| The city founded by Romulus in the 8th | | | | privileges and lived lives of luxury. They |
| century BC is located on a permanently | | | | ran the government but they had many |
| navigable river,the Tiber, not too far from | | | | obligations too, like each day had to meet |
| the sea. The site where Rome is, is well | | | | with their clients, people of lower status |
| supplied with springs and healthy because of | | | | who depended on them for favors and who they |
| the hills. Rome was surrounded not only by | | | | could ask favors in return. Aristocrats could |
| city walls but also by a pomerium, created | | | | be required to serve in the military or in a |
| when a furrow was solemnly ploughed round the | | | | governmental position at any moment. Roman |
| site of a city. | | | | rich men, to stay popular with the people had |
| | | | to spend a lot of money putting on festivals |
| Ancient Rome was divided in four regions | | | | and games.Most romans lived in tiny |
| within the Pomerium, Suburana, Esquilina, | | | | apartments in huge buildings called insulae ( |
| Collina and Palatina, the original basis of | | | | islands ) that were three to six stories |
| the four urban tribes. The power to command | | | | tall. |
| the roman state during the republican period | | | | |
| was called in latin Imperium and the chief | | | | Insulae were not as confortable as apartments |
| magistrates of the roman republic were the | | | | today. Some insulae were poorly made and |
| two consuls. The consuls were the eponymous | | | | threat of fire was constant. But many people |
| magistrates at Rome, that is, the Roman year | | | | were willing to pay the price just to be able |
| was named after the consuls holding office | | | | to live in Rome. |
| during that year. The literary tradition | | | | |
| describes the establishment of the two | | | | Most of the work of running the roman empire |
| consuls as one of the major acts in the | | | | fell to slaves: some wealthy romans would |
| immediate expulsion of the last kings. | | | | have hundreds, or even thousands of slaves, |
| Consuls had the power to summon the roman | | | | each to serve a certain specific purpose. |
| people to assemblies, to preside over the | | | | |
| elections and to convene the senate. | | | | Romans could at times be kind to their |
| | | | slaves. many were affectionate with their |
| In the first two and half centuries of its | | | | slaves, and they often frred them. Freed |
| existence, the roman republic conquered first | | | | slaves could become roman citizens. Still |
| latium, then all of Italy. | | | | freed slaves owed their former masters |
| | | | loyalty and often became their ex masters |
| The romans annexed much foreign territory to | | | | clients. |
| their own state, but they also established a | | | | |
| system of alliances with all other states.The | | | | During the imperial period the streets were |
| concept of the italian nation is a creation | | | | crowded and noisy during the day and at night |
| of the romans. | | | | because to make life even more expensive, it |
| | | | was difficult to cook in the tiny apartments, |
| All of modern Italy is inhabited by people | | | | so people often ate out at taverns. |
| speaking various languages coming from the | | | | |
| latin.Roman society was clearly divided into | | | | Discovering the history of ancient Rome |
| social classes. At the top were aristocratic | | | | allows us to understand how we live today and |
| Romans, called patricians. They had many | | | | why we have some insitutions. |