, the plebeians de- 

 manded social equality, and in 467 B. c. com- 

 pelled the Senate to agree to a law permitting 

 marriage between the two classes. There was 

 still one sharp grievance, however the sacred 

 office of consul remained open only to patri- 

 cians. The Senate agreed to the election of 

 military tribunes with consular powers, who 

 might belong to either order, but even this was 

 not satisfactory, and the struggle continued. 

 In 367 B. c. the Senate was forced to agree to 

 the Licinian Law, which declared that one con- 

 sul each year must be a plebeian; and the 

 great victory had been won. 



External Expansion. Outwardly this period 

 had not been one of peace. The Etruscan 

 towns, subdued during the time of the kings, 

 revolted after the kings had been driven out, 

 and Rome had to fight for its very life. Vol- 

 scians, Etruscans and Aequians led their armies 

 against the city, but in the end Rome con- 

 quered and became again the head of the 

 league of Latin cities. But in 390 B.C. there 

 came a stronger enemy, the Gauls from the 

 north. They sacked the city, destroying every- 

 thing valuable in their seven months' stay, but 



